Articles
Fernando Valenzuela played in the Mexican League in the mid 1970s and caught the eye on several major league scouts. The Los Angeles Dodgers bought out his contract for $ 120,000. in 1979. He played briefly in the minor leagues that summer, and then excelled in the Texas League in 1980, before being promoted to the big league club towards the end of the season. In 10 relief pitching appearances... Continue reading
Seabiscuit was foaled in 1933, and grew up on Claiborne Farm in Kentucky. He was undersized, knobby-kneed, and known for sleeping and eating.
His initial trainer was the legendary Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons, who had trained Triple Crown Winner Gallant Fox. He felt Seabiscuit (no comma) was too lazy and relegated him to a punishing schedule of smaller races. He failed to win his first ten races, and... Continue reading
ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL
NEW YORK • EASTER SUNDAY IN 1945
American and world leaders in several fields have been greatly influenced by Harvard University. Several notable graduates and students include John Adams, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, e. e. Cummings, John Updike, FDR, Teddy Roosevelt, JFK, Stanley Marcus, Sumner Redstone, Jack Lemmon, John Lithgow, Bill Gates,
Yo-Yo Ma, Matt Damon, Natalie Portman, and Conan O’Brien.
James “Cool Papa Bell” played 21 seasons for several teams in the Negro League from 1922 to 1946 during which time he also played a few seasons in Latin America. He had a career batting average of .316 in the Negro League. He is best remembered for his speed, both on the bases and in centerfield. He typically played very shallow, as he was able to race back as far as necessary to catch any ball... Continue reading
The Fordson Model F was the first lightweight tractor in the world. It went into mass production in 1917 and sold for $750. The original Fordson used a 20 horsepower, four-cylinder oil engine, and a three-speed transmission with speeds ranging from 2¼ to 6¼ mph. By mid-1918, more than 70 percent of the farmers were using these tractors.
In July of 1951, Congress authorized construction of the world's first nuclear powered submarine at the Electric Boat Shipyard in Groton, Connecticut.
After nearly 18 months of construction, NAUTILUS was launched on January 21, 1954 with First Lady Mamie Eisenhower breaking the traditional bottle of champagne across the bow. Eight months later, on September 30, 1954, NAUTILUS became the... Continue reading
Emmett Kelly Sr. first circus job was with Howe’s Great London Circus with Emmett performing an aerialist act and doubling as a white faced clown. He married Eva Moore, another circus trapeze artist, and they performed together as the “Aerial Kellys” with Emmett still performing occasionally as a white faced clown until 1923. The next year, Eva became pregnant and Emmett tried to increase his... Continue reading
“The Greatest Show on Earth” is a story about the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The film was produced, directed, and narrated by Cecil B. DeMille and won the Academy Award for Best Picture. The movie showed actual circus acts and a behind-the-rings look at the massive logistics effort which made big top circuses possible.
The film stars Betty Hutton and Cornel Wilde as trapeze... Continue reading
Disneyland opened with an invitation only event on Sunday, July 17th, 1955. Ronald Reagan, Bob Cummings, and Art Linkletter hosted ABC’s 90 minute Telecast, the largest live event ever. The entrance fee was one dollar with rides and attractions each costing from 10¢ to 35¢. The television crews and staff contributed to the overcrowded conditions, along with the dignitaries, and the extensive... Continue reading
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