Mary Lou Retton, an "Olympian for the ages"...
Speaking of ages, Mary Lou was only 16 when she scored a perfect 10, becoming the first American gymnast, male or female, to win a gold medal. The scene was the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The date was August 3rd, 1984 and Mary Lou Retton had only one thought on her mind as she approached the vault: "I was thinking, 'stick, stick'. I like the added pressure, it makes me fight harder". "Stick it" is a term that means landing after a flip as if you had a foot-long spike on the sole of each foot. Kind of like walking a few miles on 3rd Avenue in Manhattan in 100 degree heat but you don't win a gold medal for that. One backward somersault in a laid-out position with a full 360 degree twist later and Mary Lou had her perfect 10. Mary Lou performed her heroic act despite an arthritic knee that was operated on just two months earlier...
The tiny athlete with the big smile would become an overnight sensation with her perfect 10 and would grace the cover of every major magazine in America. Her face was on a Wheaties box and she would charm TV audiences with her appearances and become America's sweetheart. This was a feel-good, perfect 10 as a sports story. No steroid scandals, no attitude, no controversary, no arrogrance and for once Wheaties had a true champion to go along with their "breakfast of champions"...
Ten Timeline Memories...
1933] Walt Disney, approached by a manufacturer who wanted to base some toys on the Mickey Mouse character, takes him up on the offer and the first Mickey Mouse Watch is born. The watch is introduced at a department store in Chicago. It sold for a dollar. Thousands of these watches were sold in the 30's and this provided Disney the dividends he needed to stay in business until the release of his first feature film - "Snow White", released toward the end of the decade...
1949] The Basketball Association of America (BAA) merges with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form the NBA with the following franchises: Boston, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Rochester, Syracuse and the Tri-Cities Blackhawks (later the Atlanta Hawks)...
1956] The name of the island housing the Statue of Liberty is changed from Bedloe's Island to Liberty Island...
1963] The Beatles make their final appearance at the Cavern Club in Liverpool almost 2 years to the date (Aug. 2, 1961) they started there...
1966] Controversial (but brilliant) comic Lenny Bruce is found dead at 40 in the bathroom of his Hollywood Hills home. Official cause of death: acute morphine poisoning caused by an accidental overdose. (Although I never saw Lenny Bruce perform, I'll never forget the album, recorded at a live performance that I had on United Artists. I had never heard comedy like that before. The guy was truly brilliant in his own wacky, tormented way.)...
1971] Paul McCartney announces the formation of his new band - Wings...
1975] After seeing the Astrodome in Houston, Louisiana Governor John J. McKeithen says "I want one of these, only bigger". He gets one. The Superdome opens on August 3rd, 1975. The renovated (following Katrina) in-door arena expects to reopen for a Saints game on September 25th...
1981] The PATCO traffic controllers union pulls its trafic controllers out on strike. After being warned they would be replaced, they are as President Ronald Reagan says "See ya, see ya. Wouldn't want to be ya"...
2001] A grand jury indicts "Soprano's" actor Robert Iler on charges that he and two teen-aged pals robbed 2 other teen-aged boys (in this neighborhood just a few blocks from here) of $40 (I hope his father, Tony, knocked the crap out of him and grounded him)...
2004] The Statue of Liberty reopens to the public for the first time since 911...
Released on this date...1963] "Surfer Girl" - Beach Boys..."Hello Muddah, Hello Fadda" - Allan Sherman...
Recorded on this date...1966] "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby" - Rolling Stones...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...
Commentary...
Word out of Corpus Christi is that Freddy ("Before The Next Teardrop Falls") Fender has incurable cancer and his wife, Vangie Huerta says "we are hoping for a miracle". We are as well. The singer with 3 Grammy Awards is resting at home and does not want to know how long doctors give him: "I'm one year away from 70 and I've had a good run. I really believe I'm OK. In my mind and in my heart, I feel OK. I cannot complain that I haven't lived long enough but I'd like to live longer". Our thoughts, prayers and best wishes are with you Freddy...
August 3rd Birthdays...
Tom Brady (29), Jay ("Dennis the Menace") North (55), Martha Stewart (65), Beverly Lee (who owns the "Shirelles" trademark) (65), Martin Sheen (66), Tony Bennett (80) NFL Football Hall of Famer and current Buffalo guru Marv Levy (81) and the Jordanaires' Gordon Stoker (82)...
[Timeline countdown: 33 days until Labor Day, 37 days until NFL kickoff, 62 days until MLB playoffs and 150 days remaining in 2006]
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