Monday, October 6, 1952, is a date with destiny for the Brooklyn Dodgers. It's game six of the World Series. They are up three games to two. But (so Burt thinks), it's a must game for the Dodgers if they are to win their first ever championship. If they lose today, they lose their momentum and all will be lost tomorrow in game seven.
Young right-hander Billy Loes starts the game for Brooklyn against Vic Raschi for the visitors from the Bronx. 30,037 fans crowd into Ebbets Field to watch.
Through the first five innings, neither team can muster enough offense to score. However, in the bottom of the sixth, Duke Snider hits the second pitch over the right field wall onto Bedford Avenue below to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.
Brooklyn's euphoria ends quickly when Yogi Berra ties the game with a home run of his own in the top of the seventh. The next batter, Gene Woodling, singles to center field and advances to second base on a balk. With two outs, Raschi hits a hard smash off off Loes' shin which deflects into right field allowing Woodling to score the Yankees go ahead run.
In the top of the eighth, Mickey Mantle homers to give the New York a 3-1 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Snider hits his second home run of the game to narrow the difference to 3-2.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers last chance, they face the Yankee ace, Allie Reynolds, native of Oklahoma and half-Cherokee Indian. He strikes out the first batter, pinch hitter Rocky Nelson, on three pitches. However, Carl Furillo walks, representing the tying run. Andy Pafko pops out to shortstop Phil Rizzuto for out number two. Billy Cox ends the game by grounding out to third base.
Burt sits in front of the television as if in a fog. Officially, the World Series is now tied, 3-3. But, Burt knows it's over. The Dodgers have lost yet again. Or did they?
The television is again showing the at bat of Andy Pafko. Reynolds' first pitch is a fast ball right down the middle for strike one. His next three miss their mark putting him in a hole against the batter for pitch number five. Not wanting to walk the batter, Reynolds' pitch is over the plate. Pafko swings and the ball goes up into the air.
Shortstop Phil Rizzuto backpedals to try get under the ball. But he gives way to left fielder Gene Woodling who also moves back as the ball is being carried by a strong wind. It finally lands 350 feet from home plate, just over the left field wall for a two run home run, giving the Dodgers their first World Series championship. The crowd goes wild. Burt has a big smile.
The next day, Tuesday, October 7, the Yankees win game seven. Harvey listens to most of it on a radio at his office. He leaves work early to watch the end of the game on television at home. When Harvey arrives he's surprised Burt's not there watching as well.
After the game ends, Harvey finds Burt in his bedroom doing his home work. Harvey mentions the Yankee victory. But, Burt just smiles. It's the same smile he had the day before. Harvey doesn't understand.
__________
I will be travelling to the USA the next three Sundays. The next blog post will be Sunday, June 23, 2019.
Sunday, May 26, 2019
Sunday, May 19, 2019
Lindbergh
I was talking to a friend recently about our respective travel plans for this year. She will fly from Sao Paulo to Amsterdam and Taipei. I'm flying to New York and Lisbon. Such inter-continental trips are now taken for granted. Ninety-two years ago they would have been unthinkable.
By 1927, airplanes had been around for about two decades. They had been used in the Great War in Europe. Airplanes were employed for short-distances, both for personal and commercial reasons. However, people started thinking about the possibility of long-distance travel.
In order to encourage progress in this area, New York hotel owner Raymond Orteig, on May 22, 1919 (about one hundred years ago), offered a prize of $25,000 to the first aviator(s) to fly non-stop from New York to Paris or vice versa. In 1926, the first serious attempt to win the prize ended in the death of two men shortly after their plane's takeoff.
On May 20, 1927, a twenty-five year old aviator from Little Falls, Minnesota by the name of Charles Lindbergh, flying his plane (the Spirit of St. Louis), took off from Roosevelt Field on Long Island, east of New York City, at 7:52 AM. He had recently become a very popular and heroic public figure in America. 30,000 people showed up at the airfield on the Sunday prior to his departure to catch a glimpse of him.
Lindbergh "packed five ham and chicken sandwiches (for his flight), though he would eat only one, when he was already over France. He took one quart of water."
"From Roosevelt Field, Lindbergh turned north...before heading out over the misty gray waters of Long Island Sound. By noon, he was over Nova Scotia, and at mid-afternoon over Cape Breton Island. Shortly after 6 PM Lindbergh passed over the last rocky extremity of North America on the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland and headed out over the open ocean. Now he would be out of touch completely for sixteen hours if all went well; forever if it didn't."
Thankfully, all went well, full credit to Lindbergh. "As (he) covered the last leg from Cherbourg into Paris he had no idea that he was about to experience fame on a scale and intensity unlike any experienced by any human before. A hundred thousand (French) people dropped whatever they were doing and went to Le Bourget (the Parisian airfield)" to greet Lindbergh upon his arrival.
"After circling the Eiffel Tower, (Lindbergh) headed (northeast of Paris where the airfield was located). The only possible site he could see was ringed with bright lights stretching out in all directions. What he didn't realize was that the activity was all for him."
"At 10:22 PM Paris time, precisely 33 hours and 30 minutes after taking to the air the Spirit of St. Louis touched down on the grassy spaciousness of Le Bourget. In that instant, a pulse of joy swept around the earth. Within minutes the whole of America knew he was safe in Paris. Le Bourget was instantly a scene of exultant pandemonium as tens of thousands of people rushed across the airfield to Lindbergh."
For the rest of his life, Charles Lindbergh would be a celebrity.
On May 27, 1929, he married Anne Morrow, a wealthy young woman. They had six children. On March 1, 1932, their eldest child, Charles Lindbergh, Jr. (then aged 20 months) was kidnapped from their home in East Amwell, NJ. Two months later, the child was found dead.
Beginning in 1936, Lindbergh began an involvement in America's political affairs becoming a member of the America First movement, a group that supported isolationism. At a rally in September of 1941, he accused the British, the Jews and the Roosevelt administration of pressing America towards war. After Pearl Harbor, isolationism disappeared in America and Lindbergh supported the war effort. In 2004, the late Philip Roth wrote a novel, The Plot Against America, a fictitious account of Lindbergh's election as president of the United States in 1940 and how his pro-German views affected American Jews.
On August 26, 1974, Lindbergh died of lymphoma in Hawaii (his home) at 72 years-of-age.
By 1927, airplanes had been around for about two decades. They had been used in the Great War in Europe. Airplanes were employed for short-distances, both for personal and commercial reasons. However, people started thinking about the possibility of long-distance travel.
In order to encourage progress in this area, New York hotel owner Raymond Orteig, on May 22, 1919 (about one hundred years ago), offered a prize of $25,000 to the first aviator(s) to fly non-stop from New York to Paris or vice versa. In 1926, the first serious attempt to win the prize ended in the death of two men shortly after their plane's takeoff.
On May 20, 1927, a twenty-five year old aviator from Little Falls, Minnesota by the name of Charles Lindbergh, flying his plane (the Spirit of St. Louis), took off from Roosevelt Field on Long Island, east of New York City, at 7:52 AM. He had recently become a very popular and heroic public figure in America. 30,000 people showed up at the airfield on the Sunday prior to his departure to catch a glimpse of him.
Lindbergh "packed five ham and chicken sandwiches (for his flight), though he would eat only one, when he was already over France. He took one quart of water."
"From Roosevelt Field, Lindbergh turned north...before heading out over the misty gray waters of Long Island Sound. By noon, he was over Nova Scotia, and at mid-afternoon over Cape Breton Island. Shortly after 6 PM Lindbergh passed over the last rocky extremity of North America on the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland and headed out over the open ocean. Now he would be out of touch completely for sixteen hours if all went well; forever if it didn't."
Thankfully, all went well, full credit to Lindbergh. "As (he) covered the last leg from Cherbourg into Paris he had no idea that he was about to experience fame on a scale and intensity unlike any experienced by any human before. A hundred thousand (French) people dropped whatever they were doing and went to Le Bourget (the Parisian airfield)" to greet Lindbergh upon his arrival.
"After circling the Eiffel Tower, (Lindbergh) headed (northeast of Paris where the airfield was located). The only possible site he could see was ringed with bright lights stretching out in all directions. What he didn't realize was that the activity was all for him."
"At 10:22 PM Paris time, precisely 33 hours and 30 minutes after taking to the air the Spirit of St. Louis touched down on the grassy spaciousness of Le Bourget. In that instant, a pulse of joy swept around the earth. Within minutes the whole of America knew he was safe in Paris. Le Bourget was instantly a scene of exultant pandemonium as tens of thousands of people rushed across the airfield to Lindbergh."
For the rest of his life, Charles Lindbergh would be a celebrity.
On May 27, 1929, he married Anne Morrow, a wealthy young woman. They had six children. On March 1, 1932, their eldest child, Charles Lindbergh, Jr. (then aged 20 months) was kidnapped from their home in East Amwell, NJ. Two months later, the child was found dead.
Beginning in 1936, Lindbergh began an involvement in America's political affairs becoming a member of the America First movement, a group that supported isolationism. At a rally in September of 1941, he accused the British, the Jews and the Roosevelt administration of pressing America towards war. After Pearl Harbor, isolationism disappeared in America and Lindbergh supported the war effort. In 2004, the late Philip Roth wrote a novel, The Plot Against America, a fictitious account of Lindbergh's election as president of the United States in 1940 and how his pro-German views affected American Jews.
On August 26, 1974, Lindbergh died of lymphoma in Hawaii (his home) at 72 years-of-age.
Sunday, May 5, 2019
Key Largo
In 1938, Warner Bros. produced a movie, The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse, starring Edward G. Robinson, Claire Trevor and Humphrey Bogart. It is the story of a wealthy doctor (Robinson) who does research in criminology. He steals jewelry and then measures his blood pressure, temperature and pulse. Subsequently, he makes contact with actual criminals, Jo, a fence (Trevor), and Rocks, the leader of a gang of jewel thieves (Bogart).
Ten years later, movie producer Jerry Wald made another movie, Key Largo, starring Edward G. Robinson, Claire Trevor (won Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress) and Humphrey Bogart (the same three). The cast also includes Lauren Bacall (Bogart's wife) and Lionel Barrymore (in a wheelchair because of arthritis).
The island, Key Largo, is located in the northern portion of the Florida Keys, "a coral cay archipelago" off the southern coast of the state. At the far end of the Keys is Key West where the US Navy maintains a base (105 miles from Havana). My brother Paul was stationed there during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.
The movie, Key Largo, is the story of ex-army officer Frank McCloud (Bogart) who visits a hotel in Key Largo owned by the family (father played by Barrymore and widow played by Bacall) of a comrade of his who was killed in a battle they were both in (Italian campaign, WWII) to pay his respects.
Because McCloud arrives during the off season, there are only six other guests in the hotel, all claiming to be there for the fishing. Unbeknownst to both McCloud and the family, the six are really criminals waiting for a second gang to arrive to sell them counterfeit money.
The leader of the first gang is the notorious Johnny Rocco (Robinson) who is accompanied by his alcoholic girlfriend, a former professional singer, Gaye Dawn (Trevor). Rocco had been deported to Cuba some years before as an undesirable alien.
While the gang waits, they take McCloud and the family prisoner so they won't betray them to the police. In addition, a hurricane approaches causing some (especially Rocco) to be nervous.
During their captivity, McCloud demonstrates to the widow that he is a man of courage. At one point, he disobeys Rocco's instructions and gives Gaye the drink she desperately wants. Could this be the beginning of a beautiful friendship?
After their business transaction is completed, Rocco and his gang (minus Gaye who is abandoned by her boyfriend) need a ride back to Cuba. The captain of the ship that brought them to Key West abandoned them as the hurricane approached.
Rocco forces McCloud to pilot a small boat to take them home. McCloud and the widow believe Rocco will kill him once they are safely in Cuba. Do they? Or will McCloud safely return to Key West and the widow?
___________
I will be travelling next Sunday. Have a happy Mother's Day. The next post will be Sunday, May 19, 2019.
Ten years later, movie producer Jerry Wald made another movie, Key Largo, starring Edward G. Robinson, Claire Trevor (won Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress) and Humphrey Bogart (the same three). The cast also includes Lauren Bacall (Bogart's wife) and Lionel Barrymore (in a wheelchair because of arthritis).
The island, Key Largo, is located in the northern portion of the Florida Keys, "a coral cay archipelago" off the southern coast of the state. At the far end of the Keys is Key West where the US Navy maintains a base (105 miles from Havana). My brother Paul was stationed there during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.
The movie, Key Largo, is the story of ex-army officer Frank McCloud (Bogart) who visits a hotel in Key Largo owned by the family (father played by Barrymore and widow played by Bacall) of a comrade of his who was killed in a battle they were both in (Italian campaign, WWII) to pay his respects.
Because McCloud arrives during the off season, there are only six other guests in the hotel, all claiming to be there for the fishing. Unbeknownst to both McCloud and the family, the six are really criminals waiting for a second gang to arrive to sell them counterfeit money.
The leader of the first gang is the notorious Johnny Rocco (Robinson) who is accompanied by his alcoholic girlfriend, a former professional singer, Gaye Dawn (Trevor). Rocco had been deported to Cuba some years before as an undesirable alien.
While the gang waits, they take McCloud and the family prisoner so they won't betray them to the police. In addition, a hurricane approaches causing some (especially Rocco) to be nervous.
During their captivity, McCloud demonstrates to the widow that he is a man of courage. At one point, he disobeys Rocco's instructions and gives Gaye the drink she desperately wants. Could this be the beginning of a beautiful friendship?
After their business transaction is completed, Rocco and his gang (minus Gaye who is abandoned by her boyfriend) need a ride back to Cuba. The captain of the ship that brought them to Key West abandoned them as the hurricane approached.
Rocco forces McCloud to pilot a small boat to take them home. McCloud and the widow believe Rocco will kill him once they are safely in Cuba. Do they? Or will McCloud safely return to Key West and the widow?
___________
I will be travelling next Sunday. Have a happy Mother's Day. The next post will be Sunday, May 19, 2019.
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