January 16th was the day in history when…
1988: Jimmy "the Greek" Snyder was fired from CBS for making racial remarks. Snyder was a football commentator for CBS who was controversial for many reasons. Snyder often touted his ability to pick the winners for upcoming games which detractors said encouraged gambling. While talking with a reporter in a Washington D.C. restaurant, Snyder made a racist comment. After saying, “The black is a better athlete to begin with because he's been bred to be that way — because of his high thighs and big thighs that goes up into his back, and they can jump higher and run faster because of their bigger thighs. This goes back all the way to the Civil War when during the slave trading, the owner — the slave owner would breed his big black to his big woman so that he could have a big black kid” the longtime commentator was fired by CBS. Snyder subsequently apologized calling the comment stupid.
1939: Comic strip "Superman" debuted. The “Man of Steel” first started fighting crime in a daily newspaper column. Some of his early adventures included saving Santa Clause from the Nazis and the first appearance of a bald Lex Luthor. During the course of the story, Clark Kent married Lois Lane. The two lived together for years without Lois finding out her husband’s true identity.
1938: Benny Goodman played at Carnegie Hall. This was a momentous day in the history of jazz. This enormously popular concert at such a prestigious venue gave legitimacy to the new musical form. Goodman was also remarkable for being one of the first to play with a racially integrated band.
Famous Birthdays:
1974: Kate Moss – model
1950: Debbie Allen – dancer/actress
1932: Jim Berry – cartoonist
1910: Dizzy Dean – professional baseball player
1908: Ethel Merman – stage/screen actress
Notable People Lost:
2000: Robert Rathburn Wilson– nuclear physicist, a leader of the Manhattan Project
1997: Innis Cosby – son of Bill Cosby, murdered on LA highway at 29
1939: Albert Fish – mass murderer, executed
Odd Holidays (There's Always Something to Celebrate!):
National Nothing Day
National Religious Freedom Day
Apprentices Day
National Good Teen Day (Founded by an Ohio school teacher, this day has been approved by Congress.)
U.S. Prohibition Day
National Fig Newton Day
International Hot & Spicy Food Day
Thought for the day: When Atheists go to court, do they have to swear on the bible?
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Beth’s Blog: It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time
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