Sometimes we run across photographs with no logical explanation. When there is no news slug we are left to speculate – what is going on here? This is one of those cases.
Besides being identified on the rear as Rita Hayworth and a United Press International photo, there was nothing else written identifying the action or location.
Fortunately entering “Rita Hayworth” and Penguin in a search engine can solve a mystery. Continue reading
There are certainly people who have never seen a pay phone before. And people who are familiar with pay phones may have only seen them with push buttons. Rotary dial phones were replaced in the 1970s by push buttons. Whereas pay phones managed to remain ubiquitous until the 1990s.
Pay phones were once everywhere. You could find them in hotels restaurants, gas stations, drug stores, transportation facilities, office and public buildings and on street corners,
The ad above ran in the September 11, 1971 New Yorker magazine.
In 1970 vandals cost American Telephone and Telegraph $12 million Continue reading
Brooklyn, NY – The undefeated Brooklyn Dodgers tonight equaled the Major League record of nine consecutive games won at the start of a season, by defeating Philadelphia 3 to 2. The only remaining member of the 1940 Dodger team which also won its first nine games of the season, captain Pee Wee Reese, prepares to draw a line through number 146 after tonight’s win. Looking on is Walt Alston. The mark was first set by the Giants in 1918 and the St. Louis Browns also won their first nine in 1944. photo: International News Photo – Herb Scharfman 4/20/1955
The Brooklyn Dodgers would go on to set a new record winning their tenth consecutive game the following day, beating Philadelphia 14-4. The Dodgers finally lost a game on April 22 to The New York Giants. Continue reading
For over 150 years Coney Island has attracted visitors to sample its beach, cuisine and amusement parks.
This magic lantern slide photograph shows an attraction that was more of a curiosity. Though It was only in existence for 11 years, hundreds of thousands of people came to see the Elephantine Colossus.
It was not a ride, but Continue reading
Here are two views of Fifth Avenue from the 1891 book History And Commerce Of New York (American Publishing and Engraving).
In our first illustration above we are looking north along Fifth Avenue towards The Hotel Brunswick (with flag on the roof) at the corner of 26th Street.
The second illustration below, Continue reading
Great Garbo (1905-1990) was never fond of the press. The star’s apocryphal line of “I want to be left alone” did apply to almost everyone outside of her circle of close friends.
So it was rather surprising that Garbo allowed reporters to speak with her, after staying in Europe for ten months. Traveling back to the United States aboard the Swedish American Line MS Kungsholm, 100 reporters gathered in he ship’s lounge to question the Swedish Sphinx. Garbo then cagily semi-answered their questions.
“Did you ever say I want to be left alone?” a reporter queried. Continue reading
It’s 12:20 in the afternoon according to the clock at Grand Central Depot as horse drawn vehicles congregate nearby.
We are looking north from 41st Street and Park Avenue. This contemporary colored magic lantern slide is from around 1895. Continue reading
To Our Readers:
From March 20 -March 24 we were offline. Gone. Kaput. Website does not exist. And a feeling of helplessness as far as getting everything back and running again. What happened?
Server and hosting issues.
It’s not like millions of people noticed as if Amazon went down. As a matter of fact, appropriately, we don’t think anybody really cared. Continue reading
Newest Dodger
Vero Beach, FL – (L-R) Branch Rickey, Dodger President, Dick Shea, electronics engineer from General Electric, umpire Bill Stewart and Fresco Thompson scout for the Dodger system. They are looking over Rickey’s newest pet – a mechanical umpire that calls balls and strikes and gives speed of pitch over the plate.It is worked by means of a magic eye. It won’t replace the human umpire because it can’t operate at night. photo: Gunther-Keystone 3/15/1950
The machine pictured above was called the “cross-eyed electronic umpire.” It was claimed the machine “could call balls and strikes closer than any normally endowed arbiter.”
Always the innovator, Branch Rickey said, “I expect it to be of definite value in determining the abilities of young pitchers since the machine also will establish the velocity of a fast ball as well as to show beyond question whether the ball is in or outside the strike zone.”
But Rickey also emphasized that he machine was “not intended now or ever to replace manual umpiring in actual games.” Continue reading
This circa 1900 Detroit Publishing Co. photograph is captioned “Capt. Riley and Life Guards, Coney Island, N.Y.”
But which of them is Captain Riley? Click on the photo to have a much closer look.
The obvious choice would be the man in the cap wearing a dark colored shirt that says “Balmers Life Guard.”
Wearing a lifeguard shirt does not mean you are one or in charge of a group. Continue reading
