Ah the days of summer are slowly winding down and the fall is just around the corner. The past few months have been extremely uneventful but here's a run down of what went on between my last post and now...
April:
5 - WrestleMania 25 showcased what many people consider a contender for the greatest match of all time, Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker.
26 - Carl Edwards flipped at Talladega in a horrifying crash that he miraculously walked away from.
April - June:
The Stanley Cup playoffs dominated much of my time and I watched almost every single Red Wings playoff game w/ Joe and Aaron.
June 6: Went to Kentucky. Dropped off my folks and stayed a week w/ my cousin.
June 22: Came home from KY.
June 27: Met the greatest wrestler to ever lace up his boots: "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair
Dad spent some time in the hospital down there and it was to hard on Mom taking care of both Dad and the kids sooo...
July 3: My brother and I drove down to KY to pick up the parents and the kids and bring 'em back home.
July 6: Came home from KY. I drove 8 hrs straight for the first time.
Since then my Dad spent another few day in the hospital but is feeling better now. I have not done much of anything. I did go to the Highland Games this past Sat. but that's pretty much it.
One bright spot for the summer is that I've found a new show to watch: True Blood on HBO. I'll post a blog about it soon. Also I spent time drooling over any new info that come out regarding The Beatles: Rock Band. I'll blog about it soon.
There's the recap. Check ya later.
H
Monday, August 03, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Since Tuesday this blog has been focusing on the upcoming opening for the NASCAR Hall of Fame and listing the results of a poll regarding who should be the first 5 inductees into the inaugural class. So far we have 7-Time Cup Series Champions Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, NASCAR, the cofounder of NASCAR Bill France Sr., and NASCAR legend David Pearson.
The fifth and final spot came down to a tie vote between two of NASCAR's early superstars, Lee Petty and Junior Johnson. Both men received 8 votes out of 28. While both men are sure-fire hall-of-famers, my vote for which one should go in first goes to the man who could haul ass on Sunday and haul moonshine on Monday.
Robert Glen Johnson, Jr., nicknamed Junior, grew up on a farm in Wilkes County, North Carolina as the son of a moonshiner. As a young man, Junior aided his father's moonshining business running 'shine through the Carolina hills. He consistently outran and outwitted local police and federal agents in chases, and was never caught while delivering moonshine to customers. After being talked into driving a car in a local dirt track race, Johnson found he enjoyed racing so much that he'd do it all the time. Working his way up through the ranks, he eventually started racing in the Cup Series in 1953. Although he'd officially given up on moonshining, Junior was helping out his sick father in 1956 by tending to his daddy's 'shining still when he was caught by federal tax agents who'd been staking out his father's operation for some time. He was charged with moonshining and sentenced to serve two years at the federal prison in Chillicothe, Ohio. He was released after serving 11 months and went right back to racing. During his career as a driver, Junior won 50 races out of 313 starts. He is credited with discovering "the draft" at Daytona, using the then-mysterious concept to win the 1960 Daytona 500. Junior retired from driving in 1966 but his life in racing was far from over. Johnson began his career as a car owner in 1965 and in 30 years of owning cars he'd amassed 132 wins and 6 NASCAR Cup Series Owners Championships. In that time span he fielded cars for some of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history. In 1986, Johnson, a life long Democrat, was given a Presidential Pardon from Ronald Reagan for his 1956 moonshine conviction. Johnson has seen and done it all in the sport and is deserving, in my opinion, of the final spot in the Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Class.
Most folks that watch NASCAR today have never seen Junior Johnson behind the wheel of a racecar, but tonight on ESPN2 there will be a race featuring some of NASCAR's legendary drivers of the past, including Junior Johnson. I emplore you to check it out tonight at 6PM.
I hope you've enjoyed this series on who might should go into NASCAR's first Hall of Fame class. If you agree or disagree with any of the names listed, leave me a comment and tell me why. Thanks for reading.
The fifth and final spot came down to a tie vote between two of NASCAR's early superstars, Lee Petty and Junior Johnson. Both men received 8 votes out of 28. While both men are sure-fire hall-of-famers, my vote for which one should go in first goes to the man who could haul ass on Sunday and haul moonshine on Monday.
Robert Glen Johnson, Jr., nicknamed Junior, grew up on a farm in Wilkes County, North Carolina as the son of a moonshiner. As a young man, Junior aided his father's moonshining business running 'shine through the Carolina hills. He consistently outran and outwitted local police and federal agents in chases, and was never caught while delivering moonshine to customers. After being talked into driving a car in a local dirt track race, Johnson found he enjoyed racing so much that he'd do it all the time. Working his way up through the ranks, he eventually started racing in the Cup Series in 1953. Although he'd officially given up on moonshining, Junior was helping out his sick father in 1956 by tending to his daddy's 'shining still when he was caught by federal tax agents who'd been staking out his father's operation for some time. He was charged with moonshining and sentenced to serve two years at the federal prison in Chillicothe, Ohio. He was released after serving 11 months and went right back to racing. During his career as a driver, Junior won 50 races out of 313 starts. He is credited with discovering "the draft" at Daytona, using the then-mysterious concept to win the 1960 Daytona 500. Junior retired from driving in 1966 but his life in racing was far from over. Johnson began his career as a car owner in 1965 and in 30 years of owning cars he'd amassed 132 wins and 6 NASCAR Cup Series Owners Championships. In that time span he fielded cars for some of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history. In 1986, Johnson, a life long Democrat, was given a Presidential Pardon from Ronald Reagan for his 1956 moonshine conviction. Johnson has seen and done it all in the sport and is deserving, in my opinion, of the final spot in the Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Class.
Most folks that watch NASCAR today have never seen Junior Johnson behind the wheel of a racecar, but tonight on ESPN2 there will be a race featuring some of NASCAR's legendary drivers of the past, including Junior Johnson. I emplore you to check it out tonight at 6PM.
I hope you've enjoyed this series on who might should go into NASCAR's first Hall of Fame class. If you agree or disagree with any of the names listed, leave me a comment and tell me why. Thanks for reading.
Friday, March 20, 2009
The NASCAR Hall of Fame - Who Should Go In? Part 3
On Tuesday we took a look at the fact that there will be a NASCAR Hall of Fame opening in the spring of next year. We also went over how the induction process will work to select Hall of Famers. Finally we talked about the list compiled on a website made up by taking five votes from 28 folks who know their NASCAR. On Wednesday we took a look at the top two vote getters, Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty, and why they should be inducted. Yesterday we focused on the third highest vote getter, the co-founder of NASCAR, William Getty France Sr.
Today we'll talk about the man who tied with "Big Bill" in the poll, the driver with second largest number of wins in the NASCAR Cup Series, "The Silver Fox" David Pearson.
Before the "Modern Era", it was not uncommon for many of the sport's top stars to pick and choose which races they would run, as some races were more "valuable" in points and pay than others. David Pearson, who appeared on the scene in 1960 and continued racing until 1986, was one of those kinda drivers. Only three times in that time period did Pearson run the full schedule. All three of those times (1966, 68, and 69) he won the NASCAR Cup Series Championship. Pearson also had a storied rivalry with "The King" Richard Petty. Between 1963-1977, Pearson and Petty finished 1st and 2nd (not respectively) sixty-three times! Also, despite only running 574 races in his career (compared to Petty's 1184), Pearson won 105 races, the second most of any driver and the only other man to have more than 100 wins in the Series. Had Pearson raced the full schedule more often, it's not entirely improbable that he would have won more races and championships than Petty or Earnhardt. With stats like that, you'd be hard pressed to argue against putting David Pearson in the Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Class.
Richard Petty and David Pearson
Tomorrow we'll profile the final top-five vote getter, a man who was hard to beat in an automobile, whether he was haulin' ass on the track or hauling 'shine on dirt roads. We'll also take a look at some other NASCAR legends whose names and credential make it worth considering their induction in the first class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. See ya tomorrow.
Today we'll talk about the man who tied with "Big Bill" in the poll, the driver with second largest number of wins in the NASCAR Cup Series, "The Silver Fox" David Pearson.
Before the "Modern Era", it was not uncommon for many of the sport's top stars to pick and choose which races they would run, as some races were more "valuable" in points and pay than others. David Pearson, who appeared on the scene in 1960 and continued racing until 1986, was one of those kinda drivers. Only three times in that time period did Pearson run the full schedule. All three of those times (1966, 68, and 69) he won the NASCAR Cup Series Championship. Pearson also had a storied rivalry with "The King" Richard Petty. Between 1963-1977, Pearson and Petty finished 1st and 2nd (not respectively) sixty-three times! Also, despite only running 574 races in his career (compared to Petty's 1184), Pearson won 105 races, the second most of any driver and the only other man to have more than 100 wins in the Series. Had Pearson raced the full schedule more often, it's not entirely improbable that he would have won more races and championships than Petty or Earnhardt. With stats like that, you'd be hard pressed to argue against putting David Pearson in the Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Class.
Richard Petty and David PearsonTomorrow we'll profile the final top-five vote getter, a man who was hard to beat in an automobile, whether he was haulin' ass on the track or hauling 'shine on dirt roads. We'll also take a look at some other NASCAR legends whose names and credential make it worth considering their induction in the first class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. See ya tomorrow.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The NASCAR Hall of Fame - Who Should Go In? Part 2
On Tuesday, we took a look at the fact that there will be a NASCAR Hall of Fame opening in the spring of next year. We also went over how the induction process will work to select Hall of Famers. Finally we talked about the list compiled on a website made up by taking five votes from 28 folks who know their NASCAR. Yesterday we took a look at the top two vote getters, Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty, and why they should be inducted. Today we'll focus on the individual who tied for the third most votes (22 of 28), but will slide solely into third with my executive vote, William Getty France Sr.
The story of William Getty France Sr. and that of NASCAR are completely inseparable. The tale is really too long to regale in this post, but to keep it short: Prior to World War II, stock car racing was a growing attraction. Despite the sport's rising popularity with fans, drivers were often victimized by shady promoters who would leave events with all the money before drivers were paid. On December 14, 1947, a man named Bill France, who was well known in the racing community as a driver and promoter in his own right, gathered with influential drivers, mechanics, car owners, and promoters at the Ebony Bar inside the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Florida. In these meetings, they decided that this form of racing would not grow without a formal sanctioning organization, standardized rules, regular schedule, and an organized championship. Through this, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) was formed. France ran and controlled NASCAR from it's inception until 1972, when he handed the reigns of the business over to his son, Bill Jr.
Although "Big Bill" was no longer in control, he still remained very active and influential behind the scenes. While he certainly didn't create NASCAR single-handedly, it's probably safe to say that without Bill France Sr., we may not have a nationally recognized stock car racing organization like NASCAR today. "Big" Bill France, who passed away in 1992, should certainly be inducted into the Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Class.
Some may argue that because he took all the credit for creating NASCAR and because he ran the company like a dictatorship, he should not be honored so highly. The fact remains, however, that under France's leadership, NASCAR reached the "crest of the hill" before exploding into the massive, money-making machine that it became under his son's reign.
Tomorrow we'll look at the individual who tied with France in the unofficial poll, a man that could have rivaled Petty and Earnhardt in wins and championships if he'd only raced the full Cup Series schedule more often. See ya then.
The story of William Getty France Sr. and that of NASCAR are completely inseparable. The tale is really too long to regale in this post, but to keep it short: Prior to World War II, stock car racing was a growing attraction. Despite the sport's rising popularity with fans, drivers were often victimized by shady promoters who would leave events with all the money before drivers were paid. On December 14, 1947, a man named Bill France, who was well known in the racing community as a driver and promoter in his own right, gathered with influential drivers, mechanics, car owners, and promoters at the Ebony Bar inside the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Florida. In these meetings, they decided that this form of racing would not grow without a formal sanctioning organization, standardized rules, regular schedule, and an organized championship. Through this, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) was formed. France ran and controlled NASCAR from it's inception until 1972, when he handed the reigns of the business over to his son, Bill Jr.Although "Big Bill" was no longer in control, he still remained very active and influential behind the scenes. While he certainly didn't create NASCAR single-handedly, it's probably safe to say that without Bill France Sr., we may not have a nationally recognized stock car racing organization like NASCAR today. "Big" Bill France, who passed away in 1992, should certainly be inducted into the Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Class.
Some may argue that because he took all the credit for creating NASCAR and because he ran the company like a dictatorship, he should not be honored so highly. The fact remains, however, that under France's leadership, NASCAR reached the "crest of the hill" before exploding into the massive, money-making machine that it became under his son's reign.Tomorrow we'll look at the individual who tied with France in the unofficial poll, a man that could have rivaled Petty and Earnhardt in wins and championships if he'd only raced the full Cup Series schedule more often. See ya then.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The NASCAR Hall of Fame - Who Should Go In? Part 1
Yesterday we took a look at the fact that there will be a NASCAR Hall of Fame opening in the spring of next year. We also went over how the induction process will work to select Hall of Famers. Finally we talked about the list compiled on a website made up by taking five votes from 28 folks who know their NASCAR. Today we will take a look at the top two vote getters and why they should be inducted.
For those of you who are not into NASCAR, there are really only two names that can go at the top of the list when inducting the Inaugural NHOF Class.
Petty and Earnhardt... or Earnhardt and Petty.
The most die-hard fan will tell you that it must go one way or the other.
The panel that was polled voted unanimously on only one name.
The individual who received the most votes (28) was the man with more NASCAR victories than any other driver, "The King" - Richard Petty. In a career that spanned from 1958 until 1992, "King Richard" has certainly earned all of that and I wouldn't be surprised to see him unanimously voted in by the actual voting committee. With 200 NASCAR Cup Series victories and 7 NASCAR Cup Series Championships (tied with only one other driver for most Championships), Richard Petty should undoubtedly be in the inaugural class.
This means that the individual to receive the second most votes (25 of 28) is the man who tied Petty for most NASCAR Cup Series Championships in 1994, the late Dale Earnhardt. Earnhardt won 76 NASCAR Cup Series races between his first start in 1975 until his death in 2001. Earnhardt also won 7 NASCAR Cup Series Championships, tying Richard Petty's record. Many of his peers and fans, including yours truly, consider "The Intimidator" the greatest stock car driver of all time! Whether you put him above, beside, or below Richard Petty, the margin between them is so close that Earnhardt is certainly worthy to be in the Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Class.
Why is there a debate? Because there are too many factors that allowed Petty to accomplish what he did in the era that he did it.
Petty fans will say, "200 wins and 7 Championships vs. only 76 wins and 7 Championships... DUH!", but in the 1950s and 60s, NASCAR sponsored races on small tracks all over the south, mid-west and north-east. A driver could accumulate points by driving around to small tracks 4 and 5 times a week, beating up on the locals. This explains how Petty was able to attain 200 wins. Once a stable points system was established and NASCAR tightened their way of picking the races that are sanctioned as Cup Series events, this was no longer possible. Also during this time period, many drivers did not have much sponsorship or backing from car manufacturers, while Petty was backed by Dodge for a large majority of those years. What he did at the track translated as a testing ground for Dodge on equipment, parts, etc. and translated into money that poured into backing Petty's racing efforts. Such an advantage over the other drivers for so long must be taken into account.
Meanwhile, all of Earnhardt's wins came in NASCAR's "Modern Era" (1971-today), which has been a time when a larger group of the competition had factory money coming in combined with large corperate sponsors funding more race cars/teams, making more drivers capable of winning any given week.
Certainly, the debate will rage regardless of logic and reasoning and there is no doubt that both of these men deserve their place in the Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Class.
Tomorrow we'll look at the individual who got the third most votes. It would be blasphemy not to put him in the first year, since with out him there probably wouldn't be a NASCAR, much less a NASCAR Hall of Fame. See ya tomorrow.
For those of you who are not into NASCAR, there are really only two names that can go at the top of the list when inducting the Inaugural NHOF Class.
Petty and Earnhardt... or Earnhardt and Petty.
The most die-hard fan will tell you that it must go one way or the other.
The panel that was polled voted unanimously on only one name.
The individual who received the most votes (28) was the man with more NASCAR victories than any other driver, "The King" - Richard Petty. In a career that spanned from 1958 until 1992, "King Richard" has certainly earned all of that and I wouldn't be surprised to see him unanimously voted in by the actual voting committee. With 200 NASCAR Cup Series victories and 7 NASCAR Cup Series Championships (tied with only one other driver for most Championships), Richard Petty should undoubtedly be in the inaugural class.
This means that the individual to receive the second most votes (25 of 28) is the man who tied Petty for most NASCAR Cup Series Championships in 1994, the late Dale Earnhardt. Earnhardt won 76 NASCAR Cup Series races between his first start in 1975 until his death in 2001. Earnhardt also won 7 NASCAR Cup Series Championships, tying Richard Petty's record. Many of his peers and fans, including yours truly, consider "The Intimidator" the greatest stock car driver of all time! Whether you put him above, beside, or below Richard Petty, the margin between them is so close that Earnhardt is certainly worthy to be in the Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Class.
Why is there a debate? Because there are too many factors that allowed Petty to accomplish what he did in the era that he did it.
Petty fans will say, "200 wins and 7 Championships vs. only 76 wins and 7 Championships... DUH!", but in the 1950s and 60s, NASCAR sponsored races on small tracks all over the south, mid-west and north-east. A driver could accumulate points by driving around to small tracks 4 and 5 times a week, beating up on the locals. This explains how Petty was able to attain 200 wins. Once a stable points system was established and NASCAR tightened their way of picking the races that are sanctioned as Cup Series events, this was no longer possible. Also during this time period, many drivers did not have much sponsorship or backing from car manufacturers, while Petty was backed by Dodge for a large majority of those years. What he did at the track translated as a testing ground for Dodge on equipment, parts, etc. and translated into money that poured into backing Petty's racing efforts. Such an advantage over the other drivers for so long must be taken into account.
Meanwhile, all of Earnhardt's wins came in NASCAR's "Modern Era" (1971-today), which has been a time when a larger group of the competition had factory money coming in combined with large corperate sponsors funding more race cars/teams, making more drivers capable of winning any given week.
Certainly, the debate will rage regardless of logic and reasoning and there is no doubt that both of these men deserve their place in the Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Class.
Tomorrow we'll look at the individual who got the third most votes. It would be blasphemy not to put him in the first year, since with out him there probably wouldn't be a NASCAR, much less a NASCAR Hall of Fame. See ya tomorrow.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
The NASCAR Hall of Fame - Introduction
The NASCAR Hall of Fame (NHOF) will open in the Spring of next year. It will be located in Charlotte, NC, just a few miles from the sight of the first NASCAR Cup Series Race. It's goal is to "honor NASCAR icons and create an enduring tribute to the drivers, crew members, team owners and others that have impacted the sport in the past, present and future."
Ever since the process of creating the NHOF began, the two big questions in the NASCAR community/fanbase has been who will go in the first NHOF Class and how will potential inductees be selected. Well recently the NHOF announced how their selection process will work.
1. To be eligible for induction, drivers as well as other candidates will be considered eligible after 10 years of competition or work in the industry. Careers of shorter duration can be considered under unusual circumstances. Individuals must be retired from the sport for at least three years.
2. The nomination committee, who will nominate the potential NHOF inductees to be voted on, will consist of (1) seven top-ranking NASCAR officials (chairman of the board, president and five vice presidents); (2) the NASCAR Hall of Fame executive director and its historian; (3) two track owner representatives from International Speedway Corp. tracks, two from Speedway Motorsports tracks, one from Indianapolis, one from Dover and one from Pocono, and one representative from each of four historic short tracks - Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C., Greenville-Pickens Speedway in South Carolina, Riverhead in New York and Irwindale in California. This comes out to 20 members of the nomination committee. These committee members must nominate no more than 25 candidates by June each year.
3. Once the nominees have been selected, a voting committee will vote on which nominees will go into the NHOF. The voting committee consists of (1) members of the nominating committee; (2) 14 media representatives (three each from the National Motorsports Press Association, the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Eastern Motorsports Press Association and one each from Fox, Turner, ESPN, Motor Racing Network and Performance Racing Network); (3) one representative from each manufacturer; (4) three retired drivers; (5) three retired owners; (6) and three retired crew chiefs. (7) Also, a fan vote will take place between June and Sept. 1 and their selections will count as one vote in the process. This comes out to 47 members of the voting committee plus one vote representing the fans. The voting process is to be completed by Sept. 15.
4. Once the votes have been received, the top five vote-getters each will be elected to the Hall of Fame. Ties in voting will be broken by the Hall of Fame nominating committee. The NHOF class is scheduled to be announced in October with induction the following May.
With all of that said, all we know so far is that we will see the list of the first 25 nominees for the Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Class this upcoming June.
Although the opinions of a large majority of the nominating committee are not known, stockcarhistoryonline.com surveyed 28 people, including well-known motorsports competitors, journalists, officials, and one super-fan to see who would go in if they were choosing the first Class of NHOFers. Some of the folks polled are or may be involved in the process, others are not. Those polled includes Jim Hunter - Vice President of NASCAR Corporate Communications; Retired driver - Richard Petty; Current drivers Kyle Petty, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Tony Stewart; Track presidents Roger Curtis (Michigan) and Eddie Gossage (Texas); and NASCAR media personalities Dr. Jerry Punch, Jay Adamcyk, Steve Waid, Randy Hallman, Monte Dutton, Rick Minter, Godwin Kelly, Marc Fein, Joe Menzer, Mark Aumann, Dick Conway, Duane Cross, Mike Fresina, Bryan Hallman, Mike Hembree, Jeff Owens, Dave Rodman, Jim Utter, David Poole, and Rick Houston; and one "super-fan". Some of these names are known by every fan, some are not, but trust me when I tell you that these folks (except for maybe the "super-fan") KNOW their NASCAR! Each person was allowed to name 5 picks for who should go into the Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Class.
Over the next few days I'll be reviewing their picks for the Hall and commenting on each possible HOFer. Without revealing the list, let me say that these folks put out a very good list of five who should go in during the first year. I agree whole heartedly with the top 4. Tomorrow I'll profile the first two picks. If you follow NASCAR at all, it won't be any surprise who they are. See ya tomorrow.
Ever since the process of creating the NHOF began, the two big questions in the NASCAR community/fanbase has been who will go in the first NHOF Class and how will potential inductees be selected. Well recently the NHOF announced how their selection process will work.
1. To be eligible for induction, drivers as well as other candidates will be considered eligible after 10 years of competition or work in the industry. Careers of shorter duration can be considered under unusual circumstances. Individuals must be retired from the sport for at least three years.
2. The nomination committee, who will nominate the potential NHOF inductees to be voted on, will consist of (1) seven top-ranking NASCAR officials (chairman of the board, president and five vice presidents); (2) the NASCAR Hall of Fame executive director and its historian; (3) two track owner representatives from International Speedway Corp. tracks, two from Speedway Motorsports tracks, one from Indianapolis, one from Dover and one from Pocono, and one representative from each of four historic short tracks - Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C., Greenville-Pickens Speedway in South Carolina, Riverhead in New York and Irwindale in California. This comes out to 20 members of the nomination committee. These committee members must nominate no more than 25 candidates by June each year.
3. Once the nominees have been selected, a voting committee will vote on which nominees will go into the NHOF. The voting committee consists of (1) members of the nominating committee; (2) 14 media representatives (three each from the National Motorsports Press Association, the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Eastern Motorsports Press Association and one each from Fox, Turner, ESPN, Motor Racing Network and Performance Racing Network); (3) one representative from each manufacturer; (4) three retired drivers; (5) three retired owners; (6) and three retired crew chiefs. (7) Also, a fan vote will take place between June and Sept. 1 and their selections will count as one vote in the process. This comes out to 47 members of the voting committee plus one vote representing the fans. The voting process is to be completed by Sept. 15.
4. Once the votes have been received, the top five vote-getters each will be elected to the Hall of Fame. Ties in voting will be broken by the Hall of Fame nominating committee. The NHOF class is scheduled to be announced in October with induction the following May.
With all of that said, all we know so far is that we will see the list of the first 25 nominees for the Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Class this upcoming June.
Although the opinions of a large majority of the nominating committee are not known, stockcarhistoryonline.com surveyed 28 people, including well-known motorsports competitors, journalists, officials, and one super-fan to see who would go in if they were choosing the first Class of NHOFers. Some of the folks polled are or may be involved in the process, others are not. Those polled includes Jim Hunter - Vice President of NASCAR Corporate Communications; Retired driver - Richard Petty; Current drivers Kyle Petty, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Tony Stewart; Track presidents Roger Curtis (Michigan) and Eddie Gossage (Texas); and NASCAR media personalities Dr. Jerry Punch, Jay Adamcyk, Steve Waid, Randy Hallman, Monte Dutton, Rick Minter, Godwin Kelly, Marc Fein, Joe Menzer, Mark Aumann, Dick Conway, Duane Cross, Mike Fresina, Bryan Hallman, Mike Hembree, Jeff Owens, Dave Rodman, Jim Utter, David Poole, and Rick Houston; and one "super-fan". Some of these names are known by every fan, some are not, but trust me when I tell you that these folks (except for maybe the "super-fan") KNOW their NASCAR! Each person was allowed to name 5 picks for who should go into the Inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Class.
Over the next few days I'll be reviewing their picks for the Hall and commenting on each possible HOFer. Without revealing the list, let me say that these folks put out a very good list of five who should go in during the first year. I agree whole heartedly with the top 4. Tomorrow I'll profile the first two picks. If you follow NASCAR at all, it won't be any surprise who they are. See ya tomorrow.
Monday, March 16, 2009
RIP - The Rev. Hal Marchman... Shalom and Amen
I just read on several websites that the Reverend, Hal Marchman has passed away.
In 1959, shortly after becoming the Pastor of a Baptist congregation in the Daytona Beach area, Rev. Hal Marchman was asked by his friend to say the invocation (opening prayer) at an upcoming event that the friend was hosting. The friend was Bill France Sr., founding member and President of NASCAR; The event was the 500-mile stock car race at the newly built Daytona International Speedway, an event now known as the innaugural Daytona 500.
Marchman said the prayer that day and continued saying the opening prayer at each year's Daytona 500 for 45 more years. Marchman retired from his role at the track after the 2004 Daytona 500. He had been fighting dementia and memory loss for several years, but a sudden bout of illness ended his life, according to his daughter Anne Marchman-Jones.
On a personal note: when I started watching NASCAR, we began the tradition of standing up for the prayer at the beginning of each race, even though we were watching at home. Over time, there have been many men that have said many prayers before the start of the many races I've seen. The only one who stands out to me is Rev. Hal Marchman. I feel honored to have been in attendance for his final time saying the invocation.
Memorably, he closed every Daytona 500 invocation with a word of peace for those in the Jewish community. Why, I'm not sure. Regardless, I feel that it is only fitting to close the blog the same way...
In 1959, shortly after becoming the Pastor of a Baptist congregation in the Daytona Beach area, Rev. Hal Marchman was asked by his friend to say the invocation (opening prayer) at an upcoming event that the friend was hosting. The friend was Bill France Sr., founding member and President of NASCAR; The event was the 500-mile stock car race at the newly built Daytona International Speedway, an event now known as the innaugural Daytona 500.
Marchman said the prayer that day and continued saying the opening prayer at each year's Daytona 500 for 45 more years. Marchman retired from his role at the track after the 2004 Daytona 500. He had been fighting dementia and memory loss for several years, but a sudden bout of illness ended his life, according to his daughter Anne Marchman-Jones.
On a personal note: when I started watching NASCAR, we began the tradition of standing up for the prayer at the beginning of each race, even though we were watching at home. Over time, there have been many men that have said many prayers before the start of the many races I've seen. The only one who stands out to me is Rev. Hal Marchman. I feel honored to have been in attendance for his final time saying the invocation.
Memorably, he closed every Daytona 500 invocation with a word of peace for those in the Jewish community. Why, I'm not sure. Regardless, I feel that it is only fitting to close the blog the same way...
God, I ask that you would be with the family of Hal Marchman. I ask that you grant them peace and comfort in this time of grief. I thank you for Hal's life and for all the work you did through him. May his life story ever be a testimony to your glory. In Jesus' name I pray...
SHALOM AND AMEN
Rest in Peace
The Reverend - Hal Marchman
1919-2009
SHALOM AND AMEN
Rest in PeaceThe Reverend - Hal Marchman
1919-2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
A Tiny Tribute to a Great Fictional American (24 Spoilers, CONSIDER YOURSELF WARNED!)
Out of respect for those of you who may read my blog and happen to be a fan of 24, this post will contain spoilers on last nights episode. If you do not want to know anything about what happened then PLEASE DO NOT CONTINUE....
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At 8:11 PM (24-Time), the clock ran silent for Bill Buchanan.
Since season 4 Bill has been serving his country on screen and his death on the show is a huge loss for Jack, the fictional USA, and the fanbase.
Season 4, Episode 15 - Season 7, Episode 13
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At 8:11 PM (24-Time), the clock ran silent for Bill Buchanan.
Since season 4 Bill has been serving his country on screen and his death on the show is a huge loss for Jack, the fictional USA, and the fanbase.
R.I.P. Bill Buchanan.
Season 4, Episode 15 - Season 7, Episode 13
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Monday, February 09, 2009
Getting Ready for The Great American Race
This Sunday is the 51st running of the Daytona 500 and that means that there will be lots of smiling come race time on Sunday. Whatever day the Daytona 500 occurs on every year is like a holiday for me and my brother. I have lots of stuff to get ready and plenty of cleaning here in the basement as I prepare to welcome folks over to watch the race.
As I write this, I understand that not everyone is a NASCAR fan, so let me help you understand why you should watch the 500 on Sunday...
Everyone enjoys a big event. Whether it's a competition, an awards show, a brand new season of your favorite TV show, or even a reality television extravaganza, there's almost always a big television event that someone will enjoy.
Most guys and a lot of girls all across America enjoy watching sports. For many there is nothing bigger than the World Series, the Stanley Cup finals, the Final Four, WrestleMania, the Masters, the BCS Championship game, or the Super Bowl. All of those are examples of the biggest event that their respective sports have to offer.
Every February, there is a 10 day period of time that captivates millions of people known simply as Speedweek at Daytona. The event takes place at a magical place. This place is one where time can stand still, where history lives and breaths all around you. Here you can feel 50+ years of excitement, passion, triumph, and tragedy swirling around you as you bask in the glory of these hallowed grounds. This place is the Daytona International Speedway.
After the preliminary events have taken place over the first nine days, the main event is set. The greatest race in the world. The Daytona 500. Since it's inception in 1959, the Daytona 500 has become an annual tradition of great racing and great racing moments.
In the first Daytona 500, Lee Petty sped toward the finish line in a side-by-side battle with Johnny Beauchamp, a hiccup finish made even more complicated by the fact that Joe Weatherly, two laps down, was wedged in beside the two leaders. The three cars crossed the finish line in a dead-heat blur. Who won? Nobody knew. It was too close to call. It took three days of studying still photos of the finish before NASCAR president Bill France Sr. finally proclaimed Petty the victor. The margin of victory was determined to be 24 inches, give or take.
The 2007 edition of "The Great American Race" was another barn burner that came right down to wire. Kevin Harvick, driving for the same team who's driver died in the race six years prior to the day, edged out Mark Martin for the win in a finish that saw a major crash happen as the top 2 crossed the finish line. The margin or victory? Mere inches. Two or three at the most. NASCAR now measures the margin of victory using how many seconds it takes the second place finisher to cross the finish line after the winner. Using this formula, Kevin Harvick beat Mark Martin by 0.020 seconds. This was the closest finish in the Daytona 500 since Lee Petty won in 1959.
Last year was the 50th Daytona 500. In celebration of this race's history, NASCAR gathered all of the living winners of the 500 on stage to honor their status as Daytona 500 Champions.
Over the past 50 years, there have been many other memorable Daytona 500s. Each running is special in it's own way. As an event, you can't get any bigger. It's a brand new season of your favorite TV show since it's the start of the NASCAR season. It's a competition where drivers, cars, and crews are pitted against each other in an effort to be the best at managing all three well enough to beat the other drivers, cars, and crews. It's a reality television extravaganza where emotion is raw, tempers flare, and at any given moment someone could make a mistake and the consequences could be as little as an inconvenience or as big as the loss of a life. Finally, it's an awards show where the man who can survive and do it faster than anyone else rolls into Victory Lane and gets his name enshrined in immortality as the winner of the Harley J. Earl Trophy, signifying that he will forever be known as a champion of the Daytona 500.
As the days pass coming to the 51st Daytona 500, I will be watching lots of Speed Channel. I'm so ready for this race. It's time to reach up, pull those seatbelts tight, and brace yourselves for what could be another great Daytona 500! Wanna join me?
Thursday, January 29, 2009
R.I.P. Billy Powell - Piano Player for Lynyrd Skynyrd
R.I.P. Billy Powell
Piano/Keyboard
June 3, 1952 - January 28, 2009
Billy started taking piano lessons as a young boy. He was such a natural that his instructor stated that she was not needed. He was that good. After starting high school in Jacksonville, FL, Billy was introduced to a young fella by the name of Leon Wilkeson. After he was done with high school, Billy enrolled in a local community college where he majored in music theory. He played music with some local groups and was also did work as a roadie for an up and coming band called Lynyrd Skynyrd for about two years.
One night while with the band members, Billy sat down at a piano and played a piano rendition of a song that Skynyrd had been playing called "Freebird." After hearing Powell do his thing on the keys, lead singer Ronnie Van Zant said, "You mean to tell me, you've been playing the piano like that and you've been workin' for us for (over) a year?" Billy replied, "Well, you know, I've been classically trained most of my life." He was then informed that not only had they been searching for someone to play the keys, but that they felt he was the man for the job. Not long afterward, Lynyrd Skynyrd hit it big and soon became a household name. From 1973 until 1977, Powell and the rest of the Skynyrd boys blazed a musical trail across the world, becoming a planet wide sensation as they brought their brand of southern rock to the masses.
It all came crashing down, literally, as the band was involved in a fatal plane crash that claimed the lives of their newest guitar player, Steve Gaines, and the leader/front man for the group, Ronnie Van Zant. Billy suffered severe facial lacerations, almost completely losing his nose but was otherwise relatively uninjured. He was the first released from the hospital and was the only member of the band able to attend the funerals of the fallen.
In the first decade following the crash, Billy briefly joined a Christian rock band named Vision. Powell often spoke during the concerts about his newly found faith in Jesus Christ. He still claimed Christ as his Lord and Savior at the time of his passing.
In 1987, the surviving members of Lynyrd Skynyrd went on tour with some former members who were not with the band at the time of the crash, and with Ronnie Van Zant's younger brother Johnny on vocals. The tour went fairly well and the group continued to tour up through January 2009.
Since 1987, nearly all of the members of the original group have passed away. The group that has gone on with the name Lynyrd Skynyrd is far from the real thing without Ronnie's direction and guidance, but for whatever reason, Billy and original guitarist Gary Rossington have contributed to the tribute band since 1987.
Billy Powell suffered what is believed to have been a heart attack yesterday morning shortly after 12:00 AM. He was pronounced dead at 1:52 AM. He is survived by his wife, Ellen, and his son, Brandon.
Billy was a legend and had a legendary story to tell. Today, he is hopefully reunited with all those Skynyrd members who have already gone on. In remembering Billy Powell, we also take a moment to reflect on those other friends who have left this world.
Ronnie Van Zant - Lead Vocals
January 15, 1948 - October 20, 1977
Steve Gaines - Guitar
September 14, 1949 - October 20, 1977
Allen Collins - Guitar
July 19, 1952 - January 23, 1990
January 15, 1948 - October 20, 1977
Steve Gaines - Guitar
September 14, 1949 - October 20, 1977
Allen Collins - Guitar
July 19, 1952 - January 23, 1990
Allen died from complications of an automobile accident that occured in 1986.
Leon Wilkeson - Bass
April 2, 1952 - July 27, 2001
April 2, 1952 - July 27, 2001
Leon had apparently been suffering from chronic liver and lung disease; the cause of death was deemed 'from natural causes.'
The surviving members of the original Lynyrd Skynyrd band are: Gary Rossington - guitar, Ed King - guitar, Bob Burns - drums, Artimus Pyle - drums.
Billy Powell in 2003. The last time I saw him perform in person.
Billy Powell in 2003. The last time I saw him perform in person.Thursday, December 25, 2008
A Christmas Prayer...
Today is Christmas. Most importantly it is the day in which many people celebrate the first advent of Jesus Christ. For most of us it also is a time to celebrate family and be with our loved ones. It is no different for me.
This morning I am watching Fox and Friends on the Fox News Channel. They just showed a video package that really pulled on my heart and caused this bearded boy to cry. It was a video of families greeting their loved ones. Loved ones who have been away from their families in a far away land for a long time. These men and women who were welcomed home for Christmas by their husbands, wives, kids, and other loved ones are members of the United States Armed Forces.
These folks are just like you and I, except they have committed their time and their lives to establishing, protecting, and defending freedom at home and abroad, even on Christmas Day. Some of these are men and women who have not seen those they love for a long time. Instead of gift-wrapped presents, they have and will receive bullets fired at them and mortars raining down around them during this time when we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace.
Some have been busy defending freedom and liberty instead of celebrating the birth of a child they have never seen or instead of mourning a family member who has passed on while they are away. Some have been establishing a political culture of democracy in the Middle East while their wive struggle with not having a husband around to fulfill the role of a husband and their kids struggle with remembering what it feels like to have daddy at home, giving them a hug, and tucking them into bed every night.
My prayer for Christmas is this:
Lord God - I thank You for Your love and Your grace. I thank You for the gift of your Son, Who set aside His glorious life in Heaven so that He might come to earth, bring glory to You, and to make permanent atonement for those who You chose before the foundation of the world.
As all good things flow from You, I also thank You for the opportunity to be with my family on this day. However, there are those who are unable to be with their loved ones for various reasons during this Christmas season. I ask that You would be their comfort in this difficult time and that You will allow them to be with their families again. Most of all, I recognize that You are the Sovereign Ruler over all of creation and that nothing happens outside of Your direction and/or permission, and with that recognition I ask that Your will be done and that everything that ever happens will bring glory to You in the end.
Once again, I thank You for everything that is, was, and will be. I love You and I look forward to the day when I can spend Christmas Day with You in Your presence. I say and ask these things in the most beautiful name of Jesus...Amen.
As for those of you who are reading, have Merry Christmas and Soli Deo Gloria!
This morning I am watching Fox and Friends on the Fox News Channel. They just showed a video package that really pulled on my heart and caused this bearded boy to cry. It was a video of families greeting their loved ones. Loved ones who have been away from their families in a far away land for a long time. These men and women who were welcomed home for Christmas by their husbands, wives, kids, and other loved ones are members of the United States Armed Forces.
These folks are just like you and I, except they have committed their time and their lives to establishing, protecting, and defending freedom at home and abroad, even on Christmas Day. Some of these are men and women who have not seen those they love for a long time. Instead of gift-wrapped presents, they have and will receive bullets fired at them and mortars raining down around them during this time when we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace.
Some have been busy defending freedom and liberty instead of celebrating the birth of a child they have never seen or instead of mourning a family member who has passed on while they are away. Some have been establishing a political culture of democracy in the Middle East while their wive struggle with not having a husband around to fulfill the role of a husband and their kids struggle with remembering what it feels like to have daddy at home, giving them a hug, and tucking them into bed every night.
My prayer for Christmas is this:
Lord God - I thank You for Your love and Your grace. I thank You for the gift of your Son, Who set aside His glorious life in Heaven so that He might come to earth, bring glory to You, and to make permanent atonement for those who You chose before the foundation of the world.
As all good things flow from You, I also thank You for the opportunity to be with my family on this day. However, there are those who are unable to be with their loved ones for various reasons during this Christmas season. I ask that You would be their comfort in this difficult time and that You will allow them to be with their families again. Most of all, I recognize that You are the Sovereign Ruler over all of creation and that nothing happens outside of Your direction and/or permission, and with that recognition I ask that Your will be done and that everything that ever happens will bring glory to You in the end.
Once again, I thank You for everything that is, was, and will be. I love You and I look forward to the day when I can spend Christmas Day with You in Your presence. I say and ask these things in the most beautiful name of Jesus...Amen.
As for those of you who are reading, have Merry Christmas and Soli Deo Gloria!
Monday, December 08, 2008
The Peaceful Transfer of Power - Air Force One. Dallas TX, November 22, 1963
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In our first edition of "The Peaceful Transfer of Power", we will take a look at the first swearing-in of Lyndon Baines Johnson.On the morning of November 22, 1963 Lyndon Johnson was the Vice President of the United States under President John F. Kennedy. Johnson was chosen by Kennedy to be his V.P. candidate in 1960 to help his campaign win the southern states in the country. As a Catholic from Massachusetts, JFK knew that if he was going to win the Presidency he would need a man with Johnson's southern reputation like Johnson to get the votes he needed. Kennedy and Johnson won the election of 1960 and went on to the White House.
Johnson, a member of the House of Representatives from Texas from 1937 to 1949, and a Senator from Texas from 1949 to 1961, was used to getting alot done in the halls of congress throughout his political career. One he ascended to the Vice-Presidency, however, he was held under with no real power and little to no influence in the JFK administration.
In late November of 1963, Kennedy was already campaigning for reelection in the vote of '64. He chose to go to Texas and capitalize on his association with the "hometown boy." On the afternoon of November 22, Kennedy's Presidential motorcade rolled through the streets of Dallas amid the cheers from a crowd that Kennedy held in the palm of his hand. Riding with President & Mrs. Kennedy was Texas Governor, John Connally and his wife, Nellie. Vice-President Johnson rode in a car behind the President's.
After turning onto Elm St. heading into Dealey Plaza, Nellie Connally remarked to President Kennedy "Mr. President, you can't say Dallas doesn't love you." Right after these words were spoken, shots rang out from crowd noise and blood splattered everywhere in the Presidential limousine. The President had been hit and it was looking gruesome. The motorcade swiftly got out of Dealey Plaza and rushed to Parkland Memorial Hospital. Once inside, the medical staff did all they could to save the young President, but it was too late. At 1:00 PM CST, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was pronounced dead. Johnson was at the hospital at that moment.
The U.S. Constitution provides that should the president die or become disabled while in office, the "powers and duties" of the office are transferred to the Vice President. Thus, at the moment of President Kennedy's death, Lyndon Baines Johnson became the President of the United States.
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After leaving the hospital, President Johnson and a small group of reporters rushed to Love Field in Dallas where Air Force One was parked. Johnson had been on the phone with Attorney General Robert Kennedy (brother of the slain President) moments earlier and was told to take the oath before getting airborn. Once inside the plane, Johnson requested Federal District Judge Sarah Hughes of Dallas to come to the plane to administer the oath. With her husbands body now on the plane, the newly widowed Jacqueline Kennedy sent word that she wished to attend but needed a few minutes to compose herself.
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Mrs. Kennedy entered the conference room aboard the plane, still in the two-piece, blood stained, pink wool suit she had worn in the motorcade. Johnson took her gently by the hand, placing her to his left. Mrs. Johnson stood on his right. With the heat inside the plane being unbearable, Johnson asked for a glass of ice water. A Bible could not be found on the plane but President Kennedy's personal catholic missal was found and was prepared for Johnson to place his hand upon. Once the microphone and the cameraman were in place, Johnson placed his left hand on the missal and raised his right and Lyndon Baines Johnson took the Presidential Oath of Office.
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The days following this historic moment were filled with sadness, confusion, and questions. It is my personal belief that President Kennedy's assassination was orchestrated by Johnson and a group of conspirators. Regardless, Johnson has been looked on by Democrats with high regard and historians rank him fairly well.
Today at Love Field, there is almost nothing to remind us of the historic events that transpired in it's bounds. The area where Air Force One sat there is now a part of a DHL shipping operation.
The plane, SAM 26000, then known as Air Force One, was retired from serving Presidents in 1998. It is now a part of an exhibit on Presidential aircraft at the National Museum of the United States Air Force where it has been opened up for tours. The interior has been restored to it's appearance during the Johnson Presidency.
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The Peaceful Transfer of Power - Introduction
On January 20, 2009, Barack Hussein Obama II will (weather permitting) stand on the West Front of the United States Capitol and take the Oath of Office to become the 44th President of the United States. Ever since George Washington became our nation's first President, every man to hold the highest elected office in our land has marked his ascension to power by reciting the following 35 words as prescribed by the United States Constitution.
"I (, full name typically inserted here,) do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
This ceremony and all of the hype that usually comes along with it is often referred to as The Inauguration. As of 2008, the Presidential Oath of Office has been recited by 42 different men on 69 different occasions. Five of those times, the Oath was taken twice by the same man to initiate the same term for different reasons between the five occurrences. 24 different locations have played host to the event in or around 10 different buildings and 1 aircraft. These locations have been in 6 different cities, in 4 different states and 1 federal district.
With all of this information, you can probably tell that the Inaugural ceremony has not always been as "cut and dried" as it may seem. Certainly the Inaugurations we see on TV today have been well scripted events but it is not always so rehearsed. Death, weather, mystery and other circumstances have made the history of taking "the Oath" an interesting subject for me to study over the past month and now I will begin relaying some of these interesting little facts to anyone who cares to read my blog. Starting with a new blog later today we will take a look at every Presidential Inauguration by location. We will start with the one that took place the furthest away from the West Front of the United States Capitol and work our way around to the place where President-Elect Obama will presumably stand to take the Oath of Office. Stay tuned for later today when we take a look at what may have been the least "peaceful transfer of power" this country has ever seen.
"I (, full name typically inserted here,) do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
This ceremony and all of the hype that usually comes along with it is often referred to as The Inauguration. As of 2008, the Presidential Oath of Office has been recited by 42 different men on 69 different occasions. Five of those times, the Oath was taken twice by the same man to initiate the same term for different reasons between the five occurrences. 24 different locations have played host to the event in or around 10 different buildings and 1 aircraft. These locations have been in 6 different cities, in 4 different states and 1 federal district.
With all of this information, you can probably tell that the Inaugural ceremony has not always been as "cut and dried" as it may seem. Certainly the Inaugurations we see on TV today have been well scripted events but it is not always so rehearsed. Death, weather, mystery and other circumstances have made the history of taking "the Oath" an interesting subject for me to study over the past month and now I will begin relaying some of these interesting little facts to anyone who cares to read my blog. Starting with a new blog later today we will take a look at every Presidential Inauguration by location. We will start with the one that took place the furthest away from the West Front of the United States Capitol and work our way around to the place where President-Elect Obama will presumably stand to take the Oath of Office. Stay tuned for later today when we take a look at what may have been the least "peaceful transfer of power" this country has ever seen.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
It is Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is upon us again. Personally I am celebrating my 24th Thanksgiving and it's been 387 years since the traditional first Thanksgiving at Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts.
As I reflect on the year and the years gone by I could compile a huge list of the people, places, and things I am thankful for and to. I'll not list everyone/thing, but here is a short list.
I am thankful to our sovereign God, not only for what He does for me, but what he does to me most of all. I am thankful for God's sovereignty over all things.
I am thankful for/to my earthly family.
I am thankful for/to my family that God has so graciously grafted me into.
I am thankful for my job. It's not much, but it's more than some people have.
Now for a short list of specifics...
I'm thankful for...
- my Dad: that he is still with us for another Thanksgiving and has always been a real life super hero to me. Even in all of his weakness, his strength and God's strength in him shine through brighter than ever.
- my Mom: for being strong when no one else can be and for holding everything at the home front together.
- The Young (Ryan, Hillary, Kenzie, Riah, and Truth) and the Edwards (Aaron, Danielle, Natalie, and the to-be-born/unnamed baby) families: for welcoming me into their lives and for being wonderful examples of Christ in this world and in my life.
- Boo: for being the best big brother I could ever have. Even though you prayed for me to be, you are just as much a blessing to me.
- Joe: for being my other "big" brother. It's an honor and a privilege to know you and to be considered your friend. Thanks for letting me share in so many of your life experiences and for having me over to play Rock Band all the time :)
- my nieces (Savannah and Jaclyn) and nephew (Jordan): for keeping things light and just being kids. They force us all to be a bit younger.
- my cousin Starla: for all of her prayers, love, and friendship. She's always been there when I needed her, regardless of the many distances between us.
- Brandon, Josh, Matt, Kat, Mel, and Johnny: you guys help me stay sane and have been the some of the best friends God could have given me. Even if we don't hang out and talk everyday, I know that I can count on you guys to have my back if I needed you to stand beside me in a fight or to catch me if I fall.
...and with slight humor I also add...
Harmonix: for creating such a fun game to play whether it's just me or it's with friends.
I'm thankful for you taking the time to read this, and till next time, be thankful...
As I reflect on the year and the years gone by I could compile a huge list of the people, places, and things I am thankful for and to. I'll not list everyone/thing, but here is a short list.
I am thankful to our sovereign God, not only for what He does for me, but what he does to me most of all. I am thankful for God's sovereignty over all things.
I am thankful for/to my earthly family.
I am thankful for/to my family that God has so graciously grafted me into.
I am thankful for my job. It's not much, but it's more than some people have.
Now for a short list of specifics...
I'm thankful for...
- my Dad: that he is still with us for another Thanksgiving and has always been a real life super hero to me. Even in all of his weakness, his strength and God's strength in him shine through brighter than ever.
- my Mom: for being strong when no one else can be and for holding everything at the home front together.
- The Young (Ryan, Hillary, Kenzie, Riah, and Truth) and the Edwards (Aaron, Danielle, Natalie, and the to-be-born/unnamed baby) families: for welcoming me into their lives and for being wonderful examples of Christ in this world and in my life.
- Boo: for being the best big brother I could ever have. Even though you prayed for me to be, you are just as much a blessing to me.
- Joe: for being my other "big" brother. It's an honor and a privilege to know you and to be considered your friend. Thanks for letting me share in so many of your life experiences and for having me over to play Rock Band all the time :)
- my nieces (Savannah and Jaclyn) and nephew (Jordan): for keeping things light and just being kids. They force us all to be a bit younger.
- my cousin Starla: for all of her prayers, love, and friendship. She's always been there when I needed her, regardless of the many distances between us.
- Brandon, Josh, Matt, Kat, Mel, and Johnny: you guys help me stay sane and have been the some of the best friends God could have given me. Even if we don't hang out and talk everyday, I know that I can count on you guys to have my back if I needed you to stand beside me in a fight or to catch me if I fall.
...and with slight humor I also add...
Harmonix: for creating such a fun game to play whether it's just me or it's with friends.
I'm thankful for you taking the time to read this, and till next time, be thankful...
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
What Happened Whensday: September 24, 2008
This is the 267th day of the year (268th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 98 days remaining until the end of the year.
Events:
622 - Prophet Muhammad completes his hegira from Mecca to Medina.
1180 - Manuel I Komnenos, last Emperor of the Komnenian restoration dies. The Byzantine Empire slips into terminal decline.
1664 - The Netherlands surrenders New Amsterdam to England.
1789 - The office of the Attorney General of the United States of America, and the United States Post Office Department, are established.
1841 - The Sultan of Brunei cedes Sarawak to Britain.
1852 - The first airship powered by (a steam) engine, created by Henri Giffard, travels 17 miles (27 km) from Paris to Trappes.
1869 - "Black Friday": Gold prices plummet after Ulysses S. Grant orders the Treasury to sell large quantities of gold after Jay Gould and James Fisk plot to control the market.
1877 - Battle of Shiroyama, decisive victory of the Imperial Japanese Army over the Satsuma Rebellion
1890 - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints officially renounces polygamy.
1903 - Edmund Barton steps down as Prime Minister of Australia and is succeeded by Alfred Deakin.
1906 - U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt proclaims Devils Tower the nation's first National Monument.
1935 - Earl Bascom and Weldon Bascom produce the first rodeo ever held outdoors under electric lights at Columbia, Mississippi
1946 - Cathay Pacific Airways is founded in Hong Kong
1947 - Majestic 12 is allegedly established by secret executive order of President Harry Truman
1948 - The Honda Motor Company is founded.
1950 - Forest fires black out the sun over portions of Canada and New England. A Blue moon (in the astronomical sense) is seen as far away as Europe.
1957 - Camp Nou, the largest stadium in Europe, is opened in Barcelona.
1957 - President Dwight D. Eisenhower sends 101st Airborne Division troops to Little Rock, Arkansas, to enforce desegregation.
1962 - United States court of appeals orders the University of Mississippi to admit James Meredith.
1973 - Guinea-Bissau declares its independence from Portugal.
1990 - Periodic Great White Spot observed on Saturn
1994 - National League for Democracy is formed by Aung San Suu Kyi and various others to help fight against dictatorship in Myanmar.
1996 - U.S. President Bill Clinton signs the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty at the United Nations.
2005 - Hurricane Rita makes landfall in the United States, devastating Beaumont, Texas and portions of southwestern Louisiana.
Births
1725 - Sir Arthur Guinness, Irish brewer (d. 1803)
1755 - John Marshall, 4th Chief Justice of the United States (d. 1835)
1921 - Jim McKay, American sportscaster (d. 2008)
1936 - Jim Henson, American puppeteer (d. 1990)
1941 - Linda McCartney, American singer (d. 1998)
1945 - Lou Dobbs, American journalist
1946 - "Mean" Joe Greene, American football player
1961 - Allen Bestwick, Nascar broadcaster
1965 - Sean McNabb, American bassist (Quiet Riot, Great White, Rough Cutt, House of Lords)
1976 - Stephanie McMahon-Levesque, American professional wrestler
[edit] Deaths
366 - Pope Liberius
1143 - Pope Innocent II
Events:
622 - Prophet Muhammad completes his hegira from Mecca to Medina.
1180 - Manuel I Komnenos, last Emperor of the Komnenian restoration dies. The Byzantine Empire slips into terminal decline.
1664 - The Netherlands surrenders New Amsterdam to England.
1789 - The office of the Attorney General of the United States of America, and the United States Post Office Department, are established.
1841 - The Sultan of Brunei cedes Sarawak to Britain.
1852 - The first airship powered by (a steam) engine, created by Henri Giffard, travels 17 miles (27 km) from Paris to Trappes.
1869 - "Black Friday": Gold prices plummet after Ulysses S. Grant orders the Treasury to sell large quantities of gold after Jay Gould and James Fisk plot to control the market.
1877 - Battle of Shiroyama, decisive victory of the Imperial Japanese Army over the Satsuma Rebellion
1890 - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints officially renounces polygamy.
1903 - Edmund Barton steps down as Prime Minister of Australia and is succeeded by Alfred Deakin.
1906 - U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt proclaims Devils Tower the nation's first National Monument.
1935 - Earl Bascom and Weldon Bascom produce the first rodeo ever held outdoors under electric lights at Columbia, Mississippi
1946 - Cathay Pacific Airways is founded in Hong Kong
1947 - Majestic 12 is allegedly established by secret executive order of President Harry Truman
1948 - The Honda Motor Company is founded.
1950 - Forest fires black out the sun over portions of Canada and New England. A Blue moon (in the astronomical sense) is seen as far away as Europe.
1957 - Camp Nou, the largest stadium in Europe, is opened in Barcelona.
1957 - President Dwight D. Eisenhower sends 101st Airborne Division troops to Little Rock, Arkansas, to enforce desegregation.
1962 - United States court of appeals orders the University of Mississippi to admit James Meredith.
1973 - Guinea-Bissau declares its independence from Portugal.
1990 - Periodic Great White Spot observed on Saturn
1994 - National League for Democracy is formed by Aung San Suu Kyi and various others to help fight against dictatorship in Myanmar.
1996 - U.S. President Bill Clinton signs the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty at the United Nations.
2005 - Hurricane Rita makes landfall in the United States, devastating Beaumont, Texas and portions of southwestern Louisiana.
Births
1725 - Sir Arthur Guinness, Irish brewer (d. 1803)
1755 - John Marshall, 4th Chief Justice of the United States (d. 1835)
1921 - Jim McKay, American sportscaster (d. 2008)
1936 - Jim Henson, American puppeteer (d. 1990)
1941 - Linda McCartney, American singer (d. 1998)
1945 - Lou Dobbs, American journalist
1946 - "Mean" Joe Greene, American football player
1961 - Allen Bestwick, Nascar broadcaster
1965 - Sean McNabb, American bassist (Quiet Riot, Great White, Rough Cutt, House of Lords)
1976 - Stephanie McMahon-Levesque, American professional wrestler
[edit] Deaths
366 - Pope Liberius
1143 - Pope Innocent II
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
What Happened Whensday: September 17, 2008
This is the 260th day of the year (261st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 105 days remaining until the end of the year.
Events:
1176 - The Battle of Myriokephalon is fought.
1462 - The Battle of Świecino (or Battle of Żarnowiec) is fought during Thirteen Years' War.
1577 - Peace of Bergerac signed between Henry III of France and the Huguenots.
1630 - The city of Boston, Massachusetts, is founded.
1631 - Sweden wins a major victory at the Battle of Breitenfeld against the Holy Roman Empire during the Thirty Years War.
1776 - The Presidio of San Francisco is founded in New Spain.
1778 - Treaty of Fort Pitt signed, the first formal treaty between the United States and a Native American tribe (the Lenape or Delaware).
1787 - The United States Constitution is signed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1809 - Peace between Sweden and Russia in the Finnish War. The territory to become Finland is ceded to Russia by the Treaty of Fredrikshamn.
1814 - Francis Scott Key finishes his The Star-Spangled Banner poem.
1859 - Joshua A. Norton declares himself Emperor Norton I of the United States.
1862 - American Civil War: George B. McClellan halts the northward drive of Robert E. Lee's Confederate army in the single-day Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest day in American history.
1862 - American Civil War: The Allegheny Arsenal explosion resulted in the single largest civilian disaster during the war
1894 - Battle of Yalu River, the largest naval engagement of the First Sino-Japanese War.
1900 - Philippine-American War: Filipinos under Juan Cailles defeat Americans under Colonel Benjamin F. Cheatham at Mabitac.
1908 - The Wright Flyer flown by Orville Wright, with Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge as passenger, crashes; killing Selfridge. He becomes the first airplane fatality.
1914 - Andrew Fisher becomes Prime Minister of Australia for the third time.
1916 - World War I: Manfred von Richthofen ("The Red Baron"), a flying ace of the German Luftstreitkräfte, won his first aerial combat near Cambrai, France.
1920 - Sports: National Football League is organized in Canton, Ohio, United States.
1924 - The Border Defence Corps was established in the Second Polish Republic for the defence of the eastern border against armed Soviet raids and local bandits.
1928 - The Okeechobee Hurricane strikes southeastern Florida, killing upwards of 2,500 people. It is the third deadliest natural disaster in US history, behind the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 and the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
1939 - The Soviet Union joined Nazi Germany's invasion of Poland during the Polish Defensive War of 1939.
1939 - World War II: A German U-boat U 29 sinks the British aircraft carrier HMS Courageous.
1941 - A decree of the Soviet State Committee of Defense, restoring Vsevobuch in the face of the Great Patriotic War, was issued
1943 - Russian city of Bryansk liberated from Nazis.
1944 - Allied Airborne troops parachute into the Netherlands as the "Market" half of Operation Market Garden.
1947 - James V. Forrestal was sworn in as the first Secretary of Defense of United States.
1948 - Lehi (also known as the Stern gang) assassinates Count Folke Bernadotte, who was appointed by the UN to mediate between the Arabs and Jews.
1949 - The Canadian steamship SS Noronic burns in Toronto Harbor with the loss of over 118 lives.
1956 - Television was first broadcast in Australia.
1957 - The North East Humanists group was founded in Newcastle upon Tyne.
1970 - Fighting breaks out along the Syria-Jordanian border between Jordanian troops and the fedayeen.
1976 - The first Space Shuttle, Enterprise, was unveiled by NASA.
1978 - The Camp David Accords were signed by Israel and Egypt.
1980 - After weeks of strikes at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk, Poland, the nationwide independent trade union Solidarity is established.
1980 - Former Nicaraguan President Anastasio Somoza Debayle is killed in Asunción, Paraguay.
1981 - ProWrestling: Ric Flair defeated Dusty Rhodes for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
1983 - Vanessa Williams becomes the first black Miss America.
1991 - North Korea, South Korea, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Marshall Islands and Micronesia join the United Nations.
1991 - The first version of the Linux kernel (0.01) is released to the Internet.
1993 - Last Russian troops leave Poland.
2000 - ProWrestling: Booker T defeated Kevin Nash for the WCW World Heaveyweight Championship
2003 - ProWrestling: Brock Lesnar defeated Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship
2004 - Tamil is declared the first classical language in India.
2007 - AOL, once the largest ISP in the U.S., officially announces plans to refocus the company as an advertising business and to relocate its corporate headquarters from Dulles, Virginia to New York, New York.
Births:
1550 - Pope Paul V (d. 1621)
1907 - Warren Burger, 15th Chief Justice of the United States (d. 1995)
1923 - Hank Williams, American musician (d. 1953)
1928 - Roddy McDowall, English actor (d. 1998)
1931 - Anne Bancroft, American actress (d. 2005)
1945 - Phil Jackson, American basketball player and NBA head coach
1948 - John Ritter, American actor (d. 2003)
1963 - Masahiro Chono, Japanese professional wrestler
1965 - Bryan Singer, American director
1969 - Keith Flint, Member of the British band The Prodigy
1974 - Rasheed Wallace, American basketball player
1975 - Jimmie Johnson, American race car driver
Deaths:
1899 - Charles Alfred Pillsbury, American industrialist (b. 1842)
1996 - Spiro Agnew, Vice President of the United States (b. 1918)
1997 - Red Skelton, American actor and comedian (b. 1913)
2006 - Patricia Kennedy Lawford, American socialite (b. 1924)
Events:
1176 - The Battle of Myriokephalon is fought.
1462 - The Battle of Świecino (or Battle of Żarnowiec) is fought during Thirteen Years' War.
1577 - Peace of Bergerac signed between Henry III of France and the Huguenots.
1630 - The city of Boston, Massachusetts, is founded.
1631 - Sweden wins a major victory at the Battle of Breitenfeld against the Holy Roman Empire during the Thirty Years War.
1776 - The Presidio of San Francisco is founded in New Spain.
1778 - Treaty of Fort Pitt signed, the first formal treaty between the United States and a Native American tribe (the Lenape or Delaware).
1787 - The United States Constitution is signed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1809 - Peace between Sweden and Russia in the Finnish War. The territory to become Finland is ceded to Russia by the Treaty of Fredrikshamn.
1814 - Francis Scott Key finishes his The Star-Spangled Banner poem.
1859 - Joshua A. Norton declares himself Emperor Norton I of the United States.
1862 - American Civil War: George B. McClellan halts the northward drive of Robert E. Lee's Confederate army in the single-day Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest day in American history.
1862 - American Civil War: The Allegheny Arsenal explosion resulted in the single largest civilian disaster during the war
1894 - Battle of Yalu River, the largest naval engagement of the First Sino-Japanese War.
1900 - Philippine-American War: Filipinos under Juan Cailles defeat Americans under Colonel Benjamin F. Cheatham at Mabitac.
1908 - The Wright Flyer flown by Orville Wright, with Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge as passenger, crashes; killing Selfridge. He becomes the first airplane fatality.
1914 - Andrew Fisher becomes Prime Minister of Australia for the third time.
1916 - World War I: Manfred von Richthofen ("The Red Baron"), a flying ace of the German Luftstreitkräfte, won his first aerial combat near Cambrai, France.
1920 - Sports: National Football League is organized in Canton, Ohio, United States.
1924 - The Border Defence Corps was established in the Second Polish Republic for the defence of the eastern border against armed Soviet raids and local bandits.
1928 - The Okeechobee Hurricane strikes southeastern Florida, killing upwards of 2,500 people. It is the third deadliest natural disaster in US history, behind the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 and the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
1939 - The Soviet Union joined Nazi Germany's invasion of Poland during the Polish Defensive War of 1939.
1939 - World War II: A German U-boat U 29 sinks the British aircraft carrier HMS Courageous.
1941 - A decree of the Soviet State Committee of Defense, restoring Vsevobuch in the face of the Great Patriotic War, was issued
1943 - Russian city of Bryansk liberated from Nazis.
1944 - Allied Airborne troops parachute into the Netherlands as the "Market" half of Operation Market Garden.
1947 - James V. Forrestal was sworn in as the first Secretary of Defense of United States.
1948 - Lehi (also known as the Stern gang) assassinates Count Folke Bernadotte, who was appointed by the UN to mediate between the Arabs and Jews.
1949 - The Canadian steamship SS Noronic burns in Toronto Harbor with the loss of over 118 lives.
1956 - Television was first broadcast in Australia.
1957 - The North East Humanists group was founded in Newcastle upon Tyne.
1970 - Fighting breaks out along the Syria-Jordanian border between Jordanian troops and the fedayeen.
1976 - The first Space Shuttle, Enterprise, was unveiled by NASA.
1978 - The Camp David Accords were signed by Israel and Egypt.
1980 - After weeks of strikes at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk, Poland, the nationwide independent trade union Solidarity is established.
1980 - Former Nicaraguan President Anastasio Somoza Debayle is killed in Asunción, Paraguay.
1981 - ProWrestling: Ric Flair defeated Dusty Rhodes for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
1983 - Vanessa Williams becomes the first black Miss America.
1991 - North Korea, South Korea, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Marshall Islands and Micronesia join the United Nations.
1991 - The first version of the Linux kernel (0.01) is released to the Internet.
1993 - Last Russian troops leave Poland.
2000 - ProWrestling: Booker T defeated Kevin Nash for the WCW World Heaveyweight Championship
2003 - ProWrestling: Brock Lesnar defeated Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship
2004 - Tamil is declared the first classical language in India.
2007 - AOL, once the largest ISP in the U.S., officially announces plans to refocus the company as an advertising business and to relocate its corporate headquarters from Dulles, Virginia to New York, New York.
Births:
1550 - Pope Paul V (d. 1621)
1907 - Warren Burger, 15th Chief Justice of the United States (d. 1995)
1923 - Hank Williams, American musician (d. 1953)
1928 - Roddy McDowall, English actor (d. 1998)
1931 - Anne Bancroft, American actress (d. 2005)
1945 - Phil Jackson, American basketball player and NBA head coach
1948 - John Ritter, American actor (d. 2003)
1963 - Masahiro Chono, Japanese professional wrestler
1965 - Bryan Singer, American director
1969 - Keith Flint, Member of the British band The Prodigy
1974 - Rasheed Wallace, American basketball player
1975 - Jimmie Johnson, American race car driver
Deaths:
1899 - Charles Alfred Pillsbury, American industrialist (b. 1842)
1996 - Spiro Agnew, Vice President of the United States (b. 1918)
1997 - Red Skelton, American actor and comedian (b. 1913)
2006 - Patricia Kennedy Lawford, American socialite (b. 1924)
Thursday, September 11, 2008
9/11: Today We Remember and We Shall Never Forget
Seven years ago today our nation and her citizens were attacked by radical Muslim terrorists in New York City, Washington D.C. and Somerset County, PA.
Nearly 3000 people were killed and over 6200 people were injured. I pray that God will comfort those who still grieve the loss of their loved ones.
Everything happens for a reason, and I know that while we may never see it in this lifetime, God has and will be glorified in light of and through the tragic events of that day.
May God bless the victims who survived, the families of the victims who did not, and may God continue to bless America.
In all things to God be the glory.
**Edit**
My 9/11 Story:
On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, I got up and went to school as I had the day before. It was the early days of my senior year at Word of Life Christian Academy. A little bit after 9:30 AM, as I sat at my desk, I noticed my teacher and several of my classmates acting sorta weird. These classmates were relatives of my teacher. They had looks of worry and fear on their faces. I took it upon myself to ask the teacher what was going on. She told me that everything was fine and to go back to my desk. I knew that she was feeding me a line of shit (no offense Mrs. Cadzow, I still love ya!).
After another 15 minutes passed I got up and told the teacher that I wanted to see my Mom, who was working in the kitchen to prepare lunches. On my way out, a different teacher stopped me crying and asked me if I was coming to the principal's office to pray. I asked her what was going on. She told me that people were ramming jets into buildings and that they had hit the World Trade Center towers. At the time, I wasn't even sure what the WTC towers looked like. She also said that the Pentagon had been hit and the White House could be next. We went to the principal's office where every staff member (all 10 of them) was huddled around the radio waiting for the newest CBS News Alert. After that we all paused and and prayed for God's protection and grace.
My Mom and I left at about 10:30 AM to go home and be with my Dad and Ms. Sandy (a lady who lived with us at the time). The rest of the day was spent in shock, horror, sadness, disbelief, and towards the end, being pissed off as I sat and watched these events unfold.
Last October, I had the pleasure of visiting the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum. While looking at many items of historical significance, I noticed an old-looking, rusty piece of steel on a stand in a corner. I wasn't really interested in it at first, but my brother says "Hey, what is that?" as he points to the object. I walked over and only after reading the tag under it did I realize that I was looking at a piece of I-beam from one of the WTC towers. I was in awe and somewhat reverent of this piece of national history and horror that was my generations "Day of Infamy." I leave you today with a photo of that very piece of American history.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
What Happened Whensday: September 10, 2008
This is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 112 days remaining until the end of the year.
Events:
506 - The bishops of Visigothic Gaul meet in the Council of Agde.
1419 - John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy is assassinated by adherents of the Dauphin, the future Charles VII of France.
1608 - John Smith is elected council president of Jamestown, Virginia.
1776 - American Revolutionary War: Nathan Hale volunteers to spy.
1798 - At the Battle of St. George's Caye, British Honduras defeats Spain.
1813 - The U.S. defeats the British Fleet at the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812.
1823 - Simón Bolívar is named President of Peru.
1846 - Elias Howe gets a patent for the sewing machine.
1858 - George Mary Searle discovers the asteroid 55 Pandora.
1897 - Lattimer Massacre - a sheriff's posse kills twenty unarmed immigrant miners in Pennsylvania, United States.
1898 - Empress Elizabeth of Austria is assassinated by Luigi Lucheni.
1919 - Austria and the Allies sign the Treaty of Saint-Germain recognizing the independence of Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia.
1927 - Sports: France had its first Davis Cup win, though it had competed since 1905.
1932 - The New York City Subway's third competing subway system, the municipally-owned IND, is opened.
1939 - World War II: The submarine HMAS Oxley is mistakenly sunk by the submarine HMS Triton near Norway and becomes the Royal Navy's first loss.
1939 - Canada declares war on Nazi Germany, joining France, the UK, New Zealand and Australia in the Allies.
1942 - World War II: The British carry out an amphibious landing on Madagascar to re-launch Allied offensive operations in the Madagascar Campaign.
1943 - World War II: German forces begin their occupation of Rome.
1945 - Mike the Headless Chicken is decapitated; he survives for another 18 months before choking to death.
1951 - United Kingdom began an economic boycott of Iran.
1961 - Italian Grand Prix, a crash causes the death of German driver Wolfgang von Trips and 13 spectators hit by his Ferrari.
1963 - 20 African-American students enter public schools in Alabama.
1966 - Music: "The Last Train to Clarksville" was released by the Monkees.
1967 - The people of Gibraltar vote to remain a British dependency rather than becoming part of Spain.
1972 - Sports: The United States loses its first international basketball game in a disputed match against the Soviet Union at Munich, Germany.
1974 - Guinea-Bissau gains independence from Portugal.
1976 - A British Airways Hawker Siddeley Trident and an Inex-Adria DC-9 collide near Zagreb, Yugoslavia, killing 176.
1977 - Last execution by Guillotine in France. Hamida Djandoubi, convicted for torture and murder.
1980 - Pro-Wrestling: Harley Race defeated Shohei Baba for the NWA Heavyweight Wrestling title
1990 - The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire – the largest church in Africa is consecrated by Pope John Paul II.
1990 - TV: Will Smith made his debut in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."
2000 - Cats closes on Broadway.
2002 - Switzerland, noted as a neutral country, joins the United Nations.
2003 - Anna Lindh, the foreign minister of Sweden, is stabbed fatally while shopping, and dies of her wounds on September 11.
2007 - Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif returns to Pakistan after seven years in exile, following a military coup in October 1999.
Births:
1487 - Pope Julius III, Italian Roman Catholic Pope (d. 1555)
1638 - Maria Theresa of Spain, queen of Louis XIV of France (d. 1683)
1914 - Robert Wise, American film director (d. 2005)
1917 - Miguel Serrano, Chilean author and diplomat
1918 - Rin Tin Tin, German shepherd dog (d. 1932)
1929 - Arnold Palmer, American golfer
1934 - Roger Maris, American baseball player (d. 1985)
1948 - Charlie Waters, American football player
1949 - Don Muraco, professional wrestler
1949 - Bill O'Reilly, American journalist and commentator
1950 - Joe Perry, American musician (Aerosmith)
1963 - Randy Johnson, American baseball player
1963 - Bill Stevenson, American music producer and musician
1965 - Robin Goodridge, English rock drummer (Bush)
1968 - Guy Ritchie, British film director
1974 - Ryan Phillippe, American actor
1974 - Ben Wallace, American basketball player
1980 - Mikey Way, American musician (My Chemical Romance)
1984 - Matthew Followill, guitarist of American rock band Kings Of Leon
1989 - Sanjaya Malakar, TV show contestant
Deaths:
210 BC - Qin Shi Huang, first emperor of China.
918 - Count Baldwin II of Flanders (b. 865)
954 - King Louis IV of France (b. 920)
1167 - Empress Matilda, wife of Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1102)
1197 - Henry II of Champagne (b. 1166)
1519 - John Colet, English churchman and educator
1997 - Jack Adkisson, professional wrestler, aka 'Fritz Von Erich' (b. 1929)
2006 - Daniel Wayne Smith, son of Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith (b. 1986)
2007 - Jane Wyman, American actress, first wife of Ronald Reagan (b.1917)
Events:
506 - The bishops of Visigothic Gaul meet in the Council of Agde.
1419 - John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy is assassinated by adherents of the Dauphin, the future Charles VII of France.
1608 - John Smith is elected council president of Jamestown, Virginia.
1776 - American Revolutionary War: Nathan Hale volunteers to spy.
1798 - At the Battle of St. George's Caye, British Honduras defeats Spain.
1813 - The U.S. defeats the British Fleet at the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812.
1823 - Simón Bolívar is named President of Peru.
1846 - Elias Howe gets a patent for the sewing machine.
1858 - George Mary Searle discovers the asteroid 55 Pandora.
1897 - Lattimer Massacre - a sheriff's posse kills twenty unarmed immigrant miners in Pennsylvania, United States.
1898 - Empress Elizabeth of Austria is assassinated by Luigi Lucheni.
1919 - Austria and the Allies sign the Treaty of Saint-Germain recognizing the independence of Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia.
1927 - Sports: France had its first Davis Cup win, though it had competed since 1905.
1932 - The New York City Subway's third competing subway system, the municipally-owned IND, is opened.
1939 - World War II: The submarine HMAS Oxley is mistakenly sunk by the submarine HMS Triton near Norway and becomes the Royal Navy's first loss.
1939 - Canada declares war on Nazi Germany, joining France, the UK, New Zealand and Australia in the Allies.
1942 - World War II: The British carry out an amphibious landing on Madagascar to re-launch Allied offensive operations in the Madagascar Campaign.
1943 - World War II: German forces begin their occupation of Rome.
1945 - Mike the Headless Chicken is decapitated; he survives for another 18 months before choking to death.
1951 - United Kingdom began an economic boycott of Iran.
1961 - Italian Grand Prix, a crash causes the death of German driver Wolfgang von Trips and 13 spectators hit by his Ferrari.
1963 - 20 African-American students enter public schools in Alabama.
1966 - Music: "The Last Train to Clarksville" was released by the Monkees.
1967 - The people of Gibraltar vote to remain a British dependency rather than becoming part of Spain.
1972 - Sports: The United States loses its first international basketball game in a disputed match against the Soviet Union at Munich, Germany.
1974 - Guinea-Bissau gains independence from Portugal.
1976 - A British Airways Hawker Siddeley Trident and an Inex-Adria DC-9 collide near Zagreb, Yugoslavia, killing 176.
1977 - Last execution by Guillotine in France. Hamida Djandoubi, convicted for torture and murder.
1980 - Pro-Wrestling: Harley Race defeated Shohei Baba for the NWA Heavyweight Wrestling title
1990 - The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire – the largest church in Africa is consecrated by Pope John Paul II.
1990 - TV: Will Smith made his debut in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."
2000 - Cats closes on Broadway.
2002 - Switzerland, noted as a neutral country, joins the United Nations.
2003 - Anna Lindh, the foreign minister of Sweden, is stabbed fatally while shopping, and dies of her wounds on September 11.
2007 - Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif returns to Pakistan after seven years in exile, following a military coup in October 1999.
Births:
1487 - Pope Julius III, Italian Roman Catholic Pope (d. 1555)
1638 - Maria Theresa of Spain, queen of Louis XIV of France (d. 1683)
1914 - Robert Wise, American film director (d. 2005)
1917 - Miguel Serrano, Chilean author and diplomat
1918 - Rin Tin Tin, German shepherd dog (d. 1932)
1929 - Arnold Palmer, American golfer
1934 - Roger Maris, American baseball player (d. 1985)
1948 - Charlie Waters, American football player
1949 - Don Muraco, professional wrestler
1949 - Bill O'Reilly, American journalist and commentator
1950 - Joe Perry, American musician (Aerosmith)
1963 - Randy Johnson, American baseball player
1963 - Bill Stevenson, American music producer and musician
1965 - Robin Goodridge, English rock drummer (Bush)
1968 - Guy Ritchie, British film director
1974 - Ryan Phillippe, American actor
1974 - Ben Wallace, American basketball player
1980 - Mikey Way, American musician (My Chemical Romance)
1984 - Matthew Followill, guitarist of American rock band Kings Of Leon
1989 - Sanjaya Malakar, TV show contestant
Deaths:
210 BC - Qin Shi Huang, first emperor of China.
918 - Count Baldwin II of Flanders (b. 865)
954 - King Louis IV of France (b. 920)
1167 - Empress Matilda, wife of Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1102)
1197 - Henry II of Champagne (b. 1166)
1519 - John Colet, English churchman and educator
1997 - Jack Adkisson, professional wrestler, aka 'Fritz Von Erich' (b. 1929)
2006 - Daniel Wayne Smith, son of Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith (b. 1986)
2007 - Jane Wyman, American actress, first wife of Ronald Reagan (b.1917)
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