Tuesday, August 9, 2011
1988 – Wayne Gretzky is traded from the Edmonton to the Los Angeles, upsetting many Canadians so much that some considered him a "traitor" to Canada.
"The Trade"Two hours after the Oilers won the Stanley Cup in 1988, Gretzky learned from his father that the Oilers were planning to deal him to another team. Walter had known for months, but kept it from Gretzky so as to not upset him. According to Walter, Gretzky was being "shopped" to Los Angeles, Detroit, New York and Vancouver. According to Gretzky, Pocklington needed money as his other business ventures were not doing well (a similar reason to the cause of Babe Ruth being sold to the New York Yankees), and had gone "sour" on Gretzky and wanted to move him. At first, Gretzky did not want to leave Edmonton, but he later received a call from Los Angeles Kings owner Bruce McNall while on his honeymoon asking permission to meet and discuss the deal. Gretzky informed McNall that his prerequisites for a deal to take place were that Marty McSorley and Mike Krushelnyski join him as teammates in Los Angeles. After the details of the trade were finalized by McNall and Pocklington, one final condition had to be met: Gretzky had to call Pocklington and request a trade. When Pocklington revealed his plans to trade Gretzky to Oilers general manager and head coach Glen Sather, Sather went to work trying to stop the trade, but, when he found out Gretzky played a part in it, he changed his attitude to GM as he requested Luc Robitaille in exchange. The Kings refused, instead offering Jimmy Carson.
On August 9, 1988, in a move that heralded significant change in the NHL, the Oilers traded Gretzky, along with McSorley and Krushelnyski, to the Kings for Carson, Martin Gelinas, $15 million in cash, and the Kings' first-round draft picks in 1989 (later traded to the New Jersey Devils – New Jersey selected Jason Miller), 1991 (Martin Rucinsky), and 1993 (Nick Stajduhar). "The Trade", as it came to be known, upset Canadians to the extent that New Democratic Party House Leader Nelson Riis demanded that the government block it, and Pocklington was burned in effigy outside the Northlands Coliseum. Gretzky himself was considered a "traitor" by some Canadians for turning his back on his adopted hometown, and his home country; his motivation was widely rumoured to be the furtherance of his wife's acting career.
Edmontonians bore no grudge against Gretzky. On his first appearance in Edmonton after the trade—a game that was nationally televised in Canada—he received a four-minute standing ovation. The arena was sold out, and the attendance of 17,503 was the Oilers' biggest crowd ever to that date. Large cheers erupted for his first shift, his first touch of the puck, his two assists, and for Mark Messier's body check of Gretzky into the boards. After the game, Gretzky took the opportunity to confirm his patriotism: "I'm still proud to be a Canadian. I didn't desert my country. I moved because I was traded and that's where my job is. But I'm Canadian to the core. I hope Canadians understand that." After the 1988–89 season, a life-sized bronze statue of Gretzky was erected outside the Northlands Coliseum, holding the Stanley Cup over his head (picture shown above, to the right).
"Helter Skelter," Charles Manson
1969 – Members of a cult led by Charles Manson brutally murder pregnant actress Sharon Tate (wife of Roman Polanski), coffee heiress Abigail Folger, Polish actor Wojciech Frykowski, men's hairstylist Jay Sebring and recent high-school graduate Steven Parent.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Happy 64th Birthday to Ken Dryden
Kenneth Wayne "Ken" Dryden, PC, (born August 8, 1947) is a Canadian politician, lawyer, businessman, author, and former NHL goaltender. Dryden is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. He was a Liberal Member of Parliament from 2004 until losing his seat in the 2011 Canadian federal elections to Conservative Mark Adler.
To Phillips, Happy 81st Birthday to Jerry Tarkanian
He coached the greatest College Basketball Team, ever the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship: (1990)
Friday, August 5, 2011
Happy International Beer Day
International Beer Day (IBD) is an August 5 celebration founded in 2007 in Santa Cruz, California. Since its inception, International Beer Day has grown from a small localized event into a worldwide celebration spanning 139 cities, 23 countries and 6 continents. Specifically, International Beer Day has three declared purposes:
1. To gather with friends and enjoy the taste of beer.
2. To celebrate those responsible for brewing and serving beer.
3. To unite the world under the banner of beer, by celebrating the beers of all nations together on a single day.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
To Chris Delia (RIP)... Happy 42nd Birthday to Max Cavalera
Massimiliano Antonio "Max" Cavalera (born August 4, 1969) is a Brazilian singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the heavy metal band Sepultura, before forming Soulfly in the late 1990s. Cavalera was also involved in a short-lived side project, Nailbomb, and is currently performing with Soulfly and another project, Cavalera Conspiracy.
John C. Delia, Father of Chris Delia.
To HottKowskyi.... Happy 50th Birthday to the Prez, Barack Obama
Obama's first pitch at the 2005 playoffs.
The Chicago White Sox at the White House with 44th President of the United States.
The 1st pitch at the All-Star Game.
WOW!!!!Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field Drop Old Style Beer Following 2011 Season
Great Job Guys!!!!!!!!!
As if the season could get any worse for Cubs fans, the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field announced they are severing ties with their long standing beer staple Old Style. Old Style beer has been just as big a part of Wrigley Field as the ivy which grows from the cold, hard brick in the outfield.
News of the divorce between the organization and the fully krausened company comes as a sudden shock, but also as a relief. Lousy baseball team sponsored by lousy beer, and overpriced lousy beer at that (as well as the general price of tickets, hint hint Tom Ricketts) was a recipe for disaster. So maybe this is the first step in the right direction for the Cubs organization. Cut the fat meat, or the watered down beer for that matter.
The relationship between Old Style and the Chicago Cubs baseball team has existed for 61 years.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Happy 61st Birthday, John Landis!!!
Directed by Landis:
Schlock (1973) (also Writer)
The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977)
National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)
The Blues Brothers (1980) (co-written with Dan Akyroyd)
An American Werewolf in London (1981) (also Writer)
Trading Places (1983)
Into the Night (1985)
Spies Like Us (1985)
Three Amigos (1986)
Coming to America (1988)
Oscar (1991)
Innocent Blood (1992)
Beverly Hills Cop III (1994)
The Stupids (1996)
Blues Brothers 2000 (1998) (co-written with Dan Akyroyd)
Susan's Plan (1998) (also Writer)
Burke and Hare (2010)
Happy 38th Birthday, Jay Cutler!!! Yes the Real Jay Cutler!!!
Jay Cutler (born Jason Isaac Cutler August 3, 1973 in Sterling, Massachusetts) is an IFBB professional bodybuilder and the current Mr. Olympia, a title he has won four times.Vital statistics
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
Thighs: 31 inches (79 cm)
Calves: 20 inches (51 cm)
Arms: 22.5 inches (57 cm)
Neck: 19.5 inches (50 cm)
Chest: 60 inches (150 cm)
Waist:34 inches (86 cm)
This day in 1921, eight Chicago White Sox are banned for life.
1921 – Major League Baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis confirms the ban of the eight Chicago Black Sox, the day after they were acquitted by a Chicago court.
Banned players
Eddie Cicotte, pitcher, died on May 5, 1969, had the longest life; living to the age of 84. Admitted involvement in the fix.
Oscar "Happy" Felsch, center fielder, died on August 17, 1964, at 72.
Arnold "Chick" Gandil, first baseman. The leader of the players who were in on the fix. He did not play in the majors in 1920, playing semi-pro ball instead. In 1956, he expressed remorse for the fix, but claimed that he and his colleagues abandoned it and kept the money after rumors spread that the fix was in. He died on December 13, 1970, at 82.
"Shoeless" Joe Jackson, the star outfielder, one of the best hitters in the game, confessed in sworn grand jury testimony to having accepted $5,000 cash from the gamblers. He later recanted his confession and protested his innocence to no effect until his death on December 5, 1951, at 64; he was the first of the eight banned White Sox players to die. Years later, the other players all said that Jackson had never been involved in any of the meetings with the gamblers, and other evidence has since surfaced that casts doubt on his role.
Fred McMullin, utility infielder. McMullin would not have been included in the fix had he not overheard the other players' conversations. He threatened to tell all if not included His impact as team scout may have had more impact on the fix, since he saw minimal playing time in the series. He died on November 21, 1952, at 61.
Charles "Swede" Risberg, shortstop. Risberg was Gandil's assistant. The last living player among the Black Sox, he lived on until October 13, 1975, his 81st birthday.
George "Buck" Weaver, third baseman. Weaver attended the initial meetings, and while he did not go in on the fix, he knew about it. Landis banished him on this basis, stating "Men associating with crooks and gamblers could expect no leniency." On January 13, 1922, Weaver unsuccessfully applied for reinstatement. Like Jackson, Weaver continued to profess his innocence to successive baseball commissioners to no effect. He died on January 31, 1956, at 65.
Claude "Lefty" Williams, pitcher. Went 0–3 with a 6.63 ERA for the series. Only one other pitcher in the entire history of baseball - George Frazier of the 1981 New York Yankees - has ever lost three games in one World Series. Williams died on November 4, 1959, at 66.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Happy 41st Birthday, Tony Amonte
Chicago Goal scored by #10 Toty Amonta at 2:22!!!!!!On June 11, 2010, Tony was named the new head coach of the hockey program at his alma mater, Thayer Academy in Braintree, Massachusetts.
Tony's sister is Kelly Amonte Hiller, head coach of women's lacrosse at Northwestern University. Hiller has guided the team to five consecutive National Titles. Hiller was also a four-time All-American at the University of Maryland, College Park and two-time NCAA Division 1 Player of the Year in 1995 and 1996.
Happy 56th Birthday, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart AKA John Buttney
Come on John
" What are you lookin at Phillips?"Monday, August 1, 2011
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