Monday

Mar. 29, 1999

Street Ballad

by George Barker

Broadcast Date: MONDAY: March 29, 1999

Poem: "Street Ballad," by George Barker (Faber & Faber).

It was on this day in 1973 that the last American troops left VIETNAM, just two months after the Treaty of Paris had been signed, bringing an end to the American involvement in the war.

It's the birthday of JOHN MAJOR, born 1943 in London, Prime Minister of Britain for seven years and the one who took over after Margaret Thatcher's downfall in November 1990.

It was on this day in 1912 that the British explorer ROBERT FALCON SCOTT made the last entry in his diary during his expedition to the South Pole. He wrote: "Every day we have been ready to start for our depot 11 miles away but outside the door of the tent it remains a scene of whirling drift. We shall stick it out to the end, but we are getting weaker, of course, and the end cannot be far. It seems a pity, but I do not think I can write more." On the way back his expedition was hit by a nine-day-long blizzard and the party froze to death in their tent.

It's the birthday in 1872 of ALBERT VON TILZER, born in Indianapolis, Indiana, composer of the tune to "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," which he wrote with lyricist Jack Norworth in 1908.

It's the birthday in 1867 of baseball great CY YOUNG, born Denton True Young in Gilmore, Ohio, the pitcher who pitched more innings and won more games than anyone else in major league history.

It was on this day in 1848 that an enormous ice-jam on the eastern shore of Lake Erie brought NIAGARA FALLS to a complete stop.

Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.®

 

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