Balladeer’s Blog’s recurring feature Give Them A Shoutout Before They’re Dead returns with this look at the Goo Goo Dolls’ song Broadway aka Broadway’s Dark Tonight.
Balladeer’s Blog’s recurring feature Give Them A Shoutout Before They’re Dead returns with this look at the Goo Goo Dolls’ song Broadway aka Broadway’s Dark Tonight.
Filed under opinion
This Veterans Day, November 11th, will be the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One. Here is a look at four Americans who met their death during that conflict.
CHARLES AUSBURNE
Ausburne joined the United States Navy February 25th, 1908 and had risen to the rank of Electrician First Class by the time of his death on October 17th, 1917. Charles was serving on the Antilles, which was sunk by torpedoes fired by the German U-Boat U-105.
Ausburne stayed at his post manning the vessel’s emergency wireless station while the ship slipped beneath the waves. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. Two naval craft were named after the 29 year old.
ALBERT E BAESEL
Baesel got his first military experience in peacetime, serving in the Ohio National Guard beginning in 1912 when he was 22. In 1918 he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
Albert was killed on September 27th, 1918 during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. For the details of his death here is the citation for his Medal of Honor: Continue reading
Filed under Neglected History
It was on November 6th, 1869 that Rutgers and Princeton played the very first college football game “on the banks of the Raritan” as the Rutgers fight song says. One of the things I love about college football is how far back its history goes.
It feels odd to think that Ulysses S Grant was in the White House when Continue reading
Filed under college football, Neglected History
Yes, it’s once again Guy Fawkes Day, the day Balladeer’s Blog celebrates figures who became symbols of the exact opposite things they represented in their actual lives!
Guy Fawkes was a religious fanatic whose face became a symbol of resistance against a fictional theocratic dicatorship thanks to a comic book. Che Guevara was a murderous, homophobic, racist would-be dictator depicted as a symbol of youthful rebellion thanks to the spiteful cluelessness of Left-Wing Archie Bunkers.
Thank the forever-childish 1960s generation for elevating such a repulsive and barely human creature to such heights. Even at HUFFINGTON POST the truth about blood-soaked animal Che has been written. Click HERE
Here are some actual quotes from hatemonger Che:
“Go ahead and try them tomorrow morning — but execute them NOW!”
“Crazy with fury I will stain my rifle red while slaughtering any enemy that falls in my hands! My nostrils dilate while savoring the acrid odor of gunpowder and blood.”
“We don’t need proof to execute a man. We only need proof that it’s necessary to execute him. A revolutionary must become a cold killing machine motivated by pure hate.” (Note from Balladeer: Gee, I thought the poseurs and buffoons of the American Left said they’re AGAINST “hate.”)
“What we affirm is that we must proceed along the path of liberation even if this costs millions of atomic victims.”
Read more of this animal’s own words and you will see what a callous, unfeeling political fanatic this hate-filled scumbag was. He never wanted to overthrow dictatorships to help “the people”, he just wanted to overthrow them to install dictatorships more to his liking. Continue reading
Filed under LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, Neglected History, opinion
HEADLINES
SAINTS PRESERVE US! – NCAA Division Three’s THOMAS MORE COLLEGE SAINTS borrowed a page from NAIA football yesterday by defeating a team from NCAA Division TWO – in this case the LAKE ERIE COLLEGE STORM. By Halftime the Saints had compiled a 28-0 advantage, then coasted to a 44-zip shutout of the higher division team.
DOWN GOES NUMBER FIVE – Up in the NAIA the 8th ranked BENEDICTINE COLLEGE RAVENS traveled to face the number 5 team in the nation – the GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS (should be the Zebras). A 7-7 1st Quarter tie became 10-10 at the break and then 13-13 to end the 3rd. From there the Ravens exploded offensively to win the game 25-13.
ANOTHER NUMBER FIVE TAKES A FALL – In NCAA Division Two the number 22 FORT HAYS STATE TIGERS were on the road against the country’s 5th ranked NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS. The Tigers grabbed a quick 14-0 lead in the 1st Quarter but the Bearcats cut that to just 14-10 by the Half. In the 3rd Quarter the Fort Hays State edge was whittled down to 17-16, which wound up as the final tally, too, since the Defenses dominated the 4th. Continue reading
Filed under college football
Balladeer’s Blog’s recent look at the superhero pantheon of Harry A Chesler Publishing was pretty popular. To meet demand here is another Chesler superhero. I went ahead and added him to the main list, too. For many more Chesler heroes click HERE
B
LACK SATAN
Secret Identity: Howard Flynn, District Attorney
Origin: Like many in law enforcement Howard Flynn wearied of seeing powerful gangsters going unpunished.
He adopted the costumed identity of Black Satan and went after those criminals that the law couldn’t touch.
First Appearance: Yankee Comics #1 (September 1941).
Powers: Continue reading
Filed under Superheroes
BE AWARE THAT SOME OF THEM HAVE ENTRY FEES OF $20.00. Enter your submission(s) in the eleven contests below: Continue reading
Filed under Uncategorized
With Veterans Day coming up AND with it being the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One (when it was called Armistice Day) here are links to Balladeer’s Blog’s many World War One posts over the years.
ELEVEN MEDAL OF HONOR WINNERS FROM WORLD WAR ONE – CLICK HERE
AMERICAN FLYING ACE J.M. SWAAB – CLICK HERE
NEGLECTED U.S. NAVAL BATTLES OF WORLD WAR ONE – CLICK HERE
VINTAGE SCI-FI ABOUT WORLD WAR ONE – CLICK HERE
SEVEN AMERICAN FLYING ACES OF WORLD WAR ONE – CLICK HERE
FLYBOYS (2006) – CLICK HERE
SGT YORK OF WORLD WAR ONE – HERE Continue reading
Filed under Neglected History
Superhero cosplay for Halloween has begun threatening to overtake horror themes in recent years. In recognition of that, Balladeer’s Blog has been including a look at a different superhero pantheon during each October’s Halloween celebration. This year it’s the superheroes from Harry A Chesler ‘s publishing company.
THE DRAGON
Secret Identity: Bill Norton, Police Scientist
Origin: Tired of being relegated to the scientific end of crime solving, Police Scientist Bill Norton decides to seek out some action. He devises a flame-thrower pistol for himself plus a costume and starts fighting crime as the Dragon in his series titled Alias the Dragon.
First Appearance: Skyrocket Comics #1 (March 1944).
Powers: The Dragon had the strength and agility of a very athletic man. He wielded a pistol which could shoot fire like a flame-thrower and the dragon-scale cape of his costume was bullet-proof. In addition this hero was a first-rate scientist in criminology.
Comment: The Dragon was one of those Golden Age superheroes who didn’t care if he killed the criminals he fought. As Bill Norton our hero serves under Captain Donovan, no first name given. This character’s willingness to kill and his flame-thrower gimmick can’t help but remind a Bad Movie Fan like me of Robert Ginty’s two-movie character the Exterminater.
YANKEE GIRL
Secret Identity: Lauren Mason, wealthy socialite
Origin: Lauren Mason’s family line included practioners of the mystic arts, but the only spell-casting Lauren herself ever employed was a magic conjuration employing the words “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” (I guess her delivery made all the difference.) Chanting those three words transformed her, Shazam-style, into the super-powered Yankee Girl.
First Appearance: Either Red Seal Comics #17 (July 1946) or Dynamic Comics #23 (November 1947). There is still some dispute.
Powers: Continue reading
Filed under Superheroes