Saturday, July 20, 2013

Kiki Cuyler: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1968


Born: April 30, 1898

1921: Purchased by Pirates from Bay City Michigan

Debut: September 29, 1921 (Pirates)

1925: Pirates win World Series

1927: Traded to Cubs

1929: Cubs lose World Series

1932: Cubs lose World Series

1935: Signed by Reds

1938: Signed by Dodgers

1938: Retired

1939: Managed in minors

1940s-1951: Coach for Red Sox

1951: Died of a heart attack

1968: Elected to Hall of Fame

2013: Bar he owned still in existence with his name on it in Harrisville, Michigan

Accomplishments:

1925 World Champion

1934 All Star

.321

128 HR

1065 RBI

328 SB

1305 Runs

2299 Hits

157 Triples

.386 OBP

.860 OPS

.474 Slugging

3391 TB

100+ runs: 5x

155 runs (1930)

Led league in runs: 2x

200+ hits: 3x

30+ doubles: 5x

40+ doubles: 3x

50 doubles (1930)

Led league doubles (42): 1934

10+ triples: 6x

15+ triples: 4x

Led league in triples (26): 1925

100+ RBI: 3x

20+ SB: 7x

30+ SB: 6x

40+ SB: 2

Led league in SB: 4x

Hit .300: 10x

Hit .350: 4x

.400 OBP: 5x

.500 slugging: 4x

300 TB: 2x

Led league HBP: 2x

Postseason: .281, 2 HR, 12 RBI, .798 OPS, 1 SB (3 World Series)

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

History Shorts: Charlemagne is crowned Roman Emperor (800 A.D.)


Charlemagne is considered the “Father of Europe.” His reign ushered in a cultural renaissance in the midst of the Dark Ages. During his tenure, Charlemagne fought the Muslims in Spain, protected the Papacy, and united Western Europe for the first time since Rome’s collapse. In 800, Pope Leo III crowned him the Holy Roman Emperor on Christmas Day. The act culminated Charlemagne’s life and career. At the same time, it helped establish religious authority and control over secular governments. 1000 years later, Napoleon crowned himself in the pope’s presence to avoid any possibility that religious leaders could claim dominance over his empire.

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Aurelio Lopez: 1984 Detroit Tigers timeline


Born: September 21, 1948

1967: Began pro career in Mexican League

1967-77: Played in Mexican League with brief MLB stints mixed in

1974: Purchased by Kansas City Royals

Debut: September 1, 1974 (Royals)

1975: Purchased by Mexico City Reds

1977: Purchased by St. Louis Cardinals

1978: Traded to Detroit Tigers

1984: 10-1 record, 2.94 ERA, 1.169 WHIP, 14 saves

1984: Won Game 5 of the 1984 World Series

1984: Tigers win World Series

1986: Signed with Astros

1986: Lost the Epic Game 6 of the NLCS against the Mets

1987: Released by Astros

1990: Elected major of Mexican town

Died: September 22, 1992 (Car accident)

2005: Detroit band The Electric Six named their album, Senior Smoke, after Lopez

Accomplishments:

1984 World Champion

1977 Mexican League MVP

1983 All Star

62-36 Record

3.56 ERA

1.266 WHIP

459 games (9 starts)

93 Saves

910 IP

785 Hits

635 Strikeouts

367 Walks

Won 10+ Games: 3x

20+ saves: 2x

100+ IP: 4x

106 Strikeouts (1979)

Postseason: 2-1, 2.89 ERA, 9.1 IP, 12 Hits, 6 BB, 9 strikeouts, 1.929 WHIP (3 Series)

Thursday, July 11, 2013

History Shorts: The Viking Age begins (793 A.D.)


The Vikings left Scandinavia for new lands. In 793, they raided the English monastery at Lindesfarne ushering in the Viking Age. Europe seemed on the verge of exiting the Dark Ages when the Vikings struck.  Viking raids over the next few centuries bankrupted kingdoms and tossed the continent back into disarray. The Viking Age ended when the Earth entered into the Little Ice Age.

Monday, July 8, 2013

Sci-Fi History: The Fantastic Four (1961)


The Fantastic Four ushered in “The Marvel Age” of comic books. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby brought a new level of character development and realism to their subjects. The FF were exposed to radiation granting superpowers. Reed Richards became hyper-elastic, Sue Richards could project force fields and become invisible, Johnny Storm became the Human Torch, and Ben Grimm evolved into a rock monster. Unlike other heroes, the quartet squabbled and at times fought. On top of this, they did not keep secret identities like Batman or Superman. Lee and Kirby’s human touch to the FF made Marvel unique in the comic world. Instead of cardboard cutout heroes, the FF, and subsequent Marvel heroes, were identifiable and relatable to readers.

Friday, July 5, 2013

Quotes of the Month: June 2013


Quote of the Month: "It's like shearing a piglet: a lot of squealing and little wool."

-Vladimir Putin on Edward Snowden

Stupid Quote of the Month: "Alex should just shut the (expletive) up."

-Brian Cashman to Alex Rodriguez

And the rest…

"I've heard more from Bush, asking for my advice, than I've heard from Obama," Klein stated from various sources close to the Obama administration. "I have no relationship with the president -- none whatsoever. Obama doesn't know how to be president. He doesn't know how the world works. He's incompetent. He's an amateur!"

-Bill Clinton

Seizing phone records of millions of innocent people is excessive and un-American.”

-Representative Jim Sensenbrenner, Republican of Wisconsin and author of the Patriot Act

“Is it just me, or is secret blanket surveillance obscenely outrageous?”

-Al Gore

“I’m uhhh….people….oh goodness….uhhhh...folks are sweating back there right now.”

-Barack Obama when his staff forgot his speech

“I didn’t want to be pope.”

-Pope Francis I

“I will be made to suffer.”

-Edward Snowden: Self-identified NSA surveillance program leaker.

"I don’t usually worry about someone’s personal hygiene."

 -Jim Leyland

"I just blasted away."

-72-year-old Jan Cooper after shooting at an intruder at 12:30 A.M.

"If you refuse to act and you cause a calamity, the one thing you cannot say when all the eggs have been broken is, 'Oh my god, two years ago there was a poll that said 80 percent of you were against it, you look like a total fool."

-Bill Clinton on Obama’s handling of Syria

"So long as nuclear weapons exist, we are not truly safe."

-Barack Obama

“The IRS has ruled Obama can write off the first half of his second term as a total loss.”

-Jay Leno

"American popular music is our only art form. It's our most important export, period. And since time began, it's been handled not as an art form but as a commodity.”

-Huey Lewis.

 “I’m not going to be scrambling jets to get a 29-year-old hacker”

-Barack Obama

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Beverly Crusher: Star Trek Timeline


Born: October 13, 2324 (maiden name Howard)

2328: Her parents died when she was very young. Beverly was raised by her grandmother.

2342-50: Starfleet Academy (Likely SF Medical as well)

2347: Married Jack Crusher

2348: Son, Wesley, is born

2350: Graduated SF Academy

Early 2350s: Served on Stargazer (conjecture)

2352: Interned on Delos IV

2354: Jack died

2354: CMO Starbase 32

2354-60: Private Practice

2362: Promoted to commander

2364: Assigned to USS Enterprise-D

2364: Modified Leonard McCoy’s polywater intoxication remedy to rescue crew

2364: Cured disease on Quazulu VIII

2365: Head of SF Medical

2366: Returned to Enterprise

2366: Kidnapped by terrorists

2367: Removed Borg implants from Picard

2367: Caught in a warp bubble, but escaped

2367: Helped deliver a large space lifeform

2367: Cured Tarchannen III Syndrome

2368: Travelled to 19th century to help stop Devidians from preying on humans

2368: Helped Worf walk again using experimental procedure

2369: Sent on secret mission to spy on Cardassians; Picard is captured

2369: Discovered ancient message from humanoids that spread DNA throughout the galaxy

2370: Unleashed Barclay’s Protomorphosis Syndrome

2370: Assumed command during Lore-Borg Crisis

2370: Attended her grandmother’s funeral on Arvada III. She encountered an alien that controlled the Howard women.

2371: Enterprise destroyed

2372: Assigned to USS Enterprise-E

2375: Ba’ku incident

2379: Shinzon Incident on Romulus

2379: Head Starfleet Medical

2380: Borg Incident

2380: Married Picard

2381: Borg attempts to destroy Federation; stopped and assimilated by Caeliar

2382: Son born

2387: Romulus explodes