Category Archives: history

Baseball Spring Training and George Washington

Posted on by March 20, 2016
Polo Grounds during World Series Game, 1913 from the Bain Collection by David Shapinsky from Washington, D.C.

Polo Grounds during World Series Game, 1913 from the Bain Collection by David Shapinsky from Washington, D.C.

Growing up I was a fan of Ted Williams. He was quite a batter. When he was approaching 40 years of age he began closing out his career with the Boston Red Sox. At that time he was suffering a pinched nerve in his neck.

“The thing was so bad that I could hardly turn my neck to look at the pitcher,” he reported. That year he batted under .300 for the first time in his career. In 1959 he batted just .254, his lowest batting average, but he was still making $125,000.00. Well, that was a lot in 1959. read more

Mark Twain, Professional Speaking and Tricks

Posted on by March 19, 2016

Mark_Twain_by_AF_BradleySamuel Clemons, better known by his pen name, Mark Twain, was often asked to be a speaker at public events. He lived between 1835-1910. His books, Tom Sawyer, and Huckleberry Finn, are still good reading today. I loved Tom Sawyer as a youngster. I especially liked Tom Sawyer Island at Disneyland!

Once Mark was asked to speak at a banquet being held to honor several bankers. On the same program was Chauncey Depew, 1834-1928. Depew was the lawyer for the Vanderbilt railroad empire. He was also a U.S. Senator at one time (I don’t know if it was before or after this particular speech). read more

Ben Franklin’s Advice re Argument

Posted on by March 18, 2016

Ben FranklinBenjamin Franklin was one of the most successful diplomats in our nations early history. He was so good at making friends, and helping them to agree on lending money to the colonies that we won the Revolutionary War.

He made few speeches at the Constitutional Convention, but those he did make led to the approval of the final document. He learned to make friends even out of those who would want to argue.

He once put it this way: “The way to convince another is to state your case moderately and accurately. Then scratch your head, or shake it a little and say that is the way it seems to you, but of course you may be mistaken about it. This causes your listener to receive what you have to say, and as like as not turn about and try to convince you of it since you are in doubt. But if you go at him in a tone of positiveness and arrogance, you only make an opponent of him.” read more

Benjamin Franklin and Authors

Posted on by March 17, 2016

Ben Franklin thumb pictureI received a letter a few days ago asking me some questions about my book “The Illegal Trial of Christ.” I politely responded and answered the questions asked of me.

Then today I received a phone call from this same person, with a couple of more questions. We had a nice chat and it was apparent that this person had done a great deal of reading and research about the death of Christ and what led up to it.

This man said he was a neurologist and he is writing his own book about the medical reasons of Christ’s death. Basically the premise of his book is that Christ actually died from a loss of blood. The crown of thorns was really the cause of loss of more blood that had previously been attributed to it. That he was in reality the sacrificial lamb, and it was the time of year for that major sacrifice. He fulfilled his purpose in coming to Earth. read more

Benjamin Franklin’s Warning

Posted on by March 16, 2016

Ben FranklinMost people who have a little interest in American history have read Benjamin Franklin’s words which seemed to bring about a final consensus and agreement on the basics of our Constitution. I believe I have even repeated them here on this blog at some time or another. (If you can’t remember them or want to have them again go to the book “FoundingFathers–Uncommon Heroes”. What Ben said is there on page 33. If you don’t have the book yet, for heaven sakes, get it right now. Click here.) read more

Citizens Amend the Constitution

Posted on by March 15, 2016

constitutionThere is something I just can’t understand—at all! Yesterday in my blog I gave some little bit of background about our U.S. Constitution. I mentioned that our Constitution has been amended only 17 times since the original Bill of Rights was adopted. Seventeen times since December 15, 1791. That’s more than 225 years.

But two of those amendments came in 1913. What happened in 1913 that allowed those two amendments to be approved? Woodrow Wilson was president and started the “progressive” movement. Which shortly died out for a while, but it’s back now—with a vengeance. Just look, we have our first openly socialist candidate. read more

The U. S. Constitution and Its Amendments

Posted on by March 14, 2016

constitutionThere has been much talk in the recent political arena about protecting the Constitution. There hasn’t been much talk about the Constitution itself and what it says or means. I sometimes wonder how much politicians, Senators, Representatives, Judges and even citizens really know about the Constitution. But it does make for a good sound bite.

When I think about the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1987, I am amazed that it even got ratified. There was much debate and disagreement. The room at Independence Hall was locked and the windows closed so the people wouldn’t see the contention in the debates. (Think of the televised debates today!) read more

James Madison’s War

Posted on by March 10, 2016

JamesMadisonWe discussed the War of 1812 just a few blogs ago. This was sometimes referred to as Madison’s war. It occurred during Madison’s second term as President, and the U.S. won, again. We later adopted the Star Spangled Banner as our national anthym. I hope you enjoyed the information.

Also during Madison’s second term a new word emerged in our vocabulary. Elbridge Gerry was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and was Madison’s Vice President. Gerry helped Congress redistrict, or carve up the voting districts of a State to help insure the proper candidate would be elected. His opponents all complained. They pointed out that the new districts weren’t symmetrical. They had the shapes of slithering salamanders. Yuck! read more

Benjamin Franklin an Inspired Manager

Posted on by March 9, 2016

Ben Franklin thumb pictureYou hear a lot of good things about Founding Father Benjamin Franklin. But usually you don’t equate him with being a good manager. Just look at his success with the printing business from which he retired in his fifties.

He was such a great manager that he not only succeeded and retired early, he helped others get started in the business. He told his followers to seek inspiration ahead of imitation. It worked for him!

Here’s what he said in his autobiography:

“Having emerg’d from the Poverty & Obscurity in which I was born and bred, to a state of Affluence & some degree of Reputation in the World (what an understatement—he was more well known that even George Washington throughout the world!), and having gone so far thro’ Life with a considerable Share of Felicity, the conducting Means I made use of, which, with the blessing of God, so well succeeded, my posterity may like to know, as they may find some of them suitable to their own Situations, & therefore fit to be imitated.” read more

Snoopy, Lincoln, and the Presidency

Posted on by March 6, 2016

Abraham_Lincoln_2There’s an old Peanuts comic strip which shows Snoopy on the top of his dog house making several severe or angry looking faces—in one panel after the other. In the last panel I have changed some of Snoopy’s words in his thought bubble to say: “I would have made a good presidential nominee candidate!”

I sometimes wonder if any of our current presidential nominee candidates remember the quote ascribed to Abraham Lincoln. One day an old friend of President Lincoln, one who had lived as a neighbor of his in Springfield was visiting Abe in the White House. read more