AACFB Commercial Financing Expo
By Nuria Blais, CLFP Associate
American Lease Insurance

This year’s American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (AACFB) Annual Commercial Financing Expo took place at the beautiful M Resort In Las Vegas on September 7th & 8th. The M, which is the home hotel for the NFL Raiders, accommodated this large group well and served the finest Reuben I’ve ever had!

The final attendance count was 305 and included 60 exhibitors, 56 past and four new: ACG Equipment Finance, Unsecured Funding Source, Xactus, Wallwork Financial, and about sixty new members as well.

September seventh included a beautiful spread for the Women in Finance Breakfast, graciously hosted by American Capital Group and Dedicated Funding, LLC. Over 60 women attended the event and shared vivacious conversation over a delicious meal and mimosas.

As a second time attendee to AACFB events, this is a personal favorite. Stories from long-time industry professionals and newbies are shared freely and a realization of a diminished glass ceiling is truly felt. Seven educational sessions took place on Thursday and five more on Friday.

Presentations ranged in topics but circled largely around the economic, technological and security concerns that funders, brokers, and customers alike are facing.

Carl Heaton, CEO, American Capital Group, an exhibitor, sponsor and presenter, stated that “This year’s AACFB Expo in Las Vegas was a great event.  The welcoming culture was on display for all to experience.

“AACFB cultivates an open environment where attendees, alike and different, from all areas of the industry can interact, share, and learn rather than compete.”

Heaton further shared that “It was impressive to see new and seasoned Brokers and Funding sources collaborating and looking for ways to support each other.  We enjoyed interacting with our Broker Partners and loved meeting new Brokers, too. American Capital Group is already looking forward to the next AACFB event in Portland!”

AACFB President Laura Estrada, Business Development Manager at Preferred Capital Funding, announced that the AACFB 2023 Annual Conference will be held May 17-19 at the beautiful Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront hotel in Portland, Oregon.

Monica Harper, Executive Director and organizational extraordinaire at AACFB, shared her sentiments and excitement for the future stating, “We were thrilled with the turnout at this year’s Commercial Financing Expo. This event continues to grow each year, with a 20% increase in attendance this year over the last in-person Expo in 2019.

“It was wonderful to see so many of the familiar faces of our brokers and exhibitors who never miss an AACFB event, and a great many new faces as well. We look forward to continuing to grow this event next year at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, Florida, September 20-21, 2023.”

As always, I urge you to become involved with one (or two!) of the eight AACFB committees. You may reach out to info@aacfb.org for more detailed information.

Closing on a personal note, a great many thanks to all who have made the industry feel like home to me in the short time I’ve been here. The AACFB events have facilitated a great deal of opportunity for professional growth and for building personal connections with some wonderful individuals and organizations. I look forward to seeing all of you at AACFB next spring, be well!

Nuria Blais, CLFP Associate
Business Development Manager
American Lease Insurance
654 Amherst Road
Sunderland, Massachusetts 01375
Dedicated Dial 413-369-2182
nuria@aliac.net
Member, Leasing News Advisory Board

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New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

Adam Brandt was hired as Vice President, Capital Markets, CoreTech Leasing, Newport Beach, California. He is located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Previously, he was Vice President, Syndications and Lease Banking, Bank Financial (July, 2020 - September, 2022); National Account Executive, Groove Entertainment Technologies (March, 2018 - July, 2020); VFI Corporate Finance (April, 2012 - March, 2017). Full Bio: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abrandtbankfinancial/

Nina Cole, CFA, CLFP, was promoted to Vice President, Specialty Finance, Inc., Key Equipment Finance, Denver, Colorado. She joined Key as Lead Credit analyst, 2006.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ninacole/

Adrienne Craver was hired as a Credit Advisor, Pinnacle Financial Partners .She is based at Pinnacle’s Refinery office in Charlotte, NC. Previously, she was Senior Credit Officer with GWIM, Bank of America, August, 2019 - July, 2022). She joined Wells Fargo June, 2011, Specialty Finance Group, Senior Credit Underwriter, June, 2011, promoted March, 2014, Equipment Finance, Senior Credit Underwriters. Full Bio:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrienne-craver-bb477522/details/experience/

John Dondey was hired as Director of Business Development, Balboa Capital, Costa Mesa, California. He is located in Coral Springs, Florida. Previously, he was Managing Director, Dimension Funding, Irvine, California; National Business Development Officer, Summit Funding Group, Inc. (January, 2013 - July, 2019); National Sales Manager, American Express Business Finance (1999 - 2005).  https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-dondey-22b39164/

Ron Paoline was hired as Commercial Loan Officer, Account Manager, Balboa Capital, Costa Mesa, California. He is located in Marlton, New Jersey. Previously, he was Vice President, Ascentium Capital;  Business Development Specialist, Encore Capital Funding (January, 2020 - June, 2021); Business Development Manager, Marlin Capital Solutions (2016 - 2020); Customer Care Specialist, Radian (2010 - 2015); Wholesale Account Executive, Citi (2008 -2010); Mortgage Loan Officer, Processor, Wells Fargo (2005 - 2006); Mortgage Loan Officer, GMAC Mortgage (2000 -2005); Equipment Leasing Representative, Canyon Leasing, LLC (1997 - 2000); Equipment Leasing Representative, Advanta Business Services (1994 - 1997). https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-paoline-817385107/

Farrah Vargas was hired as Vice President, Business Development Officer, ENGS Commercial Capital, a company of Mitsubishi HC Capital, Dallas, Texas. Previously, she was Senior Vice President, Allied Affiliated Funding (February, 2008 - August, 2022); Producer, Arthur J. Gallagher and Company (January, 2007 - February, 2008). Licensed May, 2015, Certified Account Executive In Factoring, International Factory Association.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/farrah-vargas-6089b764

 

Leasing and Finance Industry Help Wanted
Excellent Compensation/Marketing Support/Work

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Increase Your Expectations

Sales Makes it Happen by Scott Wheeler, CLFP

Originators in the commercial equipment finance and leasing industry receive what they expect and ask for. Top originators expect more out of their vendors and end-users, they ask for more business, and they build a network of vendors and end-users that generate consistent new business. Top originators:

• Routinely turn a $110.0K transaction into a multi-million-dollar opportunity.
• Routinely explore how a vendor that consistently refers five transactions a month can potentially refer ten transactions a month.
• Are never satisfied with the status-quo. They routinely ask for and receive more business from existing vendors and end-users.
• Intuitively know that there are more opportunities under the surface of any relationship. They are willing to probe and ask both vendors and end-users to help them understand the "real" potential within every relationship.

I was recently introduced to a seasoned sales professional who, after many years in a different industry, was hired by an independent regional participant in the commercial equipment finance and leasing industry. He spent his first few weeks training and shadowing other originators within the company.

During our first coaching session he observed that most of the other originators were one-dimensional. They asked for a deal, worked a deal, funded a deal then moved on to find a new deal from a new vendor or end-user.

As a seasoned professional, he approached the market differently. He wanted to leverage every conversation, every relationship, and every transaction. He approached vendors and end-users asking for more.

On one of his first vendor calls, he asked the owner what he and his company would need to offer to fund $10.0MM of transactions with the vendor's customers over the coming six to ten months.

The next month this originator funded five deals for this vendor and the very next month, he funded over $1.0MM of equipment for the same vendor.

Not a bad start to his new career. He commented that an originator gets what he asks for and that he always asks for more.

Scott A. Wheeler, CLFP
Wheeler Business Consulting
1314 Marquis Ct.
Fallston, Maryland 21047
Phone: 410 877 0428
Fax: 410 877 8161
Email: scott@wheelerbusinessconsulting.com
Web: www.wheelerbusinessconsulting.com

Sales Makes it Happen articles:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Legacy/index.htm

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Do New State Licensing Laws Require the Disclosure
to the Client’s Vendor Kickback Dollar Amounts?
by Terry Winders

Leasing News Legal Editor Ken Greene is looking into the answer to the above question. The fact is that the IRS requires all vendor kickback payments be declared on income tax returns

In 2017, now retired Mr. Terry Winders wrote an article on this subject, which is still valid today.  Editor.

Those lessors and brokers that look to vendors of equipment for leasing leads have a tendency to offer a finder’s fee as an incentive. This finder’s fee is called a “kickback,” and is prohibited in some states without a written agreement, W9, a 1099 filed and copy sent to the vendor at the end of the year.

The many national captive leasing companies that have programs installed in their distributors expect to have first look at any leasing opportunity. The rate must be in line with what is offered by the captive for the vendor to look favorably on the local lessor. In addition, any kickback should be discussed and placed into a commission agreement.

Third party originators also need to have an agreement, 1099 with a W2 signed, filing a 1099 at the end of the year, and sending notice to the vendor of the filing.

At one time, it was thought that a small number of these “kickbacks” would never be caught, but with the advent of FinTech and auditing sophistication, as well as new state requirements and licensing, be aware because you may be penalized.

For the lessor, the amount of the fee should be a defined percentage of the equipment cost or a percentage of the net present value of the payment stream. The fee must be amortized over the life of the lease, even though it usually is paid up front in cash. The problem with these programs is that they expect the lease to run the majority of the term. If the lease pays off early, the lessor must add the unamortized portion of the fee to the payoff to maintain the lessor’s yield. A default just writes it all off.

One of the problems that develops is when a leasing salesperson begins to give a kickback to a vendor’s salesperson without the direct knowledge of the vendor company, and especially without the vendor company’s permission. All arrangements like this must have the permission of the vendor with his complete knowledge of the size and content of the compensation.

Some lessors offer companywide programs like dinners and outings with prizes and gifts. This is like having a golf tournament and only allowing 18 players with a prize on every hole, and each player can only win one prize. This system is an attempt to get around state and company rules. At one time, it was common to also offer a free iPad or free prize. Some companies even send these offers to both lessee and vendor companies by regular mail and email.

A few lessors have tried under the table kickbacks, such as cash or gifts that are considered an attempt to defraud the income tax or state requirements. Both are not advised, although I am sure some salesmen continue this practice.

There are fee programs that are paid to the vendor on a participating non-recourse basis. This program means the fee is retained and is subject to actual losses of the lessor, but only the fee account is subject to this arrangement. The fee grows until it reaches a designed amount and the excess amount over will be paid to the vendor on a monthly or yearly basis. If a loss occurs, the lessor has the right to charge the fee pool for the loss. The vendor can limit the loss by remarketing the repossessed equipment. It all depends on the vendor agreement.

There are also more formal “private label contract” that treat the vendor as a “third party originator,” and this is getting more common today, especially due to the automation available via the internet. Many banks offer this, treating the transactions as a “loan,” classifying them as “capital leases.”

My main advice: the more formal your fee agreement can be, the better chance it will encourage the business to come your way. I encourage that you utilize an attorney familiar with leasing and finance to write the document that is to the benefit of all parties involved.

Higher Core inflation increases Money Anxiety
and Lowers Consumer Confidence
By Dr. Dan Geller

The August Money Anxiety Index increased 3.5 index points as a result of higher financial anxiety and economic uncertainty among consumers. Higher Money Anxiety means lower consumer confidence. The 0.6% increase in core inflation is affecting the financial behavior of consumers, which is reflected in the increase of the Money Anxiety Index. 

The Money Anxiety Index measures various economic indicators and factors associated with consumers’ level of financial worry and stress. It functions as an early-warning system to shifts in the economy. A consecutive increase in the Money Anxiety Index is a signal of an economic slowdown and possibly a recession. The Money Anxiety Index predicted the arrival of the Great Recession over a year prior to the official declaration of the recession in December of 2007.

The Money Anxiety Index is used as a behavioral predictor in the Scientifically Predictable investing model, a model for Low risk, high-confidence investors. The model measures the impact of behavioral economics factors on sector ETFs’, and projects the trend for each featured ETF for the next 30-90 days. The projected trend has very high statistical confidence and is updated monthly.as a behavioral predictor in many models used by financial institutions and investors nationally.

Dr. Dan Geller
415-891-3093
drgeller@analyticom.com

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Press Releases Received After Press Deadline

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

Fred Ventresca Joins Mitsubishi HC Capital America
to Drive Growth in Clean Energy, Tech, and Mobility

Mitsubishi HC Capital America has named Fred Ventresca as Director of Originations, Structured Finance. His focus will be on the company’s core sectors of clean energy, mobility, and technology.

Based in Norwalk, Connecticut, Ventresca will be responsible for  developing new partnerships that focus on financing private equity transactions, providing growth capital for businesses, and designing financing programs for scaling ‘as-a-service’ businesses. Solutions include project and structured finance credit facilities, equipment leases and loans, cash flow loans, sales financing programs and purchases of portfolios or recently completed transactions.  

Mitsubishi HC Capital America is a leader in providing structured finance solutions for ‘behind the meter’ energy projects and services such as lighting-as-service, remote energy efficiency software and solutions, programmatic rollouts of energy efficiency measures, and bundled energy storage solutions. The company’s facilities are programmatic in nature, starting with the first project and are also highly customized to meet each client’s specific needs.

Chris Pagano, Structured Finance Vice President and General Manager, said, “We are committed to helping achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals both through how we operate and in how we support our clients’ clean technology efforts,” states.

“We have provided innovative financial solutions to clean tech businesses for many years, and Fred’s hiring further strengthens our ability to provide distinctly valuable solutions to assist our clients in scaling their businesses.” 

We believe his behind-the-meter industry knowledge and direct operating experience represent an important enhancement to the value we provide our clients,” adds Pagano. “As the clean technology sector continues to rapidly grow and companies need unique, customized financing solutions to implement their projects, we’ll have another expert on our team, which is why we are investing in additional leaders of Fred’s caliber. We are thrilled to welcome him.”  

Previously Ventresca served as Managing Director at Value Creation Partners. Prior to that, he held positions of increasing authority at ConEdison Solutions and GE Capital. 

Ventresca holds an MBA degree in marketing and a Bachelor of Science degree in business management, both from Fairfield University. He is also Six Sigma Green Belt certified from General Electric.

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

American Foxhound/Mixed Breed
Houston, Texas  Adopt-a-Dog

Tito

ID 49489329
Male
5 years old
57 lbs.
Adoption fee: $43.50

Houston Humane Society
14700 Almeda Rd.
Houston, Texas, 77053
adoptions@houstonhumane.org
713-341-3301

Monday to Sunday
11:00Am  to 6:00pm
Saturday-Sundasy to 5:30pm

Tito came to Houston Humane Society as a stray and was absolutely terrified, thankfully a kind family opened their heart and home and Tito was placed into foster care where he completed his heartworm treatment.

Update from foster 8/01: "Tito's doing very well, he does a little dance each morning when he's about to get his breakfast. He's still very shy and anxious but he's really doing great."

"Tito is doing so well in our home. Ever since we started fostering him, his personality has started to shine through a little each day. He really enjoys hanging on the couch and watching all of our favorite shows. He is very nervous about new things, but with a little TLC and patience, he will continue to grow to overcome these fears. He is also an excellent greeter when you come home and makes you feel his love by wagging his tail with excitement and giving you a nose bop. He is well-behaved and is very interested in watching and learning from our other dog. He is also potty trained! He'd be an excellent addition to someone looking for a true companion and friend."

For more information on Tito you can fill out an adoption application
or email Foster@houstonhumane.org

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Preparing for Renewals Training for Companies
State Examination System (SES)

Don’t wait, seats are limited! Register today: Click here to register/join the webinar
https://efsbs.webex.com/webappng/sites/efsbs/meeting/register/cb73222

CSBS is holding a training session for company users to help prepare for the 2023 Renewal Period. This session is geared towards mortgage company users responsible for renewal submission on behalf of your company and may also oversee MLO renewals. The session will:

• Provide an overview of the NMLS Annual Renewal process, 
• Highlight best practices for preparing for renewal submission, and
• Share helpful resources to assist with the renewal process. 

Company participants will also have an opportunity to participate in a live Q&A during the session.

Meeting Details
September 21, 2022
2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET
Webinar Passcode: 09Renew21

Please Note: New Webinar WebEx Experience – Click here to view the user guide.
https://help.webex.com/en-us/article/nrbgeodb/Join-a-Webex-Meeting

Click here to view the full NMLS Renewal Training Series for company users.
https://www.brainshark.com/brainshark/viewer/presentation/207297417/4/attachment/16802317

Note: Availability is first come, first served. Register today to secure your seat. 

Each session will be recorded and provided via the NMLS Resource Center. 

If you have any questions, email NMLSTraining@csbs.org.

SES is an examination system built by state regulators for state regulators and the companies they supervise. It is the only nationwide system connecting agencies and companies in the examination process.

News Briefs---

Think the New California Disclosure Law is
    Just About a Disclosure Form? Think Again
https://debanked.com/2022/09/think-the-new-california-disclosure-law-is-just-about-a-disclosure-form-think-again/

Amtrak begins canceling trips as a freight railroad strike
    deadline approaches; Metra warns of schedule impact
https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-amtrak-service-railroad-strike-metra-20220912-tatygcal3refxdyrnpxqlbpc5m-story.html

Whistleblower: China, India had
    agents working for Twitter
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/industrynews/twitter-whistleblower-cites-security-flaws-before-congress/

Pentagon needs an extra $42 billion due
    to soaring inflation, industry group says
https://www.stltoday.com/news/national/govt-and-politics/pentagon-needs-an-extra-42-billion-due-to-soaring-inflation-industry-group-says/article_d346ab39-1a82-50d2-8110-f4e255b7d9d0.html

U.S. Banks Lost a Record $370 Billion
    in Deposits Last Quarter     
https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-banks-lost-a-record-370-billion-in-deposits-last-quarter-11663030297?st=uzzn294euapg9vk&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

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Possibility of railway and port strikes
     threaten supply chain recovery
https://www.axios.com/2022/09/12/possibility-of-railway-and-port-strikes-threaten-supply-chain-recovery

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Sports Briefs---

NFL Week 2 Power Rankings: Chiefs rise to No. 2
    while Super Bowl teams fall, but don't overreact to wild start
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-week-2-power-rankings-chiefs-rise-to-no-2-while-super-bowl-teams-fall-but-dont-overreact-to-wild-start/

Seahawks players roasting Russell Wilson
     was the best part of Seattle’s 17-16 win
https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2022/9/13/23350848/seahawks-players-roasting-russell-wilson-was-the-best-part-of-seattles-17-16-win

Suns, Mercury owner Robert Sarver suspended
     by NBA for racist, sexist actions
https://nypost.com/2022/09/13/robert-sarver-suspended-by-nba-for-racist-sexist-actions/

Peyton and Eli watching controversial Broncos-Seahawks
    ending shows why Manning Cast rules
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2022/09/13/peyton-eli-manningcast-seahawks-broncos-monday-night-football-field-goal/10367919002/

Andy Reid: Cardinals' turf played role in Chiefs' injuries
https://www.theredzone.org/Blog-Description/EntryId/25060/Andy-Reid--Cardinals--turf-played-role-in-Chiefs--injuries

Dak Prescott’s type of thumb fracture means
     Cowboys QB should return sooner than expected
https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/cowboys/2022/09/13/jerry-jones-cowboys-wont-place-qb-dak-prescott-on-injured-reserve/

Loss gives 49ers true scare:
    What if the Trey Lance era is boring?
https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/ostler/article/trey-lance-17437021.php

Gisele Bündchen wants Tom Brady to ‘be more present’
https://www.boston.com/sports/new-england-patriots/2022/09/13/gisele-bundchen-wants-tom-brady-to-be-more-present/

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California Nuts Briefs---

Water use drops significantly in Santa Clara County;
    drought targets met by increased conservation
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/09/13/water-use-drops-significantly-in-santa-clara-county-drought-targets-met-by-increased-conservation/

Wine Regions on Alert as Fires Spread
https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2022/09/wine-regions-on-alert-as-fires-spread

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"Gimme that wine"

Explore new wines, Sonoma County farms and more
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/lifestyle/explore-new-wines-sonoma-county-farms-and-more/

Why Wine Country is no longer ‘for regular people,’
     according to some Bay Area residents
https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/wine/article/wine-country-slow-tourism-17428756.php

2022 video contest—vote now on the finalists!
https://www.winespectator.com/videovoting

A Wine Country legend reopens after 10 years.
     Here’s a first look inside
https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/cyrus-reopens-17425379.php

“Gimme that Wine”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJnQoi8DSE8

Free Wine App
https://www.nataliemaclean.com/mobileapp/

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

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

This Day in History

     1716 - First lighthouse in the US was lit on Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor.
    1752 - England and colonies adopt Gregorian calendar, 11 days disappeared from September 3-13.
    1763 – Seneca warriors defeated British forces at the Battle of Devil’s Hole during Pontiac’s War near Niagara Gorge in New York colony.
    1814 - An attorney in Washington, DC, Frances Scott Key, was aboard a warship that was bombarding Fort McHenry, the outpost guarding the city of Baltimore, Maryland. Key wrote “Defence of Fort McHenry,” what would become "The Star-Spangled Banner," which officially became the national anthem of the United States by an Act of Congress in 1931.
    1847 - Gen. Winfield Scott entered Mexico City after the defeated forces of General Santa Anna were forced to abandon the city. A Battalion of U.S. Marines made its presence felt at the “halls of Montezuma.”   The day before, young Mexican cadets had tried unsuccessfully to defend the fortified hill of Chapultepec. With the occupation of Mexico City, the United States-Mexico conflict virtually came to an end.  The United States was later able to claim a large Mexican territory, including what was to become the state of California, in 1850 (following the gold rush fever of 1849).   
    1848 - Alexander Stewart opened the first department store in the US.  Between 1846 and 1848, the construction was completed of one of Stewart's most famous buildings, the Marble Palace at 280 Broadway in NYC.   A. T. Stewart & Company became America's most successful retailer.
    1850 – A big earthquake shook San Francisco. Fourth Great Fire destroyed 150 buildings in the area bounded by DuPont, Montgomery, Washington and Pacific streets. Loss set at $500,000. The fire broke out in the Philadelphia House on the north side of Jackson between Grant and Kearny. The San Francisco, Empire and Protection fire companies fought the blaze but had no water. It was not the actual earthquake that did all the damage, but the fires that resulted because of the earthquake.
    1861 - The first Civil War Naval Battle took place at Pensacola, FL. Lieutenant John Henry Russell descended upon the Confederate navy yard at Pensacola at 2 a.m. He had sailed the frigate Colorado past shore batteries in the dark, and with a force of 100 sailors and Marines, went for the southern privateer five-gun Judah in the shipyard. After hand-to-hand fighting, the contingent burned the vessel to the waterline and left. There were no Confederate casualties. Three of the Union troops were killed and four wounded. President Lincoln thanked Russell personally and the Navy Department honored him.
    1862 - General Robert E. Lee's exhausted Confederate forces hold off the pursuing Yankees by closing two passes through Maryland's South Mountain, allowing Lee time to gather his forces further west along Antietam Creek near Sharpsburg. After the Battle of Second Bull Run on August 29-30, Lee decided to invade Maryland to raise supplies; he also hoped a decisive win would earn the South foreign recognition. As he moved, he split his army into five sections while the hungry Rebels searched for supplies. A copy of the Confederate plans accidentally fell into Union hands when the orders were left in an abandoned campsite outside of Frederick, Maryland. McClellan now knew that Lee's force was in pieces, but he was slow to react. As Lee moved into western Maryland, he left detachments to guard Crampton's Gap and Turner's Gap through South Mountain. If McClellan had penetrated the passes, he would have found Lee's army scattered and vulnerable. South Mountain, a 50-mile long ridge, contained several passes, but Crampton's Gap and Turner's Gap were the most important. The National Road ran through Turner's Gap to the north, and Crampton's Gap connected western Maryland to Harpers Ferry, Virginia. The Union troops drove the Confederates away at Crampton's Gap, but were initially unable to expel the Confederates from Turner's Gap. However, the Rebels did retreat the next morning. Union losses for the day amounted to 2,300 dead and wounded, including the death of Major General Jesse Reno. The Confederates lost 2,700. These engagements were a mere prelude to the Battle of Antietam. Although costly, they allowed Lee time to assemble his scattered bands at Sharpsburg.
    1882 - Birthday of Winnifred Sprague Mason Huck (1882-1936) in Chicago.  Congressional Representative from Illinois, she served out the term of her late father, 1922-23. She broke the rules about freshmen being still and introduced a number of bills including the call for independence for the Philippine Islands. She was an investigative reporter who even went to jail for four months under an assumed name to bring to light the abuses in prison as well as the difficulties in "going straight" afterwards.
     872 - Britain paid US $15 million for damages during Civil War in compensation for building the Confederate commerce-raider Alabama. The confederate navy‘s Alabama was built at the Birkenhead shipyards. Despite its official neutrality during the American Civil War, Britain allowed the warship to leave port, and it subsequently played havoc with Federal shipping. The U.S. claimed compensation, and a Court of Arbitration at Geneva agreed, setting the amount at £3 million.
    1874 - The White Leagues, paramilitary organizations dedicated to the restoration of lily-white rule in Louisiana, temporarily seized control of the state government in a bloody coup d’état. 38 killed. 79 wounded.
http://www.jimcrowhistory.org/scripts/jimcrow/map.cgi?
city=new%20orleans&state=louisiana
http://civilwar.bluegrass.net/AftermathAndReconstruction/raceriots.html
    1879 - Margaret Higgins Sanger (1879-1966) was born Margaret Louise Higgins in Corning, NY.  Sanger was the widow of J. Noah H. Slee, owner of the Three-in-One Oil manufacturing concern. She was a birth control activist, sex educator, writer, and nurse. Sanger popularized the term "birth control," opened the first birth control clinic in the United States, and established organizations that evolved into the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.  Margaret Sanger survived Federal indictments, a brief jail term, numerous lawsuits, hundreds of street-corner rallies and raids on her clinics to live to see much of the world accept her view that family planning is a basic human right.
    1886 - George K. Anderson of Memphis, TN, received a patent on typewriter ribbon.
    1886 - Birthday of "'Round 'Bout Midnight," Stanley "Midnight Assassin" Ketchel (1896-1910) in Grand Rapids, MI.  Heavyweight boxing champ, considered the middleweight champion of all time.  He was murdered at a ranch in Missouri at the age of 24.  http://www.ibhof.com/ketchel.htm
    1889 - Hull House in Chicago opened its doors. Formed by Jane Addams and Ellen Starr, it was the first major settlement house in the United States. In its first year of operation, it hosted more than 50,000 people. In all, there would be more than 600 residents at various times ranging from some of the most influential social reformers of the day to a future prime minister of Canada - and just about everyone in between. Hull House under Addams, in addition to social work and reform, served as the "mother house" for the meeting and networking of reformers who then went out to change the world.
    1897 - Birthday of Margaret Fogarty Rudkin (1897-1967) in NYC. American businesswoman who started making a healthy bread for one of her sons in 1937 and parlayed those few loaves of bread it into a major commercial company, Pepperidge Farms. The company had sales of $32 million a year when she and husband sold out to Campbell Soup. She stayed as president - supervising the day to day operations personally as she had from the beginning - until a year before her death in 1967 of breast cancer, a disease she had since 1956. Her noted collection of cookbooks was donated to the Pequot Library in Southport, Connecticut.
    1898 - Harold Brent "Hal" Wallis (1898-1986) was born Aaron Blum Wolowicz in Chicago.  He was a film producer, best remembered for producing “Casablanca” (1942) and “True Grit” (1969), along with many other major films for Warner Bros. featuring such film stars as Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis, and Errol Flynn.  Later, he was connected with Paramount Pictures and oversaw films featuring Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Elvis, and John Wayne.
    1899 – Norman Chandler (d. 1973) was born in LA.  After dropping out of Stanford, Chandler started working at the Los Angeles Times as a secretary to his father, who had been its publisher since 1917. Norman Chandler became general manager in 1936, president in 1941 and at his father’s death in 1944, the third editor of the newspaper. He was the publisher from 1945 to 1960.
    1901 - Twenty-fifth President of the United States William McKinley, Jr. (1843-1901), died from a gunshot on September 6, 1901, inside the Temple of Music on the grounds of the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. McKinley was shaking hands with the public when he was shot by Leon Czolgosz, an anarchist. The President died from gangrene caused by the bullet wounds. McKinley became the third American president to be assassinated, following Abraham Lincoln in 1865 and James A. Garfield in 1881. McKinley’s Vice President, who was sworn in as the 26th President, was former New York Guard Captain and Colonel of the 1st Volunteer Cavalry, “the Rough Riders,” Theodore Roosevelt.
    1901 – Cy Young won his 30th game of the season for the Red Sox, defeating the Washington Nationals, 2-1.
    1914 – Clayton Moore (1914-99) was born Jack Carlton Moore in Chicago.  He is best known for playing “The Lone Ranger” from 1949–1951 and 1954–1957, one of early television’s most popular shows.  The theme song was “William Tell’s Overture” that accompanied the opening lines, “A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty Hi-Yo Silver!!! The Lone Ranger!  With his faithful Indian companion Tonto, the daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains led the fight for law and order in the early western United States. Nowhere in the pages of history can one find a greater champion of justice! Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear! From out of the past come the thundering hoof-beats of the great horse Silver!”
    1918 - MILES, L. WARDLAW, Medal of Honor.
Rank and organization:  Captain, U.S. Army, 308th Infantry, 77th Division. Place and date: Near Revillon, France, 14 September 1918. Entered service at: Princeton, N.J. Born: 23 March 1873, Baltimore, Md. G.O. No.: 44, W.D., 1919. Citation: Volunteered to lead his company in a hazardous attack on a commanding trench position near the Aisne Canal, which other troops had previously attempted to take without success. His company immediately met with intense machinegun fire, against which it had no artillery assistance, but Capt. Miles preceded the first wave and assisted in cutting a passage through the enemy's wire entanglements. In so doing he was wounded 5 times by machinegun bullets, both legs and 1 arm being fractured, whereupon he ordered himself placed on a stretcher and had himself carried forward to the enemy trench in order that he might encourage and direct his company, which by this time had suffered numerous casualties. Under the inspiration of this officer's indomitable spirit his men held the hostile position and consolidated the front line after an action lasting 2 hours, at the conclusion of which Capt. Miles was carried to the aid station against his will.
    1921 - Constance Baker Motley (1921-2005) was born in New Haven, CT. U.S. District judge who framed many of the early civil rights cases. CBM influenced legal desegregation interpretations in nine victories before the U.S. Supreme Court. She was the first African-American woman to become a federal judge (1966) and only woman borough president of Manhattan (1965).
http://www.jtbf.org/five_firsts/Motley_C.htm
http://www.toptags.com/aama/bio/women/cmotley.htm
    1926 - Seventeen-year-old Benny Goodman's first recording session, with Ben Pollack and his Californians, Chicago, IL.
    1927 - Gene Austin recorded one of the first million sellers; his composition, "My Blue Heaven," for Victor Records.
    1929 - Ella May Wiggins and other workers are riding in the back of an old pick-up truck to a union meeting, when local vigilantes, thugs, and a sheriff's deputy force the truck off the road and begin shooting at it. Ella May is killed. Labor union organizers appear in Gastonia, Carolina. The textile mill workers there eagerly flock to the union, but when the mill owners refuse to recognize the union, a strike breaks out in June of this year. Prominent on the union picket lines is Ella May Wiggins, a 29-year-old mother of nine children who had been working the night shift at one of the mills. When some of her children come down with whooping cough, Ella May asks the mill foreman to put her on the day shift so she can care for her sick babies. The foreman refuses and Ella May is forced to quit her job. With no money for medicine, four of her children die. From this point on, she becomes a militant in the strike movement. Her songs, with the older melancholy of mountain ballads, help cheer on fellow picketers.  (See middle of this: http://www.beachonline.com/textile.htm )
http://www.charleston.net/stories/022904/sta_29slain.shtml
http://www.ibiblio.org/uncpress/chapters/smith_ncwomen.html
    1937 - The mercury soared to 92 degrees at Seattle, WA, a record for September.
    1938 - Birthday of Niara Sudarkasa, who was born Gloria Albertha Marshall (d. 2019) in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.  She is an African-American anthropologist and was president of Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. She is an authority on African and African-American women and families and one of the leading scholars of the U.S. and has served on more than 20 boards and task forces in the furtherance of race relations.
http://www.malaspina.com/site/person_1090.asp
    1939 - In the 1930s, Igor Sikorsky turned his attention again to helicopter design and on this day flew the VS-300 on its first test flight.
    1940 – Congress passed the first peacetime draft law.
    1942 - EDSON, MERRITT AUSTIN, Medal of Honor.
Rank and organization: Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 25 April 1897, Rutland, Vt. Appointed from: Vermont. Other Navy awards: Navy Cross with Gold Star, Silver Star Medal, Legion of Merit with Gold Star. Citation: For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of the 1st Marine Raider Battalion, with Parachute Battalion attached, during action against enemy Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands on the night of 13-14 September 1942. After the airfield on Guadalcanal had been seized from the enemy on 8 August, Col. Edson, with a force of 800 men, was assigned to the occupation and defense of a ridge dominating the jungle on either side of the airport. Facing formidable Japanese attack which, augmented by infiltration, had crashed through our front lines, he, by skillful handling of his troops, successfully withdrew his forward units to a reserve line with minimum casualties. When the enemy, in a subsequent series of violent assaults, engaged our force in desperate hand-to-hand combat with bayonets, rifles, pistols, grenades, and knives, Col. Edson, although continuously exposed to hostile fire throughout the night, personally directed defense of the reserve position against a fanatical foe of greatly superior numbers. By his astute leadership and gallant devotion to duty, he enabled his men, despite severe losses, to cling tenaciously to their position on the vital ridge, thereby retaining command not only of the Guadalcanal airfield, but also of the 1st Division's entire offensive installations in the surrounding area.
    1944 - The Great Atlantic Hurricane passed near Cape Hatteras, NC. A few days before, it was a category 5 hurricane with winds near 160 mph. At Cape Henry, VA sustained winds of 134 mph with gusts to 150 occurred. The storm raced into New England. 46 were killed on land and over 300 were lost at sea. Total damage was $122 million. The hurricane destroyed the Atlantic City boardwalk.
    1944 - SADOWSKI, JOSEPH J., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, 37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division. Place and date: Valhey, France, 14 September 1944. Entered service at: Perth Amboy, N.J. Birth: Perth Amboy, N.J. C o. No.: 32, 23 April 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty at Valhey, France. On the afternoon of 14 September 1944, Sgt. Sadowski as a tank commander was advancing with the leading elements of Combat Command A, 4th Armored Division, through an intensely severe barrage of enemy fire from the streets and buildings of the town of Valhey. As Sgt. Sadowski's tank advanced through the hail of fire, it was struck by a shell from an 88-mm. gun fired at a range of 20 yards. The tank was disabled and burst into flames. The suddenness of the enemy attack caused confusion and hesitation among the crews of the remaining tanks of our forces. Sgt. Sadowski immediately ordered his crew to dismount and take cover in the adjoining buildings. After his crew had dismounted, Sgt. Sadowski discovered that 1 member of the crew, the bow gunner, had been unable to leave the tank. Although the tank was being subjected to a withering hail of enemy small-arms, bazooka, grenade, and mortar fire from the streets and from the windows of adjacent buildings, Sgt. Sadowski unhesitatingly returned to his tank and endeavored to pry up the bow gunner's hatch. While engaged in this attempt to rescue his comrade from the burning tank, he was cut down by a stream of machinegun fire which resulted in his death. The gallant and noble sacrifice of his life in the aid of his comrade, undertaken in the face of almost certain death, so inspired the remainder of the tank crews that they pressed forward with great ferocity and completely destroyed the enemy forces in this town without further loss to themselves. The heroism and selfless devotion to duty displayed by Sgt. Sadowski, which resulted in his death, inspired the remainder of his force to press forward to victory, and reflect the highest tradition of the armed forces.
    1944 - WIGLE, THOMAS W., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company K, 135th Infantry, 34th Infantry Division. Place and date: Monte Frassino, Italy, 14 September 1944. Entered service at: Detroit, Mich. Birth: Indianapolis, Ind. G.O. No.: 8, 7 February 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in the vicinity of Monte Frassino, Italy. The 3d Platoon, in attempting to seize a strongly fortified hill position protected by 3 parallel high terraced stone walls, was twice thrown back by the withering crossfire. 2d Lt. Wigle, acting company executive, observing that the platoon was without an officer, volunteered to command it on the next attack. Leading his men up the bare, rocky slopes through intense and concentrated fire, he succeeded in reaching the first of the stone walls. Having himself boosted to the top and perching there in full view of the enemy, he drew and returned their fire while his men helped each other up and over. Following the same method, he successfully negotiated the second. Upon reaching the top of the third wall, he faced 3 houses which were the key point of the enemy defense. Ordering his men to cover him, he made a dash through a hail of machine-pistol fire to reach the nearest house. Firing his carbine as he entered, he drove the enemy before him out of the back door and into the second house. Following closely on the heels of the foe, he drove them from this house into the third where they took refuge in the cellar. When his men rejoined him, they found him mortally wounded on the cellar stairs which he had started to descend to force the surrender of the enemy. His heroic action resulted in the capture of 36 German soldiers and the seizure of the strongpoint.
    1945 - KEATHLEY, GEORGE D., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, 85th Infantry Division. Place and date: Mt. Altuzzo, Italy, 14 September 1944. Entered service at: Lamesa, Tex. Birth: Olney, Tex. G.O. No.: 20, 29 March 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty, in action on the western ridge of Mount Altuzzo, Italy. After bitter fighting his company had advanced to within 50 yards of the objective, where it was held up due to intense enemy sniper, automatic, small arms, and mortar fire. The enemy launched 3 desperate counterattacks in an effort to regain their former positions, but all 3 were repulsed with heavy casualties on both sides. All officers and noncommissioned officers of the 2d and 3d platoons of Company B had become casualties, and S/Sgt. Keathley, guide of the 1st platoon, moved up and assumed command of both the 2d and 3d platoons, reduced to 20 men. The remnants of the 2 platoons were dangerously low on ammunition, so S/Sgt. Keathley, under deadly small arms and mortar fire, crawled from 1 casualty to another, collecting their ammunition and administering first aid. He then visited each man of his 2 platoons, issuing the precious ammunition he had collected from the dead and wounded, and giving them words of encouragement. The enemy now delivered their fourth counterattack, which was approximately 2 companies in strength. In a furious charge they attacked from the front and both flanks, throwing hand grenades, firing automatic weapons, and assisted by a terrific mortar barrage. So strong was the enemy counterattack that the company was given up for lost. The remnants of the 2d and 3d platoons of Company B were now looking to S/Sgt. Keathley for leadership. He shouted his orders precisely and with determination and the men responded with all that was in them. Time after time the enemy tried to drive a wedge into S/Sgt. Keathley's position and each time they were driven back, suffering huge casualties. Suddenly an enemy hand grenade hit and exploded near S/Sgt. Keathley, inflicting a mortal wound in his left side. However, hurling defiance at the enemy, he rose to his feet. Taking his left hand away from his wound and using it to steady his rifle, he fired and killed an attacking enemy soldier, and continued shouting orders to his men. His heroic and intrepid action so inspired his men that they fought with incomparable determination and viciousness. For 15 minutes S/Sgt. Keathley continued leading his men and effectively firing his rifle. He could have sought a sheltered spot and perhaps saved his life, but instead he elected to set an example for his men and make every possible effort to hold his position. Finally, friendly artillery fire helped to force the enemy to withdraw, leaving behind many of their number either dead or seriously wounded. S/Sgt. Keathley died a few moments later. Had it not been for his indomitable courage and incomparable heroism, the remnants of 3 rifle platoons of Company B might well have been annihilated by the overwhelming enemy attacking force. His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.
    1947 – Jon Bauman, “Bowser” of Sha-Na-Na, was born in Brooklyn.
    1948 - Milton Berle starts his TV career on “Texaco Star Theater.”
http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0000926/
http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/News/03/27/milton.berle.obit/
    1951 - In a 9-6 loss to the Red Sox at Fenway Park, rookie Bob Nieman hits consecutive dingers off Mickey McDermott, becoming the first player to hit home runs in his first two career at bats in the Majors. In his third trip to the plate, the St. Louis Browns freshman beats out a bunt for a base hit.
    1951 - GOMEZ, EDWARD, Medal of Honor.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, Reserve, Company E, 2d Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date: Korea, Hill 749, 14 September 1951. Entered service at: Omaha, Nebr. Born: 10 August 1932, Omaha, Nebr. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an ammunition bearer in Company E, in action against enemy aggressor forces. Bolding advancing with his squad in support of a group of riflemen assaulting a series of strongly fortified and bitterly defended hostile positions on Hill 749, Pfc. Gomez consistently exposed himself to the withering barrage to keep his machine gun supplied with ammunition during the drive forward to seize the objective. As his squad deployed to meet an imminent counterattack, he voluntarily moved down an abandoned trench to search for a new location for the gun and, when a hostile grenade landed between himself and his weapon, shouted a warning to those around him as he grasped the activated charge in his hand. Determined to save his comrades, he unhesitatingly chose to sacrifice himself and, diving into the ditch with the deadly missile, absorbed the shattering violence of the explosion in his body. By his stouthearted courage, incomparable valor, and decisive spirit of self-sacrifice, Pfc. Gomez inspired the others to heroic efforts in subsequently repelling the outnumbering foe, and his valiant conduct throughout sustained and enhanced the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country
    1951 - WALMSLEY, JOHN S., JR., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Air Force, 8th Bombardment Squadron, 3d Bomb Group. Place and date: Near Yangdok, Korea, 14 September 1951. Entered service at: Baltimore, Md. Born. 7 January 1920, Baltimore, Md. Citation: Capt. Walmsley, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. While flying a B-26 aircraft on a night combat mission with the objective of developing new tactics, Capt. Walmsley sighted an enemy supply train which had been assigned top priority as a target of opportunity. He immediately attacked, producing a strike which disabled the train, and, when his ammunition was expended, radioed for friendly aircraft in the area to complete destruction of the target. Employing the searchlight mounted on his aircraft, he guided another B-26 aircraft to the target area, meanwhile constantly exposing himself to enemy fire. Directing an incoming B-26 pilot, he twice boldly aligned himself with the target, his searchlight illuminating the area, in a determined effort to give the attacking aircraft full visibility. As the friendly aircraft prepared for the attack, Capt. Walmsley descended into the valley in a low level run over the target with searchlight blazing, selflessly exposing himself to vicious enemy antiaircraft fire. In his determination to inflict maximum damage on the enemy, he refused to employ evasive tactics and valiantly pressed forward straight through an intense barrage, thus insuring complete destruction of the enemy's vitally needed war cargo. While he courageously pressed his attack Capt. Walmsley's plane was hit and crashed into the surrounding mountains, exploding upon impact. His heroic initiative and daring aggressiveness in completing this important mission in the face of overwhelming opposition and at the risk of his life, reflects the highest credit upon himself and the U.S. Air Force.
    1956 - Top Hits
“Hound Dog/Don't Be Cruel” - Elvis Presley
“Whatever Will Be Will Be (Que Sera Sera)” - Doris Day
“The Flying Saucer (Parts 1 & 2)” - Buchanan & Goodman
“I Walk the Line” - Johnny Cash
    1957 – Debut of  “Have Gun, Will Travel,” so read the business card of Paladin (Richard Boone), a loner whose pro­fessional services were available for a price. This western also featured Kam Tong as his servant, Hey Boy. The show was extremely popular and ranked in the top five for most of its run. My father, Lawrence Menkin, wrote many of the episodes. The half-hour show aired Saturday, at 9:30 p.m., just before another western, “Gunsmoke,” and ran for six successful seasons. (It opened as the #4 rated show for the year, then followed up with three years ranked #3.) Its dramatic opening had Paladin aiming his gun and his words directly at the audience, and the series always featured a no-nonsense approach and intelligence rarely evident on the small screen.
http://www.hgwt.com/
    1958 - The 720th Missile Battalion, California National Guard, becomes operational on a 24-hour, seven day a week basis. Manning four batteries of NIKE-AJAX missiles, this is the first Army Guard unit armed with these surface-to-air missiles used to replace anti-aircraft guns in defensive positions. By 1962, a force of 17,000 Guardsmen (combined technicians and traditional) maintained 82 batteries stationed in 15 states. All were located around harbors and large cities important to national strategic interests.
    1959 – Mary Crosby, the youngest daughter of Bing Crosby and second wife, Kathryn, was born in LA.  She played the scheming shooter, Kristin Shepherd, in the “Who Shot JR?” season finale in “Dallas.”
    1960 - The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries was founded at the Baghdad Conference, established by five core members: Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela. OPEC began as an attempt to organize and unify petroleum policies, securing stable prices for the petroleum producers. The organization grew considerably after its creation, adding eight other members and developing into one of the most influential groups in the world. The first real indication of OPEC's power came with the 1973 oil embargo, during which long lines and soaring gasoline prices quickly convinced Americans of the reach of OPEC's influence. OPEC's member countries currently supply more than 40 percent of the world's oil.
    1963 - The Beach Boys' "Surfer Girl" peaks at #7 on the pop singles chart.
    1963 - The Beatles' "She Loves You" becomes England's best-selling single of all time, a record that wouldn't be broken until 1977, when ex-Beatle Paul McCartney will release "Mull of Kintyre."
    1964 - The ill-fated sitcom “The Bing Crosby Show” debuts on ABC-TV.
    1964 - Top Hits
“The House of the Rising Sun” - The Animals
“Because” - The Dave Clark Five
“Bread and Butter” - The Newbeats
“I Guess I'm Crazy” - Jim Reeves
    1965 - The Television show "F-Troop" premiers.
    1967 - “Ironside” premiered on television.  This crime series starred Raymond Burr as Robert T. Ironside, Chief of Detectives for the San Francisco Police Department (he was in a wheelchair, paralyzed from an assassination attempt).  Also featured were Don Galloway as his assistant, Detective Sergeant Ed Brown, Barbara Anderson as Officer Eve Whitfield, Don Mitchell as Mark Sanger, Ironside's personal assistant, Gene Lyons as Commissioner Dennis Randall, Elizabeth Baur as Officer Fran Belding and Joan Pringle as Diana, Mark's wife.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0107951/
http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/B/htmlB/burrraymond
/burrraymond.htm
    1968 – The Tigers’ Denny McLain won his 30th game of the season, the first to do so since Dizzy Dean in 1934 and now the last.  He finished 31-6 with 1.96 ERA.
    1968 - Big Brother and the Holding Company's LP, "Cheap Thrills" enters the LP chart -- where it will stay for 29 weeks, including 8 at #1.
    1968 - The Chambers Brothers' "Time Has Come Today" enters Billboard's Hot 100, where it will climb to number eleven.
    1968 – “The Archies” cartoon show first aired on Saturday mornings on the CBS television network. The songs that were credited to this make-believe group were recorded by Ron Dante, Andy Kim, Jeff Barry and others. Their biggest hit would turn out to be a song called "Sugar, Sugar," that went to number one in 1969, selling over six million copies.
    1968 - Roy Orbison’s Hendersonville, TN home burned down during his European tour, trapping and killing two of his three sons, Roy Jr. (age 10) and Tony (age 6).
    1969 - SKIDGEL, DONALD SIDNEY, Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Troop D, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. Place and date: Near Song Be, Republic of Vietnam, 14 September 1969. Entered service at: Bangor, Maine. Born: 13 October 1948, Caribou, Maine. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Skidgel distinguished himself while serving as a reconnaissance section leader in Troop D. On a road near Song Be in Binh Long Province, Sgt. Skidgel and his section with other elements of his troop were acting as a convoy security and screening force when contact occurred with an estimated enemy battalion concealed in tall grass and in bunkers bordering the road. Sgt. Skidgel maneuvered off the road and began placing effective machinegun fire on the enemy automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenade positions. After silencing at least 1 position, he ran with his machinegun across 60 meters of bullet-swept ground to another location from which he continued to rake the enemy positions. Running low on ammunition, he returned to his vehicle over the same terrain. Moments later he was alerted that the command element was receiving intense automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenade and mortar fire. Although he knew the road was saturated with enemy fire, Sgt. Skidgel calmly mounted his vehicle and with his driver advanced toward the command group in an effort to draw the enemy fire onto himself. Despite the hostile fire concentrated on him, he succeeded in silencing several enemy positions with his machinegun. Moments later Sgt. Skidgel was knocked down onto the rear fender by the explosion of an enemy rocket-propelled grenade. Ignoring his extremely painful wounds, he staggered back to his feet and placed effective fire on several other enemy positions until he was mortally wounded by hostile small arms fire. His selfless actions enabled the command group to withdraw to a better position without casualties and inspired the rest of his fellow soldiers to gain fire superiority and defeat the enemy. Sgt. Skidgel's gallantry at the cost of his life were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
    1970 - The temperature at Fremont, OR, dipped to 2 above zero to equal the state record for September set on the 24th in 1926.
    1972 - “The Waltons” debuted.  This epitome of the family drama spawned nearly a dozen knock-offs during its nine-year run on CBS. The drama was based on creator/writer Earl Hamner Jr's experiences grow­ing up during the Depression in rural Virginia. It began as the TV movie “The Homecoming,” which was so well-received that it was turned into a weekly series covering the years 1933—43. The cast went through numerous changes through the years; the principals were: Michael Learned as Olivia Walton, mother of the clan; Ralph Waite as John Walton, father; Richard Thomas as John-Boy, eldest son; Jon Walmsley as son Jason; Judy Norton Taylor as daughter Mary Ellen; Eric Scott as son Ben; Mary Beth McDonough as daughter Erin; David W. Harper as son Jim-Bob and Kami Cotler as daughter Elizabeth. The Walton grandparents were played by Ellen Corby (Esther) and Will Geer (Zeb). The last telecast aired Aug 20, 1981.
http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/2792/walton1.htm
    1972 - Top Hits
“Alone Again (Naturally)” - Gilbert O'Sullivan
“Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress)” - The Hollies
“Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me” - Mac Davis
“Woman (Sensuous Woman)” - Don Gibson
    1973 - For his hit single "The Twelfth of Never," Donny Osmond received a gold record. Released in March of 1973, the son was one of five that went gold for the young Osmond. His other solo successes were: "Sweet & Innocent," "Go Away Little Girl," "Hey Girl" and "Puppy Love."
    1974 - After a two-year battle with heroin, Eric Clapton was back in a big way. His version of Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff" hit the top of the Billboard chart, rejuvenating his career.
    1975 - The first American-born Catholic saint, Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton, (1774-1821) was canonized.  Born into an Episcopalian family in New York City, the mother of five children, she founded the Society for the Relief of Poor Widows with Small Children in 1797. She converted to Roman Catholicism in New York City in 1805 and founded an order of nuns, the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph. She was beatified on March 17, 1963, at the Vatican, Rome, by Pope John XXIII.
    1976 - Bob Dylan's “Hard Rain” concert airs on NBC-TV.
    1978 - The first episode of the television series "Mork & Mindy," starring Robin Williams as Mork and Pam Dawber as Mindy, debuted on ABC-TV. Mork made an earlier appearance in February, 1978, during an episode of "Happy Days."
     http://www.timstvshowcase.com/mork.html
     http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0077053/
     http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/ShowMainServlet/showid-1520
    1979 - Kenny Rogers is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6666 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley also officially declares today "Kenny Rogers Day" in the city.
    1980 - Top Hits
“Upside Down” - Diana Ross
“All Out of Love” - Air Supply
“Fame” - Irene Cara
“Lookin' for Love” - Johnny Lee
    1985 - “Golden Girls” premiere on TV. This comedy starred Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty as four divorced/wid­owed women sharing a house in Florida during their golden years. The last episode aired Sept 14, 1992 but the show remains popu­lar in syndication.
http://timvp.com/goldgirl.html
    1984 - The first MTV Video Music Awards are held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Michael Jackson wins three awards, including Best Overall Performance for "Thriller."
    1985 - The Reverend Benjamin Weir, an American missionary, was released after being held captive for 16 months by Shiite Muslim kidnappers in Lebanon.
    1987 - A record for the skateboard high jump was set when Tony Magnuson went 9.5 feet above the top of the U-ramp.
    1987 - Thunderstorms developing along a cold front produced severe weather from Minnesota to Texas. Thunderstorms in Iowa produced baseball size hail at Laporte City, and 80 mph winds at Laurens. Hail caused more than ten million dollars damage to crops in Iowa. Thunderstorms in Missouri produced wind gusts to 75 mph at Missouri City and Kansas City. A thunderstorm in Texas deluged the town of Fairlie with two inches of rain in just two hours.    
       1987 – The Toronto Blue Jays set a Major League record by hitting 10 HRs in a game. 
    1988 - Top Hits
“Sweet Child o' Mine” - Guns N' Roses
“Simply Irresistible” - Robert Palmer
“Perfect World” - Huey Lewis & The News
“(Do You Love Me) Just Say Yes” - Highway 101
    1988 - Thunderstorms produced severe weather over the Texas panhandle during the evening hours. One thunderstorm spawned a strong (F-2) tornado in the southwest part of Amarillo and deluged the area with five inches of rain. The heavy rain left roads under as much as five feet of water, and left Lawrence Lake a mile out of its banks. Hurricane Gilbert lost some of its punch crossing the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Its maximum winds diminished to 120 mph.
    1988 - Hundreds of San Francisco residents gathered for a peaceful and lawful protest of the policies/platform of then-candidate for President George H.W. Bush who was appearing here with his Vice President. In the ensuing police riot in front of the Sir Francis Drake Hotel, 58-year-old legendary labor organizer Dolores Huerta was severely beaten and nearly killed by San Francisco Police officers. The baton-beating caused significant internal injuries to her torso, resulting in several broken ribs and required the removal of her spleen in emergency surgery. The beating including the clear ramming of the butt end of a baton into Huerta's torso by one of the helmeted officers was caught on videotape and broadcast widely on local television news.  Later, Huerta won a large judgment against the SFPD and the City of San Francisco, the proceeds of which were used in benefit of farm workers. 
http://bravenation.com/bonnie_raitt_dolores_huerta.php
    1990 - Ken Griffey, Sr., and Ken Griffey, Jr., hit unprecedented back-to-back home runs for the Seattle Mariners in a game against the California Angeles. Kirk McCaskill was the pitcher. The Mariners lost, 7-5.
    1991 - "I Adore Mi Amor" by Color Me Badd topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks.
    1994 - Top Hits
“I'll Make Love To You” - Boyz II Men
“Stay (I Missed You)” (From "Reality Bites") - Lisa Loeb
“Stroke You Up” - Changing Faces
“When Can I See You” - Babyface
    1994 - The Temptations are awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7060 Hollywood Blvd
    1994 – A strike by the players that began on August 12, led to the cancellation of the remainder of the Major League season and the World Series.  The issue was the desire of the owners to impose a salary cap on all teams.
    1995 - Paul McCartney's handwritten lyrics for the Beatles' "Getting Better" fetch $249,000 at Sotheby's in London.
    1996 - Mark McGwire hits his 50th home run off Cleveland hurler Chad Ogea, becoming the 13th player in Major League history to reach that plateau. The Cardinal first baseman gives the milestone ball to his eight-year-old son, Matthew.
    1998 - A new talk show, “The Roseanne Show,” debuted in syndication in more than 150 stations in the country. It was Roseanne's first major television project since her hit ABC sitcom “Roseanne” ended its 9-year run in May, 1997.
http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0001683/
http://abc.go.com/primetime/realroseanne/index.html
    1998 - Telecommunications companies MCI and WorldCom completed their $37 billion merger to form MCI WorldCom.  The corporation was purchased by Verizon Communications with the deal finalizing on January 6, 2006 and is now identified as that company's Verizon Enterprise Solutions.
    1999 - The free "Sheryl Crow and Friends" concert is held in New York's Central Park. She is joined on stage at different times by Keith Richards, Stevie Nicks, The Dixie Chicks, Eric Clapton, Chrissie Hynde and Sarah McLachlan. The second hour of the concert is broadcast live on Fox.
    1999 - Top Hits
“Unpretty” - TLC
“Bailamos” - Enrique Iglesias
“Summer Girls” - LFO
“She’s All I Ever Had” - Ricky Martin
    2000 - Paul Simon, Crosby Stills and Nash, and the Eagles' Don Henley and Glenn Frey perform at the joint VH1/Rolling Stone fundraiser for Al Gore
    2001 - Historic National Prayer Service held at Washington National Cathedral for victims of the September 11 attacks. A similar service is held in Canada on Parliament Hill, the largest vigil ever held in the nation's capital.
    2001 - The FBI released the names of the 19 hijackers who took part in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks; President George W. Bush toured the ruins of the World Trade Center and addressed rescue workers over a bullhorn.
    2001 - In the wake of the September 11th attacks, Clear Channel Communications released its infamous "suggestion" list of popular songs which might possibly prove upsetting to American listeners. Included -- but not banned outright, despite the myth -- were “improbably traumatizing oldies” such as Louis Armstrong's "What A Wonderful World;" The Beatles' "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds," "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da," and "Ticket To Ride;" Petula Clark's "Sign Of The Times;" Sam Cooke's "Wonderful World;" Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Travelin' Band;" Bobby Darin's "Mack the Knife;" The Drifters' "On Broadway;" The Jimi Hendrix Experience's "Hey Joe;" The Hollies' "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother;" Elton John's "Bennie And The Jets," "Daniel," and "Rocket Man;" John Lennon's "Imagine;" Martha and the Vandellas' "Nowhere To Run" and "Dancing In The Street;" Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels' "Devil With A Blue Dress On;" Ricky Nelson's "Travelin' Man;" Elvis Presley's "(You're The) Devil in Disguise;" The Rolling Stones' "Ruby Tuesday;" Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water;" Cat Stevens' "Morning Has Broken" and "Peace Train;" The Surfaris' "Wipeout;" The Youngbloods' "Get Together;" Zager and Evans' "In The Year 2525;" and the Zombies' "She's Not There."
    2002 - In San Francisco, some 1,000 marched down Market St. to denounce the Bush administration’s call for war against Iraq.
    2002 - Barry Bonds ties Hank Aaron for the most 100-RBI seasons by a National League player as he drives in his 100th run of the season for the 11th time in his career. The Major League record is 13 shared by Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, and Babe Ruth. Saying his heart has always been in San Francisco, Barry Bonds avoids arbitration by agreeing to a five-year, $90 million deal with the Giants. The contract also calls for 10-year personal services commitment at the end of the 37-year left fielder's playing days.
    2002 - Chin-Feng Chen becomes the first Taiwan-born position player to appear in the Majors as he walks and scores as a pinch-hitter for the Dodgers against the Rockies. The 24-year-old first baseman-outfielder played for the 1990 Taiwan team which won the Little League World Series.
    2003 - Baltimore running back Jamal Lewis sets the NFL single-game rushing record when he runs for 295 yards and 2 touchdowns on 30 carries in the Ravens 33-13 victory over Cleveland.
    2003 - Top Hits
“Shake Ya Tailfeather” - Nelly, P. Diddy & Murphy Lee
“Baby Boy” - Beyonce Featuring Sean Paul
“Right Thurr” - Chingy
“Into You” - Fabulous Featuring Tamia Or Ashanti
    2011 - NASA reveals its Space Launch System plan, intended to replace the Space Shuttle program with its first flight scheduled for 2017.
    2011 - At the Zekiah Swamp in Charles County, Maryland, archeologists believe they found a fort from 1680 built to protect the 'friendly' Piscataway Indians.
    2014 - 24-year-old Matthew Miller, one of three Americans held in North Korea, was convicted of unlawful entry into the country for the purpose of spying; he was sentenced to six years of hard labor.  He was released, along with Kenneth Bae, on November 8, 2014.
    2015 – One hundred years after Albert Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves, they were detected for the first time.  Two black holes collided to produce the needed vibration, confirming this key part of his general theory of relativity.