Not only did we have the first no-hitter last night (by White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle) but we almost had two. The Mets' John Maine had a no-no until the 7th inning last night against the best hitting team (by batting average) in the major leagues, the Florida Marlins. The Mets passed the Marlins for that distinction last night. Had Maine been successful in his attempt, it would've been the 1st no-hitter by a Mets pitcher..After reading Newton Minnow's comments on the I-mess in the Chicago Tribune the other day, it made me wonder where he's been for the last 30 years. Can I be the only one who didn't think he was alive??? What he said was that "maybe this is a wake-up call to broadcasters to remember that they have been given a public trust." According to American Media Services Radio Index: 64% of all Americans listen to terrestrial (free) radio every day but Internet radio listening has almost doubled in the past year. 67% say they have listened to a radio station online vs. 36% last April, 2006. I don't know what their sample size was but that increase is really telling...It's just my opinion but why should I care who buys Clear Channel??? Until the tragedy at Virginia Tech, the Iraq War was the most covered news story of the year. Imus was #2, which is appropriate...In connection to that, okay NBC, we get it. You got the exclusive on the Cho video, now please bury it before you make him a martyr for other wackos out there...New York is abuzz by the sweep of the Thrashers by the Rangers but especially by the forecast. After 11" of rain this month, after flooding problems everywhere, the sun will come out tomorrow and we're due for a warming trend...and finally - you know life is good when Sanjaya finally gets his due...
Video links: In the "Released on this date" and "Happy Birthday...happy birthday" timelines...
Timeline Memories...
Waco wacko: 1993] Branch Davidian leader David Koresh and dozens others are killed when fire destroys their compound near Waco (TX). The 51-day siege ends. Attorney General Janet Reno takes responsibility for the way the siege was handled by federal agents...
Blood Money: 1994] A Los Angeles jury awards $3.8 million to beaten motorist Rodney King. Today King is almost penniless after several subsequent arrests on drug, assault and speeding charges...
Patriots Day: 1775] The American Revolutionary War begins with the battles of Lexington and Concord. This day will be commemorated as 'Patriots Day'...1897] The 1st Boston Marathon is won by John J. McDermott of New York with a winning time of 2 hours, 55 minutes and 10 seconds. The race is run from Ashland to Copley Square, same as now. There were only 15 runners in the race...
Boston buggy: 1892] The prototype of the 1st commercially successful American automobile is completed in Springfield (MA) by Charles E. Duryea and his brother Frank...
Jewish Power: 1943] Tens of thousands of Jewish people living in the Warsaw Ghetto begin an uprising against Nazi forces...
The final curtain: 1951] General Douglas MacArthur bids farewell to Congress with his famous line: "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away"...
Play ball: 1958] The San Francisco Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers play the 1st major league baseball game on the west coast. The Giants win 11-4 in Los Angeles...1960] Baseball uniforms begin displaying player's names on their backs on away uniforms. The Yankees remain the only team that has never done that...1981] The longest pro baseball game ever, played between Pawtucket and Rochester is suspended after 32 innings (8 hours and 7 minutes) with the score tied 2-2 at 4:07 a.m. 2 months later when play resumes, Pawtucket wins in the 33rd inning. Two future Hall of Famer's played on those teams: Wade Boggs-Pawtucket and Cal Ripken Jr.-Rochester...
Smoke at the Vatican: 2005] Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany is elected pope. He takes the name Benedict XVI...
Released on this date: 1986] "Because The Night" - Patti Smith. Patti just released a new CD of rock classics called "Twelve" but this is a live version of "Because The Night": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoGdx3I3dPE ...
OTx4: 1987] The Islanders beat the Capitals 3-2 in 4 overtimes to win their opening round playoff series in 7 games...
Central Park Jogger: 1989] A white female jogger in New York's Central Park is brutally beaten and raped. Five black and hispanic teenagers are convicted and sent to prison but the convictions are overturned in 2003 after a serial rapist confesses to the crime and DNA evidence ties him to it...
Too much knowledge: 1994] When asked "boxers or briefs?", Bill Clinton replies "briefs" giving us entirely too much information...
Ok City horror: 1995] The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City is destroyed by a bomb. It's the worst bombing on U.S. territory (911 would become the worst tragedy in this country) with 168 killed including 19 children, 500 are injured. Timothy McVeigh is found guilty of the bombing in June, 1997 and eventually executed for it...
Another opening, another show: 2001] The Mel Brooks musical "The Producers" opens on Broadway...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...
Commentary...
Kitty Carlisle Hart was one classy lady whose career spanned all forms of media starting with her appearance in the Marx Brothers classic, "A Night at the Opera". In her final days she was doing cabaret. She was my favorite panelist on "To Tell The Truth" because of her smile and energy. On Tuesday night, Kitty died at her Manhattan apartment from heart failure. Her son Christopher Hart said "she had such a wonderful life, and a great long run, it was a blessing." "Happy Trails" to Kitty Carlisle Hart who was 96...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Maria Sharapova (20), Kate Hudson (28), Ashley Judd (39), Tim Curry (61), Mark Volman (of The Turtles) (63) and here's Mark with his partner Howard Kaylan - "Happy Together": http://youtube.com/watch?v=4MEJkIVDR-c , Elinor ("Father Knows Best") Donahue (70), Riza Vettor (Happy Birthday Sis) (70) and Hugh ("Wyatt Earp") O'Brian (82)...
Timeline Countdown: 1 more day until the sun shines in New York, 9 days until the NFL draft, 16 days until the Kentucky Derby and 39 days until Memorial Day...
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