STATS and FACTS for Tuesday, October 8, 2013
October 8, 1871, a fire broke out in the barn behind the home of Patrick and Catherine O'Leary at 13 DeKoven Street in Chicago, causing nearly four-fifths of the city to burst into flames in what became known as the ``Great Fire’’ with an estimated 13,200 homes destroyed, leveling more than 18,000 structures, and leaving 350,000 residents homeless. The inferno raged mercilessly for three days, burning the City Hall to the ground, while the city Treasury went broke in providing relief to the homeless and cleaning up the debris of a smoldering city. The fire didn’t die down until October 10, 1871 after rain poured down on the city.
STAT: The ``Great Fire’’ resulted in the deaths of 300 people with $200 million worth of property destroyed.
FACT: After the fire, a Chicago ordinance was passed that prohibited the construction of wooden frame buildings inside the city limits.
FACT: After the fire, one of the first initiatives undertaken by newly elected Chicago Mayor Joseph Medill (co-owner and managing editor of the Chicago Tribune) was to introduce a merit appointment system within the Fire Department, which had previously operated under a spoils system.
October 8, 1957, Walter O’Malley makes the official announcement that the Dodgers, after 68 seasons in Brooklyn, are leaving town for good and heading to the West Coast where they plan to take up residence in Los Angeles. Mr. O’Malley cited a number of reasons for leaving Brooklyn, namely, his frustrating in acquiring a new ballpark for an aging Ebbets Field, poor attendance, insufficient parking; and a New York City amusement tax of 5% on admissions. On April 18, 1958, the Dodgers played their first game in Los Angeles, defeating the Giants, 6-5, before 78,672 delirious fans at the Coliseum.
STAT: Prior to their relocation, the Dodgers had been in Brooklyn since 1890, where they won 12 pennants and won their first World Series in 1955.
STAT: Taken together, The Dodgers have won six World Series titles and 21 National League pennants.
FACT: Not only did the Dodgers make history by signing Jackie Robinson (in 1947) to break the color barrier, but they’re also known for other notable innovations, including televising the first baseball game (at Ebbets Field in 1939) and introducing the batting helmet in 1941.
FACT: Brooklyn writer and journalist Pete Hamill in compiling his worst human beings of the 20th century listed Walter O’Malley after Hitler and Stalin. Hamill once wrote: ``After 1957, it seemed like we would never laugh again. Of course we did. It's just that we were never young again.''
October 8, 1985, Les Misérables, a musical based on Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel that centers on individuals struggling for redemption and revolution in 19th century France, opened at the Barbican Theatre in London where it played for 7,602 performances at the Palace Theatre before transferring to the Queen’s Theatre on 3th April, 2004. The show originally met with a number of dismissive reviews, including one headline that read: ``Les Misérables has, sadly, been reduced to The Glums.’’ It didn’t take long, however, for some influential theater critics to enthusiastically embrace the production. After propelling to international fame, Les Misérables was dubbed the ``people’s musical.’’
STAT: Les Misérables has been translated into 22 different languages. Productions have taken place in 42 countries and over 319 cities, giving it a total audience figure of more than 60 million people worldwide.
STAT: The Broadway production opened March 12, 1987 and ran until May 18, 2003, closing after 6,680 performances. It is the fourth longest-running Broadway show in history and was the second-longest at the time. It has additionally been nominated for 12 Tony Awards, winning eight, including Best Musical and Best Original Score.
FACT: Les Misérables is set to return on Broadway in March, 2014 at the Imperial Theatre with previews beginning March 1, 2014 and an official opening set for March 23, 2014. Casting has not been determined.
October 8, 1952, "The Complete Book of Etiquette" (later retiled ``Amy Vanderbilt's Etiquette’’) was published for the first time. The book is still in circulation and has long been considered a standard of etiquette writing.
FACT: The word ``etiquette’’ which literally means ``a ticket or card’’ signifies a system of conventional rules that regulate social behavior. The word dates back to the ancient custom of a monarch instituting ceremonial rules and regulations that were expected to be observed by members of his court.
Some enlightening takeaways from Dan Balz’s superb and skillfully written analysis of the 2012 presidential election in
``Collision 2012: Obama vs. Romney and the Future of Elections in America.''
- Romney won just 27 percent of the Hispanic vote in the 2012 presidential election.
- President Obama was re-elected by winning just 39 percent of the white vote, which was offset by capturing 80 % of non-white voters.
- On Election Day, 2012, white voters made up just 72 % of the electorate.
- On the eve of the election, a vast majority of voters still blamed George W. Bush for the for the nation's economic hardship, compared with only 38 % blaming the poor economy on President Obama.
New Washington Post-ABC News Poll:
70% of Americans now disapprove of Republicans' handling of budget negotiations http://wapo.st/17cb0vg
STATS of the DAY
1.) 24 MLB teams have fallen behind 0-2 in divisional series since 2004, with 23 losing the series. Only the San Francisco Giants bucked the trend when they stormed back last year in the NLDS.
2.) 9 SEC players are projected as first-round prospects in the 2014 NFL Draft.
3.) The St. Louis Cardinals Carlos Beltran in recently belting his 16th postseason home run, has passed Babe Ruth for the eighth spot on the all-time postseason home run list
-Bill Lucey
October 8, 2013