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On May 29 millions of Americans will celebrate Memorial Day.  Traditionally, most of us have viewed MD as a day off from work, part of a three-day weekend, a day to gather with friends and relatives, watch sports, barbecue, go to the beach or pool club, or maybe go away for a mini-vacation.  Regardless of the calendar MD is generally considered to be the unofficial start of summer. Wherever you go and whatever you do expect travel delays and crowds. Of course, we don’t like those inconveniences, but they are acknowledged and tolerated as an integral part of the holiday weekend.

According to AAA some 42.3 million Americans are expected to be travelling this holiday weekend, which would represent a 7% increase over last year’s total. The vast majority, about 37 million, will travel by car, some 3 million by air, and the remainder by train and other modes. A word of warning. Typically, MD weekend is the deadliest three-day period on the roads. The National Safety Council estimates there will be some 450 traffic fatalities over the holiday weekend this year. Everybody says “watch out for the other guy.” Don’t be the “other guy.” Drive with extra caution. Don’t become a statistic!

Gas prices are not expected to spike, as they often do at this time, but the national average of $3.54 per gallon is still high. Experienced travelers know that the best days to travel are on Saturday and Sunday, and whichever day one travels it is best to do so early in the day or in the middle of the night. Whenever and wherever you drive I recommend using your friendly GPS to help you navigate around delays.

AAA forecasts that some 3 million persons will travel by air. This would be the most since 2005. We all know what this means: overbooked, delayed and cancelled flights, and long lines at check-in and security. As always, extreme weather (thunderstorms, rain, wind, and severe heat), even in other parts of the country, could affect your travel plans. Again, to state the obvious, allow plenty of extra time to account for delays. That is common sense, but as they say “common sense is not always ‘common.’ ” Hope for the best, but expect the worst.

Back to the holiday, itself.   How many of us actually stop and ponder the meaning of MD?  What does it mean?  What is its etymology?  Well, I’m glad you asked.  Read on.

According to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs the purpose of MD is to honor veterans who have died in the service of their country.  (Some people confuse it with Veterans’ Day, celebrated in November, which is to honor LIVING veterans for their service.)  MD is celebrated on the final Monday in May, which this year is May 29.  As I said, it has also evolved into the unofficial start of summer and Opening Day for beaches, pools and vacation homes.

The original name for MD was “Decoration Day.”  The custom of decorating soldiers’ graves with flowers is centuries old.  Its origins are murky, but after the Civil War it became customary to “decorate” soldiers’ graves with flowers as a way to honor those who had died in that war.

Several cities claim to be the birthplace of MD.  Warrenton, Va. claims that the first CW soldier’s grave was decorated there in 1861.  Women began decorating soldiers’ graves in Savannah, Ga. as early as 1862.   Boalsburg, Pa. and Charleston, SC, among others, have also made claims.  NY became the first state to recognize MD as an official holiday in 1873.  In 1966 President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, NY to be the official birthplace of MD.

The basis of Waterloo’s claim is that in 1865 a group of locals, including a pharmacist, Henry Welles, General John Murray, a CW hero, and a group of other veterans, simply marched to the local cemeteries and decorated the soldiers’ graves with flowers.  What gave Waterloo an edge in the birthplace battle was that Murray was an acquaintance of General John Logan, the general who issued “Logan’s Order,” the proclamation that declared “Decoration Day” should be celebrated annually nationwide.

At first, MD was celebrated on May 30 every year.  The date seems somewhat arbitrary as it was not the anniversary of any famous battle or military event.  Perhaps, it was chosen simply because flowers with which the graves are decorated are in bloom and plentiful at that particular time of the year.  The name, “Decoration Day” was gradually replaced by MD beginning in 1882, and in 1887 MD became the official name.  In 1968 the Congress moved the holiday to the last Monday in May.  This annoyed many traditionalists, but the lure of a three-day weekend overcame any objections, and the Monday date has prevailed.

There are some MD traditions worth noting:

1. Flying the flag at half-staff.

Most of the time one will see the flag flown at half-staff all day; however, technically, this is not proper.  The flag should be raised to the top and then lowered to half-staff.  This is intended to honor those who have died for their country.  At noon, the flag is to be raised again to full staff, where it remains for the rest of the day.  This is to recognize that the deceased veterans’ sacrifices were not in vain.

2. Poppies.

Poppies have become the official flower of remembrance, declared as such by the American Legion in 1920.  This is derived from WWI and the Battle of Ypres (English pronunciation is “Wipers.”).  Apparently, a proliferation of poppies grew on that battlefield around the soldiers’ graves.  These poppies were featured in a famous poem by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae called “In Flanders Fields.”  This poem caught peoples’ imagination and popularized the custom.

3. Sporting Events.

No American holiday celebration would be complete without a sports connection. MD weekend features the Indianapolis 500 and the Memorial golf tournament, among others.  Also, until recently there was the traditional Memorial Day MLB baseball doubleheader.  Alas, due to economics, scheduled holiday baseball doubleheaders are all but extinct. 

4. Parades and ceremonies.

There will be parades and ceremonies in virtually every city and town of any size. Washington, DC will feature the National Memorial Day Parade, which will be televised and streamed live nationally and around the world.

CONCLUSION

I hope the foregoing has increased your understanding and appreciation of MD.  As a veteran, myself, I find it most gratifying that, in recent years, most Americans have come to recognize and appreciate the service and sacrifice of our country’s veterans.  I can remember a time (the Vietnam War period) when it wasn’t so.

So, whatever you do this weekend, however you celebrate, try to pause for a moment in honor of the many veterans who have given their lives so that the rest of us could enjoy the freedoms we sometimes take for granted.

I have written several blogs about ordinary persons who accomplished extraordinary feats of bravery and defiance during WWII. For the most part, their brave and dangerous deeds were performed anonymously or have been lost to history. A few persons’ deeds, such as Oskar Schindler, whose deeds were portrayed in the Oscar-winning movie Schindler’s List (1993), and Jan and Antonina Zabinski (The Zookeeper’s Wife – 2017) have come to light thanks to Hollywood. Unfortunately, they are few and far between.

Recently, I had the good fortune of watching an eight-part tv movie about Miep Gies. Most of you have never heard of her. I had not until I saw the aforementioned movie. Ms. Gies’ story is quite amazing. She and her husband, Jan, were Dutch patriots who hid Anne Frank and several others from the Nazis for two years during WWII. Her amazing story is portrayed in the tv movie A Small Light, which can be viewed on the National Geographic tv channel. Most of us are familiar with the story of Anne Frank, thanks to her diary, but this movie presents the story from a different perspective – that of Ms. Gies.

What motivated her to do what she did? In her own words, “We did our human duty: helping people in need.” I submit that that simple statement does not do justice to the totality of what she did, but you can judge for yourself.

Hermine Santrouschitz was born on February 15, 1909 in Vienna. Her family was Catholic and very poor. At that time, Austria was in the throes of a post-WWI depression. Conditions were very dire. Food and other necessities were scare, and Hermine’s family was unable to care for her properly. She became sickly and malnourished. Fortunately, other countries, such as The Netherlands, had established relief programs to aide children such as Hermine. Her parents made the desperate decision to send her to live with a Dutch family in the hopes that she would regain her health. Consequently, 11-year-old Hermine was put on a train by herself to make the trip. Luckily, she ended up with a family that loved her and cared for her. Eventually, she, her biological parents and her adopted parents all agreed that she would remain in Amsterdam. She became known as Miep. In July 1941 she married Jan Gies, a social worker.

At the age of 18 Miep commenced working as a typist but was soon laid off. Jobs were scarce, but pursuant to a recommendation of a neighbor she got an interview with a Jewish businessman named Otto Frank. Frank hired her. Initially, her job was to make jam for sale, but eventually she was promoted to customer service and the position of secretary.

Despite the fact that The Netherlands was neutral the Nazis invaded and in May 1940 succeeded in occupying the country. We all know what happened shortly thereafter – the despicable treatment of Jews and other atrocities typical of every country that the Nazis occupied.

Otto decided to go into hiding along with his family. He had constructed an elaborate hiding place on the premises called The Secret Annex. At first, it contained just the Franks, but over time the Franks took in others making a total of eight persons. When Otto asked Miep if she would help hide them she agreed instantly. Over the next few years she organized the elaborate ruse performing such tasks as obtaining ration cards, food and other necessities, all while running the business. She and Jan also managed to help other children relocate to safe homes in the countryside.

This was all accomplished under the noses of the Nazis. The daily stress was intense. Complete secrecy was paramount. Absolutely no one could be told as there were collaborators everywhere. Miep later stated “to the outside world, we had to look as relaxed as possible, or people might have grown suspicious.”

At one point, Miep ascertained that Anne Frank was writing a diary. She thought it was dangerous to do so as it might be discovered at some point and implicate others. But, Anne was a defiant, headstrong teenager, and she was determined to continue it. Miep said she told her “Yes, I’m writing about you too.”

Eventually, the Nazis received an anonymous tip regarding the hideout. On August 4, 1944 a group raided the place. They arrested everyone, except for Miep, including two employees. The arresting officer may have spared her because they were both natives of Vienna. Jan and Miep were both devastated. They had the presence of mind to inspect the Annex immediately to see what could be retrieved. Luckily, for the benefit of history, they found Anne’s diary. Miep almost destroyed it because, as I said, it contained a lot of incriminating information, but in the end she kept it in case Otto were to return someday.

Miep felt the raid was her fault, that she had slipped up somehow. She was so determined to try to save them that she bravely (or foolishly) went to Gestapo Headquarters to plead with the the officer who had arrested them. She was unsuccessful, but at least she was able to leave. There was nothing further to be done.

On May 5, 1945 the Allies recaptured The Netherlands. Soon after, Jewish former prisoners who had survived began returning. Otto returned, but the rest of his family did not. The Gies insisted that Otto stay with them, which he did. Miep gave Otto Anne’s diary telling him “this is your daughter’s legacy.”

The diary published was in 1947. It is an amazing firsthand account. Anne lavishes much praise on Miep. One passage reads “[she] is just like a pack mule. [S]he fetches and carries so much. Almost every day she manages to get hold of some vegetables for us and brings everything in shopping bags on her bicycle.” As I said, Miep was able to accomplish this not knowing whom she could trust. Nazis and collaborators were everywhere. People were hurting and very eager to inform for whatever rewards they could get. If you haven’t read it, I recommend you do so.

Conclusion

I strongly recommend “A Small Light.” As stated at the end of the movie it declares that “even an ordinary secretary or a housewife or a teenager can, in their own way, turn on a small light in a dark room.”

Both Jan and Miep lived long and productive lives. Miep, in particular, has been immortalized for her accomplishments. After the war Miep did what she could to keep the story alive. For example, she wrote and published her own book about her experiences titled Anne Frank Remembered.

Jan died on January 26, 1993 at the age of 87. Miep died on February 15, 1909 at the ripe old age of 100. Ironically, after all she had been through the cause of death was rather mundane – a fall at her nursing home. Their bravery in the face of extreme danger will long be remembered.

Many observers consider him to have been one of the greatest NFL football players of all time. Moreover, he is generally considered to have been one of the greatest athletes ever. Even more than that, in stark contrast to many other famous athletes who avoid controversial social issues, after his playing career he became a leading advocate for civil rights for African Americans and other less fortunate persons. More on that later.

James Nathaniel Brown was born on February 17, 1936 on St. Simons Island, Georgia. His father was a professional boxer, and his mother was a homemaker. At the age of eight his family moved to Manhasset, Long Island where his mother worked as a domestic. In high school Brown was a star athlete in football, basketball, baseball, lacrosse and track. Most sports fans are aware of his prowess in football and lacrosse, but few know that he averaged 38 points per game on the basketball court, a record which stood until it was broken by another multisport star you may have heard of – Carl Yastrzemski.

Brown attended Syracuse University. Astoundingly, he did not receive an athletic scholarship. Remember, it was the mid-1950s, and Syracuse, like many other universities were not exactly welcoming to minorities, athletes or otherwise. Luckily for Brown, the school, and perhaps the sports world in general, Kenneth Molloy, a prominent alum and attorney who had been a star lacrosse player at the school became Brown’s benefactor and persuaded the powers-that-be to enroll him as a non-scholarship athlete.

His freshman year Brown was the only AA on the football team. Basically, the school treated him as a second class citizen. He was placed in a separate dormitory away from the other athletes; initially, the coaching staff played him at other positions in lieu of running back; and he was warned against dating Caucasian women.

Eventually, Brown’s otherworldly talent gave them no choice. He became a multisport star. His senior year he was a consensus football All-American, finished fifth in the 1956 Heisman Trophy voting, and almost won the Cotton Bowl singlehandedly. The Cleveland Browns drafted him seventh in the 1957 draft. You might be wondering which players finished ahead of Brown in the Heisman voting and which ones were drafted ahead of him. I wondered also. Hindsight is 20X20, and most of these players went on to fine NFL careers, but none was at Brown’s level. See answers below.

In addition, he was an All-American in lacrosse, and a star on the basketball and track teams. He was so unstoppable in lacrosse that the rules were changed to require a player to keep his stick in motion when carrying the ball. It was aimed specifically at Brown, and that rule is no longer in effect.

Also, Brown was a member of ROTC. He served four years in the Army Reserves and attained the rank of captain.

Brown became an instant star in the NFL. In an era when running backs were king he was, simply, the best. During his tenure the Browns were perennial contenders and won the championship in 1964, the last one the team has won. The whole Browns team was built around him, and he was virtually unstoppable. His numbers were impressive, but one had to actually see him play to really appreciate his prowess. Tacklers bounced off him; he could use his power to run over them or his speed to run around them. Often, he would congratulate a tackler on a particularly hard hit. He always got up slowly as if he were hurt, but he never was. It was just a ruse. Hall of Famer, John Mackey said Brown once told him: “Make sure when anyone tackles you he remembers how much it hurts.” I believe that summed up Brown’s credo.

Brown played nine years in the NFL. He was so dominant that when he retired he held the records for single season rushing (1,863), career rushing (12,312), rushing touchdowns (106), and career all-purpose yards (15,549). These records were all the more remarkable because Brown only played nine seasons and 12 or 14 games per season. They lasted several years until they were broken by players who had the benefit of 16 game seasons.

Brown retired in his prime at the age of 30 to pursue a movie career. He had been planning to play one more year, but his retirement was hastened by a contract dispute with Browns’ management. At the time some questioned his decision, but in retrospect it was the right decision.

Brown enjoyed a very active and productive post-playing career as an actor, civil rights activist and spokesman. His forte was action movies. Biographer Mike Freeman characterized him as “the first black action star.” My favorite movie was “The Dirty Dozen, a WWII action movie in which Brown was part of an ensemble starring Lee Marvin and a host of other stars. Perhaps, his most notable role was in the movie 100 Rifles in which he took part in a very controversial by-racial love scene with Raquel Welch, the first one in a major Hollywood movie. Even though such scenes are routine now, at the time it was shocking. He also guest starred on several tv shows, such as TJ Hooker, Knight Rider and CHiPs.

The most significant part of his post-athletic career was probably his propensity for speaking out against what he perceived as racial injustice. As I said above, many minority athletes are reluctant to do so, but not Brown. For example, he was an ardent early supporter of Muhammed Ali when Ali was stripped of his heavyweight title for his refusal to accept induction into the US Army. Additionally, in 1966 he founded the Negro Industrial Union, which helped to promote and support minority-owned businesses. Furthermore, he worked extensively with minority prisoners and gang members. In 1988 he founded the Amer-I-Can Foundation, which sought to teach them life skills to enable them to break the cycle of violence and become productive members of society. In 2008 he and Kanye West met with President Trump to discuss the status of minorities in America. He was roundly criticized by some for meeting with President Trump, but he retorted that he was the “sitting president,” “accessible” and “not a racist” as some say. Many people criticized him for his strong advocacy, but regardless of one’s personal opinions I feel one should respect Brown’s and his right to espouse them.

On the negative side, Brown was arrested several times for physical violence against women. He was never convicted of a major crime, but this remains a dark stain on his reputation.

CONCLUSION

The list of Brown’s sports accolades and awards is too extensive to mention all of them here. For instance, in 2002 The Sporting News selected him to be the greatest football player of all time. In 2014 The NY Daily News followed suit. The NFL Network’s NFL Films selected him as the second-best NFL player ever (behind Jerry Rice). Finally, in 1999 as part of the celebration of the New Millennium a panel of sports journalists and observers voted picked the “Top 100 American Athletes of the 20th Century.” The list was published by ESPN. Brown was voted #4 behind Michael Jordan, Babe Ruth and Muhammed Ali. I don’t want to quibble. All of them were outstanding athletes and deserving of the honor, but one could make a case that Brown should have been ranked higher. He was the only one of the top 5 who was outstanding in multiple sports.

Brown was married twice and fathered five children. His second wife, Monique, was with him when he died. Brown passed away on May 18 at the age of 87.

Many tributes have been pouring in. A sampling:

1. Emmitt Smith – “He is and was a true legend in sports and in the community using his platform to help others.”
2. LeBron James – “We lost a hero today….I hope every Black athlete takes the time to educate themselves about this incredible man and what he did to change all of our lives.”
3. Barack Obama – “One of the greatest football players ever, he was also an actor and activist – speaking out on civil rights and pushing other Black athletes to do the same.”

Rest in peace Jim. You were one of the best all-around athletes ever, but, more importantly, you boldly used your platform to advocate for others not as fortunate.

Trivia answers:

1956 Heisman voting: Paul Hornung, Johnny Majors, Tom McDonald, and Jerry Tubbs

1957 draft: Hornung, Jon Arnett, John Brodie, Ron Kramer and Len Dawson.

Many of us like to enjoy an occasional round of golf as a recreational sport. Although, in my experience, most golfers readily agree that golf is the most frustrating sport they have ever played it is viewed as a way to get some exercise, banter and relax with friends, and enjoy the beautiful scenery and fresh air. Furthermore, despite the frustrations inherent in the sport, at the end of the round players realize that they were so focused on the game that they have forgotten the problems and frustrations we all have to endure in our daily lives.

The history of golf is murky and controversial. The conventional wisdom is that the modern version of the game originated and developed in Scotland in the late Middle Ages. However, there is ample evidence that similar versions of the sport were being played concurrently elsewhere. For example, in Holland as early as the mid-13th century there is mention of a game whose object was to hit a ball into a small hole using what was called a “colf” or “kolf” club. In addition, around the end of the 13th century the Dutch were playing a game with a stick and a leather ball in which the object was to hit the ball into a hole 100 yards away. The winner would be the player who took the fewest strokes. Sound familiar? Some historians denote that similar games were also being played in the Netherlands and other European countries. These various iterations all predate the recorded history of the game in Scotland.

As I said above, golf historians and scholars generally acknowledge that the modern game of golf was invented in Scotland. Indeed, Wikipedia quotes a spokesman from The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews thusly: “Stick and ballgames have been around for many centuries, but golf as we know it today, played over 18 holes clearly originated in Scotland.” In addition, the very word “golf” is a derivative the Dutch word “colf” or “colve” meaning “stick, “club or “bat.”

The earliest mention of golf in Scotland was in 1457. King James banned the game of gowf on the basis that it was an unneeded distraction from archery, which was practiced for military purposes.

The oldest instructions for golf have been found in the diary of one Thomas Kincaid, a Scottish medical student. The earliest known surviving rules of golf date to 1744 in Scotland. By the 18th century Scottish soldiers, expats and immigrants were exporting the game throughout the world.

In the US the game was being played in the Albany, NY area as early as the mid-17th century. It quickly spread throughout the country. By the 1880s several golf clubs had sprung up. By 1910 there were nearly 300. The USGA was formed in 1894.

And, now, I would like to present some golf tidbits and trivia. Unless otherwise stated, the source for these is a book written by Rick Reilly, So Help Me Golf. Reilly is a much-renowned sports journalist and author. He has written several very entertaining books on golf

1. Golf courses have not always had 18 holes. According to Wikipedia the terrain at St. Andrews consisted of a narrow strip of land bordered by the sea. Therefore, when the course was laid out in the 15th century there was only room for eleven holes laid out end to end from the clubhouse to the far end of the property. Golfers would play the course twice. So the initial golf course consisted of 22 holes. Later, some of the short holes were combined leaving 18 holes, which has been the standard ever since.

2. According to Wikipedia, the standard golf ball was developed in the 1930s. Prior to then, there was some variance as to weight and size.

3. Wikipedia also states that the earliest golf clubs were made from wood. Various varieties of wood were used. Eventually wood was replaced by iron, then steel, then graphite, and titanium.

4. Phil Mickelson plays golf lefty, but he does everything else righty.

5. Irish star golfer Rory McIlroy once hit his father with a drive (presumably, not intentionally).

6. Jackie Gleason, an avid golfer, habitually carried 12 woods, all with mink headcovers.

7. Baltusrol Golf Club is named after a murdered person, Baltus Roll, who was attacked and beaten to death in 1831.

8. Augusta National prohibits Masters winners from taking their green jackets home permanently with one exception. That would be 1970 winner Billy Casper who was give permission to be buried in it.

9. In 1945 Sam Snead won the LA Open playing the entire 72 hole tournament with one ball even though the cover was falling off by the end. The reason? It was during WWII, and there was a rubber shortage.

10. Tiger Woods is allergic to grass.

11. Jack Nicklaus is color-blind.

12. Arnold Palmer signed the most autographs of any golfer. He used a special pen that wrote in disappearing ink for anyone who was rude.

13. During WWII some American soldiers who were imprisoned in a German camp fashioned a golf game using balls made of shoe leather and tree stumps for holes. Their “course” had real hazards – guards with machine guns.

14. In 2020 Sophia Popov, the 304th ranked women’s player won the British open. She had only qualified because a bunch of players cancelled out due to COVID.

15. What was the shortest golf course on record? Would you believe six feet? In 1965 Colonel George Hall was imprisoned in the infamous Hanoi Hilton. His cell measured six feet long. He fashioned a “club” from a stick. Every day he would “play” a different course in his mind. That got him through four years of captivity. All right!

16. Why do we yell, “fore” to warn other golfers of a possible incoming ball? There is disagreement, but my research disclosed three possible reasons. (1) Many golf courses employ forecaddies who stand down-range. Their job is to locate errant balls so as to speed up the game. Fore is a shortening of forecaddie. (2) Artillerymen firing cannon would yell “beware before” to warn anyone downrange. (3) Fore is short for “before,” which is the Scottish word for a warning. I would lean toward the latter since the game originated in Scotland, but all of them are plausible. Take your pick.

CONCLUSION

A further word about the abovementioned frustrations. The pros on tv make the game appear much easier than it really is. These are average-size guys; many of them don’t even look like the athletes we see in other sports; they are not 6 foot 10; they don’t weigh 300 pounds; some of them do not even appear to be in “shape.” Yet, they hit the hell out of the ball time after time. So, we say “if he can do it why can’t I?” We quickly see that we can’t, and it frustrates us. We also bemoan the bad bounces and bad luck, which always seem to outnumber the good bounces and good luck. Moreover, we often flub a shot that we “know” we can execute because we have done so many times. During the round, we often swear we will quit the game entirely. Who needs all this frustration. Yet, we come back again next time, and the next time after that, and the time after that. No doubt, the sport engenders a classic love-hate relationship with the player.

Sunday, May 14, most Americans will celebrate Mother’s Day. Notice the singular possessive form of spelling. This is the standard and generally accepted usage. It was the format favored by Anna Jarvis, the acknowledged driving force behind the creation of the holiday, as you will see below, rather than the plural possessive. Her point that was each family should honor “the best mother, yours” rather than all mothers.

MD is celebrated all over the world in some form.  Different countries have their own way of celebrating the day and even celebrate it on different dates.  Some countries have replicated the US traditions – hallmark [or email (tacky)] card, flowers, chocolates, and family outings or gatherings; others have incorporated it into other holidays honoring women or mothers; and in still others, a combination of the two has evolved.

According to The National Restaurant Association based on decades of research MD is the busiest day of the year for restaurants.  Nearly one-half of customers eat out for dinner, but many opt for breakfast, brunch or lunch. The traditional custom is to give mom a break from kitchen duties and take her out to a nice restaurant to celebrate. And why not? Doesn’t she deserve it? (On the other hand, on Father’s Day the restaurants are relatively empty as many fathers are put to work barbecuing.) Can you name the second-busiest day of the year for restaurants according to the same survey? See answer below.

Moreover, according to a recent poll of some 1,000 Protestant pastors conducted by Lifeway Research MD is the third busiest day for attendance at church. Can you guess numbers one and two? See below.

Estimates of the average cost of MD gifts vary. According to the National Retail Federation the average MD gift this year will cost about $274, an increase of roughly 10% from last year. According to the website “RetailMeNot” the most popular gifts are greeting cards, flowers (roses being the most popular), chocolate and gift cards.

As always, traffic on the roads will likely be heavy during the holiday weekend. So, plan to leave early, and use your trusty GPS. Additionally, one can expect the usual delays at the airports and train and bus stations due to weather complications, security concerns and heavy usage.

In the US MD was first celebrated in 1908 when the aforementioned Anna Jarvis held a special memorial for her mother.  Ms. Jarvis had been campaigning for the country to recognize a day to honor mothers since 1905 when her mother had passed away.  In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson signed an official proclamation establishing the second Sunday in May as MD.  It was to be a day to honor mothers and the concept of motherhood and their contributions to society.

Eventually, Ms. Jarvis became disillusioned with the commercialization of the holiday.  By the 1920’s the greeting card, retail, candy and flower industries were all marketing their products aggressively to take advantage of the holiday.  Jarvis strongly advocated that people should demonstrate their love and respect for their mothers through personalized, handwritten letters instead.  Being a person of action she organized protests and threatened boycotts of these industries.  At one point, she was arrested for disturbing the peace at a candy manufacturers’ convention.

Despite her efforts, commercialization of the day has continued to grow.  Americans, in particular, tend to demonstrate their love in tangible, material ways through the giving of gifts. 

As I stated, MD is celebrated in many countries in different ways and at different dates. For example:

1. The most common date is the second Sunday in May, which is May 14 this year. Besides the US, some of the countries that celebrate it on this date are Canada, Italy, the Peoples Republic of China and Turkey.

2. Some countries, such as the UK, Ireland and Nigeria, celebrate it on the fourth Sunday of Lent. The UK incorporated it into a previously existing holiday called “Mothering Sunday,.” which dates from the 16th Century.

3. Many Arab countries, such as Egypt, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia celebrate it on the vernal equinox (March 20 in 2023).

4. Russia used to celebrate MD on March 8 in conjunction with International Women’s Day, but in 1998 the date was changed, by law, to the last Sunday in November.

5. Bolivia celebrates it on May 27, which is the date of an historically significant battle in which women played a key role.

6. Since 1950 France has celebrated MD on the fourth Sunday in May, except when the date conflicts with Pentecost in which case it is delayed to the next Sunday.

7. Hindus celebrate MD on the new moon day in the month of Baisakh (April/May).

CONCLUSION

As I said, MD is one of the few truly internationally-recognized holidays.  One of the charming features of the day is the variety of ways and dates on which it is celebrated.  This is derived from the differences in customs and cultures around the world.

One thing is certain now and will remain so prospectively: on this day the mother/wife is truly in charge.  Men, remember the adage “happy wife, happy life.”

Finally, men, all together now, let’s repeat the two-word mantra for a successful marriage:

“YES, DEAR!”

Quiz answers: (1) Valentine’s Day. (2) Christmas Eve and Easter.

Below please find some of the significant historical events that have occurred in the month of April:

April 2, 1513 – Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon landed at present-day St. Augustine, and claimed FL on behalf of Spain. St. Augustine is the oldest city in the continental US.

April 2, 1982 – Argentinian troops seized the Falkland Islands, a British territory just off the Argentinian coast, thus beginning the Falkland Islands War. Britain recaptured the islands on June 15.

April 3, 1860 – The Pony Express mail service commenced in St. Joseph, MO.

April 3, 1865 – Richmond. the capital of the Confederacy, surrendered.

April 3, 1948 – President Truman signed the Marshall Plan, an economic aid package that is largely credited with halting the spread of communism in post-WWII Europe.

April 3, 1995 – Sandra Day O’Connor became the first female Justice of the Supreme Court.

April 4, 1949 – NATO was created.

April 4, 1968 – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated.

April 6, 1896 – The first “modern” Olympics was held in Athens.

April 6, 1917 – The US entered WWI.

April 8, 563 BC – Celebrated as Bhudda’s birthday.

April 8, 1913 – The US ratified the 17th Amendment to the Constitution mandating the election of US senators by direct popular vote instead of appointment by State legislatures as had been the procedure.

April 9, 1865 – General Robert E. Lee formally surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant ending the Civil War.

April 9, 1866 – The US passed the Civil Rights Bill of 1866, which granted AAs the rights and privileges of US citizenship.

April 10, 1942 – The Bataan Death March began.

April 10, 1945 – The Buchenwald concentration camp was liberated by US troops.

April 11, 1968 – The US adopted the Civil Rights Act of 1968.

April 12, 1861 – The Civil War commenced as Confederate troops fired on Fort Sumter.

April 12, 1945 – FDR died in Warm Springs, GA of a cerebral hemorrhage.

April 12, 1961 – Russian cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, became the first human in space.

April 14, 1828 – Noah Webster published the first American-style dictionary.

April 14, 1865 – President Abraham Lincoln was mortally wounded by assassin John Wilkes Booth at Ford Theatre. He died the next day.

April 15, 1912 – The “unsinkable” Titanic, which had struck an iceberg the previous night, sunk. Some 1,500 of the 2,224 persons on board perished.

April 17, 1961 – The so-called Bay of Pigs invasion, which was intended to precipitate the overthrow of Fidel Castro, failed disastrously.

April 18, 1775 – Paul Revere embarked on his famous “Midnight Ride” to warn the Patriots that “the British [were] coming.”

April 18, 1906 – The infamous San Francisco Earthquake and fire began.

April 18, 1942 – A squadron of airplanes led by General James Doolittle successfully bombed Tokyo, providing a much-needed morale boost to Americans by demonstrating that Japan was not invulnerable.

April 19, 1775 – Patriots fire the “shot heard ’round the world” at Lexington, MA, which marked the commencement of the Revolutionary War.

April 19, 1943 – The Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto began an armed insurrection against their Nazi captors.

April 20, 1999 – The “Columbine Massacre” occurred in Littleton, CO, leaving 13 dead and 20 more wounded.

April 21, 1836 – Texans, under the command of Sam Houston, decisively defeated a Mexican force at San Jacinto (near present-day Houston), which led to Texas’ independence from Mexico.

April 21, 1918 – Baron Manfred von Richtofen, the infamous “Red Baron” who was credited with some 80 kills, was shot down over France.

April 22, 1889 – The “Oklahoma land rush” began.

April 24, 1800 – The Library of Congress, the world’s largest library, housing some 145 million items, was established.

April 26, 1986 – The nuclear power plant at Chernobyl, Ukraine, exploded, spreading a radioactive cloud extending over much of Europe.

April 26, 1994 – Apartheid in South Africa officially ended as the country held its first multiracial elections with some 18 million blacks participating. Nelson Mandela was elected President.

April 28, 1789 – Led by Fletcher Christian, the crew of the HMS Bounty mutinied against Captain William Bligh.

April 30, 1789 – George Washington was sworn in as the first President of the US.

April 30, 1948 – Palestinian Jews declared their independence from the British and established the State of Israel.

Birthdays – 4/2/1805 – Hans Christian Anderson (Danish fairytale author); 4/5/1856 – Booker T. Washington (AA educator); 4/10/1847 – Joseph Pulitzer (publisher); 4/13/1743 – Thomas Jefferson (3rd President); 4/16/1867 – Wilbur Wright (aviator pioneer); 4/16/1889 – Charlie Chaplin (silent film comedian); 4/17/1837 – John Pierpont Morgan (financier); 4/18/1857 – Clarence Darrow (renowned attorney); 4/20/1889 – Adolph Hitler; 4/22/1870 – Vladimir Lenin; 4/23/1564 – William Shakespeare (writer); 4/23/1791 – James Buchanan (15th US President; 4/25/1874 – Guglielmo Marconi (invented the radio); 4/27/1791 – Samuel F. B. Morse (telegraph inventor); 4/27/1822 – Ulysses S. Grant (civil war commanding general and 18th US President); 4/28/1758 – James Monroe (Founding Father and 5th US President); 4/29/1863 – William Randolph Hearst (publisher).

This is not an April Fools joke. It s a legitimate blog.

As you know, today is April 1, also known as “April Fools Day.”  I like a good joke as much as anyone, but I am not a big fan of pranking people on this date.  Maybe when I was 10 or so, but not now.  But, I was curious about the origins of the holiday, and how it is celebrated around the world.

According to Wikipedia AFD is not a official holiday in the US, nor in any other country for that matter, but it is widely recognized and celebrated around the world unofficially.  Different countries have different ways of celebrating it. More on that later.

Some people love to play jokes and perpetrate hoaxes.  So, if you hear that President Biden has resigned and relocated to an assisted living facility, or that James Dolan has sold the NY Knicks, or that China has “forgiven” the US’s debt, don’t believe it.  Those would most certainly be AFD jokes.

Even the media can be a willing participant.  One of my favorite AFD pranks occurred on April 1, 1985.  The Sports Illustrated” cover story that day was about a baseball pitching phenom named Sidd Finch.  At first, the story appeared to have credibility, as it was written by George Plimpton, an author of some renown, and published in SI.  Finch was presented as an unknown rookie pitching prospect in the NY Mets training camp.  (At that time Opening Day was later in April.)  So far, so good.  But, as one read the details of the story, particularly about his 160 MPH fastball, it became apparent that it was an AFD joke.

A few other famous, or infamous, AFD pranks courtesy of CNN, (which many claim is the “fake news” network anyway), and Wikipedia:

1. Swiss spaghetti – On 4/1/57 a British tv show called “Panorama” claimed that the Swiss spaghetti harvest had enjoyed a “bumper year” due to the unusually mild weather and the elimination of the “spaghetti weevil.”  This hoax was ranked the #1 AFD joke of all time by the Museum of Hoaxes.  (Yes, there is such a place.)

2. Toilet paper – On 4/1/73 Johnny Carson joked on the Tonight Show that there was a shortage of toilet paper. This hoax was credited with creating a real shortage as many listeners believed him and rushed out to “stock up.”

3. In 2015 Cottonelle announced it was developing “left-handed toilet paper.”  “It cleans just like right-handed toilet paper, only it’s made for (lefties),” touted one advertisement.

4. Google Gulp – In 1998 Google announced a drink called the “Google Gulp,” which, it said, would help one to “achieve maximum optimization of your soon-to-be grateful cerebral cortex,” [and it was] “low in carbs” to boot.

5. Walt(Clyde) Frazier, the illustrious NY Knick Hall of Fame basketball player, retired after the 1979 season. On April 1, 1997 the MSG network ran a story that he was coming out of retirement. It fooled some people for a while, but it was not true.

All in good fun!

On the flip side there have been actual events that occurred on or around April 1 that were mistakenly taken as AFD jokes, such as:

1. In 1946 a news report of an earthquake and tsunami in the Aleutian Islands area that ultimately killed 165 persons in Alaska and Hawaii.
2. In 1984 it was reported that singer Marvin Gaye, Jr. was shot and killed by his father.
3. In 1995 it was reported that the singer, Selena, was shot and killed by the former president of her fan club.
4. In 2009 CBS announced that its long-running soap opera, The Guiding Light, was being cancelled.

Initially, each of these was denounced as false AFD pranks even by those who should have been cognizant of the truth.

In 2020 and 2021 during the height of the COVID Pandemic some people were opposed to incorporating the virus into AFD pranks. For example, Google opted not to publish its customary “infamous April Fools jokes. Additionally, in Thailand police warned that posting or sharing any AFD jokes or pranks online could result in a maximum of five years in prison for the perpetrator.

The origin of AFD is murky and controversial. Surprisingly, there are records of continuous AFD celebrations back as far as 536 BC in present day Iran. They celebrate the Persian holiday of Sizdah Bedar, which falls on the 13th day of the Persian New Year, (April 1). In addition, the Romans celebrated festivals called “Hilaria” on March 25 and the “Medieval Feast of Fools” on December 28. In certain Spanish-speaking countries, the latter is still a date on which pranks are played on people. Also, there is a reference to the holiday in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, which was first published in 1387.

According to Wikipedia, a 1908 edition of Harpers Weekly published a reference to AFD in connection with Noah’s Ark. I think the article, itself, was likely an AFD joke, particularly since the story of the Ark and the Flood, itself, strains credulity.

In 1508 a French poet, Eloy d’Amerval, referred to a day called poisson d’avril , or “April’s fish” in one of his poems, which some historians attribute to be the earliest known reference to the holiday in France. Even today, AFD is referred to as “April Fish Day” in France, Belgium and Italy.

During the Middle Ages there was no universally-recognized calendar, so many regions celebrated New Years Day on April 1 rather than January 1. Some of those who celebrated it on January would denigrate those who celebrated it on April as “fools.” It is easy to see how that label morphed into “April fools.”

Supposedly, in 1561 Eduard de Dene, a Belgian poet of some renown, published a humorous poem about a nobleman who sent one of his servants on “foolish errands” on April 1.

In 1686 John Aubrey, who Wikipedia describes as an antiquary, writer and philosopher, is credited by Wikipedia with making the earliest reference to the celebratory day in Great Britain. He called it “Fooles holy day.” (For those of you who, like me, are not well-versed in Oxford English the term antiquary is defined as one who collects or studies antiques.)

According to Alex Boese, curator of the Museum of Hoaxes, the Dutch popularized the day in the late 16th century.  By the 1700s it had spread over much of Northern Europe, and eventually to the US.

Nowadays, the holiday is celebrated differently around the world. Some examples are as follows:

1. UK – The April Fool joke is disclosed when the perpetrator shouts “April Fool” at the recipient.  Traditionally, April Fool jokes are to cease at midday.  After that time, anyone trying to prank someone becomes the “April Fool” himself.  These AFD customs are similar in other countries whose traditions were influenced by the UK, such as the US.

2. Scotland – AFD is called “Hunt the Gowk Day.”  “Gowk” is Scotch for a foolish person.

3. Ireland – A common tradition is to give the “prankee” an important letter in an envelope to give to a certain person.  That person would ask the “prankee” to give it to another person, and so on and so on.  Eventually, someone would open the envelope.  The letter inside would say “send the fool further.”

4. Poland – Traditionally, April 1 is a day to play jokes and hoaxes.  The media participates as well.  Serious matters are to be avoided.  For example, supposedly, a treaty signed on April 1, 1683 was later backdated to March 31.

5. France/Italy/Belgium – One common prank is to attach a paper fish to the victim’s back without being detected. (Along these lines, in high school we used to put a “kick me” sign on a victim’s back, although not just on AFD.  Movie buffs may recall that this joke was played on McFly Senior in the movie Back to the Future.)

6. Sweden/Denmark – They celebrate on May 1 in addition to April 1. Many Danish and Swedish news outlets will intentionally publish one false story on April 1.

CONCLUSION

AFD can be fun, especially for kids. Even in the current PC era, a little harmless fun never hurt anyone.  That is especially true today as, in my view, many Americans are becoming increasingly humorless.

I recall some years ago my son “pranked” my grandson, who was six at the time and a huge Mets fan, telling him that David Wright, his favorite Mets player at the time, had been traded to the hated Yankees. To his credit, my grandson, merely shrugged his shoulders and asked “who for?”

I can remember being both the perpetrator and butt of April fool jokes in grade school and middle school. All in good fun.  I predict that some of you will be victimized this year. Be ready, and take it as the good fun in which it is intended.

Please tell me some of your favorite April fools moments.  Were you the perpetrator or the victim?   I promise you I won’t put it on Facebook (maybe).

Today is March 30, and after a long winter of cold, rain, economic turmoil, war, COVID issues, and political bickering and squabbling, today will mark the start of the 2023 baseball season, aka OPENING DAY. As we know, sports are a healthy diversion, especially in difficult times such as now.

For the first time since 1968 all 30 MLB teams will open on the same day. Typically, many early season (and late season) games are played in weather more suitable for football. Why? We know why – M O N E Y. If MLB persists in playing games in March, April and November why doesn’t it mandate domed stadiums in cold weather locales? Probably, too logical for the Lords of Baseball.

In some years MLB has scheduled “pre-opening” games before the official OD. The initial “pre-opener” was played in 1999 in Monterey, Mexico. Other “pre-openers” have been played in San Juan, Sydney and Tokyo. Opening in these distant locales may be inconvenient for the players, but MLB does it to broaden the exposure and appeal of the game. Indeed, MLB rosters are chock full of players from countries in the Caribbean, Central America, South America and Asia. According to MLB 27% of MLB players are foreign-born.

MLB does not consider these “pre-openers” to mark the official start of the season. It has always considered OD to be the first date when a full slate of games was scheduled. Got it?

For many years, MLB had scheduled the very first game of the season in Cincinnati, usually on the first Monday in April, with a full slate of games the next day. This was in recognition of the fact that the Reds were the first professional baseball team. In fact, the Reds are the only team that has always been scheduled to play its first game at home. There have only been three years when they opened on the road – 1966, when the home opener was rained out and 1990 and 2022 when those seasons were delayed due to lockouts. The team was formed in 1869 as the Red Stockings. It has undergone various name changes and is now known as the “Reds.” Incidentally, for you trivia buffs, they went 65-0 that first year, the only perfect season in baseball history.

The National League was organized in 1876, and the American League in 1901. For many years there were 16 teams – eight teams in each league, all in the northeast, with no team being located west of St. Louis. With the advent of air travel in the late 1950s it became feasible to add franchises in other sectors of the country. Presently, there are 30 teams – 15 in each league.

Despite the often inclement weather, OD holds a special meaning. Mention those words to any sports fan, and, immediately, he or she knows what it means and to which sport it pertains. Not football, not basketball, not hockey. OD means that another season of Major League Baseball is beginning. Baseball fans look forward to OD every year. Local newspapers step up their coverage of the local team in anticipation. Many of them even print a daily countdown of the number of days remaining until OD. In addition, OD occurs in the Spring, a season that symbolizes a new beginning and one which most people anticipate every year.

Most fans will acknowledge that baseball is no longer the most popular sport. In fact, according to TV ratings, betting interest and most fan polls, football has superseded baseball. Perhaps, basketball has as well, particularly among younger fans. However, baseball, which has been played in the US in some form since the 1840s, is part of the social fabric of America.

Most men (and women) remember their first game of “catch” with their father and their first baseball game. For most it is a “rite of passage” as uniquely American as the flag. In fact, I have a more detailed recall of a World Series game I saw with my father in 1956 than I do of ballgames I saw last year.

Every fan is optimistic on OD. Every team starts with the same 0-0 record. None has lost a game yet. Every team still has a chance to make the playoffs (at least in theory), and as we have seen in recent years, once you make the playoffs anything can happen. For example, in 2016 the Chicago Cubs won it all for the first time since 1908. Think about that for a minute. That meant that, at the time, no Cubs fan, and virtually none of their fathers, had even been born the previous time the Cubs had won. In 2017 the Houston Astros won their first WS after having languished near the bottom of the league for many years.

Unlike other sports, very often the team with the best regular season record does not win the World Series or even get there. Even the best baseball teams generally lose about 40% of their games. If those losses come at the wrong time, it’s sayonara.

Five wild card teams have actually won the World Series, most recently, the Washington Nationals, in 2019. Furthermore, in 2002 and 2014 both WS participants were wild cards (the Angels beat the Giants in 2002, and the Giants beat the Royals in 2014). Six teams – the Padres, Mariners, Brewers, Rays, Rangers and Rockies – have never won a WS, and the Mariners have never even appeared in one.

Many fans, and even some reporters, place undue emphasis on the opener forgetting or ignoring the fact that the season consists of 162 games. To many fans, a win OD means the season will be outstanding; a loss means the team “stinks.”

Down through the years, OD has produced some memorable events, such as:

1. In 1907, the NY Giants, forerunner of the San Francisco Giants, forfeited the opener after rowdy fans began throwing snowballs at the players and umpires. There were not enough police on hand to restore order, so the umpires forfeited the game to the visiting Phillies.
2. In 1910 President Taft became the first President to throw out the “first ball.” In 1950 President Truman threw out the “first pitch” twice, as a righty and a lefty. Over the years nearly every president has done so, and the practice has evolved from a perfunctory toss from the stands to a more elaborate ceremonial toss from the mound. Will we see President Biden follow tradition this year? Your guess is as good as mine. Can you imagine him doing the “wave?”
3. In 1940, Bob Feller of the Cleveland Indians, known as “Rapid Robert” because of his high velocity fast ball, threw the only OD day no-hitter in baseball history. As an aside, there were no radar guns in Feller’s day, so one day some officials attempted to “time” his fastball by having him throw a pitch against a speeding motorcycle.
4. In 1947 Jackie Robinson debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers on OD becoming the first African American to play in the major leagues since the 19th Century.
5. In 1975 Frank Robinson became the first African American to manage in the Major Leagues. Later, he became the first AA manager to be “fired.”
6. In 1996, John McSherry, an umpire, suffered a fatal heart attack near home plate.
7. Early in the 20th Century teams would, on occasion, open with a doubleheader. Doubleheaders used to be quite common, particularly on Sundays and holidays. Now, they are rare, and when they do occur it is usually the result of adding an extra game to make up for a rain-out. The reason? Money, of course.
8. In 1946 Boston Braves fans attending the game got an unpleasant surprise. It seems that the Braves’ management had had the stands freshly painted, and the paint had not completely dried. Many fans got red paint all over their clothes. The embarrassed management issued a public apology and paid the fans’ cleaning bills.
9. Tom Seaver started the most openers – 16. Walter Johnson pitched the most OD shutouts – nine, including a 1-0 victory in which he pitched 15 innings. No chance of that happening today.
10. In 1974 Henry Aaron clouted his 714th homerun tying Babe Ruth’s all-time record for career homers.
11. In 1968 Angels minor leaguer Greg Washburn became the only pitcher to appear in two OD games in the same year. Huh? How did he do that? First, he pitched the opener for the San Jose Bees of the California League and then for the Quad City Angels of the Midwest League. (He won both games 2-0).

12. Some of the individual OD records we may see broken today are most home runs (3), most hits (5) most RBIs (7) and most strikeouts (15). Maybe, we will see another no-hitter, although the way the game is played today any no-hitter would be a group effort.

This year MLB will institute various rules changes, which have already been tried out in the minor leagues and MLB exhibition games this year. Generally, these rules changes are designed to appeal to fans by enhancing the action on the field, decreasing the length of games, and increasing the pace, which has often slowed to a crawl. In 1980 the average game took two hours and 33 minutes; last year the average game lasted almost four hours.

Below please find a brief summary of the aforementioned rules changes:

1. Pitch timer. There will be a time limit between batters and between individual pitches. The penalty for failure to comply will be an automatic “ball” or “strike.” No more pitchers’ interminable dawdling on the mound between pitches and batters continually stepping in and out of the “box” and/or adjusting their equipment.
2. Pickoff throws/Step-offs. Pitchers will only be allowed two “disengagements” per batter. A failed third attempt to pickoff the runner will result in a balk advancing the runner.
3. Defensive shifts. The team in the field is required to position at least four defenders in the infield at least two of which must be on either side of second base. There is no restriction on the placement of outfielders. The goal is to produce more offense since players can’t or won’t beat the shifts by bunting or hitting to the opposite field.
4. The size of the bases has been increased by three inches. The goal here is to increase stolen bases and reduce injuries around the bases.
5. More balanced schedule. For the first time teams will play at least one series against every opponent. There are pros and cons to this rule change, but with three wild card teams in each league it was deemed to be unfair that a wild card contender in a weak division would have a scheduling advantage over one in a strong division.
6. Faster replays. Managers will have less time in which to request a replay. Fine, but will the actual reviews still take several minutes? Most of the time, tv viewers can ascertain the correct call right away. Why can’t the tv replay guys?
7. Position players pitching. The proliferation of this tactic has made a mockery of the game. There will be various restrictions of this. Basically, a position player will only be permitted to pitch in a “blowout” or an extra innings game.
8. The PitchCom system will be used to enhance communication between pitchers and catchers, which is expected to speed up the time between pitches.
9. Automatic runner at second base in extra innings. This controversial rule has been made permanent except in postseason games.

CONCLUSION

As I said, weather is often an issue on OD, especially in the northern cities where it is not unusual to have cold, damp, rainy weather in early April that is more suitable for football than baseball. It reminds me of one of the major criticisms of baseball, that the season is too long. We all know the reason – tv money. The owners like it, because it makes them rich and less dependent on attendance for revenues. The players tolerate it, because it helps fuel their astronomic salaries. As for the fans, well, they will just have to grin and bear it.

Hall of Fame pitcher, Early Wynn sagaciously summed up the essence of OD thusly: “An opener is not like any other game. You have that anxiety to get off to a good start, for yourself and for the team. You know that when you win the first one you can’t lose them all.” Joe DiMaggio, always looked forward to OD. He felt “you think something wonderful is going to happen.” Finally, I am reminded of that renowned philosopher Yogi Berra, who could turn a phrase with the best of them, who is reputed to have said: “A home opener is always exciting, no matter if it’s home or on the road.”

So, which teams will reach the World Series? Which team will win? Most of the “experts” that I have heard are predicting the Houston Astros will repeat as champions. I, of course, will root for the Dodgers. In any event, it’s a long season , and anything can happen. I think the TV networks would like to see a Dodgers-Yankees World Series. I think that would generate the most interest and the highest TV ratings. They used to meet on what seemed like a regular basis back in the 1950s, but they have not met since 1981.

What is your favorite OD memory? Please share.

PLAY BALL!

He was one of the best basketball players of his generation. Among the many highlights in his ten-year career he won one MVP, was a seven-time All-Star with one All-Star MVP, and led his team to two championships with two finals MVPs. But, his true value to the Knicks transcended his physical talent on the court. In addition to his talent he was one of the best leaders the game has ever seen. He didn’t merely lead by example; as you will see below, he also led by the force of his character and personality. He led a group of mostly good, but not great, players [with the notable exception of Walt (Clyde) Frazier] to two championships over more talented teams. How did they accomplish this? Simple. They played as a unit, a classic example of the whole being more than the sum of its parts. The team mantra was play ferocious defense and “hit the open man.” Sublimate your individual talents for the good of the team. Many teams preach this, but very few actually do it consistently. It requires strong leadership to keep everyone in line, leadership that must come from the players, not just the coach.

Willis Reed, Jr. was born on June 25, 1942 in tiny Hico, LA, which is located in Lincoln Parish. Hico was so small that Reed often joked that “they don’t even have a population.” He grew up in nearby Bernice, LA. He attended college at Grambling State University, one of the many historically black colleges in the segregated South, which, at the time, afforded southern Blacks one of the few paths to a higher education. In four years he led Grambling to three Southwestern Athletic Conference titles and one NAIA title.

He was particularly dominant in his senior year averaging 26.6 points and 21.3 rebounds per game. In those days before national tv and the internet it was not easy for a player from a small school, especially a small black school, to attract the attention of the NBA. This may have been the reason why Reed lasted until the 2nd round of the draft (8th overall pick). Nevertheless, it was the Knicks’ good fortune to draft him in the second round in 1964. [Quiz question #1: can you name who the Knicks took in the first round that year? See answer below.]

Reed was an instant star. He was Rookie of the Year and made the All-Rookie First Team. In an era in which centers routinely stood 7 feet or more he was an undersized center at 6’10”. He started out playing power forward, which was not his natural position, while Walt Bellamy played center. The Knicks mostly struggled in Reed’s first few years. Then, on December 19, 1968 they made the blockbuster trade with Detroit – Bellamy and Butch Komives for Dave DeDebusschere. Arguably, this was one of the most dynamic and one-sided trades in NBA history.

It enabled Reed to shift over to center, his natural position. As I said, Reed, at 6’10”, was a little undersized, but he made up for it with his strength, toughness, determination and defensive prowess. He could also shoot and score, both inside and outside. Literally overnight, the Knicks were transformed into a dominant team, especially defensively. They went on to lead the league in defense for five of the next six years. They routinely held the opposition to fewer than 100 points. The savvy NY fans appreciated their efforts. They began to chant “deefense, clap clap deefense clap clap,” a chant that has persisted to this day at Knicks games. The Knicks became a perennial playoff team and won championships in 1970 (the franchise’s first) and 1973. Reed was Finals MVP in both. The 1970 team won a league best 60 games, including a record 18 straight.

Game # 7 of the 1970 finals was a game Knicks fans will never forget. It was one of if not the most iconic and dramatic games in NY sports history. And, it played out before a national tv audience. Ironically, in accordance with NBA policy at that time the game was blacked out in NYC and its suburbs, which was a huge injustice to long-suffering Knicks fans. (Nancy and I were visiting her family in PA, so we did get to see it.)

In any event, Reed had been injured during Game # 5, which the Knicks managed to win. He was unable to play in Game #6, a Lakers blowout. That set up a decisive winner-take-all Game #7 in NY. Reed was doubtful for the game, and the consensus was that if he didn’t play the Knicks had virtually no chance. He did not appear on the court during the warmups, and it looked like he would not play. And then, in dramatic fashion he emerged from the tunnel accompanied by a tremendous roar of the sellout MSG crowd. In Frazier’s words, all the Lakers “stopped what they were doing [to look]. I said to myself, ‘man we got these guys.’ ” Bill Bradley remembers that “when he [Reed] came out it was like electricity coursed through the whole arena.” Longtime broadcaster, Marv Albert, recalls that during a pregame interview Reed had told him “I’m gonna play tonight.” But, most of the players on both teams did not know. When he came limping out the Knicks players were elated; the Lakers players were stunned.

It might be an exaggeration to say that the Knicks won the game right then and there, but that’s how it felt. Reed scored the first two baskets, and the Knicks took off from there. Frazier played the game of his life scoring 36 points with 19 assists and seven rebounds. The Knicks jumped out to a huge lead, and they were never threatened.

Reed became the first player to win the All-Star Game MVP, the regular season MVP, and the Finals MVP in the same year. [Quiz question #2 – Can you name the other two who have done so?] See below.

Reed was the captain and undisputed leader of the Knicks. Several of the players have stated that they don’t remember any vote or official designation. He just assumed the job and responsibilities, and beginning in 1966 everyone recognized him as such. As Walt Frazier said “I don’t ever remember anyone ever telling me Willis was the captain. He just was the captain.”

Reed could and did provide leadership physically, mentally and emotionally. Bradley said he was not afraid to take the last shot (as many players are), and if someone else took the last shot and missed he was the first one to console him. In addition, the players knew that if any of them “got into trouble out there on the court for any reason Willis had [their] back.” For example during one game with the LA Lakers some of the players started pushing and shoving, and a big scuffle ensued. Reed defended his teammates by challenging the entire Lakers team to a fight. No one would take him on, and the matter was resolved peacefully. Moreover, Reed would not hesitate to “call out” a teammate who was not giving 100%.

Reed played ten seasons until injuries forced him to retire in 1974. However, he remained active in the game. He served as head coach of the Knicks, the Nets and Creighton University. Furthermore, he worked as General Manager of both the Nets and the New Orleans Hornets. Finally, he mentored various players such as Patrick Ewing.

Conclusion

Some of the many honors he earned:

1. He was the first Knick to have his number (19) retired.
2. He was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1982.
3. He was named one of the “50 Greatest Players in NBA History.”
4. He was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

Since his passing Reed has been eulogized by many, many former players, teammates and outside observers, too many to include all of them. For example:

1. Frazier recalled how Reed took him and other rookies under his wing and helped them acclimate to NY and the NBA. Furthermore, Frazier said that as great a player as he was “he was even a better person.”
2. Bradley stated “I was lucky to know him. Forget the championship(s), just as a human being.” He added, “he was the backbone of the team. He was the guy that took us to the first championship by his courage and by his unselfishness.”
3. Longtime Knicks broadcaster Marv Albert remembers “he (Reed) was so well respected not only by his teammates but around the league.”
4. Following the 1970 championship win the loquacious commentator, Howard Cosell told him on national tv “you exemplify the very best that the human spirit can offer.”
5. Reed became so synonymous with playing through injury that NFL commentator, Cris Collinsworth once described NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers who at the time was having a good game while injured as “having a Willis Reed kind of night.”

Reed was married twice and had two children. He passed away on March 21, 2003 from heart failure.

Rest in peace “Cap.” You are gone, but your legacy will live on as long as basketball is played.

Answers to quiz questions:

1) Jim (Bad News) Barnes from Texas Western. Barnes’ parents had saddled him with the unusual first name of “Velvet.” Good thing for him he grew to be 6′ 8″ and 200 pounds. Barnes’ career was cut short by injuries, however, he eventually was part of the deal by which the Knicks acquired Walt Bellamy who, as we all know, later became the key piece in the deal for Dave DeBusschere.

2) Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal

Think quickly. What is the most important aspect of America and the American way of life? What is it that sets us aside from any other country? What is it that if we were to lose it, it would destroy America as we know and love it? Some of you might respond “the Constitution;” others of you might say, “The Bill of Rights.” Both good answers. But, I would maintain it is “free and fair elections and the acceptance of the results.”

In order for America to function as a Republic we MUST have free and fair elections, and the people MUST accept the results of said elections as the honest and valid result. Some of us may not be happy with the result. Some of us may dislike or distrust the winner, but it is absolutely imperative that we accept the result and move on secure in the knowledge that the majority of voters have spoken. That doesn’t mean that the results can’t be questioned. That doesn’t mean that recounts are not appropriate in close elections. That is all part of the process so that, in the end, the losers can be satisfied that the election was valid.

It is imperative that the results were not influenced by outside sources. It is imperative that no outside agency, either domestic or foreign, had “their finger on the scale.” It is imperative that no agency ether domestic or foreign, altered or suppressed significant information in order to deceive voters. As I said, it is imperative that in the end voters accept the results as honest and valid.

Many of us have suspected or even thought they “knew” that that was not the case with respect to the last few elections. Many of those who have had the temerity to question the results have been ridiculed and scorned as “sore losers,” conspiracy theorists, or even worse, unpatriotic and “racist” (the tried and not so true catch-all criticism). At last, in the last week or so, thanks to Elon Musk’s releasing of previously-secret Twitter files the curtain has been drawn back. At last, proof is emerging that the vast conspiracy of the DNC, Dem candidates, the FBI, the Justice Department, Twitter, Facebook, and most of the media has been guilty of all the nefarious things mentioned above. Is this American? I think not. All may be fair in love and war, and often the ends may justify the means, but not in elections. Perhaps, in autocracies, but not in America.

To be sure, American history is replete with examples of backroom deals in “smoke filled rooms” as far back as the origin of the Republic, itself. But, it had never been conducted on this vast a scope. Perhaps, the two most notorious examples are the elections of 1824 and 1876. In 1824 there were four candidates for president. Andrew Jackson won the most electoral votes, but he failed to win a majority. Eventually, the winner, John Quincy Adams, was selected by the House. Jackson’s supporters were convinced that Henry Clay, another candidate, worked a backroom deal with Adams giving Adams his electoral votes. This became apparent when Adams later chose Clay to be Secretary of State. In 1876 Sam Tilden fell one electoral vote short of the needed majority, but there were 20 electoral votes in dispute in various southern states. Ultimately, a backroom deal was struck giving Rutherford B. Hayes all 20 electoral votes and the election. In return, Hayes agreed to recall all Federal troops that had been occupying the South since the end of the Civil War.. This effectively ended Reconstruction to the long term detriment of the African Americans domiciled there.

Back to the present, there is evidence emerging that the current shenanigans have been going on for some time, at least as far back as the 2016 presidential election. I am not talking about complaints relative to “voter suppression” or mail-in ballots, or “hanging chads.” Those were minor league compared to this, and getting bogged down in those issues now would only serve to obscure the real issues as outlined above. I am referring to things like the Steele dossier, illegally obtained FISA warrants, The Biden family’s numerous and ongoing nefarious “pay to play” bribery and corruption deals with Russia and China, and the suppression of the story about Hunter Biden’s laptop. This is NOT just about Hunter Biden, although he may be the focal point. It encompasses President Biden, himself, the “big guy.”

As bad as all of the above is, it is not the whole story, maybe not even the worst part. Although not yet proven, I, for one, am convinced that most of President Biden’s decisions as president have been influenced by his bribery and corruption deals with China and Russia. There is circumstantial evidence to support these quid pro quos. Almost everything he has done or not done, almost every decision he has made or not made has benefited China and/or Russia to the US’s detriment. Below please find just a few examples:

1. Canceling the Keystone Pipeline. In one fell swoop this took us from energy independence to being supplicants to our enemies for energy. There was no logical justification for this, not one. It didn’t conserve the environment. We still need fossil fuels. They have to come from somewhere. We still need to run our economy; we still need to keep warm in the winter. Only now, we get it by begging our enemies for it. Moreover, this oil has to be transported here by ship, which uses fuel. And it is not as “clean” as our oil. As an added “bonus,” the decision threw tens of thousands of Americans out of work and exacerbated inflation. This was the worst geopolitical decision imaginable. Furthermore, what happens if there is a war, and our enemies cut off our supply?
2. Allowing Russia to build its own pipeline to Europe. This saved Russia from bankruptcy, enabled it to finance its war with Ukraine, and allowed it to gain control over our NATO allies’ energy sources. In what universe is US-produced oil a threat to the environment but Russian-produced oil is not?
3. Opening our southern border. This is a very complicated issue with many economic and social facets, but one thing it has undeniably done is facilitate China’s and the Mexican drug cartels’ ability to smuggle in fentanyl and other drugs. According to Google deaths from these drugs has risen to approximately 100,000 per year. For perspective, the US suffered 58,220 deaths in the entire Vietnam War. These drugs are destroying an entire generation of young people.
4. Failure to aggressively pursue of the source of COVID pandemic outbreak. The pandemic destroyed our economy, turned a presidential election and has caused and will continue to cause untold social and emotional damage. Yet, we still don’t know definitively the source, although most of us strongly suspect it. Biden has demonstrated no desire to find out.

CONCLUSION

The foregoing is very scary stuff. It would take a 1,000 page book, not a 1,000 word blog, to explain in proper detail all of the examples of this vast conspiracy. It has nothing to do with Dems, the GOP, Trump, “wokeness,” CRT, climate change, or any of the other issues that have been in the news. Those may be important to some, but they are just distractions compared to this.

Regardless of one’s political bent, this story is something that you should be concerned about and follow. So I will ask you, the reader, to pay attention to this story as it unfolds over the next several weeks or months. Don’t just look at your favorite media outlook or social media platform. Check all outlets including, yes, Fox, in order to get a fair and balanced report. Pay attention to the hearings that will (hopefully) be conducted by the various House committees.

Basically, it comes down to do you want to leave your children and grandchildren a strong “America” or a weak “banana republic.” America has never been conquered by external force. Let’s not let it be conquered from within.