The Best Economies in the World
By Alexander E.M. Hess and Thomas C. Frohlich
237wallst.com

After sliding in the rankings for four consecutive years, the United States moved up two places in the World Economic Forum’s competitiveness ranking, from seventh last year to fifth in 2013. A combination of factors, including improving financial markets and a strong university system, helped the U.S. improve, despite its weak macroeconomic environment.

Many of the world’s most competitive nations also have the ability to borrow a great deal to support their spending and investment, which can result in high government debt. Seven of the 10 most competitive nations had at least 50% of GDP in gross general government debt as of 2012. And three of them — Japan, Singapore and the United States — had more than 100% of their GDP in debt.

In poorer nations, where access to financing often is not only an issue for businesses but for governments as well, debt levels are typically lower. Just one of the 10 least competitive countries had more than 50% of its GDP in debt.

Note the percentage of residents using the Internet. U.S. is 20th.

10.
United Kingdom
GCI score: 5.37
GDP per capita: $38,589 (23rd highest)
Debt as a pct. of GDP: 90.3% (13th highest)
Pct. of residents using Internet: 87.0% (11th highest)
Biggest problem in doing business: Access to financing

The United Kingdom, considered to be the eighth most competitive last year, has fallen by two places. The world’s eighth largest economy by GDP has some of the most efficient labor practices — the U.K. ranks fourth for its ability to attract talent and fifth in overall labor market efficiency...During the financial crisis, Britain had to bail out two of the country’s largest banks, Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group, which remain state-owned.

9.
Japan
GCI score: 5.40
GDP per capita: $46,736 (13th highest)
Debt as a pct. of GDP: 237.9% (the highest)
Pct. of residents using Internet: 79.1% (24th highest)
Biggest problem in doing business: Tax rates

Japan received top marks for business sophistication due to an abundance of local suppliers, highly sophisticated production processes and its prominent role in the international distribution of goods and services. Companies in Japan — the fourth largest economy in the world — spent considerable amounts on research and development, ranking only behind first place Switzerland.

8.
Netherlands
GCI score: 5.42
GDP per capita: $46,142 (14th highest)
Debt as a pct. of GDP: 71.7% (31st highest)
Pct. of residents using Internet: 93.0% (4th highest)
Biggest problem in doing business: Access to financing

7.
Hong Kong (SAR)
GCI score: 5.47
GDP per capita: $36,667 (25th highest)
Debt as a pct. of GDP: 32.4% (42nd lowest)
Pct. of residents using Internet: 72.8% (33rd highest)
Biggest problem in doing business: Insufficient capacity to innovate

Hong Kong has the best infrastructure, according to the WEF, with the most consistent electricity and some of the best roads and rail networks in the world. The special administrative region of China is extremely healthy, reporting only 1.4 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, the lowest such rate in the world, and an average life expectancy at birth of 83.4 years, the highest in the world. Hong Kong also was judged to have the most developed financial market in the world.

6.
Sweden
GCI score: 5.48
GDP per capita: $55,158 (8th highest)
Debt as a pct. of GDP: 38.0% (62nd lowest)
Pct. of residents using Internet: 94.0% (3rd highest)
Biggest problem in doing business: Restrictive labor regulations

Sweden has fallen slightly on the competitiveness index in the past three years, from third in 2011 to sixth this year. However, the country still ranks first in technological readiness, the WEF’s measure of how nations incorporate existing technologies to improve efficiency, with Swedish companies absorbing new technologies better than those in any other country. People living in Sweden also are among those using the Internet the most, and mobile subscriptions there are among the highest in the world.

5.
United States
GCI score: 5.48
GDP per capita: $49,922 (11th highest)
Debt as a pct. of GDP: 106.5% (9th highest)
Pct. of residents using Internet: 81.0% (20th highest)
Biggest problem in doing business: Tax regulations

The United States still faces a weak economic environment, largely due to the nation’s massive government deficit and debt burden. In spite of this, the U.S. was more competitive this year than it was a year ago, up from seventh place to fifth. The U.S. ranked seventh for the availability of financial services, and it was one of the top five nations for the availability of venture capital and the ease of raising money through equity markets. The U.S. also ranked as one of the top countries for attracting and retaining talent. The world’s largest economy is also home to many highly sophisticated businesses, with U.S. companies handling international distribution of their goods

4.
Germany
GCI score: 5.51
GDP per capita: $41,513 (21st highest)
Debt as a pct. of GDP: 82.0% (19th highest)
Pct. of residents using Internet: 84.0% (16th highest)
Biggest problem in doing business: Tax regulations

Germany consistently scores well in all major categories the WEF uses to measure competitiveness. In addition to being one of the world’s largest economies, Germany provides its residents with an extremely well-developed infrastructure, top-quality higher education and training, and a sophisticated and innovative private sector. The local availability of research and training services is better in Germany than in all but one other country, behind only Switzerland.

3.
Finland
GCI score: 5.54
GDP per capita: $46,098 (16th highest)
Debt as a pct. of GDP: 53.3% (48th highest)
Pct. of residents using Internet: 91.0% (7th highest)
Biggest problem in doing business: Restrictive labor regulations

Finland ranks as the top country in the world for innovation and is also one of the top countries in the world for business sophistication. Finland had the third-best score for company R&D expenditure, and its capacity for innovation ranked second out of 148 countries. Scientists and engineers residing in the country also were considered to be more widely available than comparable professionals in any other country. The WEF gave Finland first place in higher education and training, which is not surprising given the country’s well-regarded education system.

2.
Singapore
GCI score: 5.61
GDP per capita: $51,162 (10th highest)
Debt as a pct. of GDP: 111.0% (8th highest)
Pct. of residents using Internet: 74.2% (29th highest)
Biggest problem in doing business: Restrictive labor regulations

Singapore has some of the highest quality institutions, as well as some of the best infrastructure and education systems in the world, according to the WEF. The citizens of Singapore have the most trust in their politicians, the most transparent government policymaking and the most efficient legal framework for settling disputes. Singapore’s air transport infrastructure was rated the best out of 148 countries. The tiny country takes its higher education very seriously as well, with a first-place ranking in the quality of math and science education. Singapore’s labor market is reported to be more efficient than that of any other country due in part to its ability to attract talent.

1.
Switzerland
GCI score: 5.67
GDP per capita: $79,033 (4th highest)
Debt as a pct. of GDP: 49.1% (59th highest)
Pct. of residents using Internet: 85.2% (13th highest)
Biggest problem in doing business: Inadequately educated workforce

Switzerland topped the list this year as the world’s most competitive economy. The small alpine nation was among the best in the world for both business sophistication and innovation. It was also the top country in the world for local supplier quality and for the amount businesses spent on research and development and university-industry R&D collaboration. Some of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world are based in Switzerland and contribute to the country’s strongest competitiveness indicators.

Full Story:
http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/09/10/the-best-economies-in-the-world/

• Contract Negotiations • Fraud Investigations  • Credit Investigations • Skip-tracing  • Third-party Commercial Collections John Kenny  Receivables Management For flat fee or commissions basis  john@jkrmdirect.com | ph 315-866-1167| www.jkrmdirect.com

(Leasing News provides this ad as a trade for investigations
and background information provided by John Kenny)

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##### Press Release ############################

Mortgage Rates Move Upward Again

HSH.com releases its latest Weekly Mortgage Rates Radar showing another move upward in mortgage rates from the previous week, as rates returned to multi-year highs during the week ending September 10. The Weekly Mortgage Rates Radar reports the average rates and points offered by lenders for the two most popular types of mortgages, the conforming 30-year fixed-rate mortgage and the conforming 5/1 adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM).

Foster City, Calif. - Rates on the most popular types of mortgages pushed higher again, according to HSH.com's Weekly Mortgage Rates Radar. The average rate for conforming 30-year fixed-rate mortgages rose by five basis points (0.05 percent) to 4.68 percent. Conforming 5/1 Hybrid ARM rates increased by four basis points, closing the Wednesday-to-Tuesday wraparound weekly survey at an average of 3.50 percent.

"Mortgage rates are fluctuating in a seesaw pattern even as they continue to slowly rise," said Keith Gumbinger, vice president of HSH.com. "Mortgage rates are back to levels last seen in spring 2011, but have been holding in a fairly narrow range over the past four weeks."

Stock, bond and mortgage markets have been searching for clues as to where the economy is going, and as to what the Federal Reserve will do with regard to its programs of accumulating mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and Treasury bonds. With the most recent economic data somewhat warmer in tone but not universally strong, it's by no means clear where they are going or how fast we will go there.

"The Federal Reserve meets next week to sort it all out," added Gumbinger. "Odds are good that they will begin to 'taper' purchases of MBS and Treasuries, but probably only by a small amount, perhaps $5 billion, to start. If markets should react favorably, they will probably continue along this modest path during the fall, possibly reducing purchases somewhat more quickly if the economy warrants and markets continue to behave."

Average mortgage rates and points for conforming residential mortgages for the week ending September 10, according to HSH.com:

Conforming 30-year fixed-rate mortgage

-Average rate: 4.68 percent
-Average points: 0.21

Conforming 5/1-year adjustable-rate mortgage

-Average rate: 3.50 percent
-Average points: 0.13

Average mortgage rates and points for conforming residential mortgages for the previous week ending September 03 were, according to HSH.com:

Conforming 30-year fixed-rate mortgage

-Average Rate: 4.63 percent
-Average Points: 0.18

Conforming 5/1-year adjustable-rate mortgage

-Average Rate: 3.46 percent
-Average Points: 0.13

### Press Release ############################

((Please Click on Bulletin Board to learn more information))
(Leasing News provides this ad “gratis” as a means
to help support the growth of Lease Police)

Fernando's View
By Fernando F. Croc

Lavish action ("The Grandmaster") and intimate romance ("The Spectacular Now") light up the box-office, while ripping sci-fi ("Star Trek into Darkness"), poignant drama ("Stories We Tell") and eccentric horror ("The Lords of Salem") come to DVD.

In Theaters:

The Grandmaster (The Weinstein Company): Better known for his gorgeous romances, the great Chinese director Wong Kar Wai here tries his hand at action with thrilling results. The story chronicles Ip Man (Tony Leung Chiu Wai), the martial-arts specialist better known for teaching Bruce Lee, as he drifts through Chinese history starting with the turbulent 1930s. As he tests his own talents, loses his fortune and home following the Sino-Japanese War, and attempts to start a martial-arts school in Hong Kong, Ip Man becomes a fascinating distant relative to the director’s other obsessive romantics, above all in his relationship with lovely rival Gong Er (Ziyi Zhang). Combining exhilarating beauty with heartbreaking emotion, is a spellbinding portrait of a man’s artistic pursuit that also works as a rousing action extravaganza. With subtitles.

The Spectacular Now (A24): Genuine romance is something rare in movies nowadays, which makes this touching comedy-drama about young love all the more special. The story kicks off with Sutter (Miles Teller), a teenager whose confidence and charm are matched only by his drinking abilities, hits an unexpected road block: being dumped by his girlfriend. Following a particularly colorful bender, he wakes up on the lawn of Aimee (Shailene Woodley), a fellow high school senior whose brainy, unpretentious freshness leaves him immediately smitten. But can their budding relationship survive the speed bumps of adolescence in a small town? Mixing the emotional earnestness of director James Ponsoldt's previous film "Smashed" and the lively wit of "(500) Days of Summer," the movie is a breath of fresh air in an often muggy season.

Netflix Tip: Though his latest film showcases his martial-arts side, "The Grandmaster's" Wong Kar Wai has long been a master of visually lush and emotionally rich romances. So check out such early gems as "Days of Being Wild" (1990), "Chungking Express" (1994), "In the Mood for Love" (2000) and "2046" (2004).

On DVD:

Star Trek into Darkness (Paramount): Following its successful 2009 reboot, the Star Trek franchise continues with this action-packed new installment, directed by J.J. Abrams ("Super 8"). Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) is back in the Enterprise spaceship, this time facing new forms of danger as a cold-blooded intergalactic terrorist (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) sets his nefarious plan in motion. Making it his personal mission to track down the villain, Kirk blasts off into a dangerous space war-zone despite the warnings of his colleague and friend Spock (Zachary Quinto). Will this journey take him to victory, or to his own personal darkness? Featuring such series favorites as Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Scotty (Simon Pegg) and Sulu (John Cho), this polished sci-fi blockbuster promises surprise and excitement to fans and non-fans of the series alike.

Stories We Tell (Lions Gate): For her third movie as a director, Sarah Polley ("Away We Go") turns to the documentary genre to craft a moving letter to her loved ones. Using her camera as a detective's magnifying glass, she conducts a string of interviews with family members and friends, often getting complicated and humorously contradictory responses. Kicking off with questions about the marriage of her parents, Polley gradually enlarges the scope of the film, setting off a ripple effect of emotions. With each person telling his or her own version of facts, the concept of "truth" becomes more and more slippery. Unfurling as something both profoundly personal and universally accessible, Polley's inspired movie is a poignant, funny and inventive look at the crossroads of memory and storytelling.

The Lords of Salem (Lions Gate): After fascinatingly remaking the slasher classic “Halloween,” Rob Zombie continues to prove himself as one of the most interesting horror filmmakers now working with this striking tale of witchcraft. The first of the plot's many nightmarish turns comes when Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), a DJ at a local radio station, finds a vinyl record in a mysterious wooden box. More than a rock 'n' roll hit, however, what Heidi finds is a portal into a horrifying whirl of horrifying characters and deadly ancient rituals. Exuding an undeniable knack for startling imagery and making sly use of a cast of horror-movie veterans (including Meg Foster, Ken Foree and Dee Wallace), Zombie serves up another frightful opus that's destined to become a cult favorite.

Cairn Terrier mix
Dublin, California Adopt-a-Dog

"Dash is a wonderful cairn terrier mix!! He came to us with his 2 pups Betsy and Levi. He is the best dad! He is great with his puppies and loves to be with them. Dash is also a great human companion also! He is mild mannered and very sweet. His adoption fee is $200.00"

Application:
http://www.dublincreekkennel.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DublinCreekKennelAdoptionApplication1.pdf

Dublin Creek Kennels
6570 Donlon Way
Dublin, CA 94568
(925) 828-5355
info@dublincreekkennel.com

Office Hours:
Monday: 8:00am – 6:00pm
Tuesday: 8:00am – 6:00pm
Wednesday: 8:00am – 1pm
Thursday: 8am – 6pm
Friday: 8am – 6pm
Saturday: 9am – 1pm
Sunday: Closed

Adopt-a-Pet by Leasing Co. State/City
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/Adopt_Pet.htm

Adopt a Pet
http://www.adoptapet.com/

 

 

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Open Positions at Leasing Funders/Various Locations

You will find many jobs open in various leasing companies. Most are at the main office or a branch. The larger companies change listings and readers should click to them, as they change weekly, if not daily.

Leasing News invites other employers to list their "open positions." 
The listing is free.

Advantage Funding
http://www.advantagefund.com/employment.htm

AIG
http://www.aigcorporate.com/addresources/globalcareers.html

Altec
https://careers.altec.com/psc/P90HALT_APP/APPLICANT
/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_CE.GBL?nocrumbs=yes&

Alter Moneta
http://www.altermoneta.com/careers/opportunities.html

Atlas Copco
http://www.atlascopco.com/us/careers/openjobs/

Ascentium Capital
http://ascentiumcapital.atsondemand.com/

Balboa Capital
http://www.balboacapital.com/about_us/careers.aspx

Bank of America
http://careers.bankofamerica.com/overview/overview.asp

Bank of Ozarks
https://bankozarks.applicantharbor.com/jobmainlist.php?a=m

Bank of the West
https://www.bankofthewest.com/about-us/careers/job-search.html
(type in state, and keyword leasing or category)

Channel Partners
http://www.channelpartners.com/careersearch.html

CIT Job Openings
http://sj.tbe.taleo.net/SJ1/ats/careers/

CSI Leasing
http://www.csileasing.com/ViewJobPostings.aspx

Data Sales
http://www.datasales.com/open_jobs.html

De Lage Landen Financial
https://tbe.taleo.net/NA4/ats/careers/jobSearch.jsp

Direct Capital
http://tbe.taleo.net/NA2/ats/careers/jobSearch.jsp

Farm Credit
http://www.farmcreditnetwork.com/careers/opportunities

Financial Pacific
http://www.finpac.com/careers.aspx

Fifth-Third Bank
https://cvg53.cvgs.net/Main/careerportal/JobAgent.cfm

First Pacific Funding
http://www.firstpacificfunding.com/reps/ 

GE Capital
www.ge.com/careers

GreatAmerica Leasing
http://jobs.greatamerica.com/

Home Savings Bank
http://www.home-savings-bank.com/careers.php

Huntington Bank
https://www.huntington.com/us/HNB3400.htm

Key Bank
Click here

Macrolease
http://leasingnews.org/hwanted_macrolease3.html

Marlin Business Services
https://www.marlinfinance.com/career-postings.asp

Madi$on Capital
http://www.madisoncapital.com/employment.

Meridian Bank
https://www.meridianbank.com/careers.html

Microfinancial/Timepayment
http://www.hirebridge.com/jobseeker2/Searchjobresults.asp

Northern California Farm Credit (office listings)
http://www.norcalfc.com/locations.html

Pacific Capital Companies
http://leasingnews.org//hwanted_pacificcap2.html

People's United Bank
https://www3.ultirecruit.com/PEO1003/JobBoard/ListJobs.aspx

PL Capital
http://www.plcapital.com/careers.asp

Prime Alliance Bank
http://www.primealliancebank.com/home/careers

Regions Bank
https://regions.taleo.net/careersection/2/jobsearch.ftl

Republic Financial
http://tbe.taleo.net/NA8/ats/careers/jobSearch.jsp

Sterling Bank
https://www.synovus.apply2jobs.com/ProfExt/index.cfm

Taycor Financial
http://www.taycor.com/about-taycor-financial/careers/

TCF Bank
https://tcfbank.taleo.net/careersection/corporate/jobsearch

TD Bank
https://tderec.ijob.com/recruit/servlet/com.lawson.ijob.util.Login

US Bank 
(type position in blank space and/or state)
http://www.usbank.com/cgi_w/cfm/careers/careers.cfm

Wells Fargo
https://employment.wellsfargo.com/psp/PSEA/APPLICANT

Zions Bank
https://zionsbancorp.taleo.net/careersection/

 

News Briefs----

Large farms dominate U.S. cropland
http://www.capitalpress.com/article/20130910/ARTICLE/130919977

Yahoo Traffic Has Grown 20 Percent Since Marissa Mayer Joined
http://allthingsd.com/20130911/yahoo-traffic-has-grown-20-since-she-joined-says-marissa-mayer/

Review: Slick iOS 7 shines on Apple's new iPhones
http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2021796361_ap

Microbus Stops Production after 64 Years
http://blog.sfgate.com/topdown/2013/09/11/the-vw-van-goes-to-the-great-junkyard-in-the-sky-thats-it-for-the-microbus-after-64-years-of-wheezing-up-hills/

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--You May Have Missed It

Here’s why Apple’s rumored deal with China Mobile has not been announced yet
http://thenextweb.com/apple/2013/09/11/heres-why-apples-rumored-deal-with-china-mobile-has-not-been-announced-yet/

 

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SparkPeople--Live Healthier and Longer

The Truth about Juicing and Your Health
To Juice or Not to Juice; That is the Question
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=1800

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Baseball Poem

THERE WAS A BALL GAME SOMEWHERE

by Tim Peeler

Before video parlors, PCs and
Nintendo, on our ragged bicycles
We scrambled to one house or the other-
Hefners, Peelers, then the Swansons who moved
In the neighborhood, sometimes the Coffeys
From church, or the Swansons' friends from their church -
For the really big affairs with full teams,
Baseball games with football scores. Out in the heat
Most of the day, just breaking for lunchtime-
Easy pitches and little guys taking
Big cuts, ghost runners and no catcher, weird
Rules like ground rule doubles for balls driven
Into the short cow pasture fence in left
Or how to play a pop fly that rolled off
The eight-sided parsonage roof or smacked
The huge oak trees in center field or the
Maple in right-center.
Barefoot sometimes, always in shorts only,
Crew cuts and popsicle stains on our mouths-
Before Play Station and VCRs there
Was a baseball game somewhere in dust and
Sweltering heat, a game to be played by
Our rules only.

--- with the permission of the author, from his
book of baseball poetry:

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Sports Briefs----

Eagles’ offense: 'Evolution' or 'crazy'?
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9663102/nfl-players-doubts-philadelphia-eagles-maintain-tempo-attack

NFL Stats/scores
http://sports-ak.espn.go.com/nfl/

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California Nuts Briefs---

Governor says he backs California minimum wage hike
http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-minimum-wage-bill-20130911,0,33403.story

More than 25,000 uninsured Sonoma County residents to get health coverage under Obamacare
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20130911/articles/130919904

AMC Theatres chain owner Wang Jianlin is China's richest man
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-amc-wang-jianlin-china-richest-man-20130911,0,2105429.story?track=rss

Redwood City welcomes Stanford's plan for 35-acre satellite campus near 101
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_24065166/redwood-city-welcomes-stanfords-plan-35-acre-satellite

 

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“Gimme that Wine”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJnQoi8DSE8

Latino Winemakers Rise in California, Through the Ranks
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/10/us/latino-winemakers-rise-in-california-through-the-ranks.html?ref=dining&_r=0

Grape harvest season begins at Niagara wineries
http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/4072092-grape-harvest-season-begins-at-niagara-wineries/

Napa Valley enjoys 'ideal' harvest conditions
http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/584339/napa-valley-enjoys-ideal-harvest-conditions

Free Mobile Wine Program
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2010/2_26.htm#mobile

Wine Prices by vintage
http://www.winezap.com
http://www.wine-searcher.com/

US/International Wine Events
http://www.localwineevents.com/

Winery Atlas
http://www.carterhouse.com/atlas/\

Leasing News Wine & Spirits Page
http://two.leasingnews.org/Recommendations/wnensprts.htm

     1609 -Henry Hudson discovers Hudson River
http://www.wikipedia.com/wiki/Hudson_Bay
http://www.schoonerman.com/halfmoon.htm
http://www.exploid.de/kks/tim/canada_history.html
    1771--- Pioneer Methodist bishop Francis Asbury, 26, on his maiden voyage to America, wrote in his journal: 'Whither am I going? To the New World. What to do? To gain honor? No, if I know my own heart. To get money? No, I am going to live to God, and to bring others to do so.' 
    1776 -Nathan Hale leaves Harlem Heights Camp (127th St) in New York City for spy mission When Washington asked his troops who would volunteer to go into enemy camp, only one person stepped forward: Nathan Hale.
    1777-The founding of the first Mission Santa Clara de Assis by Padre Thomas Peña, under the direction of Padre Junípero Serra. The first two were built too close to the Guadalupe River, which over flooded, the third was destroyed by an earthquake and the fourth site is now part of the University of Santa Clara. In 1851, during the height of the Gold Rush era, the Mission Santa Clara was given to the Jesuits who incorporated it into the University of Santa Clara. Rebuilt in 1779 and 1781, and restored after a flood in 1784, an earthquake in 1818, and a fire in 1926, the tower of Santa Clara still contains an original bell brought to that mission from Spain.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jan12.html
http://www.smfc.k12.ca.us/class/parkside/mitchell/natasha.html
    1786 - Despite his failed efforts to suppress the American Revolution, Lord Cornwallis was appointed governor general of India.
    1808- The Holy Bible was translated into English by Charles Thomson and printed in Philadelphia, PA by Jane Aitken. “The Holy Bible, containing the old and new covenant, commonly called the Old and New Testament; translated from the Greek.” It was copyrighted in the District of Pennsylvania by the translator, Charles Thomson, who had been secretary to the Continental Congress.
    1814- Battle of North Point fought near Baltimore during War of 1812 9,000 troops British troops land at North Point . They had taken Washington, DC, and wanted to also burn Baltimore, which they called “the nest of pirates”. Fort McHenry stood in their way. Major General Robert Ross, riding ahead of his troops with his personal platoon, thinking this was a “walk in the park,” rode right into General John Stricker, 3,200 men, was only two miles away with his six cannon in place across Long log Lane (North Point Road) waiting for the British, who unlike the Capital, knew they were coming and were prepared to fight. Shots were fired by both sides. Two Americans, Dan Wells and Henry McComas, were instantly killed. They are credited with shooting General Ross. He was 48 years old. (The spot where Ross was shot is marked today by a monument erected to honor Aquilla Randall as the first American killed in the battle. It's still there today, at Old North Point Road near Battle Grove Road.)The death of General Ross was a devastating blow to the British. The also had lost their surprise. Although they outnumbered the Americans, the battle went against them and they retreated. After resting, they turned direction and ran into over 10,000 men and over 60 cannon behind well-made breastworks, ready and waiting to repel any attack. After two short rallies, they took to retreat again. The British were unable to take Fort McHenry (Francis Scott Key wrote the “Star Spangled Banner.”)
    1829-Birthday of Charles Dudly Warner, who should be best remembered for his editorial in the Hartord Courant, Aug 24, 1897 “ Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody dues anything about it.” This American newsman was a good friend of Mark Twain, who is often mistakenly attributed for the “saying.” Died at Hartford, CT. Oct. 20,1900.
    1843- The first minstrel troupe in New York City was formed by Daniel Decatur “Dan” Emmett, who later wrote the song “Dixie.” His quartet of blackface singers and musicians played in several Bowery theaters and established many of the basic routines followed by later minstrel shows.
    1851- Birth of Francis E. Clark, American Congregationalist clergyman. In 1881, at age 29, Clark organized the world's first church "youth fellowship" in Portland, Maine. Clark's original name for this Christian group concept was "The Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor."
    1866- the first burlesque show was opened at Niblo's Garden, New York City. The musical show was produced by Barras and William Wheatley and featured 100 scantily clad young women playing a troupe of dancing fairies. It ran for an unprecedented 16 months, closing on January 4, 1868, after playing 475 performances and grossing $1.3 million. It was in four acts and titled “The Black Crook.”
    1880- Birthday of H.L.Mencken. American newspaperman, lexicographer and critic, “the Sage of Baltimore” was born at Baltimore, MD, and died there Jan 29, 1956. “If, after I depart this vale,” he wrote in 1921 (Epitaph, Smart Set), “you ever remember me and have thought to please my ghost, forgive some sinner and wink your eye at some homely girl..” My mother told me sat on his lap when I was very little, and quite the contrary, he was a very likeable person.
    1889-American aeronaut of French extraction, born in New York, NY, about 1857, achieved world fame as a parachutist. After his first public performance (Philadelphia, PA, 1887), he toured European cities where his parachute jumps attracted wide attention. Credited with 238 successful jumps. He was last seen this day as he jumped from a balloon over Tallinn, Estonia, and perished in the Bay of Reval.
    1913- James Cleveland (Jesse) Owens, American athlete, winner of four gold medals at the 1936 Olympic Games at Berlin, Germany, was born at Oakville, AL. Owens set 11 world records in track and field. During one track meet, at Ann Arbor, Ml, Owens, repre­senting Ohio State University, broke five world records May 23, 1935, and tied a sixth in the space of 45 minutes. Died at Tuc­son, AZ, Mar 31, 1980.
    1916—Trumpet player Cat Anderson birthday
    1920-Birthday of James “Lucky” Carmichael, Harrodsburg, KY.
    1922- The House of Bishops of the U.S. Protestant Episcopal Church voted 36-27 to delete the word "obey" from the vows of their denomination's official marriage service.
    1924-The Wolverines with Bix Biederbecke opened at the Cinderella Ballroom, New York City. “Variety newspaper dubs them a “torrid unit.”
    1928 - Actress Katharine Hepburn made her stage debut. The play was titled "The Czarina". It would be four years before the ‘First Lady of the American Screen' would indeed, make her first film, "A Bill of Divorcement".
    1931-Birthdday of singer George Jones, born Saratoga, TX.
    1935-Duke Ellington records “Reminiscing in Tempo” on four 10” sides.
    1935-Birthday of drummer Paul Humphrey, Detroit, MI.
    1935-Artie Shaw's new band opens at the Palace Hotel.
    1935 -- Birthday of Richard Hunt, born Chicago, Illinois. African American, A leading sculptor, collected by the National Museum of American Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, & the Museum of the Twentieth Century in Vienna.
http://www.thehistorymakers.com
http://www.h-net.org/~rhunt/begin.html
    1940 - Johnny Long's orchestra recorded the classic "A Shanty in Old Shanty Town" for Decca Records.
    1943 -- Birthday of Michael Ondaatje, born Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Canadian novelist/poet who blends myth, history, jazz, & memoirs to create his musical prose & poetry, His 1970 pastiche, The Collected Works of Billy the Kid: Left-Handed Poems drew on his fascination with the American west, & his 1992 novel, The English Patient, got him a popular audience & an award-winning movie.
http://www.english.emory.edu/Bahri/Ondaat.html
http://www.cariboo.bc.ca/ae/engml/FRIEDMAN/ondaatje.htm
    1944---Birthday of singer Barry White, Galveston, TX
    1944--TOMINAC, JOHN J . Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company I, 15th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Saulx de Vesoul, France, 12 September 1944. Entered service at: Conemaugh, Pa. Birth: Conemaugh, Pa. G.O. No.: 20, 29 March 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on 12 September 1944, in an attack on Saulx de Vesoul, France 1st Lt. Tominac charged alone over 50 yards of exposed terrain onto an enemy roadblock to dispatch a 3-man crew of German machine gunners with a single burst from his Thompson machinegun after smashing the enemy outpost, he led 1 of his squads in the annihilation of a second hostile group defended by mortar, machinegun automatic pistol, rifle and grenade fire, killing about 30 of the enemy. Reaching the suburbs of the town, he advanced 50 yards ahead of his men to reconnoiter a third enemy position which commanded the road with a 77-mm. SP gun supported by infantry elements. The SP gun opened fire on his supporting tank, setting it afire with a direct hit. A fragment from the same shell painfully wounded 1st Lt. Tominac in the shoulder, knocking him to the ground. As the crew abandoned the M-4 tank, which was rolling down hill toward the enemy, 1st Lt. Tominac picked himself up and jumped onto the hull of the burning vehicle. Despite withering enemy machinegun, mortar, pistol, and sniper fire, which was ricocheting off the hull and turret of the M-4, 1st Lt. Tominac climbed to the turret and gripped the 50-caliber antiaircraft machinegun. Plainly silhouetted against the sky, painfully wounded, and with the tank burning beneath his feet, he directed bursts of machinegun fire on the roadblock, the SP gun, and the supporting German infantrymen, and forced the enemy to withdraw from his prepared position. Jumping off the tank before it exploded, 1st Lt. Tominac refused evacuation despite his painful wound. Calling upon a sergeant to extract the shell fragments from his shoulder with a pocketknife, he continued to direct the assault, led his squad in a hand grenade attack against a fortified position occupied by 32 of the enemy armed with machineguns, machine pistols, and rifles, and compelled them to surrender. His outstanding heroism and exemplary leadership resulted in the destruction of 4 successive enemy defensive positions, surrender of a vital sector of the city Saulx de Vesoul, and the death or capture of at least 60 of the enemy.
    1944---CLARK, FRANCIS J. Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company K, 109th Infantry, 28th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Kalborn, Luxembourg, 12 September 1944; near Sevenig, Germany, 17 September 1944. Entered service at: Salem, N.Y. Birth: Whitehall, N.Y. G.O. No.: 77, 10 September 1945. Citation: He fought gallantly in Luxembourg and Germany. On 12 September 1944, Company K began fording the Our River near Kalborn, Luxembourg, to take high ground on the opposite bank. Covered by early morning fog, the 3d Platoon, in which T/Sgt. Clark was squad leader, successfully negotiated the crossing; but when the 2d Platoon reached the shore, withering automatic and small-arms fire ripped into it, eliminating the platoon leader and platoon sergeant and pinning down the troops in the open. From his comparatively safe position, T/Sgt. Clark crawled alone across a field through a hail of bullets to the stricken troops. He led the platoon to safety and then unhesitatingly returned into the fire-swept area to rescue a wounded soldier, carrying him to the American line while hostile gunners tried to cut him down. Later, he led his squad and men of the 2d Platoon in dangerous sorties against strong enemy positions to weaken them by lightning-like jabs. He assaulted an enemy machinegun with hand grenades, killing 2 Germans. He roamed the front and flanks, dashing toward hostile weapons, killing and wounding an undetermined number of the enemy, scattering German patrols and, eventually, forcing the withdrawal of a full company of Germans heavily armed with automatic weapons. On 17 September, near Sevenig, Germany, he advanced alone against an enemy machinegun, killed the gunner and forced the assistant to flee. The Germans counterattacked, and heavy casualties were suffered by Company K. Seeing that 2 platoons lacked leadership, T/Sgt. Clark took over their command and moved among the men to give encouragement. Although wounded on the morning of 18 September, he refused to be evacuated and took up a position in a pillbox when night came. Emerging at daybreak, he killed a German soldier setting up a machinegun not more than 5 yards away. When he located another enemy gun, he moved up unobserved and killed 2 Germans with rifle fire. Later that day he voluntarily braved small-arms fire to take food and water to members of an isolated platoon. T/Sgt. Clark's actions in assuming command when leadership was desperately needed, in launching attacks and beating off counterattacks, in aiding his stranded comrades, and in fearlessly facing powerful enemy fire, were strikingly heroic examples and put fighting heart into the hard-pressed men of Company K. 
    1944--ZUSSMAN, RAYMOND Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 756th Tank Battalion. Place and date: Noroy le Bourg, France, 12 September 1944. Entered service at: Detroit, Mich. Birth: Hamtramck, Mich. G.O. No.: 42, 24 May 1945. Citation: On 12 September 1944, 2d Lt. Zussman was in command of 2 tanks operating with an infantry company in the attack on enemy forces occupying the town of Noroy le Bourg, France. At 7 p.m., his command tank bogged down. Throughout the ensuing action, armed only with a carbine, he reconnoitered alone on foot far in advance of his remaining tank and the infantry. Returning only from time to time to designate targets, he directed the action of the tank and turned over to the infantry the numerous German soldiers he had caused to surrender. He located a road block and directed his tanks to destroy it. Fully exposed to fire from enemy positions only 50 yards distant, he stood by his tank directing its fire. Three Germans were killed and 8 surrendered. Again he walked before his tank, leading it against an enemy-held group of houses, machinegun and small arms fire kicking up dust at his feet. The tank fire broke the resistance and 20 enemy surrendered. Going forward again alone he passed an enemy-occupied house from which Germans fired on him and threw grenades in his path. After a brief fire fight, he signaled his tank to come up and fire on the house. Eleven German soldiers were killed and 15 surrendered. Going on alone, he disappeared around a street corner. The fire of his carbine could be heard and in a few minutes he reappeared driving 30 prisoners before him. Under 2d Lt. Zussman's heroic and inspiring leadership, 18 enemy soldiers were killed and 92 captured. 
    1951--*SUDUT, JEROME A. Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company B, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Kumhwa, Korea, 12 September 1951. Entered service at: Wisconsin. Birth: Wausau, Wis. G.O. No.: 31, 21 March 1952. Citation: 2d Lt. Sudut distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. His platoon, attacking heavily fortified and strategically located hostile emplacements, had been stopped by intense fire from a large bunker containing several firing posts. Armed with submachinegun, pistol, and grenades, 2d Lt. Sudut charged the emplacement alone through vicious hostile fire, killing 3 of the occupants and dispersing the remainder. Painfully wounded, he returned to reorganize his platoon, refused evacuation and led his men in a renewed attack. The enemy had returned to the bunker by means of connecting trenches from other emplacements and the platoon was again halted by devastating fire. Accompanied by an automatic-rifleman 2d Lt. Sudut again charged into close-range fire to eliminate the position. When the rifleman was wounded, 2d Lt. Sudut seized his weapon and continued alone, killing 3 of the 4 remaining occupants. Though mortally wounded and his ammunition exhausted, he jumped into the emplacement and killed the remaining enemy soldier with his trench knife. His single-handed assaults so inspired his comrades that they continued the attack and drove the enemy from the hill, securing the objective. 2d Lt. Sudut's consummate fighting spirit, outstanding leadership, and gallant self-sacrifice are in keeping with the finest traditions of the infantry and the U.S. Army.
    1951--MAUSERT, FREDERICK W., III Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, Company B, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.) Place and date: Songnap-yong, Korea, 12 September 1951. Entered service at: Dresher, Pa. Born: 2 May 1930, Cambridge, N.Y. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a squad leader in Company B, in action against enemy aggressor forces. With his company pinned down and suffering heavy casualties under murderous machine gun, rifle, artillery, and mortar fire laid down from heavily fortified, deeply entrenched hostile strongholds on Hill 673, Sgt. Mausert unhesitatingly left his covered position and ran through a heavily mined and fire-swept area to bring back 2 critically wounded men to the comparative safety of the lines. Staunchly refusing evacuation despite a painful head wound sustained during his voluntary act, he insisted on remaining with his squad and, with his platoon ordered into the assault moments later, took the point position and led his men in a furious bayonet charge against the first of a literally impregnable series of bunkers. Stunned and knocked to the ground when another bullet struck his helmet, he regained his feet and resumed his drive, personally silencing the machine gun and leading his men in eliminating several other emplacements in the area. Promptly reorganizing his unit for a renewed fight to the final objective on top of the ridge, Sgt. Mausert boldly left his position when the enemy's fire gained momentum and, making a target of himself, boldly advanced alone into the face of the machine gun, drawing the fire away from his men and enabling them to move into position to assault. Again severely wounded when the enemy's fire found its mark, he still refused aid and continued spearheading the assault to the topmost machine gun nest and bunkers, the last bulwark of the fanatic aggressors. Leaping into the wall of fire, he destroyed another machine gun with grenades before he was mortally wounded by bursting grenades and machine gun fire. Stouthearted and indomitable, Sgt. Mausert, by his fortitude, great personal valor, and extraordinary heroism in the face of almost certain death, had inspired his men to sweep on, overrun and finally secure the objective. His unyielding courage throughout reflects the highest credit upon himself and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country. 
    1951--RAMER, GEORGE H. Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company I, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date: Korea, 12 September 1951. Entered service at: Lewisburg, Pa. Born: 27 March 1927, Meyersdale, Pa. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as leader of the 3d Platoon in Company I, in action against enemy aggressor forces. Ordered to attack and seize hostile positions atop a hall, vigorously defended by well-entrenched enemy forces delivering massed small-arms mortar, and machine gun fire, 2d Lt. Ramer fearlessly led his men up the steep slopes and although he and the majority of his unit were wounded during the ascent, boldly continued to spearhead the assault. With the terrain becoming more precipitous near the summit and the climb more perilous as the hostile forces added grenades to the devastating hail of fire, he staunchly carried the attack to the top, personally annihilated 1 enemy bunker with grenade and carbine fire and captured the objective with his remaining 8 men. Unable to hold the position against an immediate, overwhelming hostile counterattack, he ordered his group to withdraw and single-handedly fought the enemy to furnish cover for his men and for the evacuation of 3 fatally wounded marines. Severely wounded a second time, 2d Lt. Ramer refused aid when his men returned to help him and, after ordering them to seek shelter, courageously manned his post until the hostile troops overran his position and he fell mortally wounded. His indomitable fighting spirit, inspiring leadership and unselfish concern for others in the face of death, reflect the highest credit upon 2d Lt. Ramer and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country. 
    1953-- - 24-year-old Jacqueline Lee Bouvier wed the 36-year-old U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, future U.S. President, John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
http://www.jhu.edu/~jhumag/1101web/camelot.html 
    1954---Top Hits
Sh-Boom - The Crew Cuts
Hey There - Rosemary Clooney
The High and the Mighty - Victor Young
I Don't Hurt Anymore - Hank Snow
    1954- “Lassie” premiered on TV. This long-running series was originally about a boy and his courageous and intelligent dog, Lassie. Although he would often say, “Come here, girl,” Lassie was played by more than six different dogs through the series, all male). For the first few seasons, Lassie lived on the Miller farm. The family included Jeff (Tommy Rettig), his wid­owed mother Ellen (Jan Clayton) and George Cleveland as Gramps. Throughout the years there were many format and cast changes, as Lassie was exchanged from one family to another in order to have a variety of new perils and escapades. Other fea­tured performers included Cloris Leachman, June Lockhart and Larry Wilcox. The show was last seen September 12, 1971.
    1954 -- Frank Sinatra scores his first UK #1 with "Three Coins in the Fountain." 
    1958-Integrated circuit was invented independently by Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments, Dallas, TX, and Robert Noyce of Fairchild Semiconductor, Mountain View, CA. This day Kilby tested a working integrated circuit. Between March and June of 1959, Noyce improved on Kilby's cruder device by designing the first reliable, mass-producible integrated circuit. Noyce was awarded the patent after a 10-year lawsuit between the two men.
    1960--Hurricane Donna made landfall on central Long Island and then tracked across New England. Wind gusts reached 140 mph at the Blue Hills Observatory in Milton, MA and 130 at Block Island, RI. MacDowell Dam in New Hampshire recorded 7.25 inches of rain. Although a record tide of 6.1 feet occurred at the Battery in New York City, elsewhere fortunately the storm did not make landfall at the high tides its effects were minimized. This was the first hurricane to affect every point along the east coast from Key West, FL to Caribou, ME
    1962---Top Hits
Sheila - Tommy Roe
You Don't Know Me - Ray Charles
Ramblin' Rose - Nat King Cole
Devil Woman - Marty Robbins
    1962- Tom Cheney of the Washington Senators set a major league record for most strikeouts in a game when he fanned 21 Baltimore Orioles in a 16-ining game that he won 2-1.
    1963-“Leave It to Beaver,” which had debuted in 1957, airs its last episode. The typical 1950s "wholesome family" comedy presented the lives of the Cleaver family from the perspective of seven-year-old Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver. The clan included parents June and Ward, and older brother Wally. The show enjoyed much popularity in reruns and a revival in the 1980s as The New Leave It to Beaver.
    1964-First football game at New York Shea Stadium, the Jets defeated Denver 30-6 . 
    1964-Ralph Boston of the US, sets then long jump record at 27' 4«".
    1964--Manfred Mann's "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" enters Billboard's Hot 100, where it will reach number one just a few weeks later.
    1964 -- Brooklyn's Fox Theatre hosts an all-star concert featuring The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Dusty Springfield, The Temptations, The Miracles, The Ronettes, The Shangri-La's, Little Anthony and the Imperials, and Millie Small.
    1966- “The Monkees” premiered on TV.. Based on a rock and roll group that was supposed to be an American version of the Beatles, this half-hour show featured a blend of comedy and music. Some 400 aspiring actors had auditioned for the Columbia television series by producer Don Kirschner. Davy Jones, a former English horse racing jockey; Michael Nesmith, a session guitarist; Peter Tork of the Phoenix Singers; and Micky Dolenz, who had appeared in the TV series "Circus Boy" were picked to be America's answer to The Beatles. The four were picked to become the fabricated music group -- not because they could sing, act or play musical instruments -- but because they looked the parts. Dolenz and Jones were actors, Tork and Nesmith had some musical experience. The Monkees were the first, made-for-TV, rock group. Ironically -- or maybe not -- "The Monkees" TV show won an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series of 1967. Their first songs on the show were lip-synched but were immensely popular; later the Monkees insisted on writing and performing their own music. A Monkees album, Headquarters, and Monkees tours were very successful. In 1986, the Monkees, except for Nesmith, were reunited for a 20th Anniversary tour and the show was broadcast in reruns on MTV. The Monkees sans Nesmith also toured in 1996 for the 30th reunion celebration
    1966 - The Beatles received a gold record this day for "Yellow Submarine".
    1970---Top Hits
War - Edwin Starr
Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Diana Ross
In the Summertime - Mungo Jerry
All for the Love of Sunshine - Hank Williams, Jr.
    1970 - James Taylor's first single, "Fire and Rain", was released. Taylor scored 14 hits on the music charts in the 1970s and 1980s.
    1970- LSD proponent Timothy Leary escapes from prison in San Luis Obispo, Calif. with the help of his wife Rosemary, and Weatherman, a radical offshoot organization of the Students for Democratic Society (SDS). Targeted by the Richard Nixon administration as a dangerous subversive, the former Harvard professor had been imprisoned in February of that year for possessing a single marijuana joint (he was convicted of possession under the Marijuana Tax Act and sentenced to a preposterous 30 years in jail). Leary made his way to Algeria where he met up with exiled American Black Panther Eldridge Cleaver and was given asylum in the Black Panther 'embassy'. He then sought asylum in Switzerland, but was recaptured by US DEA agents in Afghanistan in 1973, extradited back to America, and sent back to prison. Rosemary Leary stayed underground, until she was able to sneak back into the United States in 1980. She lived under the name Sarah Woodruff. and in 1993, she had her record cleared of fugitive charges. Timothy Leary died in 1996. 
    1972- “Maude” premiered. Bea Arthur's character, Maude Findlay, was first introduced as Edith Bunker's cousin on ‘All in the Family.” She was a loud, opinionated liberal, living with her fourth husband Walter (Bill Macy). Other characters on the show were her divorced daugh­ter by a previous marriage, Carol Trainer (Adrienne Barbeau), Conrad Bain as Dr. Arthur Harmon, Rue McClanahan as Arthur's wife Vivian (Baa Arthur and McClanahan would later star in another sitcom, ‘The Golden Girls”), Esther Rolle as Florida Evans, Maude's maid and John Amos as her husband, Henry (in 1974 they left the series to star in “Good Times”). This was one of the first shows to tackle the controversial issue of abortion.
    1973 - Horse race jockey Bill Shoemaker rode his 100th winner -- in a $100,000 stakes race. Shoemaker was aboard Such a Rush in the Del Mar Futurity at Del Mar, CA.
    1974-In Boston, Massachusetts, opposition to court-ordered school "busing" turns violent on the opening day of classes. School buses carrying African American children were pelted with eggs, bricks, and bottles, and police in combat gear fought to control angry white protesters besieging the schools. U.S. District Judge Arthur Garrity ordered the busing of African American students to predominantly white schools and white students to black schools in an effort to integrate Boston's geographically segregated public schools. In his June 1974 ruling in Morgan v. Hennigan, Garrity stated that Boston's de facto school segregation discriminated against black children. The beginning of forced busing on September 12 was met with massive protests, particularly in South Boston, the city's main Irish- Catholic neighborhood. Protests continued unabated for months, and many parents, white and black, kept their children at home. In October, the National Guard was mobilized to enforce the federal desegregation order.
    1977--two batches of thunderstorms, one in the morning and the next in the evening dumped a combined total of 12-16 inches of rain around Kansas City, MO. Major flooding occurred and 25 were killed
    1977-- Azie Taylor Morton takes office as first African-American woman Treasurer of the United States.
http://www.soulciti.com/morton/
    1978---Top Hits
Boogie Oogie Oogie - A Taste of Honey
Three Times a Lady - Commodores
Hot Blooded - Foreigner
I've Always Been Crazy - Waylon Jennings
    1979 - Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox became the first American League player to get 3,000 career hits -- and 400 career home runs -- as the Red Sox downed the New York Yankees 9-2 at Fenway Park in Boston.
    1979 --Hurricane Frederick made landfall on the Alabama coast. Winds gusted to 145 mph on Dauphin Island with a storm surge of 12 feet. Winds gusted to hurricane force at Meridian, MS even though the city is 140 miles inland. 5 people died and damage was $2.3 billion, most on record to that time
    1981- At the age of 42, Gaylord Perry signs a one-year contract with the Braves.
    1984- The Chicago Bulls signed their No. 1 draft choice, Michael Jordan, a guard from the University of North Carolina. Jordan was the No. 3 choice overall behind Akeem ( later Hakeem) Olajuwan, taken by Houston, and Sam Bowie, selected by Portland. He signed a seven year contract.
    1986---Top Hits
Venus - Bananarama
Take My Breath Away - Berlin
Dancing on the Ceiling - Lionel Richie
Desperado Love - Conway Twitty
    1987 - Ritchie Valens' music enjoys a revival when the soundtrack to his biopic, La Bamba, hits #1 (although it features his songs done in cover versions by Los Lobos).
    1988--- Hurricane Gilbert tore through the Caribbean . On the 12th, it cut through Jamaica with Kingston recording 116 mph sustained winds and gust to 140. 45 people were killed and damage topped $2 billion. Despite 7000 foot mountains, Gilbert didn't weaken at all and after exiting Jamaica, underwent incredible deepening - 72 Mb in 24 hours to 888 Mb (26.22 inches). Sustained winds were recorded at 185 mph with gusts over 200 mph in the Caribbean west of Jamaica. On the 16th the storm came ashore near Las Pesca, Mexico about 125 miles south of Brownsville. Mexico was hard hit with 202 killed and 60,000 homes destroyed. Total damage reached 2 billion dollars. In the U.S. the damage of $50 million was mostly from tornadoes spun off by Gilbert, two in San Antonio and one at Kelly AFB which did $28 million dollars in damage.
    1988-The Phoenix Cardinals play their first NFL regular-season game, losing to the Dallas Cowboys, 17-14. The good news: ended the team's 15-year playoff drought and achieved their first postseason victory since 1947.
http://phoenix.about.com/library/weekly/aacardinalsa.htm
    1992- the first African-American woman to fly in space was Dr. Mae Carol Jemison, a physician who also held degrees in chemical engineering and African-American studies. Jemison, who left private practice to join NASA in 1987, made her first space flight as a payload mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Endeavor. She performed experiments on space motion sickness and bone cell loss in the space environment. Ironically, on the same flight were the first husband and wife to fly in space together, Mission Specialist N. Jan Davis, an engineer, and Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Mark C. Lee, who served as crew members. Although NASA has a rule forbidding married couples to take part in the same mission, the rule was waived for Davis and Lee because they had no children and both and trained as astronauts for several years before they were married.
    1998 - Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs became the fourth player in major-league baseball history to reach 60 homers in a single season.
    1999 -Setting an all-time record, Mark McGwire's 70th HR ball is purchased at an auction by an anonymous buyer for $3 million surpassing a $126,500 which bought a Babe Ruth home run ball.