The story started circulating yesterday about something Gary Thorne said during the play-by-play coverage of the Red Sox-Orioles game from Baltimore Wednesday night. For Red Sox fans everywhere it was a blasphemous statement. This is a direct quote by Gary who does play-by-play of Orioles and ESPN games: "The great story we were talking about the other night was that famous red stocking that he (Curt Schilling) wore when they finally won, the blood on his stocking." He continued telling his story to broadcast partner and Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer: "Nah, it was painted. Doug Mirabelli confessed to it after. It was all for PR." Yikes!!!
When hearing of Thorne's statement, backup catcher Mirabelli, Schilling, manager Terry Francona, Dr. Bill Morgan who sutured Schilling's ankle, Sox CEO Larry Lucchino, former Red Sox player Kevin Millar, all said that in addition to Gary Thorne needing new ears, he also needs new glasses, a stronger deodorant, a breath mint and perhaps a lobotomy if he believes the fake blood story...
By the way, that bloody sock now resides in the Baseball Hall of Fame. It looks now like this story will go away but it might make an interesting TV special for Geraldo Rivera. He could subpoena the HOF for the sock and then perform tests to determine if it's really blood or just paint...
There are video links scattered throughout the weekend timelines starting with 2 today in the "Happy Birthday...happy birthday" announcements and a tribute to Bobby "Boris" Pickett...
Timeline Memories...
The final curtain for Rocky and The Babe: 1947] Over 58,000 fans jam Yankee Stadium to say goodbye to Babe Ruth. One year later he would die, a victim of cancer...1956] 31-year old, undefeated heavyweight champ, Rocky Marciano calls it quits and hangs up his boxing gloves with a perfect 49-0 record. At the age of 44 Marciano will be killed in a small plane crash...
The few, the proud, the Marines: 1805] The U.S. Marines land as a force to capture the city of Derna, on the shores of Tripoli. That's why the line, "to the shores of Tripoli" is in the U.S. Marine anthem, written after the landing...
Who's buried in Grant's Tomb?: 1897] The tomb is dedicated in New York City...
It is now post time: 1903] Jamaica Race Track opens in Jamaica, Queens...
The check is in the mail: 1937] The 1st U.S. Social Security checks go out...
Released on this date: 1959] "Personality" - Lloyd Price...1968] "Mrs. Robinson" - Simon & Garfunkel...
Basketball westcoast style: 1960] Two years after baseball comes to the west coast, the NBA votes to allow the Lakers to move from Minneapolis to Los Angeles...
Pampered: 1965] Pampers is patented by R.C. Duncan. Can Depends be far behind???
Light the flame: 1967] Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson opens EXPO 67 in Montreal...
Grand Ole Opry moving day: 1973] Opryland opens in suburban Nashville...
Wedding Bells: 1981] After grunting their way through the movie "Caveman", Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach (dressed like Fred & Wilma) get married in Durango, Mexico...
Fernando's hideaway: 1981] Dodger rookie pitcher Fernando Valenzuela becomes an overnight sensation by pitching his 4th shutout of the season over the Giants and lowering his era to a microscopic 0.20...
Ryan's Express: 1983] Nolan Ryan of Houston passes Walter Johnson in career strikeouts for 1st place on the all-time list. The victim is Brad Mills of Montreal. P.S. Ryan owns the record to this day...
No-no: 2002] The Red Sox' Derek Lowe becomes the 1st pitcher to throw a no-hitter at Fenway Park since Dave Morehead in 1965. Facing 28 batters, Lowe totals only 97 pitches in the 10-0 whitewashing of Tampa Bay...
On trial: 1982] John W. Hinckley Jr. goes on trial in Washington, D.C. for shooting President Ronald Reagan. Hinckley will be acquitted by reason of insanity...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...
Commentary...
Bruce Cutler and his fellow defense attorney were convincing in their opening statements in defense of "Philip" Spector. Their main point was that it would be physically and anatomically impossible for the fatal gunshot wound to Lana Clarkson's mouth to be anything but a suicide. The defense should end their opening statements today, followed by former "dates" of Spector's testifying...An item you may have missed...Attorneys for CBS Radio and KCAA, San Bernardino (CA) announced an agreement Tuesday ending a lawsuit to stop the airing of Don Imus' shows...In response to our timeline about vanity plates, Gordon Brown e-mails that the late Boston Pops conductor Arthur Fiedler got the 1st vanity plate in Massachusetts. "He drove a VW and his plate read POPS"..."Happy Trails" to the "Monster Mash" singer, Bobby "Boris" Pickett, a victim of leukemia on Wednesday night. Pickett was 69. In memory of Bobby, here's his Halloween classic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlIoPXPhOcA&mode=related&search= ...Former White House aide for JFK and current film industry lobbyist who instituted the modern movie rating system, Jack Valenti, passed away yesterday at 85...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Sheena Easton (48), Ace (Kiss) Frehley (57), Cuba Gooding (63) Here's a clip of Cuba singing a snippet of "Everybody Plays The Fool" which he sang with the Main Ingredient: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni1mKBBz_R8&mode=related&search= ...Judy Carne (68), Casey Kasem (75) and here Casey does a Letterman top 10: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqVQLcCXxQA ...and Jack Klugman (85)...
Timeline Countdown: 1 day until the NFL draft, 8 days until the Kentucky Derby and 31 days until Memorial Day...
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Saturday, April 28, 2007...
Timeline Memories...
Raising Caine: 1789] Remember the movie, "The Caine Mutiny"? It really happened when the crew of the British ship set Captain William Bligh and 18 sailors adrift in a launch in the South Pacific...
Cool: 1914] W.H. Carrier patents the design of his air conditioner...
"Happy Trails": 1945] Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and his mistress Clara Petacci are executed...
No termites allowed: 1947] A 6-man expedition sails from Peru aboard a balsa wood raft named Kon-Tiki on a 101 day journey across the Pacific to Polynesia. And I could never get those balsa wood planes to fly. I should have put it in water...
The final curtain: 1959] "Arthur Godfrey and His Friends" fades to black on CBS-TV. The show started on TV in 1949...1969] French President Charles de Gaulle resigns or was he pushed or do we care???
On the tube: 1975] Two Beatles on the tube this night: Ringo Starr on "The Smothers Brothers" and John Lennon on "The Tonight Show"...
Like buttuh: 1965] The "My Name is Barbra" special scores high numbers on CBS-TV...
Higher and higher: 1965] Lindsey Nelson does the Mets game from a gondola, hanging 208 feet above the field from the roof of the Astrodome and as always does a superb job but privately complains of a nosebleed. After the game he parachutes down...
#1 on this date: 1966] "Good Lovin" - Young Rascals...1974] "Loco-Motion" - Grand Funk (here's a live version of it from 1975: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPMFeRz3mOw ...1983] "Beat It" - Michael Jackson (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M-uY4tXZbE )...
Strip show: 1967] Cassius Clay is stripped of his heavyweight title when he refuses to be inducted into the U.S. Army. He will now become Muhammad Ali...
Four-peat: 1985] Billy Martin becomes Yankee manager for the 4th time (do you see a pattern developing?)...
This time 21 doesn't win: 1988] The Baltimore Orioles set a new American League record for consecutive losses with loss #21 to Minneapolis. The O's will win the following day. Book it Dano...
Abu Ghraib: "disgrace" in plain English: 2004] The 1st photos of Abu Ghraib are shown on "60 Minutes"...
Guilty as charged: 1994] Former CIA operative Aldrich Ames, a double-spy for the Soviets is sentenced to life in prison without parole...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Jessica Alba (26), Penelope Cruz (33), Mary McDonnell (54), Jay Leno (57), Paul (CSI) Guilfoyle (58) and Ann-Margaret (66)...
Timeline Countdown: The NFL draft is today and tomorrow, 7 days until the Kentucky Derby and 30 days until Memorial Day...
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Sunday, April 29, 2007...
Timeline Memories...
Published on this date: 1852] The 1st edition of Peter Roget's "Thesaurus" is published...
Bee stings: 1941] The Boston Bees agree to change their name to the Braves...
The final curtain: 1944] "Dancing Romeo" becomes the last 'Our Gang' film but "Little Rascals" will come to a TV near you...1990] The Berlin Wall starts to come down...
Rocket Man: 1986] Red Sox ace Roger Clemens strikes out 20 Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park setting a new major league record previously shared by Nolan Ryan, Steve Carlton and Tom Seaver, all tied with 19 strikeouts...
Johnny Be Good: 1996] Exactly 12 years after he gained his 1st save (as a member of the Reds), Mets' reliever John Franco becomes the 1st lefty to record 300 saves. I was fortunate enough to be at that game at Shea Stadium...
A short marriage: 1945] Adolph Hitler marries Eva Braun in a Berlin bunker but the next day they commit suicide. Was the marriage that bad???
Liberation Day: 1945] American troops liberate Dachau concentration camp in Germany...
Pay-what-a?: 1960] Dick Clark denies any involvement in payola before a House subcommittee. Dick will divest himself of his record interests however...
The thrill of victory: 1961] ABC's "Wide World Of Sports" debuts ("the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat") symbolized by the skier doing a wheelie, a cartwheel and wiping out several cameramen...
Released on this date: 1967] "Respect" - Aretha Franklin (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DZ3_obMXwU )...
D-I-V-O-R-C-E: 1988] Eric Clapton files for divorce from Patti "Layla" Boyd. They do divorce in 1988...
Wedding Bells: 1992] Paula Abdul and Emilio Estevez walk down the aisle...
Barry animated: 1993] Barry White appears on "The Simpsons"...
What a riot: 1992] Deadly rioting erupts in Los Angeles after a jury in Simi Valley acquits 4 LAPD officers of almost all charges in the beating of Rodney King, captured on video tape. 54 die and $1 billion in damage are the result of the rioting...
CIA MIA: 1996] Former CIA Director William Colby is missing and presumed drowned after an apparent boating accident in Maryland. Colby's body is later discovered...
Walking the walk: 1997] Astronaut Jerry Linenger and cosmonaut Vasily Tsibliyev go on the 1st U.S.-Russian space walk...
Not his Best Buy: 2003] 'Mr. T' a.k.a. Laurence Tureaud files a lawsuit against Best Buy that claims the store did not have permission to use his likeness in a print ad...
Monumental: 2004] A national WWII monument saluting both the men and women who served, opens to the public in Washington, D.C...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Andre Agassi (37), Uma Thurman (37), Michelle Pfeiffer (50), Daniel Day-Lewis (50), Jerry Seinfeld (52), Tommy James (60), Rod McKuen (74), Carl Gardner of the Coasters (79) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SE2UJiYAE4 ) and Celeste Holm (88)...
Timeline Countdown: Today is the last day of the NFL draft, 6 days until the Kentucky Derby and 29 days until Memorial Day...
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