Memorial Day

What are your memories of Memorial Day? Are they long weekends? Are they a visits to the beach or barbecues? Perhaps watching the Indy 500? Did you know that the true date for Memorial Day was always May 30th?

Decoration Day was designated May 30th 1868, as day to decorate or strew flowers on the graves of comrades that had given their life to the service of the Union. The Civil War (or the War Between the States as it was known in the south) had ended in 1865 and the day was set aside to celebrate the lives lost during that war. By 1882, it became Memorial Day, to remember all of the war dead of the Union Army and the Southern Army. May 30th remained the date because there were no significant battles on the that day. In 1968 the Uniform Holidays bill moved 3 holidays now celebrated as President’s Day, Veterans Day and Memorial Day to a specified Monday to create a three day weekend. Memorial Day is the last Monday in May.

As a child my Memorial Day was always celebrated at my grandparents house. Mom always dressed my sister and I, in red, white and blue. My Grandfather was a doughboy who fought in France, my Dad was a GI Joe in the Philippines, my Uncle John was on the USS Montpellier and entered Hiroshima after the Japanese surrendered. But this day was always my Grandmothers day, she was a Gold Star Mother. Her oldest son, Jimmy, was killed in 1942, he was a pilot in the Army Air Corp. Every year she was picked up for the parade where she, and the other Gold Star Mothers would be escorted to the monument where remembrances were held for all the war dead. They would sit there with tears in their eyes and pride in their hearts, for there sons as the roll call was announced ending with a 21 gun salute. The day would always be full of stories of Uncle Jimmy as a child, as a youth full of life, and as six month newlywed to Eileen they were married the day after Jimmy got his wings. The day would always end with Kate Smith singing God Bless America on the turntable. This was a day Grandmother could remember without regret of her sons sacrifice.

Today, with Afghanistan and Iraq wars being fought, buy a poppy from a VFW volunteer, hang your flag, thank a vet for their service, but remember those Gold Star Mothers who's sons and daughters have given their lives in service to their country. Their loss is as immeasurable as their pride.

Thanksgiving in The Poconos

Remember the song "over the river and through the woods to grandmothers house we go"? Well we were not at grandmothers but we did get to enjoy Jim's brothers house in the Poconos for the weekend. Johnny, Patrick, Laura, Patty Jim, and I spent a fun filled weekend. Laura's Aunt and Uncle joined us for dinner Thursday for Turkey and all the fixings. We played canasta, taboo and had many laughs at Edelweiss restaurant on Saturday night. Jim tried kangaroo (the poor joey) for the first time. We also had 4 legged visitors all weekend as well as a few wild turkeys.

A Yankees Fan from Philadelphia

Not having grown up in New York, I never knew Yankee Stadium until I was in my 20’s. I knew Connie Mack Stadium or as the men in my house called it, Shibe Park, that too was an old ballpark in a tough section of a city. The Philadelphia Athletics opened Shibe Park in 1909 and played there until 1954. In 1938 Shibe Park became the home of the Phillies and in 1953 was renamed after the ‘Grand Ol Man of Baseball’, Connie Mack. They closed Connie Mack and moved to Veteran Stadium in 1970 six years later ‘the Church of Baseball’ burnt down. They only won one World Series in 1980 beating the Kansas City Royals in the 6th game. It was the last of the original 16 National League teams to win a World Series. Some say it’s the curse of ‘Billy Penn’.

If Shibe Park was the church, then Yankee Stadium is the cathedral with not one but two Popes saying mass there. The great organ playing the hymns of the cathedral, played by Eddie Layton on the grand Hammond; the Star Spangle Banner, Take Me Out To The Ballgame, and the recessional, Frank Sinatra singing New York, New York. Bob Shepard the voice - now playing shortstop Derek Jeter. Robert Merrill baratone with the Metropolitain Opera, or Morris (Moishe) Miller of Brooklyn, to sing the Star Spangle Banner, at opening day. The Scooter letting his wife, Cora, know that he was leavng to beat the traffic over the GW Bridge. Yankee Stadium has been the home of the Yankee’s since 1923. Tillinghast L'Hommedieu Huston and Jacob Ruppert, the Yankee owners in January 1915, paid $2,500,000 to build a 60,000 seat stadium knowing that if they could get Babe Ruth, they could fill the stadium. It was a huge financial risk. They paid $600,000 to William Waldorf Astor for the 10 acre lumberyard as the location. In 1920 they got Ruth, in 1923, in the first game at the stadium, the first homer was from the Babe. The risk paid off. Truly the House that Ruth built.

This is where Babe Ruth played. Where Lou Gehrig, the Iron Horse, played 2130 games, a record not broken for 56 years. Murders Row, Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio, the M&M boys, and how can you forget Yogi and Don Larsen’s perfect game in the World Series, or all 26 World Series wins, 39 AL pennants, and 15 East Division titles. I could go on. Were there ghosts, maybe, but they were friendly, and you could feel the glorious past. The grass was so green under the lights. The only thing I could not understand at my first game, was the booing when Lou Pinella came to bat. Thankfully a friend told me they were yelling L-O-O-O-U! I truly felt all encompassed by the past and the present of baseball, and its greats. Many years have passed, with good memories of games won and lost. The night my friend Mike and I ‘bumped’ into Bucky Dent; he was running to get to his car in the team parking lot, we were walking to ours. The Sunday, when Dave Winfield was running after a foul ball landed on top of my friend Suzanne and me. My son’s first game as he watched the pigeons fly around. My husband’s last baseball game, David Cone’s perfect game July 18th 1999. The first Yankee home game after the Sept 11th attacks filled with pride of country, pride of the first responders on the job, as well as our men and women in uniform. The f16 fighters flying overhead at the World Series that the Yankee’s won, in the hearts of many, though not on the field.

To paraphrase Robert Burns, For auld lang syne. We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, and drink to the house that Ruth built to bless its memory. Then let’s take a sip for the new Yankee Stadium may she live long and prosper, while we wish for as much joy and happiness in the new as the old. Where my grandchildren will watch the pigeons fly around at their first games. For the 27th World Series win (and more) and other good memories that will occur. And maybe someone else will enjoy a perfect game pitched on a warm Sunday afternoon.

Norman Rockwell Museum

Patty, Jim, Patrick, Laura and I spent a beautiful, though hot afternoon, in the town of Stockbridge MA. yesteday. Stockbridge is in the beautiful Berkshire Mountains and known for the Norman Rockwell Museum. He made Stockbridge his home from 1953 until his death in 1978. Stockbridge is also home to famed Red Lion Inn, and was also the home of Alices Restaurant, made famous by an Arlo Guthrie song. There were many laughs (trying to find Alices Restaurant).