Monday, August 31, 2009

Monday, August 31, 2009...

10 Timeline Memories:
  1. 1888] Enter the Ripper: Prostitute Mary Ann Nichols is found murdered in London's East End. She is generally regarded as the first victim of Jack the Ripper...
  2. 1954] Oh Carol: Hurricane Carol hits the northeast killing nearly 70 (60 in New England alone) and resulting in millions of dollars in damage...
  3. 1969] Rocky is gone: Undefeated heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano dies in a light plane crash in Iowa, the day before his 46th birthday. Rocky is the only undefeated heavyweight champ in history...
  4. 1980] Solidarity begins: Poland's Solidarity labor movement is born with an agreement signed in Gdansk that ends a 17-day strike...
  5. 1985] Gotcha: California's "Night Stalker" killer Richard Ramirez is captured by residents of an East Los Angeles neighborhood...
  6. 1997] Death of a Princess: This was the day that Princess Diana meets her death in that tragic crash in a French tunnel. The world mourns the 36-year old Diana...
  7. 2001] Papers please: A Bronx team's third-place finish in the Little League World Series is ruled invalid because one player is two years older than the age limit of 12...
  8. 2002] "Happy Trails": The legendary Lionel Hampton dies from cardiac arrest at 94...
  9. 2005] Trampled to death: Some 1,000 people are killed when a religious procession across a Baghdad bridge is engulfed in panic over rumors of a suicide bomber...
  10. 2007] Liar, liar, your pants are on fire: Mike Nifong, former district attorney of Durham County (NC) is sentenced to a day in jail for lying to a judge when pursuing rape charges against three falsely accused Duke lacrosse players...For more on August 31: http://melphillipsnowandthen.com

Friday, August 28, 2009

(Weekend Edition) August 28 - 30, 2009...

10 Timeline Memories:
  1. 1922] Spot Radio is born: The 1st radio commercial airs on WEAF (which becomes WNnnnnBC) in New York City and no it was not a commercial for Carvel or Castro Convertibles, it was a 10-minute ad for the Queensboro Realty Co. which cost $100 to air (8/28)...
  2. 1963] "I have a dream": A quarter of a million people participate in a peaceful civil rights rally in Washington where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. eloquently delivers his "I have a dream" speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial (8/28)...
  3. 1963] Hotline: The hotline communications line between Washington and Moscow goes into operation. This was the second most important hotline after the Drake batphone (8/29)...
  4. 1965] Case closed: 75-year old Mets manager Casey Stengel retires after a 56-year baseball career (8/29)...
  5. 1967] Curtains: Dr. Richard Kimble stops running: 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 Kimble's wife (8/29)...
  6. 1968] Democracy at work?: Police and anti-war demonstrators clash in the streets of Chicago as the Democrats nominate Hubert H. Humphrey for president (8/28)...
  7. 1972] Gold Standard: Swimmer Mark Spitz captures the first of 7 gold medals at the Munich Olympics. Michael Phelps is yet to be born (8/28)...
  8. 1996] "D-I-V-O-R-C-E": Prince Charles and Princess Diana end their 15-year marriage (8/28)...
  9. 2005] Katrina the killer: Hurricane Katrina makes landfall along the Louisiana coast, overwhelming the levees protecting New Orleans. The massive flooding takes more than 1,500 lives (8/29)...
  10. 2006] 'Happy Trails': Following a series of strokes, veteran actor Glenn Ford passes away at 90 (8/30)...For more on August 28 - 30: http://melphillipsnowandthen.com



Thursday, August 27, 2009

Thursday, August 27, 2009...

10 Timeline Memories:
  1. 1859] Oil, black gold, Pennsylvania tea?: The 1st oil well is drilled successfully in the U.S. by Colonel Edwin L. Drake near Titusville, Pennsylvania...
  2. 1892] It must have been the high 'C': Fire seriously damages New York City's original Metropolitan Opera House at Broadway and 39th...
  3. 1961] Are you talking to me?: Francis the Talking Mule is mystery guest on "What's My Line"...
  4. 1966] The King meets the Beatles: Elvis Presley invites the Beatles over to his Bel Aire house to jam. It's the 1st and last meeting of the pop icons. On the same date one year later (1967) Beatles manager Brian Epstein dies from an overdose of sleeping pills...
  5. 1976] Not that there's anything wrong with that: Sex-change tennis player Renee Richards is denied admission to the U.S. Open in Forest Hills. They couldn't figure out whether Renee would be in the men's or women's competition...
  6. 1982] Legal larceny: 23-year old Rickey Henderson steals his 119th base, breaking Lou Brock's season record. Rickey still holds the career record of 1,406 SB's...
  7. 1984] Teacher in Space: President Ronald Reagan announces his "Teacher in Space" project, 11,000 teachers apply and Christa McAuliffe of New Hampshire is selected but will tragically lose her life aboard Challenger. Barbara Morgan, a former teacher and part of the program returned safely from her mission two years ago...
  8. 1990] "Happy Trails": 35-year old 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 flying weather...
  9. 1992] Sold to the highest bidder: John Lennon's handwritten lyrics to "A Day In The Life" are sold for $87,000 at auction...
  10. 2007] Vick goes to the dogs: Former Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick pleads guilty to federal dog fighting charges and then issues a public opology. He is sentenced to a 23-month jail term in December, 2007. He will serve 18 months before being released...For more on August 27th: http://melphillipsnowandthen.com

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Wednesday, August 26, 2009...

10 Timeline Memories:
  1. 1873] The birth of a broadcasting maven: Dr. Lee DeForest is born. He's the inventor of the audion tube which makes broadcasting possible...
  2. 1873] School bells ring and children sing: The school board of St. Louis (MO) authorizes the 1st U.S. public kindergarten...
  3. 1939] Baseball comes to the tube: The 1st televised major league baseball games are shown on experimental W2XBS (now WNBC-TV). It's a double-header between the Brooklyn Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds...
  4. 1947] Breaking the barrier: Brooklyn Dodger pitcher Dan Bankhead becomes the 1st black pitcher in major league baseball...
  5. 1957] Edsel won't: Ford rolls out the 1st Edsel (1958 model). The last Edsel rolls out at the end of November of '59 (1960 model)...
  6. 1964] LBJ all the way: 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)...
  7. 1970] Duane turns into a Domino: Duane Allman starts recording as a member of Eric Clapton's new band, Derek & The Dominoes...
  8. 1974] "Happy Trails": Charles Lindbergh dies of cancer on the Hawaiian island of Maui (Lindbergh was 72)...
  9. 1986] Rough sex death: 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 a lengthy term in jail for possession of heroin and cocaine recently...
  10. 2003] Blame NASA: Investigators conclude that NASA's overconfident management and inattention to safety doomed the space shuttle Columbia as much as damage to the craft did...For more on August 26th: http://melphillipsnowandthen.com

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Tuesday, August 25, 2009...

10 Timeline Memories:
  1. 1949] NBC Radio debuts: "Father Knows Best". The show moves to TV in 1954...
  2. 1952] No-no x 2: 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)...
  3. 1960] One is the loneliest number: The AFL in their inaugural season decide to place the names of the players on the back of their uniforms...
  4. 1984] "Happy Trails": Truman Capote dies of liver disease at 59 at the home of friend and former wife of Johnny Carson, Joanne Carson...
  5. 1985] Too young to vote: The Mets' Dwight "Doc" Gooden at 20 becomes the youngest pitcher to win 20 games (Doc will finish the season at 24-4)...
  6. 1991] Emmy Gold: "Cheers" and "LA Law" are the big winners at the 43rd Emmy Awards...
  7. 1993] Sheik your booty: Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman is indicted by a federal grand jury for terrorist activities, one of which was the 1st World Trade Center bombing...
  8. 1994] In the drink: 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')...
  9. 2001] Rock & Roll tragedy: 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] Curtains: Tennis champion Pete Sampras announces his retirement at a news conference at the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows...For more on August 25th: http://melphillipsnowandthen.com

Monday, August 24, 2009

Monday, August 24, 2009...

10 Timeline Memories:
  1. 1814] Washington sizzles: British forces invade Washington, D.C. and set fire to the Capitol and the White House...
  2. 1932] Nonstop Amy: Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to fly nonstop across the U.S.A. traveling from Los Angeles to Newark, New Jersey in just over 19 hours...
  3. 1954] Commies not welcome: The Communist Control Act virtually outlaws the Communist Party in the United States...
  4. 1981] Guilty as charged: Mark David Chapman is sentenced to 20 years-to-life for the murder of John Lennon...
  5. 1989] Banned from baseball: Baseball Commissioner Bart Giamatti bans Pete Rose permanently for betting on sports, including baseball as manager of the Reds...
  6. 1992] Andrew slams into Florida: Hurricane Andrew smashes into Florida causing record damage and 55 deaths in Florida, Louisiana and the Bahamas...
  7. 2004] Terrorism in the sky: Chechen separatists set off bombs aboard two Russian airliners that crash after take off. 90 people are killed...
  8. 2006] Pluto is downsized: Pluto is no longer a planet after being demoted to a "dwarf planet". Dwarfs protest...
  9. 2007] A life sentence handed down: James Ford Seale, a reputed Ku Klux Klansman, is sentenced to three life terms for his role in the 1964 abduction and murder of two black teenagers in Mississippi...
  10. 2007] NFL lowers the boom on Vick: Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick is indefinitely suspended without pay for his involvement in dogfighting. Vick has recently landed on his haunches with the Philadelphia Eagles after serving a jail sentence...For more on August 24th: http://melphillipsnowandthen.com

Friday, August 21, 2009

(Weekend Edition) August 21 -23, 2009...

10 Timeline Memories:
  1. 1858] The original debates: 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) (8/21)...
  2. 1878] The birth of the unemployed lawyer: American Bar Association is founded in Saratoga (NY). No shortage of lawyers at the spa city (8/21)...
  3. 1906] Nipper sighting: The Victor Talking Machine Company of Camden (NJ) begins to manufacture the Victrola (8/22). The hand-cranked machine with horn cabinet sold for $200 -- a bloody fortune in 1906...
  4. 1959] Hawaii Five-O: Hawaii becomes our 50th state as President Eisenhower issues the order for the 50-star U.S. flag (Aloha) (8/21)...
  5. 1966] Put the bat in the coconut: With no limes available, Juan Marichal puts a bat in the coconut of Dodgers catcher John Roseboro during an on-field brawl in a Dodgers-Giants game (8/22)...
  6. 1983] "La Cage aux Folles": "Queen for a Day" in French, reaches Broadway with George Hearn and Gene Barry starring in the lead roles (8/21)...
  7. 1992] Scud Stud crashes and burns: NBC fires "Scud Stud", Arthur Kent two weeks after he refuses an assignment to Croatia (8/21) (this after he becomes a "star" for his Gulf War coverage). Arthur Kent is now seen as often as Jimmy Hoffa...
  8. 2000] Surviving Survivor: 51-million viewers watch the first season finale of "Survivor" on CBS-TV (8/23). Contestant Richard Hatch wins the $1 million prize. Hatch who doesn't have a problem winning TV shows, has lots of problems with life. He just got into another jam because of an interview he did...
  9. 2002] Mowing down the crowd: New York publicist Lizzie Grubman pleads guilty in a hit-and-run crash that injures 16 outside a Hamptons nightclub (8/23)...
  10. 2003] Jailhouse justice: Former disgraced priest John Geoghan, the convicted child molester dies after an inmate attacks him in a Massachusetts prison (8/23)...For more on August 21 - 23: http://melphillipsnowandthen.com



Thursday, August 20, 2009

Thursday, August 20, 2009...

10 Timeline Memories:
  1. 1938] Grand Salami Champ: Lou Gehrig hits his 23rd career grand slam against the A's - his career record for grand slams still stands...
  2. 1953] Dropping a bomb: The Soviet Union publicly acknowledges it had tested a hydrogen bomb...
  3. 1964] Anti-poverty: President Lyndon B. Johnson signs a nearly $1 billion anti-poverty measure...
  4. 1977] Voyager 2: The U.S. launches Voyager 2, an unmanned spacecraft carrying a 12-inch copper phonograph record containing greetings in dozen of languages, samples of music, sounds of nature and the Murray The K show open...
  5. 1989] A self-defense claim: 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 trial ends in hung juries but eventually the brothers are convicted and are still serving their terms...
  6. 1990] Don't let the door hit you on the way out: George Steinbrenner steps down as Yankees owner after being banned from baseball by Commissioner Fay Vincent, Gene Michael is named VP/GM. Steinbrenner is reinstated in 1993...
  7. 1992] Vote for us: The Republican National Convention nominates President George H.W. Bush and VP Dan Quayle for a second term...
  8. 1998] Payback: Retaliating 13 days after the deadly embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, the U.S. strikes against al-Qaida training camps in Afghanistan and Sudan...
  9. 2007] 'Queen of Mean' is gone: Leona Helmsley dies from congestive heart failure at 87...2008] Former NFL Hall of Famer and current Exec. Dir. of the NFL Players Association, Gene Upshaw, dies at 63 from pancreatic cancer. Diagnosed on Aug. 17, he passes away 3 days later...
  10. 2008] Bolt of lightning: Usain Bolt of Jamaica wins the 200-meter race in the 2008 Summer Olympics setting a new world record...For more on August 20th: http://melphillipsnowandthen.com

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Wednesday, August 19, 2009...

10 Timeline Memories:
  1. 1960] Convicted: A tribunal in Moscow convicts American U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers of espionage. Gary will serve his time and eventually be released in February 1962...
  2. 1973] Wedding Bells: Rita Coolidge and Kris Kristofferson say "I do". The marriage ends in 1980...1993] Kim Bassinger and Alec Baldwin unite and what exactly were they thinking???1993] Mattel and Fisher Price walk down the aisle...
  3. 1976] Vote for me: President Gerald R. Ford wins the Republican presidential nomination at the party's national convention in Kansas City...
  4. 1977] "Happy Trails": The legendary Groucho Marx dies of pneumonia at 86. Groucho always said he wanted to be buried above Marilyn Monroe. He didn't get his wish...
  5. 1981] Curtains: The final episode of "Charlie's Angels" airs after 5 years as a series...1993] "Cheers", one of the most popular sit-coms of all-time ends its 11-year run...
  6. 1991] Bobbed: Hurricane Bob, the first major hurricane of 1991 hits the Northeast leaving 10 dead and $2.8 billion in damages...
  7. 1996] Tucked in: A judge sentences former Arkansas Governor Jim Guy Tucker to 4 years probation for his Whitewater crimes...
  8. 2003] Bombed in Baghdad: A suicide truck bomb strikes U.N. headquarters in Baghdad, killing 22 including the U.N. envoy...
  9. 2004] A private matter: Google goes public, opening at $85 and closing at $100 with 22 million shares sold. A share of Google now goes for $445...
  10. 2005] So sue me: A Texas jury finds Merck & Co. liable for the death of a man who'd taken Vioxx, awarding his widow $253.4 million in damages. The award will be reduced to about $26 million...For more on August 19th: http://melphilllipsnowandthen.com/ ...

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Tuesday, August 18, 2009...

10 Timeline Memories:

  1. 1920] Suffer no more ladies: The 19th Amendment fo the Constitution, which guarantees the right of women to vote, is ratified when Tennessee becomes the 36th state to approve it...
  2. 1937] FM CP: The 1st FM construction permit is issued in Boston. W1XOJ in Paxton goes on the air 2 years later. That station is now WAAF in Westborough (MA)...
  3. 1961] That wall is not for handball: Construction of the Berlin Wall separating the western and eastern sectors of Berlin is completed...
  4. 1963] Breaking the color barrier: James Meredith becomes the first black to graduate from the University of Mississippi...
  5. 1967] All news all the time: WCBS in New York goes all-news as they decide to compete with WINS. Both stations are now owned by CBS Radio...
  6. 1967] Brutal beaning: Red Sox star outfielder Tony Conigliaro is beaned by the Angels' Jack Hamilton at Fenway Park. A promising future is cut short although Tony C. will recover from the beaning but never be the same player again...
  7. 1988] Bagging a Quayle: Indiana Sen. Dan Quayle is nominated as George H.W. Bush's running mate at the Republican National Convention in New Orleans...
  8. 1992] Curtains: One of the greatest players to wear Celtics green or any NBA uniform, Larry Bird announces his retirement after 13 years...
  9. 1996] Tapped out: A record 6,654 (or 13,308 feet if my math is correct) tap their brains out at Macy's "Tap-o-mania" in front of Macy's on 34th Street. They set a new world's record. They should be damn proud of it too...
  10. 2005] BTK packs his bags: A judge in Wichita, Kansas sentences BTK serial killer Dennis Rader to 10 consecutive life terms...For more on August 18th: http://melphillipsnowandthen.com

Monday, August 17, 2009

Monday, August 17, 2009...

10 Timeline Memories:
  1. 1790] Musical Capitals: The capital of these United States moves from New York City to Philadelphia. Apparently they preferred cheesesteaks more than bagels and lox...
  2. 1896] Thar's gold in them thar hills: The Klondike gold rush is set off by George Carmack who discovers gold in Rabbit Creek, Alaska...
  3. 1920] "Happy Trails": 29-year old Ray Chapman of the Cleveland Indians is beaned by Yankees fastballer Carl Mays on August 16th and succumbs to the beaning today. It's the first and last time a baseball player is killed in a game (so far)...1973] 34-year old Paul Williams of The Temptations dies from a self-inflicted gun shot wound...
  4. 1969] Woodstock finale: The Woodstock Music and Art Fair concludes near Bethel (NY)...
  5. 1969] Eye of a hurricane: Hurricane Camille slams into the Gulf Coast, killing 248...
  6. 1987] Hess checks out: Rudolf Hess, last member of Adolf Hitler's inner circle is an apparent suicide at Spandau prison at age 93...
  7. 1992] Daddy dearest: Woody Allen admits to being romantically involved with 17-year ols Soon-Yi Previn, adopted daughter of Mia Farrow, Allen's longtime companion. They are now married. Woody and Soon-Yi, not Woody and Mia...
  8. 1998] "I'm confessin": President Bill Clinton finally admits to an improper relationship (but not sex, right?) with "That woman, Miss Lewinsky"...
  9. 2000] Mazel tov: The Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles nominates Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman for vice president...
  10. 2008] Olympic Gold: American swimmer Michael Phelps wins his eighth gold medal, setting a record for most golds at an Olympic games, beating Mark Spitz's previous record of 7 set in 1972...For more on August 17th: http://melphillipsnowandthen.com

Friday, August 14, 2009

(Weekend Edition) August 14 - 16, 2009...

10 Timeline Memories:
  1. 1935] FDR signs SSA: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Social Security Act into law creating unemployment insurance and pension plans for those over 65 (8/14)...
  2. 1939] Classic premiere: The MGM musical "The Wizard of Oz" opens at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood (8/15)...
  3. 1948] The Babe goes down swinging: Babe Ruth loses his battle with throat cancer at 53 (8/16). His body lies in state at Yankee Stadium as thousands pay their respects...
  4. 1953] Whiffed: The whiffle ball is invented providing lots of future major league players with their first taste of hitting a pitched ball (8/14)...
  5. 1954] On the cover of Sports Illustrated: Milwaukee slugger Eddie Matthews as SI debuts (8/16)...
  6. 1958] Wedding Bells: Buddy Holly and Maria Elena Santiago rock down the aisle in Lubbock (TX) (8/15)...1983] Paul Simon and Carrie Fisher tie the knot (8/16)...1985] Madonna and Sean Penn marry. What were they thinking on 8/16/85 ???
  7. 1969] Live from Woodstock: Richie Havens opens the historic 3-day music event (8/15). Also appearing during the weekend of music, mayhem, mud and luvvv, man, include acts like: Janis Joplin, Sly & the Family Stone, Joe Cocker, Jefferson Airplane, Santana, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Crosby, Stills & Nash and more...
  8. 1977] The King is dead: Elvis Presley dies suddenly at home in Memphis (8/16). Cause of death is listed as "coronary arrhythmia." The King was just 42. The world mourns...
  9. 1980] On strike: Workers go on strike at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdansk, Poland in a job action that results in the creation of Lech Walesa and the Solidarity labor movement (8/14)...
  10. 2003] Lights out: A massive blackout hits the northeast and parts of Canada with 50 million losing power (8/14)...For more on August 14 - 16: http://melphillipsnowandthen.com

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Thursday, August 13, 2009...

10 Timeline Memories:
  1. 1907] The dawning of auto accidents: The 1st taxicab hits the streets of Manhattan. The 1st crash will follow shortly...
  2. 1912] Now the real hams come out: The 1st experimental radio license for a college radio station is given to St. Joseph's College in Philadelphia...
  3. 1934] L'il Abner debuts: Al Capp's comic strip makes its debut in newspapers. Some of us early WRKO folks had the pleasure of working with this eccentric but brilliant man when he provided comedy material for the morning show...
  4. 1942] A Bambi sighting: Walt Disney's "Bambi" opens at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan...
  5. 1959] Bridging the gap: Ground is broken in New York on the $320 million Verrazano Narrows Bridge which will link Brooklyn and Staten Island...
  6. 1961] United we stand, divided we fall: Berlin is divided by a barbed wire fence to halt the flight of refugees. Two days later work begins on the Berlin Wall...
  7. 1971] "Happy Trails": Musician King Curtis, 37, is stabbed to death in Manhattan. King Curtis opened for the Beatles at Shea Stadium in 1965...1995] Baseball Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle loses his battle with liver cancer at 63. Mantle campaigned actively for the donation of organs to save lives during his final days...2007] Baseball Hall of Famer and Broadcaster Phil Rizzuto dies in his sleep at 89...
  8. 1990] Rock & Roll tragedy: Singer Curtis Mayfield is paralyzed after a light track falls on him during a concert in Brooklyn...
  9. 2003] Blood money: Libya agrees to set up a $2.7 billion fund for families of 270 people killed in the 1988 Pan Am bombing...
  10. 2004] Charley roars: A stronger-than-expected Hurricane Charley roars ashore Florida's Gulf Coast, taking at least 10 lives...For more on August 13th: http://melphillipsnowandthen.com

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Wednesday, August 12, 2009...

10 Timeline Memories:
  1. 1877] Phonograph sighting: Thomas Edison invents the phonograph and makes the 1st sound recording. Clive Davis signs the Tom Edison Band to a longterm contract...
  2. 1960] Looking for an echo: The first balloon satellite, Echo 1, is launched by the U.S...
  3. 1969] For Sale...SOLD: The Boston Celtics are sold for $6 million. The highest price for an NBA franchise at the time...
  4. 1977] O Solo Mio: The space shuttle Enterprise passes its first solo flight test by taking off atop a Boeing 747, separating and then touching down in the Mojave Desert...
  5. 1985] Disaster in the air: A crippled Japan Air Lines Boeing 747 on a domestic flight crashes into a mountain, killing 520...
  6. 1994] Strike 3 - You're out: Major league baseball players go on strike rather than allow team owners to limit their salaries. The strike lasts 232 days, cancelling the World Series for the 1st time in 90 years. Still a good baseball trivia question - who won the 1994 World Series? - no one!!!
  7. 1998] Justice served: Swiss banks agreed to pay $1.25 billion as restitution to Holocaust survivors to settle claims for their assets...
  8. 2000] Losing a nuke sub: The Russian nuclear sub Kursk and its 118-man crew are lost in the Barents Sea during naval exercises...
  9. 2004] "I am a gay American": New Jersey Governor James E. McGreevey announces his resignation and acknowledges that he had an extramarital affair with a man...
  10. 2007] 'Happy Trails': Talk-Show host and game show creator ("Wheel Of Fortune", "Jeopardy") Merv Griffin dies from prostate cancer at 82...For more on August 12th: http://melphillipsnowandthen.com

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Tuesday, August 11, 2009...

10 Timeline Memories:
  1. 1934] The Rock: Alcatraz in San Francisco Bay, receives federal prisoners for the 1st time. Get ready for the 'Birdman', mates...
  2. 1952] Long live the King: Hussein is proclaimed king of Jordan following the abdication of his father, King Talal...
  3. 1965] Watts explodes: 34 are killed and more than 1,000 injured during rioting in Watts...
  4. 1972] "D-I-V-O-R-C-E": Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley file for divorce. They married in May of '67...
  5. 1984] Not so funny to the Russians: Ronald Reagan jokes: "today we have signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes."...
  6. 1992] Malled: The Mall of America, the biggest shopping mall in the country opens in Bloomington (MN)...
  7. 1998] Greasing the palm: British Petroleum (a.k.a. 'Bippy') purchases Amoco for $49 billion in the biggest foreign takeover of a U.S. company...
  8. 2000] Pat throws his hat: Pat Buchanan wins the Reform Party presidential nomination in a victory bitterly disputed by party founder Ross Perot's supporters...
  9. 2002] Chapter 11: U.S. Airways files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection...
  10. 2006] "Happy Trails": Former talk/variety show host Mike Douglas dies on his 81st birthday. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1990 but was considered cancer-free when he dies from unknown causes...For more on August 11th: http://melphillipsnowandthen.com

Monday, August 10, 2009

Monday, August 10, 2009...

10 Timeline Memories:
  1. 1948] Smile, you're on 'Candid Camera': "Candid Microphone" which will become "Candid Camera" one year later, debuts on New York City's channel 7 (WJZ which will become WABC)...
  2. 1949] The Name Game: The National Military Establishment is renamed the Department of Defense...
  3. 1969] The slaughter continues: Leno and Rosemary LaBianca are murdered in their Los Angeles home by members of Charles Manson's cult, one day after actress Sharon Tate and four others are slain...
  4. 1977] Son of Sam: Postal employee David Berkowitz aka. "The Son of Sam" is captured and arrested in Yonkers (NY). He will be sentenced to 6-consecutive terms of 25 years to life for killing 6 people on his killing spree...
  5. 1988] POW money: President Ronald Reagan signs a measure providing $20,000 payments to Japanese-Americans interred by the U.S. government during WWII...
  6. 1993] Another woman in robes: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, is sworn in as the second female Supreme Court justice. Sonya Sotomayor has just been named the third female member of the Supreme Court. The first female member of the bench, Sandra Day O'Connor has been retired for several years...
  7. 1994] Asking for immunity: President Bill Clinton claims presidential immunity in asking a federal judge to dismiss, at least for the time being, a sexual harassment lawsuit by Paula Jones, a former Arkansas state employee...
  8. 1995] Jane Roe joins anti-abortion group: Norma McCorvey, "Jane Roe" in the 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion, joins the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue...
  9. 2003] O solo mio: Atlanta Braves shortstop Rafael Furcal turns the 12th unassisted triple play in major league history against the St. Louis Cardinals...
  10. 2006] Terrorist plot crushed: British authorities thwart a terrorist plot to simultaneously blow up 10 aircraft heading to the United States...For more on August 10th: http://melphillipsnowandthen.com

Friday, August 7, 2009

(Weekend Edition) August 7 - 9, 2009...

10 Timeline Memories:
  1. 1945] Dropping another one: The U.S. drops another atomic bomb -- this time on Nagasaki, 3 days after Hiroshima. About 74,000 are killed and Japan will surrender on August 14th (8/9)...
  2. 1947] Where's the skipper when you need him?: The balsa-wood raft Kon-Tiki, which had carried a six-man crew across the Pacific, crashes into a reef in a Polynesian archipelago (8/7)...
  3. 1966] Achy Breaky Heart: Surgeon Michael DeBakey installs the first artificial heart. Unfortunately blood clotting leads to failure in the donor patient (8/8)...
  4. 1968] Nixon's the one/not: Richard M. Nixon and Spiro T. Agnew are chosen running mates at the Republican National Convention (8/8). Six years later in 1974, President Richard M. Nixon announces that he will resign the following day (8/8)...
  5. 1974] Going to Hall: Yogi Berra and Sandy Koufax enter Baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown (8/7)...1999] The Giants' Lawrence Taylor enters the Pro Football Hall of Fame (8/7). The newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame will be enshrined tomorrow. They include Bob Hayes, Randall McDaniel, Bruce Smith, Derrick Thomas, Ralph Wilson, Jr. and Rod Woodson...
  6. 1990] Here comes the storm: "Desert Storm" begins as President George H. W. Bush orders U.S. troops and warplanes into Saudi Arabia to guard the oil-rich desert kingdom against a possible invasion by Iraq (8/7)...
  7. 1995] "Happy Trails": Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, dies of a heart attack at 53 (8/9)...2005] ABC-TV Network anchorman Peter Jennings dies at 67 from lung cancer (8/7)...2008] Comedian Bernie Mac passes away from complications due to pneumonia. Mac was just 50 (8/9)...
  8. 1999] Joining the 3,000-hit club: Wade Boggs becomes the 1st major leaguer to hit a home run for his 3,000th hit while a member of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. On the same date, Tony Gwynn of San Diego picks up his 3,000th hit (8/7)...
  9. 2000] Mazel Tov: Al Gore picks Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman to be the 1st Jewish VP candidate of a major party ticket (8/7)...
  10. 2008] 8's are wild: Keeping with the Chinese belief that the number 8 is lucky, the 2008 Summer Olympics starts at 8:08:08 8/8/08. Too bad we can't start something this year at 9:09:09 9/9/09...For more on August 7 - 9: http://melphillipsnowandthen.com


Thursday, August 6, 2009

Thursday, August 6, 2009...

10 Timeline Memories:
  1. 1890] One down, 510 to go: The great Cy Young makes his debut a successful one, pitching a 3-hit shutout. What would that ball be worth???
  2. 1890] Guilty as charged: Convicted murderer William Kemmler becomes the 1st person to be executed in the electric chair. The execution takes place at Auburn State Prison (NY)...
  3. 1926] In the swim: Gertrude Ederle becomes the 1st American woman to swim the English Channel. The 19-year old completes her swim in 14 1/2 hours...
  4. 1945] Dropping A bomb: The Enola Gay, an American B-29 bomber drops the 1st atomic bomb. The bomb, nicknamed "Little Boy" is dropped over the center of Hiroshima, Japan. An estimated 140,000 people are killed...
  5. 1965] No exceptions to the rule: President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the "Voting Rights Act" giving every American the right to vote by law with no exceptions...
  6. 1973] Rock & Roll Wreck: Stevie Wonder is seriously injured in a car accident, slipping into a 4-day coma before recovering. Stevie was not driving...
  7. 1978] "Happy Trails": Pope Paul VI dies from a massive heart attack at 80...1986] William J. Schroeder dies after living 620 days with the Jarvik-7 man-made heart. He was the world's longest surviving recipient of a permanent artificial heart. Schroeder was 54...1991] "60 Minutes" mainstay Harry Reasoner dies from a blood clot in his brain at 68...2004] Rick James dies of a heart attack at 56...
  8. 1989] Hang 'em High: The Red Sox retire Carl Yastrzemski's #8 uniform number at Fenway Park. On October 1, 1983, Yaz was given a 'day' for him to announce his retirement...
  9. 1997] Wedding Bells: Apple Computer and Microsoft agree to share technology in a deal giving Microsoft a stake in Apple's Survival...
  10. 2005] Anti-War Protest: Activist Cindy Sheehan, whose soldier-son Casey is killed in Iraq, begins a weeks-long protest outside President Bush's ranch in Texas...For more on August 6th: http://melphillipsnowandthen.com/

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Wednesday, August 5, 2009...

10 Timeline Memories:
  1. 1884] Giving us liberty: The cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty is laid on Bedloe's Island in New York harbor...
  2. 1921] Play ball, on Radio: The first play-by-play broadcast of a baseball game is done by Harold Arlin on KDKA Pittsburgh. Arlin describes the action between the hometown Pirates and visiting Philadelphia Phillies...
  3. 1924] Comic strip debut: "Little Orphan Annie", drawn by Harold Gray makes its debut in newspapers...
  4. 1962] Hollywood shocker: The body of 36-year old blond bombshell Marilyn Monroe is discovered in her Los Angeles home. Death is ruled a probable suicide from an overdose of sleeping pills. To this day a controversy remains as to the real reasons for her death...
  5. 1963] Nuclear treaty: The U.S., Britain and the Soviet Union sign a treaty banning nuclear tests in the atmosphere, outer space and underwater. Now we need a treaty for those who still say, "nucular"...
  6. 1964] Wedding Bells: Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft exchange vows followed by a lifetime of laughs until Bancroft's death...
  7. 1969] Pictures of Martians: The U.S. space probe Mariner 7 flew by Mars, sending back photos (of green people waving?) and scientific data...
  8. 1981] Ronnie means business: The federal government begins firing air traffic controllers who walked out on strike...
  9. 1994] Twinkle, twinkle little Starr: A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals chooses Kenneth Starr to take over the Whitewater investigation from the immortal Robert Fiske...
  10. 2006] Duped by a dope: Floyd Landis is fired by his team and the Tour de France no longer considers him its champion after his second doping sample tests positive. Landis maintained that it was his Wheaties that must have been laced by Lance Armstrong...For more on August 5th: http://melphillipsnowandthen.com

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Tuesday, August 4, 2009...

10 Timeline Memories:
  1. 1892] An ax job: Andrew and Abby Borden are axed to death in their Fall River (MA) home by Andrew's daughter from a previous marriage. Accused of the killings, Lizzie Borden was eventually acquitted. This horrific crime inspired this little ditty: "Lizzie Borden took an ax and gave her mother 40 whacks and when she saw what she had done, she gave her father 41"...
  2. 1944] Nazi raid: Nazi police raid the secret annex of a building in Amsterdam and arrest 8, including 15-year old Anne Frank...
  3. 1964] Body count: The bodies of Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman and James Chaney missing since June 21 are found buried in an earthen dam in Mississippi. The trio were civil rights workers...
  4. 1977] Giving us Energy: President Jimmy Carter signs a measure establishing the Department of Energy...
  5. 1985] The newest member of the 300 club: In a game I was fortunate to attend, Tom Seaver, pitching for the White Sox wins his 300th game against the Yankees on 'Phil Rizzuto Day' at Yankee Stadium. One of the Scooters' gifts was a 'Holy Cow'...
  6. 1987] In all fairness: The FCC rescinds the "Fairness Doctrine" requiring "balanced reporting on controversial issues and political campaigns", a.k.a. Equal time...
  7. 1993] Guilty cops take the fall: A federal judge sentences 2 LAPD cops to 30 months for violating Rodney King's civil rights...
  8. 1997] Takin' a walk: 185,000 Teamsters union UPS drivers walk...
  9. 2004] Guilty as charged: Staten Island ferry boat pilot Richard Smith pleads guilty to manslaughter charges in a ferry crash that kills 11 the previous October...
  10. 2005] Russians rescued: A mini-submarine carrying seven Russians becomes caught on an underwater antenna 600 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean. They're all rescued 3 days later thanks to a British vessel...For more on August 4th:

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Monday, August 3, 2009

Monday, August 3, 2009...

10 Timeline Memories:
  1. 1852] A rivalry is born: America's first intercollegiate athletic event takes place on Lake Winnipesaukee (NH) when Yale meets Harvard for a crew race...
  2. 1933] M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E: Walt Disney takes up a manufacturer's suggestion for a Mickey Mouse watch and the timepiece is introduced in Chicago. Sale price was $2.75 and thousands of watches were sold in the 30s. This provided Disney the dividends needed to stay in business until the release of "Snow White", toward the end of the decade...
  3. 1949] Wedding Bells: The Basketball Association of America (BAA) merges with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form the NBA. The '49-'50 standings show the following franchises divided into 3 divisions: (Eastern) Syracuse, New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Boston. (Central) Rochester, Minneapolis, Chicago, Ft. Wayne, St. Louis. (Western) Indianapolis, Anderson, Tri-Cities, Sheboygan, Waterloo and Denver...
  4. 1966] "Happy Trails": Controversial but brilliant comic Lenny Bruce is found dead at 40 in the bathroom of his Hollywood Hills home. Official cause of death: "acute morphine poisoning caused by accidental overdose"...
  5. 1975] When you wish upon a star: After seeing the Astrodome in Houston when that facility opened, Louisiana Governor John J. McKeithen says "I want one of those, only bigger." On August 3, 1975, the Superdome opens in New Orleans...
  6. 1981] See ya, see ya -- wouldn't wanna be ya: The PATCO traffic controllers union pulls its traffic controllers out on strike. After being warned they would be replaced, they are. Thank you President Reagan...
  7. 1987] Ronnie gets a pass: The Iran-Contra hearings end with none of the 29 witnesses trying the president directly to the diversion of arms-sales profits to Nicaraguan rebels...
  8. 1993] Supes on: The Senate votes 96-3 to confirm Ruth Bader Ginsburg...One year later to the day -- Stephen G. Breyer is sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice...
  9. 2001] Life immitates art: A grand jury indicts "Soprano's" actor Robert Iler (AJ) on charges that he and two teen-aged buds robbed 2 other teenagers of $40 in this, Upper East Side neighborhood...
  10. 2004] Reunited and it feels so good: The Statue of Liberty pedestal reopens to the public for the first time since 911...For more on August 3rd:

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