234th day of 2009 - 131 remaining
Saturday, August 22, 2009
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS MONA LISA DAY
Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, Mona Lisa, was stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris on this night in 1911. Those who visited the Louvre stared at the blank space on the wall where the world’s most famous painting had hung. One could almost believe that they could see the painting of the woman with the enigmatic smile. After all, it had hung in the same spot for over a century and had been a part of French art collections for over 400 years, even though da Vinci, who had painted the masterpiece at the beginning of the 16th century, practiced his art in Florence, Italy.
Was the theft the work of a madman? A professional thief couldn’t sell the world’s most famous painting ... so it must have been someone who had lost their mental faculties ... or was it? In a little over two weeks time, the French police arrested gothic poet Guillaume Apollinaire. He was charged with receipt of stolen property. But the space on the wall of the Louvre remained empty for at least two more years.
Then, on December 13, 1913, Mona Lisa was found, undamaged, in the city of its origin. It seems that another Florence artist, this one of the 20th century, Vincenzo Perugia, had been arrested for stealing the painting. Vincenzo allegedly tried to sell the painting to an antique dealer.
We guess Vincenzo hadn’t read the stories that said no one would buy the stolen Mona Lisa.
Events
August 22
1762 - Ann Franklin became the first woman to hold the title of newspaper editor. She assumed those duties at The Newport Mercury in Newport, RI.
1770 - Captain James Cook, having landed at Australia, claimed it for the British Crown.
1851 - The Hundred Guinea Cup, a silver trophy, was presented by the Royal Yacht Squadron to the U.S. schooner America, the winner of an international race around the Isle of Wight. The trophy was eventually turned over to the New York Yacht Club and is now known as the America’s Cup.
1865 - William Sheppard of New York City patented liquid soap. Take a rubber ducky to lunch today.
1906 - The Victor Talking Machine Company of Camden, New Jersey began to manufacture the Victrola (record player). The hand-cranked unit, with horn cabinet, sold for $200. Records sold separately.
1932 - The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) began its first experimental TV broadcast in England.
1938 - Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers appeared, dancing, on the cover of LIFE magazine, published on this day.
1938 - Count Basie recorded the classic swing tune, Jumpin’ at the Woodside, for Decca Records.
1947 - After many years as a 15-minute daily serial, Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy, was heard for the first time as a 30-minute feature on ABC radio. Remember, if you want to grow up to be big and strong like Jack Armstrong, keep these three rules in mind: Get plenty of sleep, fresh air and exercise. Make a friend of soap and water, because dirt breeds germs -- and germs can make people sickly and weak. And for sound nourishment and keen flavor, eat a big bowlful of Wheaties, the Breakfast of Champions, with plenty of milk or cream and some type of fruit.
1947 - The college all-stars won for the first time in the annual charity football game between the Chicago Bears and a select team of college football standouts. The 14th annual game was played at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL.
1951 - The largest crowd to see a basketball game to that time -- 75,052 -- looked on as the Harlem Globetrotters performed before a non-paying crowd in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.
1954 - Native Dancer, with career earnings of $785,240, was retired from horse racing. A foot ailment put the famous horse -- fourth on the all-time thoroughbred winner’s list -- out to pasture.
1967 - President Lyndon B. Johnson welcomed the Shah of Iran to the U.S. for a two-day visit. Two months later, Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlevi was crowned King of Kings. One of the Shah’s major proclamations provided for a general amnesty for political prisoners overflowing Iran’s jails.
1972 - The Republican party renominated Richard M. Nixon (President of U.S.) and Spiro T. Agnew (Vice President) in Miami, FL.
1984 - The last Volkswagen Rabbit rolled off the assembly line in Westmoreland, PA. Over 11 million of the economical cars had been produced.
1987 - Madonna’s single Who’s that Girl hit #1 in the U.S for a short and sweet one-week stay at the top.
1989 - Nolan Ryan of the Texas Rangers fanned Rickey Henderson of the Oakland Athletics to become the first pitcher to strike out 5,000 batters. It happened in the fifth inning at 8:51 p.m. on a 3-2, 96-mph fastball. Ryan’s accomplishment prompted a one-minute, 25-second standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 42,869 at Arlington Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
1990 - Scores of angry smokers blocked a street near Moscow's Red Square for hours in protest of the summer-long cigarette shortage.
Birthdays
August 22
1834 - Samuel Langley
pioneer in aviation: Langley Air Force Base [in Virginia] bears his name; died in 1906
1836 - Archibald M. Willard
artist: The Spirit of ’76; died Oct 11, 1918
1848 - Melville Stone
journalist: founder/publisher: Chicago Daily News, Associated Press; autobiography: Fifty Years a Journalist
1862 - Claude Debussy
composer: Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, La Mer, Clair de Lune, Nocturnes, String Quartet in G minor; died Mar 25, 1918
1880 - George Herriman
cartoonist: comic strips: Krazy Kat, Krazy Kat and Ignatz, The Dingbat Family; died Apr 25, 1944
1893 - Dorothy Parker (Rothschild)
author: News Item: Men seldom make passes/At girls who wear glasses; Enough Rope, Sunset Gun, Death and Taxes, Here Lies; New Yorker columnist; died June 7, 1967
1917 - John Lee Hooker
singer: Boom, Boom, I Don’t Want To Go to Viet Nam, Boogie Chillen’, One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer; in film: The Blues Brothers; died June 21, 2001
1920 - Ray Bradbury
writer: Fahrenheit 451, The Toynbee Convector, Martian Chronicles
1920 - Dr. Denton Cooley
heart surgeon: pioneered many techniques used in cardiovascular surgery
1926 - Bob Flanigan
singer: group: The Four Freshmen: It’s a Blue World
1929 - Elmo Langley
auto racer: NASCAR pace car driver and official: died of heart attack while preparing for race at Suzuka Circuitland race course, Japan Nov 21, 1996
1933 - Sylva Koscina
actress: Lisa and the Devil, The Slasher, Deadly Sanctuary, Hercules Unchained, Hercules; died Dec 26, 1994
1934 - Diana Sands
actress: A Raisin in the Sun, Doctors’ Wives, Honeybaby, Honeybaby; died Sep 21, 1973
1934 - Norman Schwarzkopf
U.S. Army General: Desert Storm [1990-91]; author: It Doesn’t Take a Hero
1935 - Morton Dean
TV news anchor: CBS, ABC News
1938 - Paul Maguire
football: SD Chargers, Buffalo Bills; NBC, ESPN TV NFL color analyst
1939 - Carl (Michael) Yastrzemski
‘Yas’: Baseball Hall of Famer: Boston Red Sox outfielder [all-star: 1963, 1965 thru 1979, 1982, 1983/World Series: 1967, 1975/Baseball Writers’ Award: 1967]
1940 - Valerie Harper
Emmy Award-winning actress: Rhoda [1974-75], The Mary Tyler Moore Show [1970-71, 1971-72, 1972-73]; City, Valerie
1941 - Bill (Duane) Parcells
football coach: Air Force Academy, NY Giants [Sporting News Coach of the Year: 1986], New England Patriots, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys
1942 - Joe Chambers
musician: guitar; singer: group: The Chambers Brothers: Time Has Come Today
1944 - Tom Mitchell
football: Baltimore Colts tight end: Super Bowl: III, V
1947 - Cindy Williams
actress: Laverne & Shirley, Normal Life, Getting By, The Funny Side, American Graffiti, Rude Awakening
1948 - Delles Howell
football: NO Saints, NY Jets
1950 - (Bertram) Ray Burris
baseball: pitcher: Chicago Cubs, NY Mets, NY Yankees, Montreal Expos, Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers, SL Cardinals
1950 - Sam Neely
singer: Love You Just Crossed My Mind
1951 - Ike (Isaac Bernard) Hampton
baseball: NY Mets, California Angels
1952 - Gary (Ray) Beare
baseball: pitcher: Milwaukee Brewers
1956 - Paul (Leo) Molitor
baseball: Milwaukee Brewers [all-star: 1980, 1985, 1988, 1991, 1992/World Series: 1982]; Toronto Blue Jays [all-star: 1993, 1994/World Series: 1993: MVP: only player to hit 5 for 5 in World Series; designated hitter record for stolen bases [24]]; Minnesota Twins
1960 - Debbi Peterson
musician: drums, singer: group: Bangles: Walk like an Egyptian, Manic Monday
1961 - Roland Orzabal
singer, musician: guitar: duo: Tears For Fears: Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Head Over Heels, Suffer the Children, Mad World, Change, Pale Shelter
1964 - Mats Wilander
tennis champion: Australian Open [1983, 84, 88], French Open [1982, 85, 88], U.S. Open [1988]
Chart Toppers
August 22
1949Some Enchanted Evening - Perry Como
Room Full of Roses - The Sammy Kaye Orchestra (vocal: Don Cornell)
You’re Breaking My Heart - Vic Damone
I’m Throwing Rice (At the Girl I Love) - Eddy Arnold
1957Love Letters in the Sand - Pat Boone
Tammy - Debbie Reynolds
Whispering Bells - The Dell-Vikings
(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear - Elvis Presley
1965I Got You Babe - Sonny & Cher
Save Your Heart for Me - Gary Lewis & The Playboys
Help! - The Beatles
Yes, Mr. Peters - Roy Drusky & Priscilla Mitchell
1973Touch Me in the Morning - Diana Ross
Live and Let Die - Wings
Brother Louie - Stories
Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man - Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn
1981Endless Love - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
Theme from "Greatest American Hero" (Believe It or Not) - Joey
Scarbury
Slow Hand - Pointer Sisters
I Don’t Need You - Kenny Rogers
1989Right Here Waiting - Richard Marx
On Our Own - Bobby Brown
Cold Hearted - Paula Abdul
Sunday in the South - Shenandoah
Chart Topper August 22nd, 1973...Brother Louie-Stories
Guapo Vic.
WELCOME TOO ABADSS 
Re: This day in History August 22
Linear Mode
