180th day of 2009 - 185 remaining
Monday, June 29, 2009
GOETHALS DAY
No one had a clue that the baby boy named George Washington Goethals, born on this day in 1858 in Brooklyn, NY, would someday change the way the world did business.
As an adult, Mr. Goethals became army officer and chief engineer over thousands of workers who completed the passage we know as the Panama Canal. The engineering marvel took eleven years to complete at a cost of $337 million. The U.S. President at the time, Theodore Roosevelt, said it was “the greatest task of its own kind that has ever been performed in the world.”
The United States government maintained control and payed rent to the Panamanian government until December 31, 1999, when it relinquished control of the canal to Panama.
We wonder if even Col. George W. Goethals knew how important the Panama Canal would be, both strategically and in commercial trade throughout the century.
Events
June 29
1860 - The last stone was laid at Minot’s Ledge (Massachusetts) Lighthouse. The stone tower replaced an iron-pile lighthouse that had been destroyed by a storm in April 1851. The new lighthouse was built of 1,079 blocks (3,514 tons) of Quincy granite dovetailed together and reinforced with iron shafts. Minot’s Light has lasted through countless storms and hurricanes, a testament to its designer and builders. The first 40 feet is solid granite, topped by a storeroom, living quarters and work space.
1897 - The Chicago Cubs scored 36 runs in a ball game against Louisville, setting a record for runs scored by a team in a single game.
1901 - The first edition of Editor & Publisher was issued. It was a newspaper for the newspaper industry.
1925 - A patent for the frosted electric light bulb was filed by Marvin Pipkin. What a bright idea. The frosting inside the light bulb created less glare because it diffused the light emitted, spreading it over a wider area, providing a much softer glow. Thank you Marvin.
1932 - The second daytime serial to be heard on network radio was Vic and Sade which debuted on the NBC Blue radio network this day. Radio’s first daytime drama was Clara Lu and Em, which premiered on NBC in 1931.
1941 - Joe DiMaggio got a base hit in his 41st consecutive game. DiMaggio passed George Sisler’s record for consecutive games with base hits (set in 1922).
1947 - Radio’s show with a heart made its debut. Strike It Rich became a favorite on CBS radio. Todd Russell was the original host. Warren Hull took over a few years later.
1951 - Bill Stern did his last 15-minute program of sports features for NBC radio. Stern had been with NBC for 14 years. He later moved to the Mutual Broadcasting System to finish out an illustrious sportscasting career.
1955 - Billy Haley and His Comets reached the top of the pop music charts with Rock Around the Clock. The smash hit stayed there for eight straight weeks. The song was featured in the film Blackboard Jungle. Most consider the hit song the first rock ’n’ roll single.
1956 - Charles Dumas cleared the high jump, which was set at 7’ 1/2", at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Dumas became the first athlete to break the seven-foot barrier.
1957 - Betsy Rawls won the U.S. Golf Association women’s tourney after Jacqueline Pung was disqualified for turning in an incorrect scorecard. Oooops!
1969 - Jim Northrup of the Detroit Tigers wound up a most exciting week. Northrup connected for his third grand-slam home run in seven days, setting a major-league baseball record.
1970 - NBC presented an evening of exciting and entertaining TV with the award-winning Liza Minnelli Special.
1983 - Pitcher Mark ‘The Bird’ Fidrych of the Detroit Tigers retired from baseball, after several unsuccessful attempts to return to the major leagues. Fidrych had his greatest year as a rookie in 1976, when he had a record of 19-9, with a 2.34 earned-run average. Fidrych, a crowd pleaser throughout the American League, was the All-Star Game starter in Philadelphia in 1976. He also earned Rookie of the Year honors that year.
1984 - Singer Bruce Springsteen kicked off his first U.S. tour in three years, before 17,700 fans at the Civic Center in St. Paul, MN. Music critics called the Boss “...the most exciting performer in rock.”
1987 - Vincent Van Gogh’s Le Pont de Trinquetaille brought in $20.6 million at an auction in London, England. No one knows who the anonymous European collector was who paid that staggering price for the piece of art. No one, that is, except the buyer.
1995 - For the first time, a U.S. space shuttle ("Atlantis") linked up with a Russian space station ("Mir"). They remained docked until July 4. The joined craft were visible from earth as a fast-moving, shiny, star and carried a record 10 people (6 Americans and 4 Russians).
1996 - A really big shew this day at London's Hyde Park. Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Alanis Morrissette, Ron Woods and The Who performed at the charity event for Prince Charles’ Prince’s Trust charity. 150,000 people showed up and brought about a million bucks with them for the good cause.
Birthdays
June 29
1858 - George Washington Goethals
Chief Engineer of Panama Canal; died Jan 21, 1928; see Goethals Day [above]
1861 - Dr. William Mayo
physician, surgeon; founder [w/sons William and Charles] of the Mayo Clinic [Rochester MN]; died in 1939
1901 - Nelson Eddy
actor, singer [w/Jeannette MacDonald]: Rose Marie, Naughty Marietta, Girl of the Golden West; died Mar 6, 1967
1910 - Frank Loesser
songwriter: Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition, Baby It’s Cold Outside, On a Slow Boat to China, Once in Love with Amy, Luck Be a Lady, Thumbelina; died July 28, 1969
1912 - John Toland
Pulitzer Prize-winning author: The Rising Sun [1970]; died Jan 4, 2004
1915 - Ruth Warrick
actress: Citizen Kane, All My Children; died Jan 15, 2005
1919 - Slim Pickens (Louis Bert Lindley Jr.)
actor: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, The Howling, The Apple Dumpling Gang, In Harm’s Way, One-Eyed Jacks, The Outlaws, Hee Haw; Cowboy Hall of Famer; died Dec 8, 1983
1922 - Elmer J. ‘Mousey’ Alexander
musician: drums: group: Alexanders the Great; died Oct 9, 1988
1922 - Ralph Burns
musician: piano; composer, arranger: Apple Honey; died Nov 21, 2001
1925 - Cara Williams (Bernice Kamiat)
actress: The Defiant Ones, The Girl Next Door, Pete and Gladys
1930 - Robert Evans
actor: The Man of a Thousand Faces, The Best of EverythingRobert Evans (Robert J. Shapera)
1936 - Harmon (Clayton) ‘Killer’ Killebrew
baseball: Washington Nationals, Washington Senators [all-star: 1959], Minnesota Twins [all-star: 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971/World Series: 1965/Baseball Writers’ Award: 1969], Kansas City Royals
1941 - Kwame Ture (Stokeley Carmichael)
U.S. civil rights activist: SNCC [Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee], Black Panthers, All-African People’s Revolutionary Party [founder/chairman]; credited w/creating phrase ‘Black Power’; emigrated to Africa; married to South African singer Miriam Makeba; even as he was dying of prostate cancer [died Nov 15, 1998], he continued working to bring the African-American community into coalition ... answering the telephone, “ready for the revolution.”
1943 - Roger Ruskin Spear
musician: saxophone, kazoo: group: The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band: I’m the Urban Spaceman, LPs: Gorilla, The Doughnut in Granny’s Greenhouse, Tadpoles, Keynsham
1944 - Gary Busey
actor: The Buddy Holly Story, Breaking Point, The Texas Wheelers, Warriors, Lethal Weapon, The Firm, Predator 2
1945 - ‘Little’ Eva Boyd
singer: The Loco-motion
1947 - Larry Pleau
hockey: coach: Hartford Whalers; general mgr.: NY Rangers
1947 - Richard Lewis
comedian, actor: Anything But Love, Daddy Dearest, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Wagon’s East
1948 - Fred Grandy
actor: The Love Boat; politician: U.S. congressman
1948 - Ian Paice
musician: drums: groups: Paice Ashton Lord, Whitesnake, Deep Purple: Hush, Kentucky Woman, Hey Joe, We Can Work It Out, Help, Black Night, Strange Kind of Woman, Fireball, Smoke on the Water
1948 - Rick Smith
hockey: NHL: Boston Bruins, California Golden Seals, St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Washington Capitals
1949 - Dan Dierdorf
Pro Football Hall of Famer: Univ. of Michigan All-American; St. Louis Cardinals; sportscaster: ABC Monday Night Football, CBS NFL Analyst
1953 - Colin Hay
singer: group: Men at Work: Who Can It Be Now, Down Under; solo: LP: Looking for Jack
1956 - Pedro Guerrero
baseball: LA Dodgers, SL Cardinals
1957 - Maria Conchita Alonso
actress: Roosters, Texas, Predator 2, Vampire’s Kiss, Colors, The Running Man, Extreme Prejudice, Blood Ties, Moscow on the Hudson, One of the Boys
1961 - Sharon Lawrence
actress: Ladies Man, The Heidi Chronicles, NYPD Blue
1962 - Amanda Donohoe
actress: The Substitute, Double Cross, L.A. Law
1964 - Stedman Pearson
singer: group: Five Star: System Addict, Can't Wait Another Minute, Rain or Shine, The Slightest Touch
1967 - Melora Hardin
actress: The North Avenue Irregulars, Iron Eagle, Big Man on Campus, Absolute Power
Events
June 29
1860 - The last stone was laid at Minot’s Ledge (Massachusetts) Lighthouse. The stone tower replaced an iron-pile lighthouse that had been destroyed by a storm in April 1851. The new lighthouse was built of 1,079 blocks (3,514 tons) of Quincy granite dovetailed together and reinforced with iron shafts. Minot’s Light has lasted through countless storms and hurricanes, a testament to its designer and builders. The first 40 feet is solid granite, topped by a storeroom, living quarters and work space.
1897 - The Chicago Cubs scored 36 runs in a ball game against Louisville, setting a record for runs scored by a team in a single game.
1901 - The first edition of Editor & Publisher was issued. It was a newspaper for the newspaper industry.
1925 - A patent for the frosted electric light bulb was filed by Marvin Pipkin. What a bright idea. The frosting inside the light bulb created less glare because it diffused the light emitted, spreading it over a wider area, providing a much softer glow. Thank you Marvin.
1932 - The second daytime serial to be heard on network radio was Vic and Sade which debuted on the NBC Blue radio network this day. Radio’s first daytime drama was Clara Lu and Em, which premiered on NBC in 1931.
1941 - Joe DiMaggio got a base hit in his 41st consecutive game. DiMaggio passed George Sisler’s record for consecutive games with base hits (set in 1922).
1947 - Radio’s show with a heart made its debut. Strike It Rich became a favorite on CBS radio. Todd Russell was the original host. Warren Hull took over a few years later.
1951 - Bill Stern did his last 15-minute program of sports features for NBC radio. Stern had been with NBC for 14 years. He later moved to the Mutual Broadcasting System to finish out an illustrious sportscasting career.
1955 - Billy Haley and His Comets reached the top of the pop music charts with Rock Around the Clock. The smash hit stayed there for eight straight weeks. The song was featured in the film Blackboard Jungle. Most consider the hit song the first rock ’n’ roll single.
1956 - Charles Dumas cleared the high jump, which was set at 7’ 1/2", at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Dumas became the first athlete to break the seven-foot barrier.
1957 - Betsy Rawls won the U.S. Golf Association women’s tourney after Jacqueline Pung was disqualified for turning in an incorrect scorecard. Oooops!
1969 - Jim Northrup of the Detroit Tigers wound up a most exciting week. Northrup connected for his third grand-slam home run in seven days, setting a major-league baseball record.
1970 - NBC presented an evening of exciting and entertaining TV with the award-winning Liza Minnelli Special.
1983 - Pitcher Mark ‘The Bird’ Fidrych of the Detroit Tigers retired from baseball, after several unsuccessful attempts to return to the major leagues. Fidrych had his greatest year as a rookie in 1976, when he had a record of 19-9, with a 2.34 earned-run average. Fidrych, a crowd pleaser throughout the American League, was the All-Star Game starter in Philadelphia in 1976. He also earned Rookie of the Year honors that year.
1984 - Singer Bruce Springsteen kicked off his first U.S. tour in three years, before 17,700 fans at the Civic Center in St. Paul, MN. Music critics called the Boss “...the most exciting performer in rock.”
1987 - Vincent Van Gogh’s Le Pont de Trinquetaille brought in $20.6 million at an auction in London, England. No one knows who the anonymous European collector was who paid that staggering price for the piece of art. No one, that is, except the buyer.
1995 - For the first time, a U.S. space shuttle ("Atlantis") linked up with a Russian space station ("Mir"). They remained docked until July 4. The joined craft were visible from earth as a fast-moving, shiny, star and carried a record 10 people (6 Americans and 4 Russians).
1996 - A really big shew this day at London's Hyde Park. Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Alanis Morrissette, Ron Woods and The Who performed at the charity event for Prince Charles’ Prince’s Trust charity. 150,000 people showed up and brought about a million bucks with them for the good cause.
Click to Order Those Were the Days Deluxe
Birthdays
June 29
1858 - George Washington Goethals
Chief Engineer of Panama Canal; died Jan 21, 1928; see Goethals Day [above]
1861 - Dr. William Mayo
physician, surgeon; founder [w/sons William and Charles] of the Mayo Clinic [Rochester MN]; died in 1939
1901 - Nelson Eddy
actor, singer [w/Jeannette MacDonald]: Rose Marie, Naughty Marietta, Girl of the Golden West; died Mar 6, 1967
1910 - Frank Loesser
songwriter: Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition, Baby It’s Cold Outside, On a Slow Boat to China, Once in Love with Amy, Luck Be a Lady, Thumbelina; died July 28, 1969
1912 - John Toland
Pulitzer Prize-winning author: The Rising Sun [1970]; died Jan 4, 2004
1915 - Ruth Warrick
actress: Citizen Kane, All My Children; died Jan 15, 2005
1919 - Slim Pickens (Louis Bert Lindley Jr.)
actor: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, The Howling, The Apple Dumpling Gang, In Harm’s Way, One-Eyed Jacks, The Outlaws, Hee Haw; Cowboy Hall of Famer; died Dec 8, 1983
1922 - Elmer J. ‘Mousey’ Alexander
musician: drums: group: Alexanders the Great; died Oct 9, 1988
1922 - Ralph Burns
musician: piano; composer, arranger: Apple Honey; died Nov 21, 2001
1925 - Cara Williams (Bernice Kamiat)
actress: The Defiant Ones, The Girl Next Door, Pete and Gladys
1930 - Robert Evans
actor: The Man of a Thousand Faces, The Best of EverythingRobert Evans (Robert J. Shapera)
1936 - Harmon (Clayton) ‘Killer’ Killebrew
baseball: Washington Nationals, Washington Senators [all-star: 1959], Minnesota Twins [all-star: 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971/World Series: 1965/Baseball Writers’ Award: 1969], Kansas City Royals
1941 - Kwame Ture (Stokeley Carmichael)
U.S. civil rights activist: SNCC [Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee], Black Panthers, All-African People’s Revolutionary Party [founder/chairman]; credited w/creating phrase ‘Black Power’; emigrated to Africa; married to South African singer Miriam Makeba; even as he was dying of prostate cancer [died Nov 15, 1998], he continued working to bring the African-American community into coalition ... answering the telephone, “ready for the revolution.”
1943 - Roger Ruskin Spear
musician: saxophone, kazoo: group: The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band: I’m the Urban Spaceman, LPs: Gorilla, The Doughnut in Granny’s Greenhouse, Tadpoles, Keynsham
1944 - Gary Busey
actor: The Buddy Holly Story, Breaking Point, The Texas Wheelers, Warriors, Lethal Weapon, The Firm, Predator 2
1945 - ‘Little’ Eva Boyd
singer: The Loco-motion
1947 - Larry Pleau
hockey: coach: Hartford Whalers; general mgr.: NY Rangers
1947 - Richard Lewis
comedian, actor: Anything But Love, Daddy Dearest, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Wagon’s East
1948 - Fred Grandy
actor: The Love Boat; politician: U.S. congressman
1948 - Ian Paice
musician: drums: groups: Paice Ashton Lord, Whitesnake, Deep Purple: Hush, Kentucky Woman, Hey Joe, We Can Work It Out, Help, Black Night, Strange Kind of Woman, Fireball, Smoke on the Water
1948 - Rick Smith
hockey: NHL: Boston Bruins, California Golden Seals, St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Washington Capitals
1949 - Dan Dierdorf
Pro Football Hall of Famer: Univ. of Michigan All-American; St. Louis Cardinals; sportscaster: ABC Monday Night Football, CBS NFL Analyst
1953 - Colin Hay
singer: group: Men at Work: Who Can It Be Now, Down Under; solo: LP: Looking for Jack
1956 - Pedro Guerrero
baseball: LA Dodgers, SL Cardinals
1957 - Maria Conchita Alonso
actress: Roosters, Texas, Predator 2, Vampire’s Kiss, Colors, The Running Man, Extreme Prejudice, Blood Ties, Moscow on the Hudson, One of the Boys
1961 - Sharon Lawrence
actress: Ladies Man, The Heidi Chronicles, NYPD Blue
1962 - Amanda Donohoe
actress: The Substitute, Double Cross, L.A. Law
1964 - Stedman Pearson
singer: group: Five Star: System Addict, Can't Wait Another Minute, Rain or Shine, The Slightest Touch
1967 - Melora Hardin
actress: The North Avenue Irregulars, Iron Eagle, Big Man on Campus, Absolute Power
If you like TWtD you will love TWtD Deluxe.
Chart Toppers
June 29
1948Nature Boy - Nat King
Toolie Oolie Doolie - The Andrews Sisters
Woody Woodpecker Song - The Kay Kaiser Orchestra (vocal: Gloria Wood
& The Campus Kids)
Bouquet of Roses - Eddy Arnold
1956The Wayward Wind - Gogi Grant
I Almost Lost My Mind - Pat Boone
Picnic - The McGuire Sisters
Crazy Arms - Ray Price
1964A World Without Love - Peter & Gordon
I Get Around - The Beach Boys
My Boy Lollipop - Millie Small
Together Again - Buck Owens
1972The Candy Man - Sammy Davis, Jr.
Song Sung Blue - Neil Diamond
Outa-Space - Billy Preston
That’s Why I Love You Like I Do - Sonny James
1980Coming Up - Paul McCartney & Wings
The Rose - Bette Midler
It’s Still Rock & Roll to Me - Billy Joel
Trying to Love Two Women - The Oak Ridge Boys
1988Foolish Beat - Debbie Gibson
Dirty Diana - Michael Jackson
Make It Real - The Jets
He’s Back and I’m Blue - The Desert Rose Band
Chart Toppers
June 29
1948Nature Boy - Nat King
Toolie Oolie Doolie - The Andrews Sisters
Woody Woodpecker Song - The Kay Kaiser Orchestra (vocal: Gloria Wood
& The Campus Kids)
Bouquet of Roses - Eddy Arnold
1956The Wayward Wind - Gogi Grant
I Almost Lost My Mind - Pat Boone
Picnic - The McGuire Sisters
Crazy Arms - Ray Price
1964A World Without Love - Peter & Gordon
I Get Around - The Beach Boys
My Boy Lollipop - Millie Small
Together Again - Buck Owens
1972The Candy Man - Sammy Davis, Jr.
Song Sung Blue - Neil Diamond
Outa-Space - Billy Preston
That’s Why I Love You Like I Do - Sonny James
1980Coming Up - Paul McCartney & Wings
The Rose - Bette Midler
It’s Still Rock & Roll to Me - Billy Joel
Trying to Love Two Women - The Oak Ridge Boys
1988Foolish Beat - Debbie Gibson
Dirty Diana - Michael Jackson
Make It Real - The Jets
He’s Back and I’m Blue - The Desert Rose Band
Chart Topper June 29th, 1972....Song Sung Blue-Neil Diamond
