Thursday, August 31, 2006

Thursday, August 31, 2006

The Lady and her legacy...

We all want our lives to matter but you can be sure that Princess Diana Spencer wasn't thinking about what kind of legacy she would leave when she met her end in that tragic crash in France 9 years ago today. At 36 you still think you'll live forever. The life of Lady Diana, Princess of Wales mattered and she would leave a lasting legacy...

The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund was started on September 4th, 1997. $188 million has been raised to-date. This includes donations in her memory from around the globe, commercial licensing programs, money raised by the Spencer family home and proceeds from "Candle In The Wind '97" by Elton John. $133 million has been pledged in grants to over 420 worthy organizations world-wide...

The Fund's website lists where some of those grants have gone and they include: communities affected by landmines, young people with mental health programs, prisoners' families, young refugees and asylum seekers, palliative care and learning disabilities. A worthy and noble cause that started just a few days after that fatal automobile accident in a tunnel by the Seine in Paris...

Ten Timeline Memories...

(01) [1888] Mary Ann "Polly" Nicholls is found murdered in London's East End. The murder is generally accepted as the 1st "Jack the Ripper" murder (5 victims, all prostitutes, died at the hands of the still unknown "Ripper". As many as 13 other victims may have met their death at his hands as well in this stange and sketchy crime spree)...

(02) [1950] Gil Hodges of the Brooklyn Dodgers hits 4 home runs in a 19-3 pasting of the Boston Braves. Hodges hit them off of 4 different pitchers (Hodges played on 6 pennant winning teams and 1 World Series champion, all with the Dodgers. He would finish his career with 370 home runs, a record for right-handed hitters at the time)...

(03) [1954] Hurricane Carol hits the northeast, killing nearly 70 (60 in New England) and resulting in millions of dollars in damage...

(04) [1969] Heavyweight Champion Rocky Marciano (from Brockton Ma.) dies in a light plane crash in Iowa, the day before his 46th birthday (Rocky is the only undefeated heavyweight champ in history with a 49-0 record that includes 43 KO's)...

(05) [1974] After 4 seasons on the air, "The Patridge Family" TV show ends (David Cassidy goes on to have a successful solo career with several hits)...

(06) [1976] A judge rules that George Harrison is guilty of copying from the Chiffon's hit "He's So Fine" when writing "My Sweet Lord"...

(07) [1985] Richard Ramirez, later convicted of California's "Night Stalker" murders is captured by residents of an East Los Angeles neighborhood (he would be judged guilty of 13 murders, 5 attempted murders and numerous sexual assaults and burglaries. Despite appeals, he remains on Death Row)...

(08) [1995] The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opens in Cleveland (OH)...

(09) [1998] "Titanic" becomes the 1st movie in North America to earn more than $600 million (it still ranks #1 in total gross with $1.8 billion. "The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King" is #2 with a gross of $1.1 billion)...

(10) [2001] A Bronx team's 3rd-place finish in the Little League World Series is ruled invalid because pitching star Danny Almonte is found to be 2 years older than the age limit of 12 (Almonte, 19, who was pitching for James Monroe H.S. in April, was not drafted by any of the 30 major league teams in June). C'mon George you have enough money to sign Almonte and Jeffrey Maier (who won a playoff game for you by catching a ball in play in rightfield in '96...

"Happy Trails": 2002] The legendary Lionel Hampton at 94 (cardiac arrest)...

"Released on this date": 1974] "Jazzman" - Carole King...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources were used in the timeline]...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

Deborah Gibson (36), Marcia Clark (53), Richard Gere (57), Giant coach Tom Coughlin (60), Van Morrison (61), Itzhak Perlman (61), Crickets drummer Jerry Allison (67), Frank Robinson (71), Dan Rather (75) and NPR's Daniel Schorr (90)...

"Happy Trails"

Great actor Glenn Ford who was in many big movies but I'll always remember him in the movie that propelled Rock and Roll music by including it in the sound track: "Blackboard Jungle". "Rock Around The Clock" never would have been as huge as it was without the help of this movie. Ford, 90, apparently died of natural causes...

Jumpin' Gene Simmons who was originally a Sun artist, opened some of Elvises shows and worked with the Bill Black Combo. His big hit was "Haunted House" in 1964. The song peaked at #11. Simmons died after a long illness at 69...

Timeline Countdown: 5 days until Labor Day, 9 days until NFL kickoff, 34 days until MLB playoffs and 122 days remain in 2006. The Mets (with the best record in baseball) Magic #: 16.

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Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Dave TV...

This was the night that David Letterman joined "Katie TV" which some are calling CBS-TV (with tongue firmly affixed to cheek) 13 years ago after "retiring" from NBC. Dave is just as funny, topical and creative as he was back in 1993. He opened his latest monologue wtih 3 gems in a row, first mentioning the USA team from Columbus (GA) that won the Little League World Series..."I know that doesn't mean much to you folks but Wayne Gretsky's wife just lost a half a million dollars". On Tom Cruise, "did you hear that Tom Cruise has a new business partner ? and I was worried that Tom would be driving a cab". George Bush was the next target: "the President is visiting New Orleans on the anniversary of Katrina. Now if we could just get FEMA down there". Not word for word as I was paraphrasing but those punchlines are pretty accurate and quite fitting for Letterman's humor...

Billy Joel was Letterman's first musical guest on his CBS show and it was reportedly on idol Johnny Carson's advice that David made the move to a new network after 11 years at NBC. The final straw for Letterman was the selection of Jay Leno as Carson's replacement. Johnny's choice ? David Letterman...

Each "Late Show with David Letterman" is taped at 5pm at the old Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway for playback that night. For recaps, "The Wahoo Gazette" shows highlites of each show, including the infamous Letterman Top 10:

http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/esclusives/wahoo/

Ten Timeline Memories...

(01) [1963] The hot-line communications link between Washington and Moscow goes into operation (unfortunately outtakes of the first several wrong numbers were on Nixon's blank 18-minute tape)...

(02) [1964] The Beatles draw 18,000 Beatlemaniacs to the Atlantic City Convention Hall on the Boardwalk (I was at WMID and this was the year my daughter Lynn was born in AC Hospital and it was also the year the Democratic National Convention was at the same venue as the Bealtes)...

(03) [1965] Thurgood Marshall is confimed by the Senate as the 1st black Supreme Court Justice...

(04) [1970] Jimi Hendrix, the Doors, the Who, Joni Mitchell, Jethro Tull, the Moody Blues and more appear at the Isle of Wight Pop Festival...

(05) [1972] John Lennon & Yoko Ono perform at their "One To One" benefit for children at Madison Square Garden...

(06) [1976] Tom Brokaw joins the "Today Show" as news anchor...

(07) [1984] An auction of Beatles memorabilia in London, including Ringo Starr's snare drum and an unpublished John Lennon book raises $270,000...

(08) [1989] A federal jury in New York finds "the Queen of mean", Leona Helmsley guilty of income tax evasion but acquits her of extortion...

(09) [1992] "Northern Exposure" wins an Emmy for "Outstanding Drama Series" (that is was !)...

(10) [1995] James Taylor and Carly Simon reunite on Martha's Vineyard for "Livestock '95", a benefit for the MV's Agricultural Society, as Cape Cod's summer draws to a close on the Vineyard...

#1 on this date: 1961] "Michael" - Highwaymen...1965] "Help!" - Beatles...

Released on this date: 1981] "Tatoo You" LP - Rolling Stones...

"D-I-V-O-R-C-E": 1988] Julianne Phillips files for divorce from Bruce Springsteen (ironically rumors are swirling now that the Boss and Patti Scialfa might be headed that way)...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...

Commentary...

Bob Sherwood e-emails that he has a ticket for the Beatles final concert in the USA (Candlestick Park,1966). Aside to Bob: if things ever get tough (not likely for you I know) but...that ticket is worth a bloody fortune on eBay. Hold on to it Bob...

"Happy Birthday...happy Birthday"...

Andy Roddick (24), Cameron Diaz (34), Michael Chiklis (43), Celtic great, "The Chief", Robert Parish (53), Timothy Bottoms (55), Peggy Lipton (59), Elizabeth Ashley (67), Warren Buffett (76), Bill Daily ("The Bob Newhart Show") (78) and "The Queen of Country Music", Kitty Wells (87)...

[Timeline Countdown: 6 days until Labor Day, 10 days until NFL kickoff, 35 days until MLB playoffs, 123 days left in 2006 and The Mets Magic #: 17]

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Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

"Way Down Yonder in New Orleans, in the land of the dreamy scenes, there's a garden of Eden, you know what I mean" - written by Henry Creamer and J. Turner Layton...

There were no dreamy scenes, no garden of Eden, just death and destruction one year ago when Katrina ripped apart the levees of New Orleans, flooding the city. There will be all kinds of tributes to "The Big Easy" today. Here in New York, Fordham University's WFUV is featuring the music of New Orleans all day. If you have the right software you'll be able to listen to their stream at www.wfuv.org/stream.html. There have been so many songs written about New Orleans ("Way Down Yonder...", "Walking To New Orleans", "The City of New Orleans", "Do You Know The Way To New Orleans", etc.) that it promises to be quite a treat At the moment they're playing mostly music from New Orleans musicians post-Katrina but hopefully that will change to include some of the earlier songs listed...

According to the latest reports of the rebuilding efforts in New Orleans and gulf coast cities destroyed by the Hurricane, it's a slow process. Can they withstand another devastating storm ? That remains to be seen. It depends on who you listen to. You won't want to be listening to New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin who's off his noggin' (a future campaign slogan ?). On "60 Minutes" it was Nagin who criticized rebuilding efforts at New York's ground zero: "You guys in New York can't get a hole in the ground fixed and it's 5 years later. So let's be fair". Nagin did acknowledge that his comments could have been interpreted as insensitive but refuses to apologize...

The idiocy of Nagin aside, the world is hopeful that New Orleans and the rest of the gulf coast cities will in time, recover fully. We can only hope so...

Ten Timeline Memories...

(01) [1886] In New York City, Chinese Ambassador Li Hung-chang's chef invents chop suey (what exactly do they put in that stuff ?)...

(02) [1892] Pop (Billy) Shriver of the Chicago Cubs catches a ball dropped from the top of the Washington Monument (it takes several days to extract Shriver who can only be seen from the neck up)...

(03) [1958] George Harrison joins John Lennon and Paul McCartney as a member of the Quarrymen...

(04) [1965] 75-year old Met manager Casey Stengel retires after a 56-year career...

(05) [1966] The Beatles play their last U.S. date in the U.S. at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. They made another appearance at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium on the same date 2 years earlier in 1964...

(06) [1967] The last episode of "The Fugitive" draws 72% of the TV audience as Dr. Richard Kimble is freed in a wild water tower chase where Lt. Philip Gerard kills the one-armed guy who was about to kill Kimble. A witness agrees to testify that the one-armed dude killed the good doctor's wife Helen, not Kimble...

(07) [1977] 3 people are arrested for trying to steal Elvis Presley's body (which would have made Elvis a nobody)...

(08) [1977] Lou Brock breaks Ty Cobb's 49-year stolen base record with his 893rd swipe...

(09) [1982] Swedish film star Ingrid Bergman dies on her 67th birthday after a long battle with breast cancer...

(10) [2002] Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel is sentenced to 20 years-to-life for bludgeoning his then teenage neighbor in 1977, Martha Moxley (Skakel's attorney has filed another appeal in July to go before the Supreme Court to free him on a statute of limitations)...

#1 on this date: 1971] Paul McCartney with "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey"...1982] "Abracadabra" - Steve Miller...

Released on this date: 1964] "Oh, Pretty Woman" - Roy Orbison...1970] "Lola" - The Kinks...

Movie Premiere: 1964] "Mary Poppins"...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...

E-mails...

Nice to hear from Pete Bennett who mentions that he was at both Forest Hills Beatles' shows with Murray the K. Pete was with the Beatles from day 1 in 1964...

Gordy Brown who remembers meeting the now 81-year old Billy Grammer in Nashville many years ago and says he was a great guy. I never had the pleasure but I'm sure he is...

And Mickey Gensler who'd like us to do a "good guys" list. Mickey means good people not the WMCA Good Guys, who are also good "people". It's something to think about. By the way, on Mickey's list is:Gladys Knight, Carly Simon, Kool & The Gang's Robert Bell, drummer Bernard "Pretty" Purdie and DJ Fred Buggs...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

Rebecca DeMornay (44), Michael Jackson (48), Robin Leach (65), Elliott Gould (68), Senator John McCain (70) and Richard Attenborough (83)...

[Timeline Countdown: 7 days until Labor Day, 11 days until NFL countdown, 36 days until MLB playoffs, 124 days left in 2006 and The Mets Magic # is: 18]

...


Monday, August 28, 2006

Monday, August 28, 2006

A Day in The Life...

The big pre-Labor Day event in sports is the U.S. Open. Always was...always will be. The Open starts today in Flushing Meadows but there was a time when Forest Hills was the venue. On this August 28th day in 1964 there was a major event at the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium that had nothing to do with tennis. Andre, Roger, Andy and Rafael are the names we'll hear about starting today at the U.S. Open but the names featured 42 years ago today were John, Paul, George and Ringo...

On the night of the day the Beatles appeared on the cover of Life magazine, the Fab Four opened the first of 2 nights at the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium before a sell-out crowd of 16,000. Nosebleed seats went for just $1.95 while field boxes were $7.50 for both sold-out shows. The Beatles would return for 2 more shows in New York, both at Shea Stadium in 1965 and 1966 when they were one day away from their final U.S. appearance...

***

Events in the sports world are starting to unfold quickly, quickly enough to update our Love To Hate Top 10, weekly... so...here we go with a new update:

01) Trevor Graham (--) New to the list. Graham coached 3 runners (Marion Jones, La Tasha Jenkins and Justin Gatlin) who have tested positive for banned performance enchancing drugs. Graham has been banned from Olympic training facilities...

02) Albert Belle (--) debuts after being sentenced to 3 months in jail & 5 years of supervised probation for stalking his ex-girlfriend not once but twice...

03) Terrell Owens (03) makes life interesting in Dallas already. T.O. was just fined for skipping a team meeting and rehab session. The clock is ticking. Stay tuned...

04) Alex Rodriguez (05) This is the best player in baseball ? On what planet ? Reggie Jackson is on the way to help A-Rod. Better yet, bring in Dr. Phil...

05) John Gibbons (--) is new to the list after the Blue Jays manager has added Ted Lilly to his fight card after Shea Hillenbrand who was sent packing. It may be Gibbons who'll be sent packing next...

06) Kevan Barlow (--) joins lots of first-timers. All the Jets and former 49er did was compare his ex-coach (Mike Nolan) to Adolf Hitler...Makes you wonder if he played in Dallas who he would compare Bill Parcells to...

07) Adam "Pacman" Jones (--) is another newcomer who qualifies for the top 10 for being arrested outside a bar near Nashville for disorderly conduct and public intoxication. He was released from jail on bond...

08) Bryant Gumble (--) managed to bite the hand that feeds him for sending a message to new NFL commish Roger Goodell to "have Tagliabue show you where he keeps Gene Upshaw's leash" (Upshaw is the players union head)...

09) David Frost/Mike Danton (--) Frost, a former NHL agent who was the target for a murder-for-hire plot by(Danton), one of his players who is serving a 7 1/2 year sentence. Frost was freed on $10,000 bail and proclaimed himself not guilty of charges he sexually exploited a group of teenagers (this is a Jerry Springer show)...

10) Maurice Clarett (03) slips down the list but must stay on for adding to his rap sheet with an August 9th arrest despite being maced and tasered by cops in Columbus (OH)...

Dropped: Floyd Landis, Ricky Williams, Chad Johnson, Barry Bonds, Marion Jones, Paul Hamm and anyone named Williams...

Ten Timeline Memories...

(01) [1609] Delaware Bay is discovered by Henry Hudson (so why didn't he call it Hudson Bay ?)...

(02) [1922] The 1st radio commercial aired on WEAF (which would become WNBC later on) in New York City. If you're wondering what it was, wonder no more. It was a 10-minute commercial for the Queensboro Realty Co. which had paid WEAF the princely sum of $100...

(03) [1963] 200,000 participate in a peaceful civil rights rally in Washington (DC) where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. eloquently delivered his "I have a dream" speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial (Peter, Paul and Mary sang "Blowin' In The Wind")...

(04) [1968] Police and anti-war demonstrators clash in the streets of Chicago as the Democratic National Convention nominates Hubert H. Humphrey for president...

(05) [1972] David Bowie and the Spiders from Mars make their debut at Carnegie Hall...

(06) [1972] Mark Spitz captures the 1st of 7 gold medals at the Munich Summer Olympics. Spitz sets a world record when he completes the 200-meter butterfly in 2 minutes and 7/10ths of a second...

(07) [1984] The Jacksons' Victory Tour breaks the record for concert ticket sales, surpassing 1.1 million in 2 months...

(08) [1988] "Thirty Something" and "The Wonder Years" are the big winners at the 40th Emmy Awards (I thought the Emmy show last night was terrific. Conan was creative, doing a good job as host and that was a nice and fitting tribute to Dick Clark)...

(09) [1991] A New York City subway operator is charged with manslaughter after his train derails, kills 5 and injures 133...

(10) [1995] The biggest bank in the U.S. is created when Chase Manhattan and Chemical Bank announce a $10 billion deal...

Released on this date: 1961] "Please Mr. Postman" - Marvelettes...

Gold Standard: 1973] "Monster Mash" - Bobby "Boris" Pickett...1973] "Smoke on The Water" - Deep Purple...

"D-I-V-O-R-C-E": 1996] Prince Charles and Princess Diana end their 15-year marriage...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the dateline]...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

Leann Rimes (24), Jason Priestly (37), Jack Black (37), Shania Twain (41), Scott Hamilton (48), Ron Guidry (56), David Soul (63), Lou Piniella (63), Ben Gazzara (76) and Billy Grammar (81)...

[Timeline Countdown: 8 days until Labor Day, 12 days until NFL kickoff, 37 days until MLB playoffs, 125 days left in 2006. The Mets Magic Number: 20]

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Friday, August 25, 2006

Friday-Sunday, August 25-27, 2006

Elton John won't ever let the sun go down on him...

Life couldn't be better for Elton John in 2006. He starts a two-month tour in a week that begins in Europe and ends with 10-days in Las Vegas at Caesar's Palace. His "The Captain and the Kid" LP shipped this week and he also has a song on "From The Big Apple To The Big Easy: The Concert For New Orleans" LP which was released this week. Life is good. His run in the U.S. had a beginning though and it happened 36 years ago today...

Elton was a bearded 23-year old rocker complete with bell bottoms and a bright red t-shirt when he hit the stage at The Troubador in West Hollywood, opening for the "immortal" David Ackles. If you're wondering if Elton was good in his U.S. debut, we'll turn to someone who was there to give us the answer. The L.A. Times put it like this: "Rejoice. Rock music has a new star who was in almost every way, magnificent. He's going to be one of Rock's biggest and most important stars". Rolling Stone called the opening night of a week-long performance "among the top 20 concerts that changed Rock and Roll"...

Elton John's record sales exceed 250 million. His 50 Top 40 hits, including 6 #1 hits and 16 Top 10 hits, has made him one of the most successful musicians of all time. In 1994 Elton was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 1998 he was knighted. What's left ? I mean, what does he do for an encore ? I'm sure he'll think of something. Stay tuned...

Ten Timeline Memories...

(01) [1949] NBC Radio debuts "Father Knows Best". The show moves to TV in 1954...

(02) [1952] Tiger righthander Virgil Trucks becomes only the 3rd pitcher in major league history to throw 2 no-hitters in the same season with a 1-0 shutout of the Yankees at Yankee Stadium (strangely enough, Trucks will finish the season with a 5-19 record for the lowly Tigers)...

03) [1960] The AFL in their inaugural season decide to place the names of the players on the back of their uniforms...

(04) [1984] Truman Capote dies of liver disease at 59 at the home of friend and former wife of Johnny Carson, Joanne Carson...

(05) [1985] The Mets' Dwight "Doc" Gooden at 20 becomes the youngest pitcher to win 20 games (Doc will finish the season at 24-4)...

(06) [1991] "Cheers" and "LA Law" are the big winners at the 43rd Emmy Awards (the 2006 Emmy Awards are on this weekend)...

(07) [1993] Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman is indicted by a federal grand jury for terrorist activities, one of which was the World Trade Center bombing...

(08) [1994] Jimmy Buffett's plane flips over after taking off from the Nantucket airport. Buffet will swim to safety (and then proceeds to get 'wasted away again in Margaritaville')...

(09) [2001] 22-year old Latina singer Aaliyah and 8 others are killed when their plane crashes in Marsh Harbor in the Abacos Islands of northern Bahamas (the overloaded plane appeared to have engine trouble)...

(10) [2003] Tennis champion Pete Sampras announces his retirement at a news conference at the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows.

Released on this date: 1973] "Ramblin' Man" - Allman Brothers...1975] "Born To Run" (LP) - Bruce Springsteen...1976] "Boston" (LP) - Boston...1979] "Cars" - Gary Numan...1986] "Graceland" (LP) - Paul Simon...

D-I-V-O-R-C-E-D: 1994] Billy Joel and "Uptown Girl" Christie Brinkley...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

Claudia Schiffer (36), Jo Dee Messina (36), Billy Ray Cyrus (45), Elvis Costello (52), Gene Simmons (57), Baseball HOFer Rollie Fingers (60), Walter (O'Jays) Williams (63), Tom Skerritt (73), Regis Philbin (75), Sean Connery (76), Monty Hall (85) and Van Johnson (89)...

[Timeline Countdown: 11 days until Labor Day, 15 days until NFL kickoff, 40 days until MLB playoffs, 128 days remaining in 2006 and as of this writing...The Mets magic # is: 22]

...

Saturday, August 26, 2006...

Ten Timeline Memories...

(01) [1873] Dr. Lee DeForest is born. He's the inventor of the audion tube which makes broadcasting possible (all bow down to the good doctor)...

(02) [1873] The school board of St. Louis (MO) authorizes the 1st U.S. public kindergarten...

(03) [1939] The 1st televised major league baseball games are shown on experimental W2XBS. It's a double-header between the Brooklyn Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds...

(04) [1947] The Brooklyn Dodger pitcher Don Bankhead becomes the 1st black pitcher in major league baseball...

(05) [1957] Ford rolls out the 1st Edsel (1958 model). The last Edsel rolls out at the end of November of '59 (1960 model)...

(06) [1964] The Democratic National Convention nominates LBJ for a full term with Hubert H. Humphrey as his running mate in Atlantic City (living in AC at the time, I remember seeing both candidates at their palacial rental waiting to be escorted to the Convention Hall for their coronation)...

(07) [1970] Duane Allman starts recording as a member of Eric Clapton's new band, Derek & The Dominoes...

(08) [1974] Charles Lindbergh dies of cancer on the Hawaiian island of Maui (Lindbergh was 72)...

(09) [1986] Jennifer Levin is found strangled in Central Park. Preppie Killer Robert Chambers eventually confesses but uses a "rough sex" defense. He will serve 15 years (the 1st 5 in solitary) and is released at age 36 in August of '05. Chambers was sentenced to 100 days in jail for possession of heroin and cocaine recently...

(10) [2003] Investigators conclude that NASA's overconfident management and inattention to safety doomed the space shuttle Columbia as much as damage to the craft did...

Released on this date...[1967] "Purple Haze" - Jimi Hendrix (brave souls that we were at WRKO this was a big hit for us when no one else played it)...

On the cover of Rolling Stone...[1976] Aerosmith...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

Macaulay Culkin (26), Bob Cowsill (57), Lee Trevino (58), Valerie Simpson (58), Tom Ridge (who will paint the town "red") (61), Geraldine Ferraro (71), Celtic great Tommy Heinsohn (72), former Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee (85)...

[Timeline Countdown: 10 days until Labor Day, 14 days until NFL kickoff, 39 days until MLB playoffs and 127 days remain in 2006]

...

Sunday, August 27, 2006...

Ten Timeline Memories...

(01) [1859] The 1st oil well is successfully drilled in the U.S. by Colonel Edwin L. Drake near Titusville (PA) (where ???)...

(02) [1921] The owner of Acme Packing Company bought a pro-football team for the town of Green Bay (WI). J.E. Clair pays tribute to those who worked at his plant by naming the team: The Green Bay Packers (to this day it's still the only professional team owned by a community)...

(03) [1961] "Francis The Talking Mule" is mystery guest on "What's My Line" (how the devil did Francis sign in ?)...

(04) [1966] Elvis Presley invites the Beatles over to his Bel Aire house to jam. It's the 1st and last meeting of the pop icons...

(05) [1976] Sex-change tennis player Renee Richards is denied admission to the U.S. Open in Forest Hills ("let's see, do we put him/her in the men's competition or women's ???")...

(06) [1982] 23-year old Rickey Henderson steals his 119th base, breaking Lou Brock's season record (although he hasn't been in MLB for a while, Henderson still holds the career record for stolen bases with 1,406)...

(07) [1984] President Reagan announces his "Teacher in Space" project. Although 11,000 teachers applied, Christa McAuliffe of New Hampshire is selected but loses her life in the Challenger tragedy. In 2003 NASA tried to renew Reagan's committment, an on-going project...

(08) [1990] Texas rocker Stevie Ray Vaughan (who took his brother Jimmie's seat) and 3 members of Eric Clapton's crew are killed in a helicopter crash in Wisconsin in bad weather...

(09) [1992] John Lennon's handwritten lyrics to "A Day In The Life" are sold for $87,000 at auction...

(10) [2001] Work begins on the future site of a WWII memorial in Washington (DC)...

Released on this date: 1965] "Highway 61 Revisited" (LP)...1966] "Cherish - Association...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used]...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

Paul (Pee Wee Herman) Reubens (54), Tuesday Weld (63), Daryl ("The Captain") Dragon (64), Tommy Sands (69) and Ira ("Rosemary's Baby") Levin (77)...

[Timeline Countdown: 9 days until Labor Day, 13 days until NFL kickoff, 38 days until MLB playoffs and 126 days remain in 2006]

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Thursday, August 24, 2006

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Pete Rose strikes out...

This was the day that Pete Rose went down in flames. The year was 1989 and Baseball Commissioner Bart Giamatti had seen enough evidence that Rose had bet on his own sport and an admission from Rose closed the deal. Pete Rose would be banned permanently from baseball. While Rose continues to seek reinstatement to the Hall of Fame, he's been denied admittance on each occasion. If you're wondering what Rose's mindset is these days, read on...

Pete's son Pete Jr. whose playing career did not mirror dad's, never-the-less has copied the old man's more notorious traits. Pete Rose, Jr. has had several run-ins with the law with multiple drug arrests, most recently serving time in prison just last month. Prior to junior's jailing, Pete Rose Sr. gave a speech to his son's minor league team in which he stated that if a player has a choice between betting on baseball or using drugs, that he should use drugs, because Major League Baseball continues to welcome back with open arms, players who have been suspended repeatedly for drug offenses (Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, the late Steve Howe, etc.) while those who have been found to have gambled on baseball while still a part of it have faced intense scrutiny and lifetime bans despite numerous appeals for reinstatement...

You'll notice there's not even a hint of remorse in that statement. Another reason to keep Pete Rose out of the Hall of Fame forever. Read about the aftermath of Rose's banning in 1989 in my commentary...

Ten Timeline Memories...

01) [1814] British forces invade Washington (DC) and set fire to the Capitol and the White House (those dirty redcoats will get it...just wait)...

02) [1880] Joshua Lionel Cowen was born. If his middle name looks familiar, he was the inventor of the miniature electric train...

03) [1967] Brian Epstein, manager of The Beatles dies of a drug overdose at the age of 32...

04) [1968] To celebrate his 24th birthday a day earlier, Keith Moon of The Who drives a Lincoln Continental into a Holiday Inn swimming pool in Flint (MI) (10 years later he will die from a drug overdose)...

05) [1973] ("I don't want to work. I just want to bang on the drum all day") Todd Rundgren must have had John Adams in mind when writing that weekend getaway song. John is in his umpteenth year beating his drum in the rightfield stands (between sections 182 & 183) in Cleveland. He started in Municipal Stadium and moved to Jacobs Field when the Indians opened their new stadium...

06) [1979] The Cars play a concert for half a million fans in Central Park...

07) [1979] Over 60,000 NFL fans choose the old Patriots (Militia-man) logo over the new one (but with the passing of time, we've grown to love the "new" Elvis logo)...

08) [1981] Mark David Chapman is sentenced to 20 years-to-life for the murder of John Lennon (keep him there)...

09) [1990] A Nevada judge rules that heavy metal group, Judas Priest is not responsible for the suicides of 2 teens (a good ruling in a sad and tragic case)...

10) [1995] Windows '95 goes on sale. Microsoft will spend $300 million on an advertising campaign featuring the Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up" for which the Stones received some $8 million to $14 million for use of the song...

#1 on this date: 1961] "Wooden Heart" - Joe Dowell...1973] "Brother Louie" - Stories...

On the cover of Rolling Stone on this date: 1978] Bruce Springsteen...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources were used in the timeline]...

Commentary...

The exhaustive investigation of Pete Rose would take its toll on Baseball Commissioner Bart Giamatti, who at 51 died of a sudden heart attack just 8 days following his ruling on Rose. I remember being at Yankee Stadium shortly after he died when Yankee PA announcer Bob Shepard announced a moment of silence for Giamatti. It was deathly silent for several seconds before a leather-lunged fan from section one in the upper deck proclaimed in a booming voice, "Pete Rose is a murderer". Jaws dropped in astonishment at such a wild but amusing proclamation. WCBS-FM's Jeff Mazzei (who celebrated his birthday yesterday) was at that game sitting next to me if you need verification on that...

The other Rose-connected incident that comes to mind is the interview of Rose conducted by my nephew-in-law, Jim Gray who aggressively interviewed Rose in 1999 and tried to pry a confession from him, to no avail, and was widely criticized for badgering Rose. It turns out that Jim had the right idea. Rose would finally admit he bet on baseball in his 2002 book, "My Prison Without Bars"...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

Dave Chappelle (33), NBA reporter and former Knick-killer Reggie Miller (41), Marlee Matlin (41), Craig Kilborn (44), Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr. (46), Gerry Cooney (50), Denver NFL coach Mike Shanahan (54), Joe ("Murphy Brown") Regalbuto (57), Chi-Lite Marshall Thompson (64), Mason Williams (68) and Kenny ("R2-D2") Baker (72)...

[Timeline Countdown: 12 days until Labor Day, 16 days until NFL kickoff, 41 days until MLB playoffs and 129 days remaining in 2006]

...


Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

A farewell to New York...

On a warm Tuesday night in August of 1966, 44,600 fans screamed their brains out at Shea Stadium but it wasn't for the 9th place Mets. Forty years later, different story for these1st place Mets but not on the night of August 23rd, 1966. After 6 appearances in New York City, The Beatles were saying goodbye with a 45-minute show that featured 11 songs ("Rock and Roll Music", "She's A Woman", "If I Needed Someone", "Day Tripper", "Baby's In Black", "I Feel Fine", "Yesterday", "I Wanna Be Your Man", "Nowhere Man", "Paperback Writer" and "Long Tall Sally")...

The Fab Four would gross an attendance of over 141,000 during their 7 shows here. Surprisingly they would fall about 11,000 short of a sell out at their 1966 Shea concert, promoted by Sid Bernstein, promoter of all their New York shows. Sid turned 88 on August 12th (A belated Happy Birthday to you Sid). Despite his advancing age, Sid continues to be active in promotion and management. You might be interested to know that all seats for The Beatles final Shea performance were reserved for the princely sum of $4.50, $5.00 and $5.75...

Following their Shea performance, The Beatles were 6 days shy of their final concert in the U.S.A. in San Francisco...

Ten Timeline Memories...

01) [1902] Fannie Merrit Farmer opens her 1st cooking school, Miss Farmer's School Of Cookery in Boston (MA) (You may have heard of Fannie Fah-muh)...

02) [1927] Italian-born anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti are executed in Boston for the murders of 2 men during a 1920 robbery. They would be vindicated in 1977 by Governor Michael S. Dukakis...

03) [1974] John Lennon, with May Pang by his side, reports seeing a UFO in New York City (no word on whether or not the UFO saw John)...

04) [1979] Soviet dancer Alexander Godunov defects while the Bolshoi Ballet tours in New York City...

05) [1982] Seattle pitcher Gaylord Perry is tossed from a game for throwing a "spitter" (1st clue came when a row of fans behind the plate have their white shirts turn brown during the game)...

06) [1993] The LAPD confirms that Michael Jackson was the subject of a criminal investigation (hard to believe isn't it ?)...

07) [2000] An estimated audience of 51 million viewers watch the finale of the 1st "Survivor" reality show on CBS-TV, won by Richard Hatch who pockets $1 million (Hatch is now serving time and complaining about his treatment and I'll bet he doesn't parade around nude like he did on "Survivor". But then again)...

08) [2001] California Congressman Gary Condit tells ABC-TV's Connie Chung that he had no involvement in the disappearance of Chandra Levy (whose body is later found)...

09) [2002] New York publicist Lizzie Grubman pleads guilty in a hit-and-run crash that injures 16 people outside a Hampton's nightclub (I find it very interesting that Lizzie pronounces her last name "Groob-man" while her lawyer father, Alan pronounces it "Grub-man")...

10) [2003] Former priest John Geoghan, the convicted child molester whose protection sparked the sex abuse scandal that shook the Roman Catholic Church nationwide, is murdered by an inmate at a Massachusetts prison...

Wedding Bells: 1962] John Lennon marries Cynthia Powell in Liverpool (they will divorce in November of 1968)...

#1 on this date: 1962] "The Loco-motion" - Little Eva...1972] "Brandy" - Looking Glass...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...

"Happy Birthday...Happy birthday"...

Kobe Bryant (28), Mets Methuselah Julio Franco (48), Rick Springfield (57), Shelly Long (57), Baseball's 1st DH Ron Blomberg (58), Barbara Eden (72), Football Hall of Famer Sonny Jurgensen (72), Satirist Mark Russell (74) and actress Vera Miles (76)...

Happy Trails...

Sorry to report that New Orleans R&B singer Barbara ("I Know") George passed away on August 10th at age 63...

[Timeline Countdown: 13 days until Labor Day, 17 days until the NFL kickoff, 42 days until MLB playoffs and 130 days remaining in 2006]

...



Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

A typical summer day for Motown in the 60's...

That day would consist of having the #1 hit in the country and the release of a summer classic for all summers to come. They were dancing on West Grand Boulevard in the Motor City and the world would soon be "Dancing in the Street" along with Martha and the Vandellas which was released on August 22nd, 1964. Another summer - another Motown hit. Berry Gordy Jr. would top that with a group that would dominate the charts for years when The Supremes had the 1st of 5 consecutive #1 hits on the same date...same year. But the road to the top of the charts began with a thud for The Supremes...

With their 1st 6 releases The Supremes were as cold as, okay let's say the Red Sox. Enter the hit making producers, Holland-Dozier-Holland and as unsuccessful as Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson were producing the most famous girl group in the universe, that's how successfull HDH was with The Supremes. Release #7 was "When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes" which peaked at #23 but the boys were just warming up. The next release ("Run, Run, Run") stiffed but then there were 5, count 'em, 5 #1 hits in a row...

"Where Did Our Love Go" was #1 on this date in 1964, followed by "Baby Love", "Come See About Me", "Stop! In The Name Of Love" and "Back In My Arms Again". And by the way, Holland-Dozier-Holland also produced "Dancing In The Street". Berry Gordy never stopped smiling after August 22, 1964...

Ten Timeline Memories...

01) [1865] A patent for liquid soap was received by William Sheppard who discovered that if you leave a bar of soap in a soap dish and never drain it - you get liquid soap (I do that every day)...

02) [1906] The Victor Talking Machine Company of Camden (NJ) begins to manufacture the Victrola. The hand-cranked unit with horn cabinet sold for $200 (which would translate to $200 bazillion today)...

03) [1966] Giant pitcher Juan Marichal (a future Hall of Famer by the way) hits Dodger catcher John Roseboro in the (coconut as Fran Healy would say) head (to you and me) with a bat (HELLO!) during an on-field fight (just another day in the office)...

04) [1970] MCA Records opens the vault and extracts a princely (undisclosed) sum of money to sign Elton John...

05) [1973] Henry Kissinger is named Secretary of State by President Richard Nixon (Kissinger will serve until 1977) and becomes an invaluable foreign affairs consultant forever...

06) [1984] The last VW Rabbit rolls off the assembly line in Westmoreland (PA)...

07) [1986] Kerr-McGee Corporation agrees to pay the estate of the late Karen Silkwood, $1.38 million to settle a 10-year old nuclear contamination lawsuit (too bad Karen wasn't around to see it)...

08) [1989] Huey P. Newton, co-founder of the Black Panthers, is shot to death in Oakland (CA). Tyrone Robinson is later convicted and sentenced to 32 years to life in prison for the murder...

09) [1989] Nolan Ryan (in my eyes, the best pitcher I've ever seen) becomes the 1st major league pitcher to strike out 5,000 batters (Ryan still owns the record for most K's in a career)...

10) [1998] While pursuing Roger Maris's home run record of 61, Mark McGwire admits using an unauthorized substance (he will hit 70 home runs). Mark, you've been given a free ride so far on our "Love to Hate" Top 10 but you'll be on our All-Time list for your usage and sphinx-like testifying before Congress...

Hottest LP: 1964] "The Chipmunks Sing The Beatles" (selling 25,000 a day)...

D-I-V-O-R-C-E: 1966] Cynthia Lennon sues John for divorce on grounds of adultery...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

Tori Amos (43), Cindy Williams (59), "60 Minute"- man Steve Kroft (61), Bill ("The really Big Tuna") Parcells (65), Valerie Harper (66), Baseball Hall of Famer and last Triple Crown Winner Carl Yastrzemski (67), General Norman Schwarzkopf (72) and Science fiction writer Ray Bradbury (86)...

Timeline Countdown: 14 days until Labor Day, 18 until NFL kickoff, 43 until MLB playoffs and 131 days remaining in 2006...

...


Monday, August 21, 2006

Monday, August 21, 2006

Hamm anniversary triggers new "Love To Hate" Top 10...

Two years ago on this date gymnast Paul Hamm of the U.S.A. won a gold medal at the Athens Olympics when South Korea's Yang Tae-Young was unfairly docked a tenth of a point on a technicality. Hamm had no problem with the ruling and acted like he deserved the gold medal. For that, Hamm shows up on our newly revised and re-named "Love to Hate" Top 10 as follows:

01) Floyd Landis (04) Floyd is 2-for-2 on artificial testosterone testing...

02) Marion Jones (--) Jones has returned to track and field despite testing positive for EPO (blood-doping) in June. She faces a 2-year suspension with one more positive test. It's rumored that she may have failed another test. Stay tuned...

03) Terrell Owens (03) In a holding pattern but things are heating up in Cowboy camp. T.O. is being referred to as "the player", "he" and "him" by coach Bill Parcells who feels, injured or not, "he" hasn't had enough practice time to play a game. "He" will be topping the charts before long...

04) Maurice Clarett (--) The former Ohio State great expanded his rap sheet with an arrest on August 9th despite being maced and Tasered by cops in Columbus (OH). Tick, tick, tick...

05) Alex Rodriguez (02) I love play-by-play guys who keep referring to A-Rod as the greatest player in the game but me thinks that the greatest player in the game should not 1) lead all third-basemen in the AL in errors or 2) be 4th in the league in hitting into double-plays or 3) not have a .300 batting average...

06) Ricky Williams (--) His less than stellar year in the Canadian Football League was topped by breaking his arm in July. Williams already was banned by the NFL for his marijuana use...

07) Chad Johnson (--) Outstanding Bengal receiver sporting a golden mohawk asked one of the refs if he could celebrate in the end zone after a meaningless TD in a meaningless 44-31 beating of the Buffalo Bills...

08) Anyone named Williams (--) including Dad Williams. The U.S. Open begins in Flushing in a few days...

09) Barry Bonds (01) Just because he insists he never used steroids just that clear cream that grew hair where a person is not supposed to have hair...

10) Paul Hamm (--) For the 2nd anniversary of his tarnished gold medal...

Dropping out of the top 10: Tiger Woods (who "just wins, baby"), Lance Armstrong, Jose Canseco, Mike Tyson, Ron Artest and Pete Rose. Some of these names will reappear when the need arises and/or when we do an All-Time "Love To Hate" list...

Ten Timeline Memories...

01] [1858] Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas, both candidates for U.S. Senate, go toe-to-toe in the 1st of 7 debates that people are still talking about. The opening round is held in Ottawa (IL)...

02] [1878] The American Bar Association is founded in Saratoga (NY). No shortage of lawyers at the spa city...

03] [1888] Something needed 10 years earlier in Saratoga, the adding machine, is patented by William Burroughs...

04] [1959] Hawaii becomes the 50th state as President Eisenhower issues the order for the 50-star U.S. flag (Aloha)...

05] [1975] Tony Conigliaro of the Red Sox announces his retirement (Tony C. becomes a TV sportscaster at a Providence station. He never fully recovered from his beaning in 1967 and tragically loses his life at 45 from a heart attack in 1982)...

06] [1980] Linda Ronstadt debuts on Broadway in "The Pirates of Penzance"...

07] [1983] "La Cage aux Folles" ("Queen for a Day" in French) reaches Broadway with George Hearn and Gene Barry starring in the lead roles...

08] [1992] NBC fires "Scud Stud", Arthur Kent 2 weeks after he refuses an assignment to Croatia (this after he becomes a "star" for his Gulf War coverage). Arthur Kent is now seen as often as Jimmy Hoffa...

09] [1997] 25 million pounds of ground beef that was potentially contaminated with E. coli, is recalled by Hudson Foods. It's the largest food recall in U.S. history (and how would you like your hamburger Sir ?)...

10] [2000] Rescue efforts to reach the sunken Russian nuclear submarine Kursk end with divers announcing that all 118 sailors are lost...

Wedding Bells: 1992] Sting and Trudi Styler walk down the aisle...

Released on this date: 1965] "Eve of Destruction" - Barry McGuire..."Do You Believe In Magic" - Lovin' Spoonful...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

"Long Island Lolita" Amy Fisher (32), Kim Cattrall (50), Harry Smith (55), Patty McCormack (61), Jackie DeShannon (62), Kenny Rogers (68) and Melvin Van Peebles (74)...

"Happy Trails"

On August 11th we wished TV variety show host Mike Douglas a happy birthday only to find out later in the day that Mike had died on his 81st birthday. Happy Trails to Mike Douglas, an innovator in TV variety/talk shows...

[Timeline Countdown: 15 days until Labor Day, 19 days until the NFL kickoff game, 44 days until the MLB playoffs and 132 days remain in 2006]

...


Friday, August 11, 2006

Friday-Sunday, August 11-20, 2006

They said "hello" and now they say "goodbye"...

They would be the Beatles who said hello to America in 1964 but just 2 years later they were saying goodbye as they started their last U.S. tour on this date in 1966. Arriving at Chicago's O'Hare Airport on August 11th, the Beatles were set to launch a 14-city farewell tour that would take them from Chicago to San Francisco...

At a Chicago press conference on the 12th John Lennon would start festivities by apologizing for his statements comparing the Beatles and Jesus and then it was on to the International Amphitheater in the Windy City for 2 shows before 26,000 Beatlemaniacs. Close to 400,000 in all would witness The Fab Four's final U.S. tour which would end at Candlestick Park in San Francisco on August 29th...

It's hard to believe that only 2 members of the Beatles are still with us. Ringo Starr is just happy to be the drummer in a rock and roll band of All-Stars but the remaining member of the Beatles who would like to relive this day in 1966 is Sir Paul McCartney. He has 47 million reasons to go back to 1966 if just for one day...

Ten Timeline Memories...

1934] Alcatraz, in San Francisco Bay, receives federal prisoners for the first time (get ready for the Birdman, inmates)...

1951] The first major league baseball game is televised in living color as the Brooklyn Dodgers beat the Boston Braves 8-1...

1965] 34 are killed, more than 1,000 injured during rioting in Watts...

1968] The first Beatles single on their own Apple label is released. It's a little ditty you may have heard of, "Hey Jude"...

1969] Diana Ross invites 350 guests to the Daisy Club in Beverly Hills to unveil her new discovery: The Jackson Five...

1972] Elvis and Priscilla Presley file for D-I-V-O-R-C-E. They married in May of 1967...

1984] Ronald Reagan jokes, "today we have signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes" (no one in the Soviet Union is amused)...

1984] Carl Lewis duplicates Jesse Owen's feat (feet ?) of winning 4 Olympic gold medals in track...

1992] The Mall of America, the largest shopping mall in the U.S. opens in Bloomington, Minnesota...

2002] U.S. Airways files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection...

#1 on this date in 3 different decades: 1964] "Everybody Loves Somebody" - Dean Martin...1974] "The Night Chicago Died" - Paper Lace...1984] "Endless Love" - Diana Ross and Lionel Richie...

Released on this date: 1956] "Don't Be Cruel" - Elvis Presley...1962] "Surfin' Safari" - Beach Boys..."Green Onions" - Booker T. and the MG's...1973] "Free Ride" - Edgar Winter Group...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

Joe Rogan (who has sold his soul to the devil as host of "Fear Factor") (39), Singer Joe Jackson (52), Hulk Hogan (53), Steve (co-Apple founder) Wozniak (56), Eric Carmen (57), Kenny Gamble (63), TV evangelist Jerry Falwell (73), Arlene Dahl (78), Former TV talk show host Mike Douglas (81)...

[Timeline Countdown: 25 days until Labor Day, 29 days until NFL kickoff, 54 days until MLB playoffs and 142 days remaining in 2006]

...

Saturday, August 12, 2006...

Ten Timeline Memories...

1851] Isaac Singer is granted a patent on his sewing machine (his sewing machine will soon be your sewing machine)...

1865] Disinfectant is used for the 1st time during surgery by Joseph Lister (ya think Warner-Lambert gives residuals for the use of Listerine to the Lister estate ? Just asking)...

1877] Thomas Edison invents the phonograph and makes the 1st sound recording (TAE, you show off)...

1966] John Lennon apologizes at a news conference in Chicago for his "the Beatles are more popular than Jesus" statement...

1967] Fleetwood Mac make their stage debut in Great Britain at the Windsor Jazz & Blues Festival...

1969] The Boston Celtics are sold for $6 million (the highest price paid for an NBA franchise at the time)...

1972] The last American combat ground troops leave Vietnam...

1981] IBM rolls out its 1st PC (and the rest is history)...

1992] The U.S., Canada and Mexico announce the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has been created after 14 months of negotiations...

1994] Major league baseball players go on strike rather than allow team owners (who happen to be their bosses, by the way) to limit their salaries. The strike lasts for 232 days, cancelling the World Series for the 1st time in 90 years...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple references are used in the timeline]...

"Happy birthday...happy birthday"...

Pete Sampras (35), Peter ("Six Feet Under") Krause (41), Suzanne Vega (47), Mark Knopfler (57), George Hamilton (67) and Porter (discoverer of Dolly Parton) Wagoner (79)...

"Anniversary Waltz": 2001] Let's see...uh, oh I know, lucky me and Diane Brady. Happy Anniversary Diane...

[Timeline Countdown: 24 days until Labor Day, 28 days until NFL kickoff, 53 days until MLB playoffs and 141 days remaining in 2006]

...

Sunday, August 13, 2006...

Ten Timeline Memories...

1907] The 1st taxicab hits the streets of Manhattan (the 1st auto accident will follow shortly)...

1912] The 1st experimental radio license for a college radio station is given to St. Joseph's College in Philadelphia...

1934] Al Capp's comic strip "L'il Abner" makes its debut in newspapers (I had the pleasure of meeting this rather eccentric but brilliant man when he briefly provided comedy material for WNAC and the beginning of WRKO)...

1942] Walt Disney's "Bambi" opens at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan...

1959] Ground is broken in New York on the $320 million Verrazano Narrows Bridge (which will connect Staten Island to Brooklyn)...

1961] Berlin is divided by a barbed wire fence to halt the flight of refugees (2 days later work begins on the Berlin Wall)...

1965] The Jefferson Airplane make their performance debut at San Francisco's Matrix Club...

1990] Singer Curtis Mayfield is paralyzed after a light rack falls on him during a concert in Brooklyn...

1994] A report claims that aspirin not only helps reduce the risk of heart disease, but also helps prevent colon cancer...

1995] Baseball Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle loses his battle with liver cancer at age 63 (at the end of his life Mickey campaigned very actively for the donation of organs to save lives. After an outstanding playing career but cursed by many personal problems created by alcohol, he died a hero)...

Recorded on this date: 1952] The original version of "Hound Dog" - Willie Mae (Big Mama) Thornton...

Released on this date: 1965] "Help" single - The Beatles...1966] "You Can't Hurry Love" - The Supremes...

Engaged: Maria Shriver and Ahnold Schwarzenagger...

Remembering: 1971] Musician King Curtis (37) stabbed to death in Manhattan...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

Danny Bonaduce (47), Scott Hamilton (48), Dan Folgelberg (55), Don Ho (75), Pat Harrington (77) and Fidel Castro (80)...

[Timeline Countdown: 23 days until Labor Day, 27 days until NFL kickoff, 52 days until MLB playoffs and 140 days remaining in 2006]

...

Monday, August 14, 2006...

Ten Timeline Memories...

1935] FDR signs the Social Security Act into law creating unemployment insurance and pension plans for those over 65...

1953] The whiffle ball is invented (how many hundreds of major leaguers started out playing whiffle ball ?)...

1973] Bombing in Cambodia comes to an end...

1980] The Democratic National Convention at Madison Square Garden nominates Jimmuh Carter for president...

1985] Michael Jackson outbids Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono for the ATV Music Publishing catalogue containing the rights to more than 250 songs written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Total price: $47.5 million (McCartney will regret this day as long as he lives or unless he gains ownership again)...

1992] The Platters lead singer Tony Williams dies at 64 from diabetes and emphysema...

1994] International terrorist "Carlos the Jackal" is captured in Sudan (he's extradited to France the next day)...

1996] The Republican National Convention nominates Bob Dole for president...

1997] Timothy McVeigh is sentenced to death for the Oklahoma City bombing...

2003] A massive blackout hits the northeast and parts of Canada with 50 million losing power (luckily we were on the Cape which was not affected)...

Released on this date: 1965] "Hang on Sloopy" - The McCoys...1971] "Reason To Believe/Maggie May" - Rod Stewart...1976] "Rock 'N Me" - Steve Miller Band...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

Patriot linebacker Mike Vrabel (31), Halle Berry (48), Magic Johnson (47), "Far Side" cartoonist Gary Larson (56), Danielle Steel (59), Susan St. James (60), Steve Martin (61), David Crosby (65), Earl Weaver (76), Alice Ghostly (80) and Buddy Greco (80)...

[Timeline Countdown: 22 days until Labor Day, 26 days until NFL kickoff, 51 days until MLB playoffs and 139 days remaining in 2006]

...

Tuesday, August 15, 2006...

Ten Timeline Memories...

1848] The dental chair is patented by M. Waldo Hanchett (let the torture begin)...

1935] Humorist Will Rogers and aviator Wiley Post are killed when their experimental, top-heavy plane crashes near Point Barrow, Alaska. Rogers was 56 (forgive me for asking but why the devil would anyone go up in an experimental plane ?)...

1939] The MGM musical "The Wizard of Oz" premieres at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood...

1948] CBS-TV inaugurates the 1st nightly news broadcast with anchorman Douglas Edwards (who was recently and posthumously voted into the Chicago Radio Hall of Fame)...

1958] Buddy Holly and Maria Elena Santiago rock down the aisle in Lubbock (TX)...

1965] The Beatles set a record for the largest single crowd at a concert as Shea Stadium swells to 56,000 fans screaming their brains out for the Fab Four...

1969] On the same date in 1969, another historic musical event: Woodstock ! Richie Havens kicks off 3 days of music, mayhem and mud (and love...man). Also appearing: Crosby, Stills & Nash, Janis Joplin, Sly & the Family Stone, Joe Cocker, Jefferson Airplane, Santana, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Blood, Sweat & Tears...24 acts in all. The 3-day happening draws 400,000...

1971] President Richard Nixon puts a 90-day freeze on wages, rents and retail prices (well, I like 2 out of the 3)...

1990] Cancer sufferer, Giant pitcher Dave Dravecky breaks his arm while throwing a pitch in a televised game (Odds on this happening ? A buzillion to one. Odds on an arm falling off ? C'mon)...

1991] Paul Simon plays a free concert in Central Park before a gathering of 750,000...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

Ben Affleck (34), Debra Messing (38), Princess Anne (56), Jimmy Webb (60), Linda Ellerbee (62), Bill Pinckney of the Drifters (81), Mike Connors (81), and Rose Marie (83)...

[Timeline Countdown: 21 days until Labor Day, 25 days until NFL kickoff, 50 days until MLB playoffs and 138 days remaining in 2006]

...

Wednesday, August 16, 2006...

Ten Timeline Memories...

1829] The original Siamese twins, Chang and Eng Bunker (related to Archie ?), 18, arrive in Boston to be exhibited to the Western world (remember you read it here first)...

1948] Babe Ruth loses his battle with throat cancer at 53. The legendary slugger was reduced to a shrunken frame at the time of his death (his body will lie in Stadium state at Yankee Stadium as thousands pay their respect)...

1954] Sports Illustrated publishes its 1st issue (showing Milwaukee star Eddie Matthews at bat on the cover)...

1962] Ringo Starr replaces Pete Best as Beatle drummer...

1975] Peter Gabriel leaves Genesis which leaves lead vocals to Phil Collins (get ready for 31 years of boring music)...

1977] Elvis Presley dies suddenly at home in Memphis. Cause of death is listed as "coronary arrhythmia". "The King" was just 42. The world mourns...

1988] George Bush names Dan Quayle as his running mate...

1993] A 68-year old manufacturer of tuxedos, Harvey Weinstein, is found buried alive in a bunker near the Hudson River after being kidnapped 12 days earlier. Ransomed for $2 million, the money and suspects are arrested including a longtime employee of the victim...

2000] The Democratic National Convention names Al Gore to run for president...

2003] Idi Amin, former dictator of Uganda dies in exile in Saudi Arabia at 80...

Released on this date: 1966] "Last Train To Clarksville" - The Monkees...

Wedding Bells: 1983] Paul Simon and Carrie Fisher...1985] Madonna and Sean Penn...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

Timothy Hutton (46), Angela Bassett (48), Madonna (48), "Titanic" director James Cameron (52), J. T. Taylor (Kool and the Gang) (53), Lesley Ann Warren (60), Julie Newmar (73), Eydie Gorme (74), Frank Gifford (76), Robert Culp (76), Ann Blyth (78) and Fess ("Daniel Boone") Parker (81)...

[Timeline Countdown: 20 days until Labor Day, 24 days until NFL kickoff, 49 days until MLB playoffs and 137 days remaining in 2006]

...

Thursday, August 17, 2006...

Ten Timeline Memories...

1790] The capital city of the U.S. moves from New York City to Philadelphia...

1877] F. P. Cahill becomes "Billy the Kid's" 1st victim (I can think of other things I'd much rather be famous for)...

1896] The Klondike gold rush is set off by George Carmack who discovers gold on Rabbit Creek in Alaska...

1903] Joseph Pulitzer donates a million dollars to Columbia University. This starts the Pulitzer Prizes in his name...

1920] 29-year old Ray Chapman of the Cleveland Indians is beaned by Yankee fastballer Carl Mays on the 16th and succumbs to that beaning on the 17th. It's the first and last time a baseball player is killed in a game...

1969] The Woodstock Music and Art Fair (its official name) ends after 3 days...

1969] Hurricane Camille slams into the Gulf Coast killing 248 people...

1969] The Jets and Giants play their 1st pre-season game with the J-E-T-S winning...

1988] President Bill Clinton finally admits to an improper relationship (but not sex, right ?) with Monica Lewinsky...

1992] Woody Allen admits to being romantically involved with 21-year old Soon-Yi Previn, the adopted daughter of Mia Farrow, Allen's longtime companion (yikes !) (of course, they are now Mr. and Mrs.)...

Released on this date: 1964] "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks...1968] "Hush" - Deep Purple...

Suicides: 1973] The Temptations' Paul Williams...1987] Nazi Rudolph Hess...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

Yankee catcher Jorge Posada (35), Donnie Wahlberg (37), Sean Penn (46), the Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle (48), Robert DeNiro (63) and Maureen O'Hara (86)...

[Timeline Countdown: 19 days until Labor Day, 23 days until NFL kickoff, 48 days until MLB playoffs and 136 days remaining in 2006]

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Friday, August 18, 2006...

Ten Timeline Memories...

1937] The 1st FM construction permit is issued in Boston. W1XOJ in Paxton goes on the air 2 years later (that station is now WSRS in Paxton, MA)...

1955] Hurricane Diane kills 400 in the U.S...

1961] Construction of the Berlin Wall is completed...

1962] Having already been named the Beatles drummer, Ringo Starr plays his 1st gig at The Cavern Club...

1963] James Meredith becomes the 1st black to graduate from the University of Mississippi

1967] WCBS in New York goes all-news as they decide to compete with WINS (both are now CBS Radio stations)...

1967] The Red Sox' Tony Conigliaro is beaned by the Angels' Jack Hamilton at Fenway Park (a promising future is cut short although Tony will recover from the beaning but never be the same player again)...

1977] Funeral services are held for Elvis Presley as hundreds of thousands of fans mourn The King...

1992] One of the greatest players to wear the green of the Celtics, Larry Bird announces his retirement from the Boston Celtics after 13 years...

1996] A record 6,654 tap their brains out at Macy's "Tap-o-mania" in front of Macy's on 34th Street to set a new world's record (that's 13,308 happy feet if my math is correct)...

Released on this date: 1962] "If I had a Hammer" - Peter, Paul and Mary...1973] "China Grove" - Doobie Brothers...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

Spoiled brat Giant TE Jeremy Shockey (26), Dennis Leary (49), Patrick Swayze (54), LaBelle's Nona Hendryx (61) and Sarah Dash (63), Martin Mull (63), Former Jet great Matt Snell (65), Frankie Avalon (66), Robert Redford (69), Roman Polanski (73) and Rosalynn Carter (79)...

[Timeline Countdown: 18 days until Labor Day, 22 days until NFL kickoff, 47 days until MLB playoffs and 135 days remaining in 2006]

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Saturday, August 19, 2006...

Ten Timeline Memories...

1856] The process of processing condensed milk is patented by Gail Borden (and what about Elsie ?)...

1960] A tribunal in Moscow convicts American U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers of espionage...

1964] "Beatlemania" arrives in the U.S. as The Beatles begin their 1st tour at San Francisco's Cow Palace with The Righteous Brothers as the opening act...

1972] John Denver hosts the first "Midnight Special"...

1976] President Gerald Ford wins the Republican presidential nomination (wouldn't he ?)...

1977] The legendary Groucho Marx dies of pneumonia at 86 (Groucho always said he wanted to be buried above Marilyn Monroe)...

1981] The final episode of "Charlie's Angels" airs after 5 years as a series...

1984] President Ronald Reagan is nominated by the Republicans for president (refer to note on Gerald Ford, "1976")...

1993] "Cheers", one of the most popular sit-coms of all-time ends its 11-year run...

2004] Google goes public, opening at $85 and closing at $100 (22 million shares are sold)...

#1 on this date: "My Sharona" - The Knack (it's #1 for over a month)...

Wedding Bells: 1973] Rita Coolidge and Kris Kristofferson...1993] Kim Bassinger and Alec Baldwin (World War III to follow)...1993] Mattel and Fisher Price...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

Matthew Perry (37), Lee Ann Womack (40), Kyra Sedgwick (41), John Stamos (43), Mets Broadcaster Ron Darling (46), Adam Arkin (50), Mary Matalin (53), Tipper Gore (58), Bill Clinton (60), Billy J. Kramer (63), Actor Fred Thompson (64), Jill St. John (66), Johnny Nash (66) and Cream drummer Ginger Baker (67)...

[Timeline Countdown: 17 days until Labor Day, 21 days until NFL kickoff, 46 days until MLB playoffs and 134 days remaining in 2006]

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Sunday, August 20, 2006...

Ten Timeline Memories...

1866] The National Labor Union in the U.S. advocates an 8-hour workday...

1955] Bo Diddley makes his 1st appearance at the Apollo Theater in Harlem...

1960] Connie Francis begins filming "Where The Boys Are" in Florida...

1967] The New York Times reports about a new noise reduction system for album and tape recording developed by technicians R. and D.W. Dolby (Elektra's subsidiary, Checkmate, becomes the 1st label to use the process in recording)...

1974] After Agnew steps down, former New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller becomes Vice President...

1989] Record executive Jose Menendez and his wife Kitty are shot to death by their sons Lyle and Erik, who claim self-defense after being abused. The 1st trials ended in hung juries but eventually the brothers are convicted and are serving jail sentences...

1990] George Steinbrenner steps down as Yankee owner, Gene Michael is named VP/GM...

1992] Tiger Woods wins his 3rd consecutive major tournament...

1998] Retaliating 13 days after deadly embassy bombings in East Africa, the U.S. launches missile strikes against al-Qaida training camps in Afghanistan and at a chemical plant in Sudan...

Released on this date: 1966] "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" - The Temptations...1974] "Angie" - Rolling Stones...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

Joan Allen (50), Al Roker (52), Robert Plant (58), Chicago's Jim Pankow (59), Connie Chung (60), Graig Nettles (62), Isaac Hayes (64) and Don King (75)...

[Timeline Countdown: 16 days until Labor Day, 20 days until NFL kickoff, 45 days until MLB playoffs and 133 days remaining in 2006] Back on Monday, August 21st with a brand new blog...



Thursday, August 10, 2006

Thursday, August 10, 2006

"I humbly ask you to please cease and desist from any and all further efforts to seek to obtain parole for me" (written by David Berkowitz in a letter to his attorney - July, 2006)...

As you probably recall, David Berkowitz a.k.a. "Son of Sam" was resposible for taking 6 young lives during his random rampage in the metropolitan area of New York in the summer of '77. You can bet that the families of the 6 people and 7 that he wounded totally agree with his request...

The 70's was a jittery time for most New Yorkers and "The Son of Sam" killing spree created self-imposed curfews by worried parents in the summer of 1977, a time of Farrah Fawcett posters, the beginning of the bottled water craze, roller disco, mopeds, health foods and coffee for a quarter a cup. The number one tune was the innocently lyrical Andy Gibb song, "I Just Want To Be Your Everything"...

Postal employee David Berkowitz a.k.a. "The Son of Sam" was captured and arrested in Yonkers, New York on August 10th, 1977. From that day on the summer heatwave of 1977 got a breath of fresh air. David Berkowitz was sentenced to 6-consecutive terms of 25 years to life. He was denied parole on July 18th for the third time. His next parole hearing will be in 2008. Don't bet on him being a free man any time in our lifetime...

Ten Timeline Memories...

1869] The motion picture projector was patented by O.B. Brown (ready when you are O.B.)...

1885] The 1st electric streetcar, to be used commercially, was operated in Baltimore by Leo Daft (you would have to be a bit daft to come up with something like that but besides subways, electric street cars with the electric rods on top of the cars, was our means of public transportation in New York until buses were used)...

1921] Franklin D. Roosevelt is stricken with polio at his summer home on the Canadian island of Campobello ("Sunrise at Campobello")...

1945] Following their second nuclear bombing, Japan announces they will surrender to the U.S...

1948] "Candid Microphone" which will become "Candid Camera" one year later, debuts on New York's channel 7 (WJZ-TV which will become WABC)...

1969] The bodies of the LaBianca's (Leno and Rosemary), victims of Charles Manson's murder spree, are found...

1984] Mary Decker trips on the heels of Zola Budd in the Olympics with an outsider winning the race and a gold medal...

1985] Madonna's "Like A Virgin" becomes the 1st LP by a female to be certified for 5 million in sales...

1994] President Bill Clinton claims presidential immunity when asking a federal judge to dismiss a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by Paula Corbin Jones (good idea Mr. President but no cigar)...

1995] Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols are charged with 11 counts in the Oklahoma City bombing...

#1 on this date: 1966] "Summer in the City" - Lovin' Spoonful...1986] "Papa Don't Preach" - Madonna...

Released on this date: 1968] "Magic Bus" - The Who...

[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...

Correction...

Thanks to Bob Sherwood for noticing that I had Yao ("Yo") Ming on my USA basketball team. Last night, the USA's, highly-paid NBA All-Stars beat the Yao ("Yo")-less China team in a World Championship game...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...

Angie Harmon (34), Antonio Banderas (46), Rosanna Arquette (47), Ian (Jethro Tull) Anderson (59), Ronnie Spector Greenfield (63), Eddie Fisher (78), Jimmy Dean (78), Rhonda Fleming (83) and Al (Four Aces) Alberts (84)...

[Timeline countdown: 26 days until Labor Day, 30 days until NFL kickoff, 55 days until MLB playoffs and 143 days remaining in 2006]

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