Ted Williams

In 1939, The Boston Red Sox purchased the contract of Ted Williams from the minor league San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League. Williams went on to play for the Sox from 1939 to 1960, twice interrupting his major league career to serve in the military.

'The Splendid Splinter', as he was nicknamed, went on to finish his illustrious career with a .400 batting average. No major league player has hit .400 since. From 1969 to 1971, Williams managed both the Washington Senators and the Texas Rangers. In 1966 Ted Williams was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on the 1st ballot.

Williams is pictured with Red Sox owner Tom Yawkee above in 1939.

The SS Ancon

On August 15, 1914, the SS Ancon was the first ship to officially go through the Panama Canal.

The Empire State Building

This photograph of a workman assembling the framework on the Empire State Building was taken in 1930. When it opened to the public in 1931, its' 103 stories were recognized as the world's tallest building until 1972, when the World Trade Center was erected. The Chrysler Building can be seen in the background to the right.

Otto Adolph Eichmann

Following WWII, the Israelis pursued Nazi war criminals all over the world in an endless effort to bring them to justice. The most wanted and most pursued Nazi was Adolph Eichmann, and the Israeli Mossad went to great lengths to find and eventually capture him.

The story of Eichmann's apprehension from his Buenos Aires hideout in 1960 is depicted in the famous novel 'The House on Garibaldi Street'. A group of 30 Israeli Mossad agents painstakingly located him and meticulously managed to return him to Israel, where he stood trial and was eventually executed in 1962.

McDonald's

The site of the original McDonald's is now The McDonald's Museum. Originally founded in 1940 by Dick & Mac McDonald in San Bernadino, CA. In 1955, Ray Kroc purchased the small chain of restaurants in Des Plaines, IL., and the McDonald's Corporation was born. Today, McDonald's operates 31,000 restaurants worldwide.

The 1972 Munich Olympics

The 1972 Munich Olympics would prove costly for the Israeli Olympic Team, as their complex would be attacked by the militant group Black September. On September 5 & 6, what has become known as the Munich Massacre would claim the lives of 11 athletes and coaches, 1 police officer, and 5 terrorists before it was all over. The above image remains a sad reminder of those 2 days.

Amelia Mary Earhart

Amelia Earhart at Purdue University in 1937

The American aviatrix Amelia Earhart will always be best known for her attempt to become the first woman to fly around the world. On July 2, 1937, Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan were reported as missing over the Pacific Ocean near Howland Island. An extensive search for Earhart, Noonan, and their Lockheed Electra was conducted by the United States Navy to no avail. The two were officially declared dead on January 5, 1939.

Exactly what happened to Amelia Earhart remains a mystery to this day.

London Bridge

In 1831, the "New" (19th Century) London Bridge (pictured above in the late 1890's) was opened to replace the deteriorating 600 year old original. In 1968, the London Bridge was sold to McCulloch Oil, an American development company for $2,460,000. The bridge was carefully taken apart and every piece meticulously labeled in order to facilitate reassembly. It was re-dedicated at its' new location in Lake Havasu City, Arizona on October 10, 1971, where it remains a popular tourist attraction.

The Statue of Liberty

When the Statue of Liberty was completed in France and ready to be shipped to the United States, it was disassembled into 300 pieces and packed in 214 wooden crates, arriving in New York on June 17, 1886. The torch alone, which was displayed in 1876 at the Philadelphia Centennial, required 21 crates for shipping.

The above photograph shows the head of Lady Liberty on display in a Paris park in 1883.

Times Square

Times Square in 1955

Michael Joseph Jackson

(August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009)

Farrah Fawcett

(February 2, 1947 - June 25, 2009)

American Airlines Flight 191

On May 25, 1979 United Airlines Flight 191 takes off from O'Hare International Airport in Chicago headed to Los Angeles with 271 people on board. Just as it starts its' liftoff from the runway, the number 1 engine is severed from the DC 10 aircraft. The plane then goes into an unrecoverable bank and hits the ground moments later. An amateur photographer captured the above image of AA191 seconds before its' crash. What has been called the deadliest single aircraft accident on US soil, left no survivors.

Sonora Smart Dodd

In 1909, Sonora Smart Dodd, while listening to a Mother's Day sermon at her local church, conceived the idea of introducing a special day to honor fathers. On June 19, 1910 the first Father's Day was celebrated in Spokane, Washington. While a Bill was introduced by Congress in 1913 about establishing a day to honor fathers, it wasn't until Lyndon B. Johnson issued a proclamation in 1966 that Father's Day became a Federal Holiday.

A Future Leader

John F. Kennedy and Joseph Kennedy, Jr. c. 1919

Joseph Kennedy, Sr. had plans for his elder son to run for president, but it was not to be. Joe Kennedy, Jr. was killed in a WWII combat mission in August of 1944. John would eventually be elected the nation's 35th president, the first Roman Catholic to hold the office. In November of 1963, he was assassinated in Dallas, TX, abruptly ending his short, but very popular presidency.

Satchmo

Jazz trumpeter and singer Louis Armstrong, pictured above in 1953, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 4, 1901. The grandson of slaves, he grew up in poverty in the rough neighborhoods of New Orleans. Despite his surroundings, the love of music eventually led him to a career that would see him described by some as the greatest musician ever. On July 6, 1971, Louis Armstrong died of a heart attack at the age of 69.

Pitcairn Island

You may recall the famous movie 'Mutiny on the Bounty', where a handful of mutineers seize their ship from the infamous Captain Bligh. The story goes on to describe how these mutineers, led by Fletcher Christian, set sail with their Tahitian brides for parts unknown in order to escape the sure hangman's noose awaiting as payment for their ghastly deed. They eventually came across an uncharted island in the middle of the South Pacific where, after burning and sinking the Bounty, they settled and began their new lives.

The above picture taken in 1910 on that remote island, known as Pitcairn Island, shows the Bounty mutineers' descendants. Today only about 47 people still inhabit Pitcairn.

Japan's Instrument of Surrender

Japanese Foreign Minister Momoru Shigenitsu signs the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, effectively ending WWII. The ceremony took place on board the USS Missouri on September 2, 1945. Looking on is General Richard K. Sutherland.

The Charles W. Morgan

The whale ship Charles W. Morgan set out on her maiden voyage in 1841. It would be the first of many that would keep the ship in service for 80 years. In 1924, the Morgan collided with another vessel resulting in its' being badly damaged by fire, but it survived.

In 1941, the Charles W. Morgan was brought to Mystic Seaport in Connecticut, which has turned into her final home. The ship was declared a National Landmark and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. A massive restoration project on the ship was started in 1968.

The Charles W. Morgan is the only surviving wooden whale ship from the 1800s American fleet.

The Move of The Millennium

In the summer of 1999, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in North Carolina was moved 2870 feet inland in order to save it from beach erosion. As the beach between the historic structure continued to dwindle, the decision was made to relocate the lighthouse more inland to a safer location. The move took only 23 days at an average rate of about 123 feet a day. The current lighthouse was built in 1870 to replace a smaller one originally erected in 1803.

The picture above shows the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in its' new location following its' relocation. If you follow the path back towards the beach, you can see its' previous location just past the road that crosses the relocation route.

'The Gipper'

Ronald Reagan pictured in the early 1920's in Dixon, Illinois. After a distinguished career in entertainment, which included radio, television, and films, he became the 33rd Governor of California. On January 20, 1981, Ronald Wilson Reagan was sworn in as the 4oth President of the United States.

The Brooklyn Bridge

The Brooklyn Bridge, which spans the East River in New York City, was opened to the public on May 24, 1883. The above photo, entitled 'On the Promenade, Brooklyn Bridge, New York', was taken in 1899. Construction on the bridge began on January 3, 1870.

USS Arizona

On Sunday morning December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Among the many naval vessels lost in the attack was the USS Arizona, pictured above in New York Harbor in 1918.

Irv Young

Young "Cy" Young (Irv Young) between seasons.

[ca. 1909]

Picture shows baseball pitcher Irving Melrose who was known as "Young Cy" and "Cy the second."

First Flight

At 10:35 am on December 17, 1903 in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Orville and Wilbur Wright made history by flying their aircraft 120 feet in 12 seconds.
This momentous occasion marked the first manned and powered flight.

Old Man of The Mountain

 Tourists who visited New Hampshire in the past were always drawn to Echo Lake in Franconia, where high above the lake on the edge of Franconia Notch was located The Old Man of The Mountain. It was a natural rock formation in the form of a man's facial profile. It is believed that the Old Man was born out of the ice age, resulting in the formation. On May 3, 2003, after standing for 198 years, the Old Man of The Mountain collapsed, never to be seen again.

Mt. Rushmore

Sculptor Gutzon Borglum's model of the planned final design of Mt. Rushmore is shown in this 1936 photo. While construction of the national landmark, which is located in the Black Hills of South Dakota, began in 1927, it was halted for lack of funds in 1941, resulting in its' current scaled back version.

The Stanley Cup - Hockey's Holy Grail

The Stanley Cup was fabricated in Sheffield, England in 1892 and presented to hockey the following year by Lord Stanley. At 116 years old, the cup is the oldest trophy competed for in professional sports. Every year, the Stanley Cup Playoff winning team has the names of the players, management, and coaching staff engraved on the cup.

While the original is awarded to the winning team every year, an exact replica is displayed in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Canada. The cup's popularity takes it all over the world, traveling over 250 days a year making numerous appearances and raising money for charity.

Philadelphia 1910

Independence Hall at Independence Square

Memorial Stadium

Baltimore's Memorial Stadium (1950 - 1997)

Built in 1950, the stadium would enjoy forty-seven years of memorable events, courtesy of Baltimore's Orioles, Colts, Ravens and Stallions, just to name a few. Star athletes such as Johnny Unitas, Brooks Robinson, Lenny Moore, Frank Robinson, Cal Ripken, Jr. and many others were a fixture here.

The Orioles played their final game here on September 14, 1991, and after the game, in a touching ceremony that featured Oriole greats taking the field at their original positions, home plate was removed and relocated to the soon to be opened Camden Yards stadium downtown. The foul poles from Memorial Stadium were also retained and installed in the new stadium.

The facade of this great structure, a memorial to the war dead reads:

ERECTED BY THE CITY OF BALTIMORE 1954 DEDICATED BY THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE PEOPLE OF BALTIMORE CITY IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND As a Memorial to All Who so Valiantly Fought and Served in the World Wars with Eternal Gratitude to Those Who Made the Supreme Sacrifice to Preserve Equality and Freedom Throughout the World TIME WILL NOT DIM THE GLORY OF THEIR DEEDS

Virginia Tech Massacre

At 7:15 on the morning of April 16, 2007, a troubled English major began shooting people on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia. Two and a half hours later at 9:40 am the perpetrator opened fire a second time. In the end, he had killed 33 people, including himself, and injured 23. The shooter who suffered from a known anxiety disorder, and had experienced prior run ins with the law, had been advised by teachers in the past to seek help.

(Note: Any publicity given people who commit these acts could result in the encouragement of any and other copy cat individuals seeking notoriety. For this reason, my posts will NOT identify them by name.)

OJ Simpson

In the summer of 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson, wife of former NFL player and actor OJ Simpson, was found stabbed to death outside of her Brentwood condominium along with her friend Ron Goldman. Goldman, a waiter at a local restaurant, had stopped by Nicole's home to deliver her sunglasses, which she had left behind earlier that evening while dining at the establishment.

Simpson eventually was charged and tried for the murders, and after a lengthy court ordeal, which would be televised to a riveted nation, he was finally acquitted. He was, however later found guilty of a wrongful death charge by a grand jury and ordered to pay a large settlement to both victims' families.

Boston's Citgo Sign

(In the picture of Fenway Park on the right, you can see the Citgo sign above the center field wall.)

Located above Kenmore Square in Boston, the historic Citgo sign has over the years become sort of an attraction. Nowhere has it been more visible to millions of onlookers than during any televised Red Sox baseball game from Fenway Park, where the brightly lit sign has become a landmark, seen directly behind the famous Green Monster.

Built in 1940, and having worn the various Citgo logos, the current design was adopted in 1965. In 1983, after four years of not being lit, Citgo planned to disassemble it, however the Boston Landmarks Commission debated and finally decided that the sign should be preserved.

RMS Titanic

'Jason Jr', a tethered exploration camera attached to the remote deep diving sub 'Alvin' from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, prepares to enter the wreck of the Titanic shortly after its' discovery in 1985.

The Iron Horse

Lou Gehrig walks off the field at Yankee Stadium after having delivered his farewell speech to the fans on July 4, 1939. Two years later at age 37, Gehrig succumbed to ALS, an incurable paralyzing disease, which would later become known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

Minnie Riperton

Who in our generation can forget her song 'Lovin You', which topped the charts in April 1975? Minnie Riperton possessed a rare ability in her tremendous singing talent. She was able to sing in what is known as a five-octave vocal range, which became her trademark in many of her songs. Minnie passed away at the young age of 31 in 1979, having lost her battle with breast cancer.

The Falling Man

One of the the most defining photographs from the 911 attacks, by Associated Press photographer Richard Drew. Despite the horrific conditions that probably left him with no apparent way out, the image shows him seemingly calm and at peace with his decision. 

Champion of Women's Rights

"There never will be complete equality until women themselves help to make laws and elect lawmakers."
- Susan B. Anthony

D-Day

American troops storm Omaha Beach at Normandy.

Known But To God

On November 11, 1921 the casket of the Unknown Soldier from WWI is carried from the US Capitol, where it will be taken for internment in Arlington National Cemetery aboard a horse drawn carriage.

Challenger's Final Launch

The sign of black smoke in one of Challenger's booster rockets moments into its' launch would prove to be fatal. 73 seconds into the flight, the shuttle exploded. Seven astronauts perished.

Auschwitz

Main Gate to the Nazi death camp.