Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.
Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season.
Memorial Day, as Decoration Day gradually came to be known, originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War. But during World War I the United States found itself embroiled in another major conflict, and the holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars, including World War II, The Vietnam War, The Korean War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
For decades, Memorial Day continued to be observed on May 30, the date General Logan had selected for the first Decoration Day. But in 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees. The change went into effect in 1971. The same law also declared Memorial Day a federal holiday.
➦In 1894...John Florence Sullivan was born (Died – March 17, 1956). Known professionally as Fred Allen, he was a comedian. His absurdist, topically pointed radio program The Fred Allen Show (1932–1949) made him one of the most popular and forward-looking humorists in the Golden Age of American radio.
His best-remembered gag was his long-running mock feud with friend and fellow comedian Jack Benny, but it was only part of his appeal; radio historian John Dunning (in On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio) wrote that Allen was radio's most admired comedian and most frequently censored. A master ad libber, Allen often tangled with his network's executives (and often barbed them on the air over the battles) while developing routines whose style and substance influenced fellow comic talents, including Groucho Marx, Stan Freberg, Henry Morgan and Johnny Carson; his avowed fans also included President Franklin D. Roosevelt, humorist James Thurber, and novelists William Faulkner, John Steinbeck and Herman Wouk (who began his career writing for Allen).
From 1942...
Allen has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: a radio star at 6713 Hollywood Blvd. and a TV star at 7001 Hollywood Blvd
➦In 1908...Melvin Jerome Blanc born (Died – July 10, 1989). He was a voice actor and radio personality.
Mel Blanc & Characters
After beginning his over-60-year career performing in radio, he became known for his work in animation as the voices of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety Bird, Sylvester the Cat, Yosemite Sam, Foghorn Leghorn, Marvin the Martian, Pepé Le Pew, Speedy Gonzales, Wile E. Coyote, Road Runner, the Tasmanian Devil, and many of the other characters from the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies theatrical cartoons during the golden age of American animation. He voiced all of the major male Warner Bros. cartoon characters except for Elmer Fudd, whose voice was provided by fellow radio personality Arthur Q. Bryan, although Blanc later voiced Fudd, as well, after Bryan's death.
He later voiced characters for Hanna-Barbera's television cartoons, including Barney Rubble on The Flintstones and Mr. Spacely on The Jetsons. Blanc was also the original voice of Woody Woodpecker for Universal Pictures and provided vocal effects for the Tom and Jerry cartoons directed by Chuck Jones for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, replacing William Hanna. During the golden age of radio, Blanc also frequently performed on the programs of famous comedians from the era, including Jack Benny, Abbott and Costello, Burns and Allen and Judy Canova.
Having earned the nickname The Man of a Thousand Voices, Blanc is regarded as one of the most influential people in the voice acting industry
Blanc began his radio career at the age of 19 when in 1927 he debuted as a voice actor on the KGW (Portland OR) program The Hoot Owls, where his ability to provide voices for multiple characters first attracted attention. He moved to Los Angeles in 1932, where he met Estelle Rosenbaum (1909 - 2003), whom he married a year later, before returning to Portland. He moved to KEX in 1933 to produce and co-host his Cobweb And Nuts show with his wife Estelle, which debuted on June 15. The program played Monday through Saturday from 11:00 pm to midnight, and by the time the show ended two years later, it appeared from 10:30 pm to 11:00 pm.
With his wife's encouragement, Blanc returned to Los Angeles and joined Warner Bros.-owned KFWB in Hollywood, California, in 1935. He joined The Johnny Murray Show, but the following year switched to CBS Radio and The Joe Penner Show.
Blanc was a regular on the NBC Red Network show The Jack Benny Program in various roles, including voicing Benny's Maxwell automobile (in desperate need of a tune-up), violin teacher Professor LeBlanc, Polly the Parrot, Benny's pet polar bear Carmichael, the tormented department store clerk, and the train announcer. The first role came from a mishap when the recording of the automobile's sounds failed to play on cue, prompting Blanc to take the microphone and improvise the sounds himself. The audience reacted so positively that Benny decided to dispense with the recording altogether and have Blanc continue in that role.
By 1946, Blanc appeared on over 15 radio programs in supporting roles. His success on The Jack Benny Program led to his own radio show on the CBS Radio Network, The Mel Blanc Show, which ran from September 3, 1946, to June 24, 1947. Blanc played himself as the hapless owner of a fix-it shop, as well as his young cousin Zookie.
Blanc also appeared on such other national radio programs as The Abbott and Costello Show, the Happy Postman on Burns and Allen, and as August Moon on Point Sublime. During World War II, he appeared as Private Sad Sack on various radio shows, most notably G.I. Journal. Blanc recorded a song titled "Big Bear Lake."
He passed away on July 10, 1989.
➦In 1917...actor & voiceover artist Peter Leeds was born in Bayonne, New Jersey. He appeared on television more than 8,000 times, on radio programs more than 3,000 times, and also had many film and Broadway credits. The majority of his work took place in the 1950s and 1960s,; he was best known as a straight man for funnyman Stan Freberg. Leeds died of cancer Nov. 12 1996 at age 79.
➦In 1922...Smilin' Ed McConnell made his first radio broadcast in Atlanta. He was best known as the host of the children's radio and television series, Smilin' Ed's Gang, closely identified with its sponsor, Buster Brown shoes, and also known as The Buster Brown Program. For his work in radio, McConnell was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Smilin' Ed McConnell
In 1937, he moved to NBC as their "Sunshine Melody Man", offering hymns and uplifting messages. McConnell’s blend of "songs, humor and philosophy" aired over network affiliates at 5:30pm. Guests included the Doring Trio, The Four Grenadiers, The Campus Choir and the Rhythmaires.
McConnell became known in New York City when he was heard over WJZ, though the show was broadcast from Chicago and he lived in Elk Rapids, Michigan.
McConnell grabbed children's attention when he created the character Froggy the Gremlin, performing with Irma Allen on the organ or Del Owen on the piano. Even though McConnell became famous as "Smilin' Ed," he continued to host programs for religious adults. While his Buster Brown show was running, McConnell presided over a five-minute show sponsored by the American Poultry Journal. It reached over 50 stations. Another Smilin' Ed show was a 15-minute program sponsored by the Purity Baking Company.
By 1948, 145 ABC stations were subscribing to his 15-minute programs. Smilin' Ed's humor, songs, and music were condensed into a five-minute program especially for electric lamp dealers. So it is very likely that this series originated after 1948.
➦In 1928...Legendary radio personality Herb Oscar Anderson was born. HOA was the morning drive-time personality on WABC Radio in New York City December 1960 to September 1968. He referred to himself as the Morning Mayor Of New York.
He also worked at KSTP and WDGY St. Paul-Minneapolis during the '50s. Also in the '50s HOA appeared on a number of shows for the ABC Radio network. He started in 1958 at WMCA NYC, worked WMGM in '59 and became the Morning Mayor on WABC in 1960.
HOA died January 29, 2017 at age 88.
➦In 1935…"America's Town Meeting of the Air" was first heard on NBC Blue (the predecessor to ABC radio) for the first time. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was one of the debaters on the opener. The issues-oriented discussion program lasted a total of 21 years, with a name change to America’s Town Meeting of the Air. It was moderated throughout by George V. Denny Jr.
➦In 1943...the "Archie" comic strip was first aired on radio.
➦In 1989...the 20,000th "Rambling with Gambling" Radio show aired on WOR-AM, New York City. (Several generations of Gamblings kept the program going continuously)
John A, John R, John B Gambling
John B. Gambling started the show in March 1925, when WOR was a promotional arm of the Bamberger's department store in Newark. His son, John A. Gambling became host in 1959. He brought his son, John R. Gambling, to the show as co-host from 1985 until his retirement in 1991. John R. Gambling has been solo host since that time.
In September 2000, WOR cancelled the program. At the time, it was the longest continually-running radio broadcast in America, a position now held by the Grand Ole Opry.
After a brief hiatus, WABC hired John R. Gambling.
WOR owned the rights to the name Rambling with Gambling, so the revived show was renamed The John Gambling Show.
In January 2008, WABC laid off Gambling in a cost-cutting measure.
On Wednesday, April 30, 2008, WOR and John R. Gambling announced the return of the show to its original station.
They began broadcasting on Monday, May 5, 2008, from 6 AM to 10 AM. despite the return to WOR.
Gambling retired from WOR radio at the end of 2013, bringing an end to the almost 89-year combined run of The John Gambling Show and Rambling with Gambling.
➦In 2014...Radio, TV actress Joan Lorring, who began her career in 1940’s Hollywood radio and was regularly of member of the cast on CBS Radio’s Mystery Theater in the 70’s died at age 88. She was also featured in the early TV series ‘Norby,” and guested in anthology & episodic TV until 1980. Her many small screen appearances included The Star Wagon, a 1966 movie with Dustin Hoffman and Orson Bean, and The Love Boat in 1980.
Wyonna Judd is 58
🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:
Actor Ruta Lee (“High Rollers,” “What’s My Line?”) is 87.
Actor Keir Dullea (“2001: A Space Odyssey”) is 86.
Guitarist Lenny Davidson of The Dave Clark Five is 78.
Actor Stephen Tobolowsky (“Groundhog Day,” ″Sneakers”) is 71.
Actor Colm Meaney (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”) is 69.
Actor Ted McGinley (“Hope and Faith,” ″Married... With Children”) is 64.
Idina Menzel is 51
Actor Ralph Carter (“Good Times”) is 61.
Actor-filmmaker Tonya Pinkins (“All My Children”) is 60.
Country singer Wynonna Judd is 58.
Guitarist Tom Morello of Audioslave and Rage Against the Machine is 58.
Actor Mark Sheppard (“Supernatural”) is 58.
Actor John Ross Bowie (“Speechless,” ″The Big Bang Theory”) is 51.
Guitarist Patrick Dahlheimer of Live is 51.
Singer-actor Idina Menzel is 51.
Singer Cee Lo Green (Gnarls Barkley, Goodie Mob) is 47.
Rapper Remy Ma is 42. Guitarist James Smith of Underoath is 40.
Actor Javicia Leslie (“God Friended Me”) is 35.
Actor Sean Giambrone (“The Goldbergs”) is 23.
Actor Jared Gilmore (“Once Upon a Time,” ″Mad Men”) is 22.
➦In 1903...comedian Bob Hope was born Leslie Townes Hope in London England (Died – July 27, 2003). He was a British-born American stand-up comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer, dancer, athlete, and author. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films, with 54 feature films with Hope as star, including a series of seven "Road" musical comedy movies with Bing Crosby as Hope's top-billed partner.
In addition to hosting the Academy Awards show 19 times, more than any other host, he appeared in many stage productions and television roles, and was the author of 14 books. The song "Thanks for the Memory" was his signature tune. Hope was born in the Eltham district of southeast London, UK, arrived in the United States of America with his family at the age of four, and grew up in the Cleveland, Ohio, area.
After a brief career as a boxer in the late 1910s, he began his career in show business in the early 1920s, initially as a comedian and dancer on the vaudeville circuit, before acting on Broadway. Hope began appearing on radio and in films starting in 1934. He was praised for his comedic timing, specializing in one-liners and rapid-fire delivery of jokes which often were self-deprecating. He helped establish modern American stand-up comedy.
Celebrated for his long career performing in United Service Organizations (USO) shows to entertain active duty American military personnel, making 57 tours for the USO between 1941 and 1991, Hope was declared an honorary veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces in 1997 by an act of the United States Congress. He appeared in numerous specials for NBC television starting in 1950, and was one of the first users of cue cards.
He debuted on NBC radio in 1935, and was heard on a weekly basis for the next 23 years, though the last 4 years were repeats. His TV show debuted in 1952, and his final special aired in 1996 when he was 93.
Hope retired in 1997, and died at the age of 100 in 2003, at his home in the Toluca Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles.
➦In 1918...Herbert Arthur "Herb" Shriner born (Died – April 23, 1970). He was a humorist, radio personality and television host. Shriner was known for his homespun monologues, usually about his home state of Indiana. He was frequently compared to humorist Will Rogers.
Herb Shriner
In 1940, Shriner was hired by NBC for occasional radio appearances, which led to a regular spot in 1942 and 1943 on the comedy-variety program Camel Caravan. During World War II, he served in a United States Army special services unit and performed for two years in USO shows for GIs in Europe. After the war, he appeared on a number of radio shows, including The Philip Morris Follies of 1946 with Johnny Desmond and Margaret Whiting.
In 1947 he appeared in a Broadway musical review called Inside U.S.A. The performances were panned by critics, but Shriner's monologues made it a success and carried the show for over a year. Shriner hosted Herb Shriner Time, a CBS Radio weekday program, in 1948 and 1949 with the Raymond Scott Quintet, singer Dorothy Collins, and announcer Durward Kirby.
Herb Shriner Time evolved into a short-lived, fifteen-minute television show. A half-hour version on ABC ran during the 1951-52 season. Shriner found TV success with Two for the Money, a game show which appeared on NBC in the 1952-53 season, then moved to CBS for three seasons.
He died in an auto accident April 23 1970 at age 51.
➦In 1939…'When a Girl Marries' aired for the first time on CBS Radio. It was a daytime radio drama which was broadcast on three major radio networks from 1939 to 1957. It was the highest rated soap opera during the mid-1940s.
➦In 1941...Robert David "Bob" Simon born (Died in a car accident – February 11, 2015). He was a radio, TV correspondent for CBS News. During his career, he covered crises, war, and unrest in 67 countries. Simon reported the withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam, the Israeli-Lebanese Conflict in 1982, and the student protests in China's Tiananmen Square in 1989. During the Persian Gulf War in 1991, he and four of his TV crew were captured and imprisoned by Iraq for 40 days. He published a book about the experience titled "Forty Days."
He became a regular correspondent for CBS's 60 Minutes in 1996 and, in 1999, for 60 Minutes II. At the time of his death in an auto accident, he served as 60 Minutes senior foreign correspondent.
➦In 1942…Bing Crosby, backed by the Ken Darby Singers and the John Scott Trotter Orchestra, recorded Irving Berlin's "White Christmas." The first public performance of the song was by Bing Crosby, on his NBC radio show The Kraft Music Hall on Christmas Day, 1941; a copy of the recording from the radio program is owned by Crosby's estate and was loaned to CBS News Sunday Morning for their December 25, 2011 program. It was released on July 30 as part of an album of six 78-rpm discs from the musical film Holiday Inn. At first, Crosby did not see anything special about the song.
By the end of October 1942, "White Christmas" topped the Your Hit Parade chart. It remained in that position until well into the new year. It has often been noted that the mix of melancholy—"just like the ones I used to know"—with comforting images of home—"where the treetops glisten"—resonated especially strongly with listeners during World War II. A few weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Crosby introduced "White Christmas" on a Christmas Day broadcast. The Armed Forces Network was flooded with requests for the song. The recording is noted for Crosby's whistling during the second chorus.
In 1942 alone, Crosby's recording spent eleven weeks on top of the Billboard charts. In Holiday Inn, the composition won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1942.
➦In 1961...Jack Spector began working as a disk jockey in New York in 1961 at WMCA 570 AM, where he was a member of a group of broadcasting personalities called the Good Guys. He labeled himself Your Main Man Jake and usually closed his shows saying, "Look out street, here I come!"
He switched to WHN 1050 AM in 1972, then for nine years was the host of the "Saturday Night Sock Hop" on WCBS 101.1 FM. He also worked for a brief period as the host of a sports talk show for WNBC 660 AM.
Spector broke into broadcasting in Martinsburg, W.Va., in 1955, then worked for stations in Albany, Providence, R.I., and Chicago before returning to New York. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he attended Brooklyn College and had a brief tryout as a minor-league baseball player with the Brooklyn Dodgers organization. He served in the United States Army in Korea.
➦In 1977...the NBC News & Information Service, which was a 24-hour-a-day news service, ended.
NBC launched the NBC News and Information Service (NIS) in 1975. According to Faded Signals, it allowed local radio stations to launch all-news formats, providing affiliates with up to 55 minutes of news per hour.
NBC aired the service on its Washington station, WRC. It also added the all-news format on its network-owned FM stations in New York City, Chicago and San Francisco.
Many stations signed on with the service, but by 1976, NBC was not sure if its network would ever become profitable.
➦In 1978...former radio personality and actor Bob Crane (Donna Reed Show, Hogan in Hogan’s Heroes), died at age 49, the victim of a brutal murder.
Bob Crane
A drummer from age 11, Crane began his career as a radio personality, first in New York City and then Connecticut before moving to Los Angeles, where he hosted the number-one rated morning show. In the early 1960s, he moved into acting, eventually landing the lead role of Colonel Robert E. Hogan in Hogan's Heroes. The series aired from 1965 to 1971, and Crane received two Prime-Time Emmy Award nominations for his work on the series. After Hogan's Heroes ended, Crane's career declined. He became frustrated with the few roles he was being offered and began doing dinner theater. In 1975, he returned to television in the NBC series The Bob Crane Show. The series received poor ratings and was cancelled after 13 weeks. Afterwards, Crane returned to performing in dinner theaters and also appeared in occasional guest spots on television.
While on tour for his play Beginner's Luck in June 1978, Crane was found bludgeoned to death in his Scottsdale apartment, a murder that remains officially unsolved. This suspicious nature of his death and later revelations about his personal life gradually changed Crane's posthumous image from a cultural icon to a controversial figure.
➦In 1979..."The Source", considered Radio's first rock news network, debuted.
w/Groucho Marx
➦In 1997...Radio, TV announcer George Fenneman (left) died at age 77 (Born - November 10, 1919). He is most remembered as the announcer and good-natured sidekick for Groucho Marx's comedy/quiz show vehicle You Bet Your Life, which began in 1947 on radio and moved to television in 1950, where it remained on NBC for 11 years. Fenneman's mellifluous voice, clean-cut good looks, and gentlemanly manner provided the ideal foil for Marx's zany antics and bawdy ad libs.
Fenneman was one of a pair of announcers on Dragnet; he shared narration duties with Hal Gibney on radio and the original 1951 Dragnet television series, and then with John Stephenson when Dragnet returned to TV in 1967. It was Fenneman's voice which announced, "The story you are about to see is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent." while Stephenson would be heard at the end of the episode describing the court trials and verdicts.
➦In 2012…Radio actor Dick Beals, for many years the voice of "Speedy" in Alka-Seltzer TV commercials, died at the age of 85.
In January 1949, as a senior at MSU, Beals got a call to do a radio commercial for WXYZ, Detroit. After the show, the director asked him to be on call for all the children's voices as well as those of small, talking animals on all three network radio shows produced by WXYZ - The Lone Ranger, Green Hornet and Challenge of the Yukon.
In 1952, after performing in an episode of The Green Hornet, WXYZ station manager Jack McCarthy referred Beals to Forrest Owen of Wade Advertising. Owen showed Beals a rendering of a proposed product spokesman for their client, Alka-Seltzer and had him record a voice audition. Four months later, Beals was notified that he had been selected as the voice for Speedy Alka-Seltzer as well as the voice of Sticky, the Vaseline mascot.
Standing just 4'7" tall due to a glandular problem that also gave him his youthful voice, Beals provided the voices of 10-year-old boys well into his 70s.
➦In 2014…Former WNEW 102.7 FM NYC personality Dave Herman died of an aneurysm at 78 while in federal custody awaiting trial on charges of attempting to transport a 7-year-old girl from New Jersey to the Virgin Islands for a sexual liaison.
➦In 2014…Kenneth George Schram died at age 66 from kidney failure (Born - December 17, 1947). He was a news and radio broadcaster based in Seattle, Washington and was the former host of local-affairs show Town Meeting and KOMO 4’s evening news segments called "Schram on the Street." For several years he hosted a radio show, The Commentators, on KOMO Newsradio with conservative John Carlson.
That show was discontinued in September 2010. Starting September 20, 2010, Schram and Carlson each began hosting new, separate shows on the same station, with Carlson on from 9:00AM to Noon and Schram from Noon to 3:00PM. Schram is also known for his personal award, the "Schrammie", which he gave out on the air to "underscore what I think are among the worst of bone-headed decision, and/or the most appalling of asinine behavior", usually to local or regional newsmakers.
After a 35-year career, Ken Schram was fired from KOMO 4 and Radio on December 7, 2012, citing cutbacks to full-time employees.
Latoya Jackson is 66
🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:
Actor Anthony Geary (“General Hospital”) is 75.
Singer Rebbie Jackson is 72.
Composer Danny Elfman (Oingo Boingo) is 69.
Singer LaToya Jackson is 66.
Actor Ted Levine (“Monk,” ″The Silence of the Lambs”) is 65.
Actor Annette Bening is 64.
Actor Rupert Everett is 63.
Actor Adrian Paul (TV’s “The Highlander”) is 63.
Singer Melissa Etheridge is 61.
Melanie Brown is 47
Actor Lisa Whelchel (“The Facts of Life”) is 59.
Guitarist Noel Gallagher (Oasis) is 55.
Singer Jayski McGowan of Quad City DJ’s is 55.
Actor Anthony Azizi (“Threat Matrix,” ″Lost”) is 53.
Guitarist Chan Kinchla of Blues Traveler is 53.
Actor Laverne Cox (“Doubt,” ″Orange Is the New Black”) is 50.
Guitarist Mark Lee of Third Day is 49.
Cartoonist Aaron McGruder (“Boondocks”) is 48.
Singer Melanie Brown (“Scary Spice”) of the Spice Girls is 47.
Rapper Playa Poncho is 47.
Singer Fonseca is 43.
Actor Justin Chon (“Deception,” ″Dr. Ken”) is 41.
Actor Billy Flynn (“Days of Our Lives”) is 37.
Actor Blake Foster (“Power Rangers Turbo”) is 37.
Actor Brandon Mychal Smith (“Sonny With A Chance”) is 33.
Actor Kristen Alderson (“General Hospital,” ″One Life to Live”) is 31.
William O’Shaughnessy, respected broadcaster, Chairman of Whitney Global Media, author of several books, and long-time member of the Broadcasters Foundation of America’s Board of Directors and Chairman of its Guardian Fund, passed away Saturday morning at his home in Litchfield, Ct.
He was 84.
In honor of O’Shaughnessy’s steadfast commitment to elevating broadcasting to more than an industry, but to a profession, and his devotion to the mission of the Broadcasters Foundation to provide aid to past and present professionals in broadcast radio and TV, The William O’Shaughnessy Memorial Fund has been established.
“The Board of Directors and I are saddened at this tremendous loss to our profession,” stated Scott Herman, Chairman of the Broadcasters Foundation. “A true wordsmith, Bill was known for his eloquence in his speech and his writings. His letters to raise funds for The Broadcasters Foundation’s Guardian Fund struck a chord with everyone who read them, so graceful and elegant was his prose.”
O’Shaughnessy was Chairman of Whitney Global Media, which owns and operates WVOX and WVIP, radio stations in Westchester County. He penned several books, including Radio Active; Mario Cuomo, Remembrances of a Remarkable Man; Vox Populi, The O’Shaughnessy Files; and more.
“Bill was often found holding court at his favorite establishments, including Le Cirque and The 21 Club, where he was well-known and respected by the maître d's” noted Jim Thompson, Co-President of the Broadcasters Foundation. “A true iconoclast who gave back to the profession that he loved dearly, we will all remember Bill fondly in our hearts.”
To donate to the William O’Shaughnessy Memorial Fund, please visit www.broadcastersfoundation.org, click on donate, and when filling out the form please indicate that your donation is in honor of William O’Shaughnessy.
The Broadcasters Foundation of America provides financial aid to broadcasters who have lost their livelihood through a catastrophic event, debilitating disease, or unforeseen tragedy. Personal donations can be made to the Foundation’s Guardian Fund. Corporate contributions are accepted through the Angel Initiative, and bequests can be made through the Foundation’s Legacy Society. For more information, please visit www.broadcastersfoundation.org, call 212-373-8250, or email info@thebfoa.org.
➦In 1957....The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) is established, leading to the creation of the annual Grammy Awards.
➦In 1958….Top40 1010WINS pranked rival WMGM 1050 AM with a Charles DeGaulle phone call..
Before the era of radio shock jocks and tv prank-yankers, there was the infamous Charles de Gaulle Hoax of 1958, when DeGaulle was President of France.
It was the first truly great prank call in the history of radio--a doozy of a sting. Broadcast live throughout the Northeast, the faux phone call left one station supremely humiliated, leaving the other--the perpetrator of this mad hoax--basking in smug glory.
According to an aerticle Ken Brooks which appeared in Plus! magazine, in the spring of 1958, New York City radio stations were waging a fierce war for listeners. The combination of rock-and-roll and the transistor radio had made Elvis the King, and AM radio stations--at least those with their ears to the asphalt--were hastily switching formats.
One of the first stations to make the switch--in 1956, in fact--was WINS. By 1958, WINS had assembled a legendary line-up of disc jockeys that including Alan Freed, the former Cleveland jock credited with coining the term "rock and roll."
WINS's large news department was impressive as well; indeed, station call letters stood for International News Service, a division of the powerful Hearst Corporation.
Struggling in the shadow of WINS was low-rated WMGM. The station had once been the proud home of Brooklyn Dodger broadcasts, but the team was gone now, transplanted to Los Angeles that very spring. WMGM's tepid music format combined a bit of rock with easy-listening.
The station was not exactly a strong news-gathering force, either. Without a large news staff, WMGM execs outfitted an old panel truck and assigned two reporters to cruise the streets looking for "scoops." The reporters were dubbed the Minute Men; presumably they would be on the scene of a breaking story in a matter of minutes.
Headlines on the morning of Tuesday, May 28, 1958, concerned big news overseas: The imminent collapse of the French government, and the possibility that Gen. Charles De Gaulle--the popular World War II hero--would seize control of the republic.In the WMGM newsroom, executives decided on a bold move that would prove to New Yorkers that WMGM could be taken seriously as a news-gathering operation.
At 10:30 am, newscaster Bill Edmunds interrupted with this announcement:
"French President Coty is conferring with political leaders after receiving the resignation of Premier Pflimlin. A new government may be created today with General de Gaulle at the helm. WMGM has a call in, long-distance, overseas to General De Gaulle to bring you a direct interview...As soon as that call is completed, we'll put that call right on the air."
Monitoring rival stations' broadcasts is standard practice in the radio business. WMGM's plan to call de Gaulle caused no panic in the WINS newsroom, where it was seen as a desperate act on the part of WMGM. The idea that General de Gaulle would actually return a call to a local New York City radio station was outlandish.
Unless...
At noon the phone rang at WMGM studios. On the line was an overseas operator--or so she claimed. "Your trans- atlantic call is ready, sir," she said.
Bill Edmunds hustled to a mic."General? General de Gaulle?"
"Yas?" The response sounded static-y and far-away.
"General de Gaulle, this is WMGM in New York City." One could feel the adrenaline in Edmund's voice; they gave out awards for scoops like this. "I would like to know if you would care to make a statement to the American people at this time."
"Yas, I certainly would," said de Gaulle in a heavily French-accented English. "Are we on zee air now?" he asked.
"No sir, we are making a tape to play later, throughout the day and on our newscasts," Edmunds said.
"Well..." There was a pause as the General mulled this over. "No," he said finally, "I would not like to be recorded, as I have not yet granted the French press any of thees informay-shee-own. But I will agree to be broadcast."
"Will you hold, please, and we'll put you directly on the air? Can you do that?" Edmunds was practically begging.
"Yas, but make it very fast as I must go to ze Na-shee-a-nal Assem-blee."
"Just as soon as they give me the go-ahead, General..." In the thirteen seconds of dead-air that followed--an eternity in radio-time--one could hear the engineers scrambling to punch the right buttons.
Then, live, in stentorian tones, Edmunds announced: "I am on the phone with General Charles De Gaulle in France. General de Gaulle, would you care to make a statement about the crisis in France?"
"Thank you Mr. Edmunds," the General began. "I would like to make clear that when I assume pow-air I weel not do so by any dictatorial means. I am too much of an old soldier...and I weel give to the pee-pull of France the government they should have had ever since the war."
Edmunds wasn't about to let the General go just yet. A few more questions. Then de Gaulle broke in: "...Monseuir, can you tell me again whom I am speaking to?"
"Bill Edmunds, General. I'm one of the WMGM Minute Men." Surprisingly, de Gaulle sounded not the least bit impressed.
"WMGM?" the General repeated. "Why, everybody knows the best radio station in New York is WINS." Then he screamed: "Viva la France!"
In the second-and-a-half before the line went dead, in the background, one could hear the unmistakable sounds of hysterical laughter.
Poor Bill Edmunds: Totally nonplussed, unsure what had transpired, unwilling to let go of that award he'd surely have received.
Here's what he said next: "Uh...ladies and gentlemen...we've, uh, been talking to, uh..."--Edmunds drew a blank..."General Charles de Gaulle!"
Mercifully, someone at the studio had the presence to kill Edmunds' mike.
By the time New York's afternoon newspapers hit the streets, the incident was front page news. The World-Telegram headline read: "WHO HAD DE GALL TO CALL WMGM?"
"Switchboards at WMGM and WINS were as hot as the French crisis today," the paper declared, " and General Charles de Gaulle was at least partially responsible..." Executives at WMGM, the paper reported, are demanding an immediate investigation by the Federal Communications Commission.
When asked by the World-Telegram for comment, WINS general manager Herb Fearnhead responded blankly, "I don't know a thing about it." Not that WINS was adverse to rubbing it in: The rest of Tuesday afternoon their announcers broadcast the time in French.
Then, on Wednesday morning, a final insult. A telegram arrived at WMGM. Sent from Paris, it read: "I was cut off. What happened? --Charles de Gaulle."
Twenty-six years would pass before anyone fessed up. That's when an assistant program director for WINS admitted that the entire episode, complete with pre-recorded "transatlantic static," was the brainchild of WINS news director Tom O'Brien. And it was O'Brien's fiancee--a stewardess for British Overseas Airlines, stationed in Paris--who authored the bogus telegram.
➦In 1962…"Wide World of Sports with Chris Schenkel" debuted on the CBS Radio Network.
➦In 1998…actor/comedian, Phil Hartman, was shot to death while asleep by his wife. He was 49. Hartman starred in the TV sitcom, "NewsRadio".
➦In 2017...sportswriter Frank Deford, longtime sports commentator/philosopher on NPR’s Morning Edition, died at age 78. Beginning in 1980 he did 1,656 commentaries for the public radio network.
➦In 2017...Radio personality & news anchor Ken Ackerman of KCBS Radio San Francisco for parts of 5 decades, died at age 95. From 1958-70 he hosted American Airlines’ Music til Dawn.
Kylie Minogue is 54
🎂HAPPY BIRTHDAYS:
Actor Carroll Baker is 91.
Singer Gladys Knight is 78.
Singer Billy Vera is 78.
Singer John Fogerty is 77.
Musician Jerry Douglas of Alison Krauss and Union Station is 66.
Actor Louis Mustillo (“Mike and Molly”) is 64.
Actor Brandon Cruz (“The Courtship of Eddie’s Father”) is 60.
Actor Christa Miller (“Scrubs,” ″The Drew Carey Show”) is 58.
Country singer Phil Vassar is 58.
Singer Chris Ballew of Presidents of the United States of America is 57.
Singer Kylie Minogue is 54.
Rapper Chubb Rock is 54.
Actor Justin Kirk (“Weeds”) is 53.
Talk show host Elisabeth Hasselbeck (“Fox and Friends,” ″The View”) is 45.
R&B singer Jaheim is 45.
Actor Jake Johnson (“New Girl”) is 44.
Actor Monica Keena (“Dawson’s Creek,” ″Undeclared”) is 43.
Actor Alexa Davalos (“Clash of the Titans” ″The Chronicles of Riddick”) is 40.
Country artist Lee Greenwood and other musicians have backed out of a scheduled concert at the National Rifle Association’s convention in Houston, citing the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, reports The NY Post.
Greenwood, in a statement, said after “thoughtful consideration” his band decided to cancel its appearance for Saturday’s event.
“As a father, I join the rest of America in being absolutely heartbroken by the horrific event that transpired this week in Texas,” he said in a statement, according to Variety.
Greenwood, known for his hit “God Bless the USA,” pulled out after “American Pie” singer Don McLean backed out of the concert.
Other musicians on Thursday also said they wouldn’t show up at the event dubbed The Grand Ole Night of Freedom, including country singers Larry Gatlin and Larry Stewart, according to USA Today. Both cited the tragedy in Uvalde, where an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and two teachers.
Gatlin, in his statement, criticized the gun lobby organization for not supporting background checks.
“While I agree with most of the positions held by the NRA I have come to believe that, while background checks would not stop every madman with a gun, it is at the very least a step in the right direction toward trying to prevent the kind of tragedy we saw this week in Uvalde,” Gatlin told USA Today.
“My prayers and thoughts go to all who are suffering, and I pray that the NRA will rethink some of its outdated and ill-thought-out positions regarding firearms in America. I’m a 2nd Amendment guy, but the 2nd Amendment should not apply to everyone. It’s that simple.”
Country artist Danielle Peck also won’t perform out of respect for the families. The singer T. Graham Brown also will not perform, according to Variety.
On Wednesday, the NRA offered its “deepest sympathies” over the mass shooting.
Cumulus Media announces that Cumulus Tucson’s Classic Hits radio station K-Hit 107.5/KHYT-FM will launch its new morning show, “Dakota & Andy,” on Tuesday, May 31st.
The program will be hosted by veteran on-air personalities Dakota and Andy Taylor and will air Monday through Friday from 5:00am-10:00am. The dynamic duo will step into the morning show slot previously held by K-Hit 107.5 morning host Tim Tyler, who announced his retirement from radio earlier this month and signs off today after a successful 51-year career.
Andy Taylor heads to K-Hit Mornings from Afternoons on the station. Before becoming a favorite of Tucson afternoon radio listeners Taylor was heard for nearly a decade in Palm Springs, CA, as co-host of the “Barry and Andy Morning Show” on KPSI-FM, before moving the show to Tucson from 2000-2007. Since then, Taylor has been heard on Tucson News/Talk station KNST AM 790 and as Morning Host on Tucson’s KGVY 1080. A 30-year radio veteran, Taylor has also produced his own technology show since 1996 and is the Tech Expert for KMSB Fox 11 with weekly segments on the latest in technology.
Dakota moves to Mornings on K-Hit 107.5 from Nights and Saturday afternoons on the station. A 25-year radio veteran, Dakota has been heard on stations in markets including Los Angeles, Ventura, Bakersfield, and Santa Barbara, CA, as well as Tucson. A former teacher and video editor, Dakota holds a Master’s degree in Digital Journalism from National University.
Herb Crowe, Operations Manager/Program Director, KHYT-FM, said: “While all of us at K-Hit are happy for Tim Tyler as he starts a new chapter of his life, we’re also incredibly excited about the opportunity to expand and develop the talents of Dakota and Andy in their new morning show roles. They are both extremely familiar with the Tucson market and bring a wealth of experience and creativity to morning drive.”
Dakota commented: “I am thrilled, ecstatic, over the moon and still a bit in shock about being given the honor to create a morning show with Andy Taylor. I am looking forward to a whole world of possibilities as well as the new friendships and partnerships Andy and I will be making. Through all of life's ups and downs, radio has always been my one true love.”
Andy Taylor added: “I’m really excited for the opportunity to shake K-Hit 107.5 listeners out of bed with great morning radio. Together, Dakota and I will help get rid of the sleepies!”
The automated tracking tool JRE Missing cataloged the missing episodes on May 25, reports Digital Music News.
Dozens of episodes were removed for seemingly no reason, as the guests didn’t follow a specific pattern. A Spotify spokesperson reached out to the Los Angeles Times to say the removal is a technical issue. By Thursday morning, the removed Joe Rogan episodes were once again available on Spotify.
36 newly removed episodes were picked up as temporarily unavailable by JRE Missing. All of those episodes were recorded before Rogan’s exclusivity deal with Spotify, which is rumored to be worth $200 million.
Removed episodes included interviews with politicians like Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw and former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Musicians like Post Malone, RZA, and Everlast also saw their episodes disappear. Comedians like Bryan Callen, Legion of Skanks, and Eddie Izzard were also included in the temporary removal.
Both Spotify and Joe Rogan maintain that Rogan has full creative control over his podcast. But since signing his exclusivity contract, Spotify has removed more than 100 older episodes of the Joe Rogan Experience from its streaming platform. During the deal, several interviews with far right personalities like Alex Jones were subject to removal. But in February 2022, a tranche of 70 episodes were removed from the streaming service.
Spotify removed those episodes as part of a backlash to comments Rogan made about COVID-19 vaccines and his previous use of the n-word.
Audacy and Rutgers Athletics have reached a multi-year agreement to make WFAN 101.9 FM / 660 AM the home for Rutgers football and WCBS 880 the flagship station for Rutgers men’s basketball.
“Rutgers athletics is on the rise under Greg Schiano and Steve Pikiell in the Big Ten, bringing excitement and anticipation to Tri-State area fans,” said Chris Oliviero, Market President, Audacy New York. “WFAN and WCBS 880 will provide listeners with unmatched coverage of the Scarlet Knights and we are honored to add Rutgers to Audacy's market-leading play-by-play portfolio.”
“We are excited to announce this partnership with Audacy,” said Pat Hobbs, Athletic Director, Rutgers. “Having our teams on WFAN and WCBS 880 is a great opportunity to expand our reach to sports fans in the New York metropolitan area. Our programs are having tremendous success across the board, and this allows for so many more fans to enjoy the excitement and join Rutgers Nation.”
Beginning with the 2022-23 season, WFAN will broadcast all regular games and postseason football games, including a 30-minute pregame and postgame show. Also beginning this season, WCBS 880 will air all regular season and postseason men’s basketball games, including a 15-minute pregame and postgame show. Both Rutgers football and men’s basketball broadcasts will also be available on the Audacy app in the local market territory. Both stations will also support the partnership and on-campus events through on-air, digital and social media promotion.
Questions continued to swirl Thursday about exactly what happened two days earlier in the 90 minutes between when 18-year-old Salvador Ramos crashed his truck outside Robb Elementary School in Ulvalde, Texas, and when he was fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent after he'd killed 19 children and two teachers. Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Regional Director Victor Eschalon said yesterday that Salvador Ramos wasn't confronted by police before he entered the school, contradicting earlier comments from officials that a school resource officer had "engaged with him," and raising more questions about the police response and how long it took for them to go in after the gunman. Escalon said, "He walked in unobstructed initially."
Preventative measures include motion detectors and alarm systems, a classroom door policy that requires keeping doors locked at all times, and staff training for emergency protocols. https://t.co/QYC4ypg20c
Escalon said that after crashing the truck, Ramos got out and shot at two people across the street. He then approached the school and shot at the building multiple times before walking in through an apparently unlocked door. There was no school resource officer on site at the time. Escalon said Ramos then walked into a classroom and fired more than 25 times, with most of the gunfire in the beginning of the attack. When police officers arrived, they came under fire when they went to confront Ramos and took cover, according to Escalon. He said officers called for more resources and personnel, evacuated students and teachers in other parts of the school, and at some point began negotiations with the suspect. After about an hour, a U.S. Border Patrol tactical team forced its way into the classroom and fatally shot Ramos.
Responding to the criticism of how long it took before police went in after the gunman, Uvalde Police Chief Daniel Rodriguez defended his officers' response in a statement yesterday, saying, "It is important for our community to know that our officers responded within minutes." Protocol in response to situations like Tuesday's school shooting has been since the Columbine school shooting in 1999 to end the threat as quickly as possible.
Texas school shooting: Uvalde parents reportedly arrested, tased while trying to save kids https://t.co/R9bkJiC2Cd
Husband Dies of Heart Attack Two Days After Wife Killed in School Shooting: Two days after 48-year-old Irma Garcia was killed in the Uvalde school shooting, one of the two teachers who died, her 50-year-old husband suffered a fatal heart attack, according to a family member. Joe Garcia had the heart attack after returning home from leaving flowers at his wife's memorial, his nephew John Martinez told the New York Times. The couple had been married for 24 years and had four children, the oldest a U.S. Marine and the youngest in seventh grade.
Biden to Visit Uvalde on Sunday: President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will go to Uvalde, Texas, on Sunday to meet with and console the families of those killed in the school and honor the victims. The White House said Biden will also meet with community and religious leaders.
➤RUSSIA PUSHES WEST TO LIFT SANCTIONS, SHIFTS BLAME FOR FOOD CRISIS: Russia yesterday pushed the West to lift sanctions imposed on the country over its invasion of Ukraine, and also sought to shift blame for a growing food crisis that's been made worse by Ukraine being unable to ship millions of tons of grains and other food products because of the war and a Russian blockage of its ports. President Vladimir Putin said in a call with Italy's prime minister that Russia, quote, "is ready to make a significant contribution to overcoming the food crisis through the export of grain and fertilizer on the condition that politically motivated restrictions imposed by the West are lifted." The U.K. accused Russia of, quote, "trying to hold the world ransom." Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said, "He’s essentially weaponized hunger and lack of food among the poorest people."
➤SOUTHERN BAPTISTS RELEASE LIST OF ABUSERS: The Southern Baptist Convention late yesterday released a list of hundreds of pastors and other church-affiliated personnel accused of sexual abuse that had previously been secret. There are more than 700 names from cases that largely range from 2000 to 2019. The existence of the list became known after the release of a report from an independent investigation showed that the denomination's Executive Committee mishandled allegations of sex abuse, stonewalled survivors, and prioritized protecting the Southern Baptist Convention. Executive Committee leaders Rolland Slade and Willie McLaurin said releasing the list is a, quote, "initial, but important, step towards addressing the scourge of sexual abuse and implementing reform in the Convention."
➤N.Y. APPEALS COURT SAYS TRUMP MUST TESTIFY IN A.G.'S INVESTIGATION: A four-judge panel of a New York state appeals court rejected former President Donald Trump's appeal, saying that he and his two oldest children, Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump, must testify in depositions in Attorney General Letitia James' civil investigation. James is investigating alleged fraud by Trump's company, the Trump Organization. Trump has denied the allegations and called the probe a politically-motivated witch hunt. The appeals court rejected Trump's argument that he not be compelled to testify because his answers could be used in a parallel criminal probe.
➤AMBER HEARD SAYS SHE JUST WANTS ‘JOHNNY TO LEAVE ME ALONE’: Amber Heard testified on Thursday as a rebuttal witness for her defense in Johnny Depp’s defamation trial. The Aquaman actress said she “just want[s] Johnny to leave me alone.”
Heard called the trial “agonizing” and humiliating. "I am harassed, humiliated, threatened every single day — even just walking into this courtroom [and] sitting here in front of the world, having the worst parts of my life things I've lived through used to humiliate me,” she said.
Heard continued, "People want to kill me and they tell me so every day. People want to put my baby in the microwave. They tell me that. Johnny threatened, promised me if I ever left him, he'd make me think of him every single day that I lived.”
Heard fought back tears as she talked about the death threats she’s received since the trial began. "I received hundreds of death threats regularly, if not daily, since this trial started — people mocking my testimony about being assaulted ... I hope no one has to go through something like this. I just want Johnny to leave me alone. I've said that for years now."
Closing arguments will be heard on Friday (May 27th), and jurors will begin deliberating on Tuesday (May 31st).]
NY Post Graphic 5/27/22
➤ACTOR RAY LIOTTA DIES AT AGE 67: The Goodfellas actor died in his sleep while filming Dangerous Waters in the Dominican Republic. According to TMZ, no foul play is suspected.
Liotta made a name for himself after starring in Field of Dreams in 1989 and Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas in 1990. His career had been flourishing in recent years as well, as he held roles in The Many Saints of Newark, Marriage Story, and No Sudden Move.
“Yeah, I’m not complaining. But I worked for it. I had to live through a period where things were down instead of up. I’ve definitely had an up-and-down career. But I’m extremely persistent and competitive where I just wanted to get to a certain place again,” he told The New York Post in October of 2021
Liotta is survived by his 23-year-old daughter, Karsen, and his fiancée, Jacy Nittolo.
Many stars took to social media to honor the late actor on Thursday, including Jennifer Lopez, Lorraine Bracco, and Alessandro Nivola.
➤INFLATION...HERE’S HOW MUCH MORE YOUR MEMORIAL DAY BBQ WILL COST THIS YEAR: If you’re hosting a Memorial Day BBQ this year you may want to brace yourself for the cost. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ April Consumer Index (CPI) rose 8.3 percent compared to April’s 2021 number, and includes the cost of food rising 9.4 percent and the at-home food category rising 10.8 percent. And when it comes to individual food items, the price of bacon jumped the most year-over-year, 17.7 percent, followed by chicken legs (bone-in) which increased in price 16.4 percent, the price of ground beef also increased 16.4 percent, while the price of uncooked beef steaks jumped 11.8 percent, and the price of hot dogs increased 6.2 percent. The price increases are all due to inflation. To break it down further, a pack of hot dogs cost $3.81 in April 2021, and in April 2022 they cost $5.22, while the cost of 100% ground beef jumped from $4.10 to $4.92, and the cost of bacon jumped from $6.22 to $7.42. The good news? The cost of certain items, including strawberries, red and white wines, and tomatoes either did not increase, or stayed roughly the same.
As we approach Memorial Day, AAA predicts more than 39 million people will travel 50 miles or more this weekend. This is an eight percent increase over last year.https://t.co/mowOspYZom
➤FROZEN FOOD CATEGORY SURGES AMID INFLATION: Inflation has people changing their food purchasing habits. Saffron Road manufacturers clean-label frozen food products and better-for-you meals, and they’ve seen a big increase in sales over the past few months. Adnan Durrani, Saffron Road CEO, says the frozen food category outgrew fresh by 230 percent this year—a growth rate he’d never seen in his decades-long career. When asked why, Durrani said, “Frozen is nature’s pause button,” and emphasized that frozen products, especially organic and locally sourced food items, “preserve that freshness” over time and allow for longevity with “over a year of shelf life.” Market research firm Mordor Intelligence notes the jump in sales in various frozen food items, noting that COVID-19 “positively impacted the frozen food market.” Durrani also adds, “A lot of folks are really conscious of [food waste] now—looking at their grocery bills, looking at how much they really throw away, looking at what they keep. Frozen has become a go-to in terms of reducing that problem.”
🏀WARRIORS TO PLAY FOR NBA TITLE AFTER BEATING DALLAS 120-110 TO WIN WESTERN CONF. FINALS: The Golden State Warriors will be playing for the NBA championship for the sixth time in eight seasons after beating the Dallas Mavericks 120-110 last night to win the Western Conference Finals 4 games to 1. Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 32 points and Andrew Wiggins added 18 points, but it was Stephen Curry, who had 15 points last night, who won the inaugural Western Conference Finals MVP, which is named for Magic Johnson. The Warriors will play the winner of the Boston-Miami Eastern Conference Finals for the NBA title. Boston is currently leading 3-2 with Game 6 tonight.
🏒OILERS TOP FLAMES 5-4 IN OVERTIME TO ADANCE TO CONFERENCE FINALS: The Edmonton Oilers topped the Calgary Flames 5-4 in overtime last night (May 26th) to win their second-round playoffs series 4 games to 1 and advance to the NHL's Western Conference Finals. Edmonton captain Connor McDavid scored the winning goal at 5:03 of overtime. The Oilers will play the winner of the series between the Colorado Avalanche and the St. Louis Blues in the conference finals. Colorado leads that series 3-2.
Carolina Hurricanes 3, New York Rangers 1 - Carolina leads series 3-2
🎾SWIATEK, MEDVEDEV, KEYS WIN AT FRENCH OPEN, HALEP HAD PANIC ATTACK BEFORE LOSS: Top-seeded woman Iga Swiatek, Number 3 Paula Badosa, and Americans Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys were among the second-round winners at the French Open yesterday. Number 19 Simona Halep was upset by unseeded Qinwen Zheng, and said after the match that she'd had a panic attack in the second set. She said, "I didn’t know how to handle it because I don’t have it often." On the men's side, the day's winners included second-seeded Daniil Medvedev and Number 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas.
⚾YANKEES' DONALDSON APOLOGIZES TO JACKIE ROBINSON'S FAMILY: New York Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson apologized yesterday to Jackie Robinson's wife and family for referencing the iconic and groundbreaking player in a comment to the Chicago White Sox's Tim Anderson that led to Donaldson being suspended for one game. Donaldson had called Anderson "Jackie" in reference to Anderson having said in a 2019 interview, "I kind of feel like today’s Jackie Robinson." Donaldson said in a statement, "I would also like to apologize to Mrs. Rachel Robinson and the Jackie Robinson family for any distress this incident may have caused. Jackie was a true American hero and I hold his name in the highest regard." He also repeated that he'd apologized for offending Anderson and that he, quote, "absolutely meant no disrespect."
🏈REPORT: KAEPERNICK'S WORKOUT FOR RAIDERS WENT WELL: Quarterback Colin Kaepernick's workout for the Las Vegas Raiders on Wednesday (May 25th) went well, the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport tweeted Thursday. He wrote, "On Colin Kaepernick’s workout with the #Raiders: Sounds like it went well and he impressed. The door is open…" The workout was the first by Kaepernick for an NFL team since 2016, the last year he played in the league and the year he carried out kneeling protest against racial injustice during the national anthem.
🌃MARS, JUPITER WILL CONVERGE BEFORE DAWN SUNDAY: There are a few reasons to look up this weekend. Mars and Jupiter will make an exceptionally close encounter in the pre-dawn sky over Memorial Day weekend—and will appear closest on Sunday. The astronomical event is known as a conjunction, and will be visible in a cloud-free sky just before dawn over a three-day period (Saturday, May 28 through Monday, May 30th). Those who are awake can spot both planets about 60 to 90 minutes before sunrise, local time, in the eastern sky. Jupiter will be the brighter of the two planets with Mars appearing just below it. Venus will also be visible, and will appear lower in the eastern sky, as will Saturn, which will be higher in the southeastern sky. While Jupiter and Mars may appear close to one another in the sky, in reality, they are hundreds of millions of miles apart, it’s just from the perspective of Earth that they’ll seem so close. Anyone who misses this planetary conjunction will have to wait until August 14th, 2024 for the next chance to see Mars and Jupiter converge.
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