Tommy Lasorda, the former Dodgers manager, is 84 today.
Former University of Arizona basketball coach Lute Olson is 77.
Harry’s daughter Shari is 57 and Pat’s daughter Debby is 55. Belafonte and Boone, respectively.
Joan Jett is 53.
I saw him dancin’ there by the record machine
I knew he must a been about seventeen
The beat was goin’ strong
Playin’ my favorite song
An’ I could tell it wouldn’t be long
Till he was with me, yeah me, singin’
I love rock n’ roll
So put another dime in the jukebox, baby
I love rock n’ roll
So come an’ take your time an’ dance with me
Chachi is 51. That’s Scott Baio.
Ronaldo Luiz Nazario de Lima, the Brazilian football star, is 35.
John Houseman was born on this date in 1902. This from the Times obituary when Houseman died in 1988:
John Houseman, who spent more than half a century in the theater as an influential producer and director but who did not achieve fame until, at the age of 71, he portrayed a crusty law school professor in the film “The Paper Chase” and its subsequent television series, died of spinal cancer yesterday at his home in Malibu, Calif. He was 86 years old and despite his failing health had been working on various projects until three days ago.
Professor Kingsfield, the role he played in “The Paper Chase,” led to another well-known part, that of a haughty spokesman for a brokerage house in its television commercials, delivering the lines: “They make money the old-fashioned way. They earn it.”
The sound seems out of sync with the action in the video; still a great scene. Houseman won a supporting actor Oscar for his portrayal of Professor Kingsfield.
Nathan Hale was hanged by the British as a spy on this date in 1776. Hale was in fact spying on the British for General Washington — he had volunteered for the duty.
A statue of Nathan Hale is located between the [CIA] Auditorium and the Original Headquarters Building. Hale was the first American executed for spying for his country. This statue is a copy of the original work created in 1914 for Yale University, Nathan Hale’s alma mater. The Agency’s statue was erected on the grounds in 1973, 200 years after his graduation from Yale.
There is no known portrait of Nathan Hale; this life-size statue portrays what little written description there is of him. The statue captures the spirit of the moment before his execution – a 21-year-old man prepared to meet his death for honor and country, hands and feet bound, face resolute, and his eyes on the horizon. His last words, “I regret that I have but one life to lose for my country,” circle the base around his feet.
He stands vigilant guard on the Agency and is a continuing reminder to its employees of the duties and sacrifices of an intelligence officer.
The first issue of National Geographic was published 123 years ago today (1888).
The preliminary Emancipation Proclamation was released on this date 149 years ago (1862). It stated that the President would emancipate the slaves in the Confederate states on January 1, 1863, unless a state returned to the Union by then. None did and so he did.
It was 51 years ago today that I was “rescued” flailing away in a swimming pool inches from the side. Thank you Alain, wherever you are. My children and The Sweeties thank you, too.
And today is my baby brother’s birthday. Happy birthday, John.
AND former University of Iowa coach Lute Olson.