The Good
August was a big month for achievements in baseball (Bonds, A-Rod, Glavine) and both the Baseball and Pro Football Halls of Fame welcomed new members but none of these folks get the 'Good Award of The Month'. That award belongs to James S. Oddo. James S. Whoddo??? James S. Oddo is the Staten Island Republican who was in the forefront of a movement to ban aluminum bats in New York City high school baseball games. A New York City Council bill banning metal bats in March was upheld by a U.S. District judge yesterday. Given the death of an 18-year-old American Legion pitcher in 2003 and more recently a 12-year-old from New Jersey, critically injured from a ball to the chest, councilman Lewis A. Fidler summed it up well when he said "We will never know what parents' child we saved by passing this bill today." James S. Oddo is our 'Good Award Winner of The Month"...
The Bad
No question that dirty NBA referee Tim Donaghy qualifies for this award. So too does Britt Reid, son of Eagles' coach Andy Reid, picked up again the other day and jailed but neither one gets this award. That goes to Mitch Cozad, backup punter for Northern Colorado who was found guilty of second-degree assault but acquitted of attempted first-degree murder in the stabbing of first-string punter Rafael Mendoza last September. Cozad's motivation? He wanted Mendoza's job. Cozad will be sentenced October 2nd. He faces up to 16 years in prison. Mitch Cozad - congratulations, you're our 'Bad Award Winner of The Month"...
The Ugly
"Hozay, hozay, hozay, hozay" No not that Jose (Reyes). Jose Offerman who made a human pinata out of a couple of opponents in a Long Island Ducks game. Jose finishes a close second to our winner. There can only be one 'Ugly Award Winner of The Month" and that honor goes to, who else? Michael Vick. The latest Vick update is an expected meeting with NFL commish Roger Goodell sometime soon. December 10th is the sentencing date for Vick, who's already been indefinitely suspended by Goodell and is liable for the $22 million in bonus money paid to him by the Atlanta Falcons. Keep your eye on this potentially future 'Ugly' winner, Houston Rockets guard Rafer Alston. Already accused of a misdemeanor assault and public intoxication in Houston 3 weeks ago, Alston was released without bail after being charged with stabbing a man at a Manhattan nightspot last night. But for August, we say congratulations Michael Vick, you are are 'Ugly Award Winner of The Month"...
10 Timeline Memories:
- 1886] Chop what?: In New York City, Chinese Ambassador Li Hung-chang's chef invents chop suey. Suey - Isn't that how they call pigs???
- 1892] Corkscrewed into the ground: Bill "Pop" Shriver of the Chicago Cubs catches a ball dropped from the top of the Washington Monument. It takes several days to extract Shriver who could only be seen from the neck up...
- 1965] Casey bows out (with a bird under his hat?): 75-year old Mets manager Casey Stengel retires after a 56-year career...
- 1967] Dr. Richard Kimble bows out: The last episode of "The Fugitive" draws 72% of the TV audience as Kimble is freed in a wild water tower chase where Lt. Philip Gerard kills the one-armed guy who was about to kill the good doctor. A witness agrees to testify that the one-armed dude killed the wife of Kimble. Here's a great flashback montage of the show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY1qkygzcQE ...
- 1977] Would-be body snatchers: Three people are arrested for trying to steal Elvis Presley's body. Would this have made Elvis a nobody???
- 1977] Legalized larceny: Lou Brock breaks Ty Cobb's 49-year old stolen base record with his 893rd swipe...
- 1982] "Happy Trails": Swedish film star Ingrid Bergman dies on her 67th birthday after a long battle with breast cancer. No one lit up the screen like Bergman, seen here in scenes from "Casablanca": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNMTZMncvQ4 ...
- 1996] Oops: Bill Clinton's chief political strategist, Dick Morris, resigns amid a scandal over his relationship with a prostitute...
- 2002] Guilty as charged: Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel is sentenced to 20 years-to-life for bludgeoning his then teenage neighbor in 1977 - Martha Moxley. His attorneys keep appealing the ruling every year to no avail...
- 2005] Katrina: Hurricane Katrina makes landfall along the Louisiana coast, overwhelming the levees protecting New Orleans. The massive flooding takes more than 1,500 lives and here's New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W53k7uHh_t4 ...
Music Memories:
- 1958] George brings his guitar: George Harrison joins John Lennon and Paul McCartney as a member of the Quarrymen...
- 1964] Released on this date: "Oh, Pretty Woman" - Roy Orbison...1970] "Lola" - Kinks. Here's a video of the Kinks in a live performance of the tune: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMsnqQHOwFg ...
- 1966] The Beatles Last Date: The Fab Four play their last U.S. date at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Bob Sherwood recently mentioned that he still has tickets for that show, an eBay gold mine, no doubt. Two years earlier on the same date in 1964 the Beatles played their second appearance in Forest Hills. Pete Bennett was at both shows with Murray the K..
- 1971] #1 on this date: "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" - Paul McCartney...1982] "Abracadabra" - Steve Miller...[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in every timeline]...
Commentary...
Frank Kingston Smith in regard to the 1988 timeline about an air disaster: "Actually the team was the Italian Air Force Fricci Tricolori and they were anything BUT stunt planes. The formation crossing maneuver they were performing was risky at best and was performed with massive energy directed toward the spectators. This is something that is outlawed in the U.S. and Canada. Spectators have to be at least 1,500 feet from the performance line, while in Europe, spectators line up right at the edge of the runway. No spectator has sustained so much as a hangnail as a result of an aerobatic performance at any U.S. airshow since the 1920's". FYI: Frank in addition to possessing one of the finest radio voices in the business, is a pilot and recently lost a close friend at an air show...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Rebecca DeMornay (45), Michael Jackson (49), Robin Leach (66), Elliott Gould (69), Senator John McCain (71) and Richard Attenborough (84)...
Timeline Countdown: One day from the College Football Kickoff, 5 days until Labor Day and 8 days until the NFL opener...
