Tuesday, July 9, 2013 LET’S SEW DAY OK, class. Who invented the sewing machine? Elias Howe, you say? Well, we were all taught that Elias Howe was the clever inventor; but that’s not exactly correct. Elias Howe only patented the lock stitch sewing machine. The device had already been invented by one Walter Hunt. Walter was a really nice guy. He didn’t patent his invention because he didn’t want to put the many seamstresses of the time out of work. Elias didn’t care about such social issues. So he went ahead and patented the sewing machine. Mr. Howe, however, ran into a lot of legal entanglements trying to get his patent rights because of those who tried to infringe on them, such as Isaac Singer. Maybe you know the name. In the long run, Elias Howe won; earning over two million dollars in royalties for his non-invention. The question is, if Elias Howe hadn’t been born on this day in 1819, what would we be sewing with? Order Those Were the Days Deluxe Events July 9 1792 - S.L. Mitchell of Columbia College in New York City became the first Professor of Agriculture. 1808 - The leather-splitting machine was patented by Samuel Parker of Billerica, MA. 1872 - The doughnut cutter was patented by John F. Blondel of Thomaston, ME. Take your favorite policeman out for a donut today! 1878 - The corncob pipe was patented by Henry Tibbe of Washington, MO. You see, Henry was tired of sitting around, puffing on his string bean pipe and decided to go for something more convenient... 1910 - The first airplane to fly a mile in the air did so this day with W.R. Brookins of Atlantic City, NJ at the controls. 1922 - Johnny Weissmuller became the first to swim the 100-meters freestyle in less than a minute. The future Tarzan set the pace at an event in Alameda, CA. 1935 - American track star Norman Bright ran the two mile event in the record time of 9 minutes, 12.2 seconds at a meet in New York City. 1953 - The first commuter passenger service by helicopter began in America’s largest city. New York Airways provided the lift for busy people who wanted to avoid the traffic below. 1968 - The first All-Star baseball game to be played indoors took place at the Astrodome in Houston, TX. The game produced only eight hits over nine innings and no runs were batted in. Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants scored the only run on a single in the first inning. He moved to second on an errant pick-off play, went to third base on a wild pitch and scored on a double play. The National League beat the American League 1-0. 1969 - Tom Seaver of the New York Mets retired the first 25 Chicago Cubs he faced this day. However, with just two outs to go to get a perfect game, Seaver gave up a single to Jimmy Qualls. The Mets blanked the Cubs 4-0 in that one-hitter. 1972 - Paul McCartney appeared on stage for the first time since 1966 as his group, Wings, opened at Chateauvillon in the south of France. 1977 - Undercover Angel, by songwriter (turned pop singer) Alan O’Day, reached the top spot on the Billboard chart. It was not the first visit to the top of the pop music world for O’Day, though the million-seller would be his last as a singer. He wrote Angie Baby, a number one hit for Helen Reddy and the #3 hit, Rock And Roll Heaven, for The Righteous Brothers. 1984 - The Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, IN was packed to the rafters. 67,596 spectators, the largest crowd to watch a basketball game in the United States (to that time), saw the U.S. men’s Olympic team defeat a team of players from the NBA, 97-82. The largest crowd in the world to see a basketball game was in 1951. 75,000 spectators saw the Harlem Globetrotters play in Olympic Stadium in West Berlin, Germany. (A new U.S. and World record attendance record was set on Dec 13, 2003, when the Michigan State Spartans played the Kentucky Wildcats in a college basketball game played on the football field of the NFL Detroit Lions. The attendance was 78,129.) 1985 - Herschel Walker of the New Jersey Generals was named the Most Valuable Player in the United States Football League (USFL). 1986 - A new Broadway showplace opened. It was the first new theatre on Broadway in 13 years. The Marquis Theatre, located at the corner of 46th Street and Broadway, seated 1,600 theatregoers. 1995 - The Grateful Dead played its last live show -- at Chicago’s Soldier Field. Leader Jerry Garcia died one month later of a heart attack in his room at California substance abuse treatment facility. Birthdays July 9 1764 - Ann Radcliffe author: The Italian, The Mysteries of Udolpho, The Romance of the Forest; died Feb 7, 1823 1819 - Elias Howe inventor: patented the lock stitch sewing machine; died Oct 3, 1867; see Let’s Sew Day [above] 1879 - Ottorino Respighi viola-player, pianist, composer: Fontane di Roma [Fountains of Rome], Pini di Roma [Pines of Rome], and Feste romane [Roman Festivals]; died Apr 18, 1936 1901 - Dame Barbara Cartland romance novelist featuring virginal heroines: Jigsaw, Etiquette Handbook, The Herb for Happiness, Lights, Laughter and a Lady, The Passionate Pilgrim, Search for a Wife, Woman - The Enigma; authored 723 books, sold over 1 billion copies worldwide [in 36 languages]; advocate of feminine virtues and commanding men; died May 21, 2000 1916 - Edward Heath Prime Minister of Great Britain [1970-1974]; died Jul 17, 2005 1922 - Jim Pollard Basketball Hall of Famer: Minneapolis Lakers; coach: La Salle College; died Jan 22, 1993 1924 - Leonard Pennario concert pianist; composer: Midnight on the Cliffs theme from film Julie; died Jun 27, 2008 1927 - Ed Ames singer: group: The Ames Brothers: You You You, The Man with the Banjo, The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane, Tammy, Melody d’Amour; solo: My Cup Runneth Over, Who Will Answer; actor: Daniel Boone 1927 - Susan Cabot (Harriet Shapiro) actress: The Wasp Woman, Machine Gun Kelly, Carnival Rock, Son of Ali Baba, Sorority Girl; murdered by her son Dec 10, 1986 1927 - Leonard ‘Red’ Kelly Hockey Hall of Famer: Detroit Red Wings: Norris Trophy [1954], Lady Byng Trophy [1951, 1953, 1954, 1961], 4 Stanley Cup wins; Toronto Maple Leafs: 4 Stanley Cup wins; coach: LA Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins: Adams Trophy [1969-1970] 1927 - Jim McReynolds folk singer [w/brother]: group: Jim & Jesse: Cotton Mill Man, Ballad of Thunder Road, Freight Train, Diesel on My Tail 1929 - Lee Hazlewood songwriter: The Fool, These Boots are Made for Walkin’, Sugar Town; singer: Jackson [w/Nancy Sinatra]; died Aug 4, 2007 1929 - Wally (Walter Charles) Post baseball: Cincinnati Redlegs, Cincinnati Reds [World Series: 1961], Philadelphia Phillies, Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians; died Jan 06, 1982 1936 - James Hampton actor: F Troop, Love American Style, Evening Shade, Doris Day Show, The China Syndrome, Force Five 1938 - Brian Dennehy actor: Cocoon, 10, Presumed Innocent, First Blood, Semi-Tough, Silverado, Johnny We Hardly Knew Ye 1942 - Richard Roundtree actor: Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored, Q, Body of Influence, Shaft, Shaft’s Big Score, Shaft (2000) 1946 - Bon (Ronald) Scott singer: group: AC/DC; died Feb 19, 1980 1947 - O.J. (Orenthal James) Simpson Pro Football Hall of Famer: running back: Heisman Trophy: USC [1968], Buffalo Bills; actor: Naked Gun series, The Towering Inferno, Roots,Capricorn One; defendant in the ’trial of the century’: acquitted of 1994 murder of ex-wife, Nicole, Ron Goldman [1995]; found responsible for their deaths in a civil suit [1997] 1951 - Dave Parker ‘The Cobra’: baseball: Pittsburgh Pirates [NL MVP: 1978; World Series: 1979], Cincinnati Reds, Oakland Athletics [World Series: 1988, 1989], Milwaukee Brewers, California Angels, Toronto Blue Jays; baseball’s 1st million-dollar player; coach: California Angels, St. Louis Cardinals; restauranteur 1952 - John Tesh Emmy Award-winning composer: musical score for Tourde France [1987], Pan-American Games [1983]; Concetta, Romantic Christmas[w/wife Connie Selleca]; TV host: Entertainment Tonight, CBS Sports 1954 - Debbie Sledge singer; group: Sister Sledge: We are Family 1955 - Jimmy Smits Emmy Award-winning actor: L.A. Law [1989-90]; N.Y.P.D. Blue, Birdland, Glitz, Mi Familia, Gross Misconduct, The Cisco Kid, Price of Glory 1956 - Tom (Thomas Jeffrey) Hanks Academy Award-winning actor: Forrest Gump [1994], Philadelphia [1993]; Apollo 13, Sleepless in Seattle, Big, Joe Versus the Volcano,Splash, The Money Pit, You’ve Got Mail, The Green Mile, Cast Away 1957 - Kelly McGillis actress: Witness, The Accused, Top Gun 1959 - Marc (Peter) Almond singer: duo: Soft Cell: Tainted Love; group: Marc & the Mambas: LP: Torment and Toreros; solo: Stories of Johnny, LP: Mother Fist and Her Five Daughters 1959 - Jim Kerr singer: group: Simple Minds: Changeling, Premonition, The American, Love Song, Don’t You [Forget About Me], LP: Sparkle in the Raintories 1965 - Frank Bello musician: bass: group: Anthrax 1976 - Fred Savage actor: The Wonder Years, The Princess Bride, Little Monsters, The Boy Who Could Fly Chart Toppers July 9 1950 Bewitched - The Bill Snyder Orchestra My Foolish Heart - The Gordon Jenkins Orchestra (vocal: Eileen Wilson) I Wanna Be Loved - The Andrews Sisters Why Don’t You Love Me - Hank Williams 1958 Hard Headed Woman - Elvis Presley Splish Splash - Bobby Darin Poor Little Fool - Ricky Nelson Guess Things Happen that Way - Johnny Cash 1966 Paperback Writer - The Beatles Red Rubber Ball - The Cyrkle Hanky Panky - Tommy James & The Shondells Think of Me - Buck Owens 1974 Rock the Boat - The Hues Corporation Rock Your Baby - George McCrae Hollywood Swinging - Kool & The Gang He Thinks I Still Care - Anne Murray 1982 Don’t You Want Me - The Human League Rosanna - Toto Hurts So Good - John Cougar Any Day Now - Ronnie Milsap 1990 Step By Step - New Kids on the Block She ain’t Worth It - Glenn Medeiros featuring Bobby Brown Hold On - En Vogue Love Without End, Amen - George Strait Those were the days, my friend. We thought they’d never end...
Posted on: Tue, 09 Jul 2013 19:09:55 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015