Woody Hayes Says "Happy V-Day. NOW!!!"

Woody Hayes was born 96 years ago today. He was a great Miami of Ohio head coach, and he also had success subsequently. Hayes was a high school football coach for a couple of years before he enlisted in the Navy in 1941. He rose to the rank of of Lieutenant Commander. After his service in the war, he returned to his alma mater, Denison, as the head coach. Hayes "drove his first squad at Denison so hard that school authorities warned him to ease up on the team or face the consequences," according to WOSU. He had a 19-game at Denison, which led to the Miami job. Sid Gillman had been the Miami coach, but moved down state route 27 to the University of Cincinnati--Miami's rival. So, before Woody's rivalry with Bo Schembechler and Michigan while the Buckeye coach, Woody was rivals with Gillman and UC. Gillman disliked Woody, as well. By 1950, Woody had the Redskins in the Salad Bowl, where they defeated Arizona State. He was hired by Ohio State in 1951. The story is that Paul Brown was interested in coming back to Ohio State, but the school hired Woody instead. (The image is from buckeyefansonly.)

Hank Aaron Hammerin' Away at Racism at 75

Hank Aaron is 75 today, and he is still hammering away at racism, according to this article on SportingNews. Here is what he had to say about those nutjobs who were upset that Hank was going to pass Babe Ruth on the all-time homer list:

"I thought, 'What in the world am I doing (to make) people despise me?'" he said during a lengthy interview in his Turner Field office for an upcoming feature in Sporting News Magazine. "But Babe Ruth was a hero. People just have their own heroes, and they don't want anything to come between them.

"A person who can't learn (to forget) is a miserable person, because you're not built to walk around all your life hating people. Everybody -- even me -- has got to walk a mile in another person's shoes before you condemn him."

At the bottom of the article I commented that I don't thing Hank Aaron is the
"real" home run king, as do several of the other commenters. Barry Bonds hit (or has hit, if he hasn't retired) the most home runs in a career. If you think he deserves an astericks or not may be one thing, but he is the homer king. Was Bonds jacked up on the juice? Maybe. Were there pitchers throwing to him jacked up? Probably. Also, though I don't really believe it, I have read that there are some who do.)

But back to Hank. Hank Aaron is what a hero looks like to me.

The picture of the dream 1960s NL outfield is from congressionalgoldmedal dot com ... left to right, Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays, and Hank.

thankyouverymuch,
OldCleat

Buddy Holly ... 50 Years Since The Day The Music Died

Buddy Holly died 50 years ago in a plane wreck shortly after takeoff after a concert in Clear Lake, Iowa. It is known as "The Day the Music Died." Holly was a rock 'n' roll pioneer. In the few short years that he recorded, he laid down some of the greatest tracks in rock 'n' roll history, like "That'll Be the Day," "It's So Easy," "Maybe Baby," Oh, Boy," "Not Fade Away," and "Peggy Sue."

Like Chuck Berry, Holly was a great songwriter, a great guitar player, and a really wonderful vocalist. Holly was also a great showman. He hit the scene just after Elvis, and was in some ways a "nice" version of Elvis. But Buddy was different than Elvis, and there were so many versions of so many folks who wanted to be like Elvis that it ain't that great of a comparison. I'm not so glad I brought it up.

Killed in the plane crash with Holly were Richie Valens, J.P. Richardson ("The Big Boppper"), and pilot Roger Peterson. Richie Valens released two great songs, "La Bamba" and "Donna." The Big Bopper did "Chantilly Lace," a nice song.

Waylon Jennings was the Crickets bass player at the time. He gave his seat up on the plane to The Big Bopper, who had the flu. Tommy Alsup, the Crickets guitar player at the time, lost a coin flip with Richie Valens for the last spot on the four-person plane. Jennings and Alup then had to take a bus to the next stop on the tour, which was Moorhead, Minnesota.

The plane was a Beechcraft Bonanza, model 35, serial # D-1019, and the wing number was N3794N. It was manufactured October 1947. The folks at www.buddyhollyonline.com are clear, very clear, to point out that the plane's name was NOT Miss American Pie.

One of my favorite parts of the entertainment business, and by "the business" I mean "the industry," is that the February 3 show WENT ON AS SCHEDULED. According to buddyhollyonline dot come, "Frankie Sardo and Dion & The Belmonts continued until the end of the tour. Bobby Vee & The Shadows performed on the Feb. 3rd date, Jimmy Clanton, Fabian & Frankie Avalon were substituted as headliners, The Crickets finished the tour with Ronnie Smith as lead vocalist."

The images are from buddyhollyonline.com. The first is Buddy playing at Rhinelander, Wisconsin, in 1958. The second is Buddy on a double-date with Phil Everly. How cool is that?

thankyouverymuch,
OldCleat

National Freedom Day, Feb. 1

National Freedom Day, celebrated in America on Feb. 1, is dedicated to remember that America is a nation dedicated to freedom. When Harry S Truman signed the bill to proclaim National Freedom Day in 1948, who would have thunk 60 years later that the President of the United States AND the leader of the opposition party would BOTH be African Americans?