Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Today in Baseball History (September 30th)

September 30th is a big day in baseball history going from 1927 - 1992


September 27th 1927
Babe Ruth, of the NY Yankees, hits home run #60 in the 1927 season, breaking his own record of 59 from 1926.  This record would stand until 1961 when Roger Maris, also a Yankee, hit 61.




1972
Pittsburgh Pirates legend Roberto Clemente gets his 3,000 career hit in his final at bat of the season. Sadly this was also his last at bat ever as he would die in a plane crash while flying relief supplies to earthquake ravaged Central America.



1984
Mike Witt of the California Angels pitches a perfect game (no batter reached base, 27 consecutive outs) against the Texas Rangers in Arlington TX.  



1992
George Brett of the Kansas City Royals get 4 hits in the final game of the season to get 3000 hits.  He would finish his career with 3,154 hits.

Your Calvin and Hobbes of the Day (09/30/15)


Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Monday, September 28, 2015

Sports Illustrated Cover of the Week

August 1st 1955


September 28th 1960
Ted Williams, Boston Red Sox legend, hits a home run in his last at bat in the major leagues.  That was the 521st round tripper of his career.



Sunday, September 27, 2015

The Year in Billboard #1 Albums - 1980

(7 consecutive weeks at #1)
July 26th - September 6th


Also topped the UK album chart for 2 weeks and was the first #1 album for the Rolling Stones in the UK since Goat's Head Soup in 1973.


 


Track listing[edit]
All songs composed by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, except "Dance (Pt. 1)" co-written by Ronnie Wood.
Side one
  1. "Dance (Pt. 1)" – 4:23
  2. "Summer Romance" – 3:16
  3. "Send It to Me" – 3:43
  4. "Let Me Go" – 3:50
  5. "Indian Girl" – 4:23
Side two
  1. "Where the Boys Go" – 3:29
  2. "Down in the Hole" – 3:57
  3. "Emotional Rescue" – 5:39
  4. "She's So Cold" – 4:12
  5. "All About You" – 4:18

NY Times Bestseller List (Fiction) 09/27/2015

New York Times Bestseller List
Hardback Fiction
Top 10
Week Ending September 27th 2015


10 - Undercover - Danielle Steel
(2 weeks on list)

9  -  Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights - Salman Rushdie
(Debut)
In an updated of "One Thousand and One Nights" a storm unleashes mysterious abilities in a group of people descended from a jinni.

8  -  X - Sue Grafton
(3 weeks on list)

7  -  All The Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr
(71 weeks on list)

6  -  Purity - Jonathan Franzen
(2 weeks on list)

5  -  Star Wars : Aftermath - Chuck Wendig
(2 weeks on list)

4  -  The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins
(35 weeks on list)

3  -  Go Set a Watchman - Harper Lee
(9 weeks on list)

2  -  The Girl in the Spider's Web - David Lagercrantz
(2 weeks on list)  (last week's #1)

1  -  MAKE ME - LEE CHILD
(DEBUT)
IN HIS 20TH APPEARANCE, JACK REACHER PRIES OPEN A MISSING-PERSONS CASE
THAT TAKES HIM ACROSS COUNTRY AND INTO THE SHADOWY REACHES OF THE INTERNET


Wednesday, September 23, 2015

R.I.P. YOGI BERRA


September 23rd 2015 - The sports world lost one of its most successful players and the world lost a legendary person with the passing of Lawrence "Yogi" Berra.   Berra passed away at the age of 90 but left behind a legacy like no other.  He was quoted as much as Shakespeare and in some places as much as the Bible.  The winner of 10 World Series rings as the catcher with the NY Yankees from 1946-1963.  He would also managed the Yankees and the NY Mets (leading both to World Series appearances but lost both times) and coached with both teams and the Houston Astros, his last stop in 1989.   His son Dale would play in the majors to some acclaim but sadly became more famous for being part of a drug scandal with the Pittsburgh Pirates.  



Yogi was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972 and his #8 was retired by the Yankees the same year.



Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Today in Sports History (September 22nd)

September 22nd 1969
Willie Mays hits his 600th career home run. 
At the time joined Babe Ruth as the only 2 players in major league baseball history with 600 or more home runs.


He made history against the San Diego Padres


Here is the radio call of that historic home run:



Your Calvin and Hobbes of the Day (09/22/15)


Saturday, September 19, 2015

NY Times Bestseller List (Fiction) 09/20/2015

New York Times Bestseller List
Hardback Fiction
Top 10
Week Ending September 20th 2015

10 - Nature of the Beast - Louise Penny
(2 weeks on list)

9  -  The Solomon Curse - Clive Cussler and Russell Blake
(Debut)
The wealthy couple Sam and Remi Fargo investigate a dangerous legend in the Solomon Islands.

8  -  Undercover - Danielle Steel
(Debut)
A woman recovering from an act of violence in Buenos Aires crosses paths with a D.E.A agent in Paris and both are in danger.

7  -  All The Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr
(70 weeks on list)

6  -  The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins
(34 weeks on list)

5  -  X - Sue Grafton
(2nd week on list)  (last week's #1)

4  -  Star Wars: Aftermath - Chuck Wendig
(Debut)
In this continuation of the "Star Wars" series, the Imperial elite haven't reckoned on the former rebel fighter Norra Wexley.

3  -  Go Set A Watchman - Harper Lee
(8 weeks on list)

2  -  Purity - Jonathan Franzen
(Debut)
Franzen's title character, burdened by college debut, a lack of direction and a sharp intelligence, is a damaged innocent in need of rescue and redemption.

1  -  THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER'S WEB - DAVID LAGERCRANTZ
(DEBUT)
MIKAEL BLOMKVIST ANDD LISBETH SALANDER ARE BACK IN THIS CONTINUATION OF STIEG LARSSON'S MILLENNIUM SERIES.



Top 10 Worst Fourth Instalments in Movies


Your Calvin and Hobbes of the Day (09/19/2015)


Thursday, September 17, 2015

2015 WNBA MVP

Elena Delle Donne
Chicago Sky
2015 WNBA MVP



Ms. Delle Donne was the near-unanimous choice getting 38 of 39 first place votes.  
She won the 2015 scoring title with 23.4 points per game and had 95% free throw shooting in leading the Sky to the playoffs.

She was the 2013 WNBA Rookie of the Year and finished 3rd in the MVP voting.



Saturday, September 12, 2015

NY Times Bestseller List - Fiction (09/13/2015)

New York Times Bestseller List
Hardback Fiction
Top 10
Week Ending September 13th 2015

10 - The Nightengale - Kristin Hannah
(30 weeks on list)

9  -  Alert - James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
(4 weeks on list)

8  -  Friction - Sandra Brown 
(2 weeks on list)
A Texas Ranger fights for custody of his daughter amid complications stemming from his attraction to the judge.

7  -  Secondhand Souls - Christopher Moore
(Debut)
In a sequel to "A Dirty Job", Charlie Asher, a Death Merchant, must stop souls in San Francisco from disappearing, even though he is trapped in a 14-inch body.

6  -  The Taming of the Queen - Philippa Gregory
(Debut)
The relationship between Henry VIII and Catherine Parr, his sixth wife, who survived him.

5  -  All The Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr
(69 weeks on list)

4  -  The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins
(33 weeks on the list)

3  -  The Nature of the Beast - Louise Penny 
(Debut)
Retired from the Surete Du Quebec to the village of Three Pines, Armand Gamache is faced with the murder of a troublesome 9 year old boy in the 11th book of the series.

2  -  Go Set A Watchman - Harper Lee
(7 weeks on list)

1  - X - Sue Grafton 
(Debut)
A variety of X's lead Kinsey Millhone into deep secrets and a cold case.


 

Classic Movie Poster of the Week

1975
The movie that ushered in the summer blockbuster era
spent 14 consecutive weeks as the #1 movie in US theaters.


Friday, September 11, 2015

Billboard #1 Albums of 1980

(6 consecutive weeks at #1)

June 14th 1980 - July 19th 1980


Track listing[edit]

All songs written by Billy Joel.
Side one
  1. "You May Be Right" – 4:15
  2. "Sometimes a Fantasy" – 3:40
  3. "Don't Ask Me Why" – 2:59
  4. "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" – 2:57
  5. "All for Leyna" – 4:15
Side two
  1. "I Don't Want to Be Alone" – 3:57
  2. "Sleeping with the Television On" – 3:02
  3. "C'̩tait Toi (You Were the One)" Р3:25
  4. "Close to the Borderline" – 3:47
  5. "Through the Long Night" – 2:43



Your Calvin and Hobbes of the Day (09/11/15)


Thursday, September 10, 2015

Happy 60th Birthday Gunsmoke

September 10th 1955, CBS television debuted its version of the already popular radio western "Gunmsoke".  With James Arness cast as US Marshall Matt Dillon of Dodge the show would be a mainstay of US television until its final episode on March 31st 1975 (a then record of 20 years on prime time television).

The debut episode, "Matt Gets It" was introduced to the US audience by John Wayne, which lent an air of credence to James Arness as Matt Dillon.  His portrayal of Dillon was in the vein of the radio version created by William Conrad, but over the ensuing the years Arness molded the character to more of his personality and less bitter about life and people.  CBS' in later years would tone down the violence seen in the first few seasons of Gunsmoke and it became more of a character drama than western.  In the beginning many of the radio scripts with small changes were used and by the 3rd season was the #1 program on primetime television.   Gunsmoke paved the way for a slew of "adult" westerns with good scripts and believable situations with the good guy not always winning or getting the girl.

Today on its 60th birthday "Gunsmoke" is still seen as a high point in drama and westerns on TV and in 1958 was awarded the Emmy Award for Best Dramatic Series.  In 1959 the Emmy Awards added a category for Best Western Series, thanks to the popularity of Gunsmoke every network had several on their schedule, but they lost to ABC's "Maverick".

Even today Gunsmoke is seen on at least 3 different networks everyday, ME-TV, TVLand and Starz Westerns, proving that some shows are so good they transcend generations.

"Matt Get Its"
Season 1 episode 1
September 10th 1955

Your Calvin and Hobbes of the Day (09/10/2015)


Old Time Radio Show of the Week

The Great Gildersleeve
September 9th 1945
"Leroy's New Teacher"
The first day of school in Summerfield

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Cal Ripken Jr. Today in Sports History (September 6th)

September 6th 1995
Baltimore, Maryland



Cal Ripken, Jr. of the the Baltimore Orioles broke one of baseball's legendary records and one that few believed would ever be broken.  He started in his 2,131 consecutive major league baseball game thus breaking Lou Gehrig's hallowed record.

Cal began his streak of consecutive games played on May 30th 1982 and he would not miss a start for 17 consecutive years (all with the Baltimore Orioles).  In the process Cal would be Rookie of the Year in 1982 and American League MVP twice. 1983 and 1991.   He would go on to play in in 2,632 games in row before voluntarily removing himself from the Orioles lineup on September 19th 1998.

Ripken retired after the 2001 season holding the lifetime record for home runs by a shortstop (345).  He was named MLB All Star Game MVP 2 times, 1991 and his last All Star game in 2001, where he hit a solo home run in his first plate appearance.

In 2007 he was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame where a record crowd of 75,000 fans welcomed him and San Diego Padres legend Tony Gwynn into baseball immortality.




Bloom County Rides Again

With the return of the legendary comic strip Bloom County, 
Berkeley Breathed returns us to his greatest creation and Opus, Steve Dallas, Milo, Binkley, Cutter John and of course Bill The Cat haven't lost an ounce of funny.

Sunday September 6th 2015

Bloom County 2015


Saturday, September 5, 2015

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Top Ten Events of 1985


Top Ten Events of 1985


Sports Illustrated Cover of the Week

September 3rd 1966 - Bobby Orr signs his first NHL contract with the Boston Bruins.  This was the beginning of a Hall of Fame career with the Bruins.


December 11th 1967