Author: mikeljohnston1 (Page 74 of 269)
In the year 1947, Jackie Robinson took to the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers becoming the first African-American to play in Major League Baseball. Here are a few facts about his life:
Jackie Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia but raised in Pasadena California.
Jack Roosevelt Robinson was named after Teddy Roosevelt.
Jackie Robinson was the youngest of five children.
His older brother Mack, a silver medalist in track and field at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, inspired him to pursue his interest in athletics, and the younger Robinson ultimately earned varsity letters in baseball, basketball, football and track while at John Muir High School.
Also, in high school, Jackie Robinson played on a team with other future Hall of Famers Ted Williams and Bob Lemon.
He became the first UCLA Bruin to earn varsity letters in four sports — the same four in which he starred in high school — and he won the NCAA long jump championship in 1940.
Jackie met his future wife, Rachel, while at UCLA.
He spent two years playing semi-professional football for integrated teams in leagues in Hawaii and California before being drafted into the U.S. Army in the spring of 1942.
In early 1945 he was signed by the Negro League team the Kansas City Monarchs.
As a Dodger, Robinson would go on to hit .311 over a 10-year career.
He became the first Black player to win the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1949, when he led the league in hitting with a .342 average, most stolen bases (37) and achieving career-high 124 RBI.
Robinson was an All Star every year from 1949-1954.
He led Brooklyn to a World Series championship over the rival New York Yankees in 1956.
After retiring from the Brooklyn Dodgers, Robinson acted as a sportscaster, worked as a business executive at Chock full o’Nuts, and was active in the NAACP and other civil rights groups. Meanwhile, the Dodgers moved to L.A. in 1959.
Weakened by heart disease and diabetes, Robinson died in 1972 at the age of 53 from a heart attack suffered at his home in Stamford, Connecticut.
His number 42 has been permanently retired from baseball and April 15th is designated as Jackie Robinson Day.
In the year 1946, the War Crimes Tribunal was formed in Nuremberg, and the War Crimes Trials were held in Tokyo.
These were the 11 Crimes against humanity under international law that were addressed:
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Murder.
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Extermination.
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Enslavement. Deportation or forcible transfer of population.
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Imprisonment.
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Torture.
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Sexual violence.
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Persecution against an identifiable group.
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Enforced disappearance of persons.
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The crime of apartheid
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Other inhumane acts of a similar character intentionally causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or to mental or physical health.
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, Art. 7
On a lighter note in 1946, Mensa was created, AT&T announced the first car phones, and bikinis went on sale in Paris. The result: smart, beautiful women talking on cell phones that we see near the beach in current times. Car phones have essentially become defunct, replaced by mobile phones that can be used anywhere. Intelligence never goes out of style, nor have bikinis, as in this 1960s classic song by Brian Hyland:
Itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini
She was afraid to come out of the locker
She was as nervous as she could be
She was afraid to come out of the locker
She was afraid that somebody would see
Two, three, four, tell the people what she wore
It was an itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini
That she wore for the first time today
An itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini
So in the locker, she wanted to stay
Two, three, four, stick around we’ll tell you more
She was afraid to come out in the open
And so a blanket around her she wore
She was afraid to come out in the open
And so she sat, bundled up on the shore
Two, three, four, tell the people what she wore
It was an itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini
That she wore for the first time today
An itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini So in the blanket, she wanted to stay
Two, three, four, stick around we’ll tell you more
Now she’s afraid to come out of the water
And I wonder what she’s gonna do
Now she’s afraid to come out of the water
And the poor little girl’s turning blue
Two, three, four, tell the people what she wore
It was an itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini
That she wore for the first time today
An itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini
So in the water, she wanted to stay
From the locker to the blanket
From the blanket to the shore
From the shore to the water
Guess there isn’t any more
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Paul Vance / Lee Pockriss
Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini lyrics © Music Sales Corporation, Emily Music Corp., Emily Music Corp, Pincus G & Sons Music Corp
1945 was the final year of World War II, following the atomic bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, nearly 77-years ago. The scars still exist but our freedom endures – and never free!
A lot of activity on the home front today, including insulation work on the garage door, shelving for all the closets and pantry, plus installation of overhead lights and lanai fans. We’re hopefully getting towards the end of getting settled in our new Florida home. An electric fireplace and outdoor kitchen are also in the plans for this year. The custom master closet will have to wait another year or two, because nothing is ever free.
My wife and I honor our Eddiversary tonight with dinner at Captain Eddies in Nokomis. The original date was at Eddy’s in Indianapolis while we were still working together at Channel 8. We celebrate every 8th in some fashion to remember the beginning of our relationship. The original plan tonight was to watch the sunset from the beach but with rain, overcast skies, and chilly temperatures that probably won’t happen. There is an I.U. basketball game later tonight at Northwestern, but we should be home in time for the tip-off. By the way, today’s trivia question on my desk calendar was “how far is the free throw line from the hoop?” The answer is 15 feet from the front of the backboard, but for this Hoosier squad it often seems further away and never free.
This Day in History – June 6, 1944, The United States and allied troops invaded at Normandy. This was the largest air, land, and sea invasion in history. The goal was to surprise Germany, but Germany was ready to fight. It was the beginning of the end of World War II.
We were at the neighborhood meet and greet this past weekend and had a discussion about cruises with some folks down the street. They are taking the Viking river cruise from Paris to Normandy that we took several years ago. I was telling them how Normandy became my favorite segment of the trip and how emotional it was for us. Both my dad and my wife’s father were there and fortunately did not become another white cross. They came back to the States and raised families, creating a bond with each other that they never dreamed of at that time of battle. Sadly, my wife’s dad never lived to see our wedding day, but I did get the chance to ask for his approval.
I’m looking forward to our September Viking cruise from Vancouver to Tokyo. Covid took away voyages from Spain to Norway and Russia to Finland. It also kept us from going to Bali, Tahoe and Hawaii and delayed the river cruise to Egypt. With the savings, we’ve put a few extras in our new Florida home – luxuries instead of memories.
The year 1943 was all about war. My dad was twenty-two years old and serving our country. This week would have marked his 101st birthday, with my mom technically just 13 hours behind. I would be adopted into their family nearly eight years later, carrying on the family name of Johnston. My son is the last of that surname, with his son taking on the last name of Jordon alongside two Johnston sisters. They all live about 15 minutes away from my new Florida home.
My youngest grandchild, Nora, age three, gave me a hug before dinner last night and said, “I know you’re glad to see me!” It was so cute! We all got together as a family for the first time this year, following exposure to Covid, although I have done some babysitting on my own. Nora’s older sister Maddux will soon be thirteen, and not nearly as excited to see me. She grew up thousands of miles from me, so Nora is my first chance to be a true grandfather – part of her life on a consistent basis. The oldest grandchild is Gavyn, having just turned fifteen. He was sending back pictures from Indiana of his first romp in the snow. It was his birthday present from my ex-wife that included an airplane trip on his own. They are all growing up so fast.
We dined at Olive Garden last night after first agreeing to celebrate Gavyn’s birthday at Dave & Buster’s. However, with his detour to Fort Wayne, we decided to go without him, deciding on Pincher’s. Then, my son’s work schedule changed, so we picked The Twisted Fork, closer to his workplace. Upon arrival, we discovered that there was a long wait due to traffic from a nearby carnival and we all rerouted to Carrabba’s. We initially agreed to wait an hour for our table but grew quickly impatient and switched finally to the less busy Olive Garden. It’s always complicated when the seven of us try to get together.
My son agreed to help us hang some overhead lights and fans next week since we haven’t heard back from the electrician we called. My wife wants to get them installed because her sister and husband arrive soon for a visit. Our neighbor is also expecting my son to help connect some TVs she just purchased from him, so he’s highly in demand. Nora will likely be his assistant, knowing that once again I’ll be glad to see her!
Another successful neighborhood gathering took place last night. We now get the day off from social gatherings in anticipation of tomorrow night’s Alter Eagles concert. It looks like there will also be a pre-party. The last time we saw the real Eagles was on my 63rd birthday in 2014 while we were living in Portland. Glenn Frye died two years later at the age of 67 and was replaced with his son Deacon, while Vince Gill also joined the band at that time. They are playing later this month in Tampa. Ticket prices range from $255 in the upper levels to $8,470 for front row VIP seats. We’ll probably see the Eagles again when Hell Freezes Over. The Alter Eagles are probably our best option – “just close your eyes and you’ll think they’re the real thing.”
Our next concert is still most likely Santana/Earth Wind Fire on my 71st birthday. I’m not seeing any other options in between, with the exception of these cover bands and concerts in the park. The Paradise Pickers played last night at our neighborhood event. They were one picker short but well worth the money, although it made conversation difficult. Even with my new Bose sound system, a.k.a. hearing aids, I had trouble working the room. My voice was definitely strained by the end of the evening, trying to scream talk. I did meet a few more people on our street.
There is a nest of Eagles just down the road from us. The massive roost of sticks is high in a tree, but you can see the bald heads of the eaglets peeking out as the two proud parents keep watch. We stopped the other day so our guests could clearly see them, rather than our typical drive-by. They are on the grounds of the local Italian-American Club, so it was after dinner one night that we discovered their existence. Depending on weather, most egg hatching takes place in January and February according to sources, so the timing of the babies makes sense. I wonder if they will all eventually move on and the nest will slowly disappear? They have become part of our local tour, just beyond Alligator Alley where an occasional gator is seen sunning. They tend to be more visible this time of year and less dangerous as predators, using the sun to warm their cold blood, enabling them to digest food. Eagles and Gators are our entertainment this time of year.
On December 7, 1941, Japanese planes attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory, killing more than 2,300 Americans. When we went to Hawaii a few years ago, we visited the site but did not pay to step on the USS Arizona Memorial. It was emotional enough to be in the vicinity of 2,403 fatalities, let alone stand on top of their watery graves. It’s in sharp contrast to the sunny beaches, palm trees, and flowers that make the island famous. Rest in peace my heroes!
It’s another Friday, although I once again lost track of the days in retirement mode. We talked about going to a movie to make up for missing “Matinee Monday,” but will wash windows instead. Tonight is the sixth “Meet The Neighbors” event at the clubhouse, as we continue to familiarize ourselves with those who live on our street. We did get together with our new next door neighbor to exchange contact information. She moved in just this week. Last night, we went to Ain’t Misbehavin’ at the Venice Theater, but left at intermission. The Fats Waller musical was entertaining and the performers excellent, but we were uncomfortable wearing a mask in a stuffy auditorium and tired from a busy week.
This weekend we’ll wrap-up the new season of Ozark, go out for a family dinner, and I’ll watch some basketball. There will also be new episodes of 1883 and Euphoria. We’re still hoping that the electrician will have time to hang our overhead lights. The cabinet craftsman will also be back next week, having recovered from Covid. We’ve got to get ready – company is coming!
1940 was the first National Championship for Indiana in basketball, following a 60-42 win over Kansas. Coach Branch McCracken led the charge and established the scoring mark that has proven to be magical in Hoosier round-ball history. No one has ever worn jersey #60 in basketball, but it just might might deserve future consideration. It’s the number the team needs to get to first to assure a win, as proven through years of game research. However, back in 1940, the championship game was the first time they ever actually got to 60-points in 20 victories that year. Sixty is not necessarily an offensive goal, but rather a defensive standard.
In recently talking with Jeff Oliphant, a member of the 1987 National Champions, he indicated that Coach Knight would often write the number 63 on the strategy board as a defensive goal, much as Coach Woodson in his first year quickly enforced lap-running penalties for turnovers over 12 in his first year of coaching. This was talked about frequently by the game announcers early in the season. I wondered if “The General” was as conscious of the importance of 60, as I was as a fan, and was his number of 63 an adjustment after the shot clock and 3-point shot came into play? Even without those new rules that favored more offense, Jeff and I watched the Maryland victory together, as the 2022 team held the Terps to 55 points while committing only 10 turnovers. At the midpoint of the season, it was easily their best performance so far and my 60-point level still commanded a timeless place in securing victory.
Woodson has added a welcome spark to a program that has badly suffered since the Knight era. Mike Davis capitalized on Knight recruits to get to the final game in 2002. Then came Kelvin Sampson and recruiting violations, Tom Crean who missed the tourney five times in nine years, and Archie Miller who couldn’t beat Purdue or even make the NCAA field of 68. Strong defense has once again become a I.U. priority, but they allowed Syracuse to get to 60 first and lost in double overtime. They then got stuck on 59 for the last three minutes of the game against Wisconsin and they cruised by us for the 64-59 victory. This is an excellent example of how important that magical 60-mark is in closing out a game.
IU did not get to 60 in the 61-58 loss to Penn State, while Iowa held them at the 57-threshold for nearly two minutes and eventually passed them up for victory 83-74. The Hoosiers hit 57 against rival Purdue at the 10:28 mark of the second half with an 8-point lead and finally got to 61 at 7:34 on a Race Thompson dunk, then held on for victory, snapping a 9-game Boiler winning streak. Even in the early stages of the Woodson campaign, the “rule of 60” has already played a significant role. Quite simply, if the Hoosiers get to that pivotal point first, they win.
2021-22 defensive averages are some of the best in team history, dating back to the fifties. So far, IUD has limited opponents to 63-points per game. Only the Mike Davis finalist team of 2001-02 at 62.6, Tom Crean’s 2012-13 average of 62,1, Kelvin Sampson’s 2006-07 61.8. and Bob Knight’s 1980-81 championship team at 58.5 have been better on opponent points per game. All of those teams had at least first round tourney success. Averages then predictably swelled into the 70.0 range with the addition of the 3-pointer in 1986-87. Steve Alford used it to perfection in winning our 5th National Crown that year, but it has appeared to be our nemesis ever since.
Data provided by Gracenote, A Nielsen Company. Copyright © 2000-2022 Sports Reference LLC. All rights reserved.
For more information See Post #2249
World War I continued in 1939, as Nazi Germany attacked Poland on September 1, while France, Australia and the United Kingdom declared war on Germany. “Gone with the Wind” premiered in Atlanta. “Frankly My Dear I Don’t Give A Damn.” “The Luckiest Man in the World,” Lou Gehrig, retired from Major League Baseball after being diagnosed with ALS. The Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland premieres. “Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!”
A bobcat, sand cranes, alligators, and two eagles were some of our latest guest’s nature sightings over this past weekend. No lions, tigers, or bears were spotted except at the Ringling Museum. Our next group arrives next weekend, if anyone gives a damn. Dinner tonight is with my wife’s sorority sister and her husband in Sarasota. We were going to take my grandson to Dave & Buster’s for his birthday, but his other grandmother is instead flying him to Fort Wayne, Indiana to see snow for the first time in his fifteen years. We now have a semi-free weekend that includes a Sunday night concert by the Alter Eagles, a cover band playing at our resort center.
I’m watching Curse of Oak Island, as is my Wednesday morning tradition. Maybe they will find another scrap of wood on this week’s episode that has so far been a disappointment this season. Big plans are of course in the works to find the 200-year old Money Pit treasure, but so far after nine seasons of costly digging there have been only bits and pieces to show for their extensive efforts, including a single British copper coin that was just discovered. I love a good treasure hunt!