On December 7, 1941 our country was pulled into World War II by the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan. As January 1, 1943 arrived the United States had just completed a year of austerity and patriotic sacrifice. Many people realized the grim reality that this war would go on for years. It was hard to find a reason to celebrate anything. Continue reading
With today being Christmas many Americans make their annual appearance in what was once a a weekly tradition. Attending religious services has been on a steady decline for decades. Continue reading
This illustration from the December 21, 1895 Harper’s Weekly shows some of the tests put to applicants of the NYPD.
Instead of Tammany Hall patronage to get on the police force, Continue reading
This scene shows the cowcatcher intersection at 23rd Street where Fifth Avenue and Broadway intersect.
Our photograph is from about 1897, before the famous Flatiron Building was constructed in 1902. Continue reading
Don’t dare call somebody retarded unless you want scorn heaped upon you.
In the twenty-first century the word retard has been put on a list of verboten words never to be uttered, unless you wish to appall your fellow conversationalist or intend to incur the wrath of the word police. It wasn’t always this way.
The United States Postal Service issued the Retarded Children Can Be Helped stamp October 12, 1974. Over 150 million Continue reading
November 11 originally known as Armistice Day commemorates the formal end of World War I.
The Armistice which ended the Great War on November 11, 1918 was greeted with elation all over the world. In New York tens of thousands of people took to the streets to celebrate. The news slug says:
New York City – A cart filled with celebrants added the noise of their drums and cymbals to their cheers as they rode through the streets. photo: Wide World Photos November 11, 1918
This news photograph showing a skull that might be a prop from a Boris Karloff or Bela Lugosi horror film, are the actual remains of an ancient criminal that were discovered two centuries after his demise.
The news slug explains: Continue reading
In these peculiar times where rules (and logic) are constantly challenged when it comes to gender, sex and discrimination, we are often oblivious to historical precedents.
In 1965 the idea that a man could be a join an organization, team, or club exclusively comprised of women (and vice versa) was considered unacceptable by consensus. Today, the situation Continue reading
Earl Wilson (1907 – 1987) was a New York Post based nationally syndicated columnist (It Happened Last Night). Wilson also wrote several books during his nearly fifty year journalism career.
Among Wilson’s best books is an atypical guide book to New York called Earl Wilson’s New York (Simon and Schuster, 1964).
While Wilson covers some of the usual touristy things to do, such as where to stay and eat, he also writes about “Where To Find A Psychiatrist For Your Dog” Continue reading
Immortal Pitching Yankee Stadium, New York- This sequence of three photos shows Don Larsen 1) cocking for the pitch 2) delivering, and 3) following through on the mound during his historic perfect no-hitter. Don pitched to only 27 Dodgers in posting his 2-0 victory for the books. His triumph put the Bombers ahead 3-2 in games. photo: 10/8/1956 International News Photos – Frank Juroski
For all the accomplishments that have happened in the history of baseball, there is one that has never been duplicated.
Don Larsen’s masterpiece of pitching in game five of the 1956 World Series. 27 men up. 27 men down. A perfect game in the World Series.
With his hands still shaking after the game Larsen told reporters, ” I was so damn nervous Continue reading