On every TV game he does, Vin Scully uses a midway point to come back from a commercial and face the camera with a little stat or factoid that might be developing during the game. But, not last night. Not on June 6, 2008. Because, indeed, Vin was not happy.
Normally on the telecast we talk about "This Day in Baseball." I don't mean to sound grumpy or grouchy, but I can't believe what I didn't hear. I listened to the news on the radio for an hour and 15 minutes today. Did not hear one word about what this day really means. June the 6th, 1944. Do the names Omaha, Utah, Gold, Juno, Sword - do they mean anything? They're the beaches at Normandy. Sure, today was D-Day: the invasion of Europe, when thousands of soldiers gave their lives so that we could be free. I'll be darned if I saw any real publicity about it at all. Please don't let that happen again next year. Please? Yeah - this day.
It was delivered sternly. It was harsh.
It was right on the money. Bravo, Vin.
The sad thing is that kids these days are taught all about the history of the countries they emigated from. Yet, the historical fabric of where they live is ignored. Or discounted. Or distorted.
D-Day? It probably will be a fading blip. Except those who will recall that it provided the plot for a mighty good Steven Spielberg movie.
Dinner last night: Sausage Pizza at Maria's Italian Kitchen.
2 comments:
I always thought June 6, 1944 was known as the day Bud Harrelson was born.....
Sorry, as much as I love Vin I have to disagree with him (and you) on this one. I think he's showing his age.
Every December 7 no longer brings a flood of reports about that date in 1941. On November 22 there is barely a mention of what happened in 1963.
And I'm going to guess that there will be very little fanfare on September 11, 2075.
I'm sure that at one point in time the anniversary of the end of the Civil War, or the Battle of Bunker Hill, or the Boston Tea Party, or the night Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Lincoln entered the same theater that John Wilkes Booth entered...well, those were big stories. But as the people who were around when those events happened died, the memories went with them.
Given his age and his perspective, I actually do think he was on the mark, but you are right in saying that history pales over time, especially since it's no longer stressed in school.
So, on November 22, 2063, there will be some people in this country who will think that this is the 100 year anniversary of the day Kevin Kennedy was shot.
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