Hoboken's legacy to American music...
Francis Albert Sinatra was born in Hoboken (NJ) 91 years ago today but his music is timeless. Simple as that. We've linked a black and white video of a song Sinatra performed on one of his television specials at the end of our opening commentary...
The name of another person of Italian heritage is linked to December 12th: Guglielmo Marconi who provided the medium for Sinatra music to be heard worldwide by two events, both occurring on that same December date. In 1896 Marconi gave the first public demonstration of radio at London's Toynbee Hall and by the following year, established the Wireless Telegraph and Signal Company Limited, opening his first radio factory in Chelmsford in 1898. In 1901 Marconi sent the first Atlantic wireless transmission of the Morse-code signal for the letter "s". An "s" with a vertical line through it would've been more appropriate but there's no code for that...
As promised, here's the link to Francis Albert Sinatra in glorious black and white. Enjoy it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=no19tgMaFrg&search=Frank%20Sinatra
Timeline Memories...
- [1930] Baseball changes the rule on balls bouncing into the stands from a home run to a ground rule double (one rule that wasn't changed is a ball hitting the head of an outfielder and going into the stands. That's still a home run. Ask Jose Canseco)...
- [1937] NBC and RCA sends the 1st TV mobile unit vans into the streets of New York with reporter Gabe Pressman (not really. It was Don Pardo)...
- [1946] A U.N. committee votes to accept a 6-block tract of Manhattan real estate to be the site of U.N. headquarters. John D. Rockefeller Jr. presents the early Christmas present...
- [1965] The Packers' Paul Hornung runs for 5 touchdowns while Gayle Sayers of the Bears runs for 6 in 2 separate NFL games (what's that worth in fantasy points?)...
"Happy Trails": 1999] "Catch 22" author, Joseph Heller dies of a heart attack at 76...2003] Keiko the killer whale made famous by the "Free Willy" movies dies of pneumonia at 27 in the Norwegian fjord he called home...
Wedding Bells: 1991] Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford walk down the aisle (this strange marriage lasts 3 years before it dissolves)...
Recorded on this date: 1955] "See You Later Alligator" - Bill Haley & Comets (this was a cover of the original by Bobby Charles)...
Released on this date: 1964] "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" - Righteous Brothers...
Debuted on this date: 1897] "The Katzenjammer Kids" (the pioneering comic strip by Rudolph Dirks makes its debut in the New York Journal)...1917] Father Edward Flanagan founds Boys Town, outside Omaha (NE)...1925] The 1st motel, the "Motel Inn" opens in San Luis Obispo (CA)...1946] Tide detergent is introduced...1969] "Hello Dolly" starring Barbra Streisand...1980] Marie Osmond's solo TV series debuts on NBC-TV...
"Guilty as charged": 1975] Sara Jane Moore pleads guilty to trying to assassinate President Gerald R. Ford (Sara is still serving time)...1989] Leona ("Queen of Mean") Helmsley is fined $7 million and sentenced to 4 years in prison for tax evasion...
"ACTION": 1972] Filming begins on the Diana Ross movie of Billie Holliday, "Lady Sings The Blues"...
"Final Curtain": 1976] Joe Namath bows out as Jets QB in a 42-3 blowout by the Bengals...
"Signed, Sealed, Delivered": 1997] The Red Sox sign Pedro Martinez to a record 6-year $69 million contract...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...
Commentary...
NBA commissioner David Stern has announced that the NBA's experiment using synthetic basketballs has come to an end and as of the first of 2007, the old leather ball will be back in play. Just yesterday, I tried to pick up one of those new balls at Models and it just felt real rubbery to these non-playing NBA hands. The big rap against them was the way they bounce and the feel of the ball. It's been said that several players have gotten cuts from handling the ball. The NBA's "new Coke" experiment has failed which makes you wonder why they changed something (the old ball) that no one complained about to begin with. Now if they can just stop Nicole Richie from driving...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Hank Williams III (34), Jennifer Connelly (36), Sheila E (47), Tracy Austin (44), Cathy Rigby (54), Dionne Warwick (66), Connie Francis (68), Ed Koch (82) and Bob Barker (83)...
Timeline Countdown: 3 days until Chanukah, 13 days until Christmas, 19 days until 2007, 25 days until the NFL playoffs, 27 days until the BCS championship game and 54 days until Super Bowl XLI...
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