Author Archives: dcaligari

July 6, 1921 – Several members of the Chicago White Sox went on trial for throwing the 1919 World Series, on this date. The White Sox players despised their owner Charles Comiskey. He was notoriously stingy. He would offer bonuses for performance and then take them back at the last minute. Gamblers knew that theContinue reading “Say it ain’t so”

July 6, 1967 –Pink Floyd made their first appearance on the BBC music show Top Of The Pops to promote their new single See Emily Play, on this date. Like many television programs from the ’60s, the videotape master was erased for re-use and the performance was assumed to be lost. A badly damaged homeContinue reading “Let’s try it another way”

July 5, 1801 –Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, born on this date, was the first senior officer of the U.S. Navy during the American Civil War. He was the first rear admiral, vice admiral, and full admiral of the Navy. He is remembered in popular culture for his possibly apocryphal order at the Battle of MobileContinue reading “He gets around”

July 4, 1826 –Frienemies Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, both lay dying in there respective homes on this date. Jefferson, the nation’s third president, deeply in debt at age 83, died at one o’clock in the afternoon and correctly surmised that Adams had outlived him. John Adams, the second president died at age 90 inContinue reading “How patriotic.”

On July 3, 1969, Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones drowned in his own swimming pool on this date. Although he was the first Rolling Stone to do so, Mr Jones is just one of millions of people to have drowned in their own swimming pools. As a public service I have therefore chosen toContinue reading “Today in Rock History”

The Dog Days of Summer begin today. The following is provided for the benefit of non-astronomers. Sirius is the name of the brightest star in the night-time sky (the brightest star in the day-time sky is called “the sun“), and it’s known as the dog star because it’s located in the constellation Canis Major –Continue reading “Siriusly –”

One day in the second half of the ninth century, a poor young woman on her way to the market dropped her basket of eggs, breaking all of them. The young woman knelt on the ground beside the fallen basket and began to weep. The local bishop had been out for his morning stroll andContinue reading “Just another day in Medieval England”

July 2, 1971 –Gordon Parks’ classic crime-drama Shaft, starring Richard Roundtree, premiered on this date. Much of the action centers around 125th Street in Harlem. The exterior of Shaft’s apartment was at 55 Jane Street, in Greenwich Village, across the street from the (real) No Name Bar at 621 Hudson Street. The bar later becameContinue reading “Who’s the cat that won’t cop out when there’s danger all about?”

According to the Gregorian calendar, July is the seventh month. On the Roman calendar, it was the fifth month and it was called ‘Quintilis‘, meaning ‘fifth‘. Julius Caesar gave the month 31 days in 46 B.C. Being a dictator he could. Luckily for us he didn’t authorize the constant changing of underpants or most ofContinue reading “Live in the sunshine. Swim in the sea. Drink in the wild air.”

July 1, 1956 –TV critic John Crosby panned the following performer’s performance, calling it an ‘unspeakable, untalented and vulgar young entertainer.’ Elvis Presley appeared on NBC-TV’s The Steve Allen Show and performed Hound Dog, to a live Hound Dog.