Max Schmeling and FDR

World Heavyweight Boxing Champ Max Schmeling greets Franklin Roosevelt, Friday, May 20, 1932, at Greenkill, NY, during FDR's visit to Schmeling's training camp there. One month and one day later, Schmeling would lose the title to Jack Sharkey in a split decision at Madison Square Garden. First Lady Eleanor is to the right of FDR.

The Heart of Murderers Row

Yankee Stadium, the Bronx, April 14, 1931 - Murderers Row! The heart of the Yankee lineup poses for the camera: Lou Gehrig, Earl Combs, Tony Lazzeri, and, of course, The Great Bambino, Babe Ruth. The Yanks, under skipper Joe McCarthy, finish 94-59, for a second place finish, 13 1/2 games behind Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics.

Picture of the Day

Very nice painting of Teddy Kennedy sailing off Hyannisport with the Kennedy Compound in the background.

(Compliments of friend Robert G. Swan).

World War II Hero Audie Murphy

Today, during a very impressive Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House, the President made reference to Audie Murphy.

Murphy was the most decorated American soldier during World War II. He received 33 U. S. medals, five French medals, and one Belgium medal. He won every U. S. medal available, five of them more than once. He won the coveted Medal of Honor, the highest service medal.

Murphy went on to become a celebrated movie star for over two decades in the post-World War II era. He appeared in 44 films, including To Hell and Back in 1955. He had a career as a country western music singer and composer for a time as well.

He died in a plane crash, as so many stars seemed to do in the mid-20th century, in 1971 at the age of 47. Audie Murphy, a genuine American hero.....one we seem to hear less and less about as time passes.

Picture of the Day

So clearly representative of how our system works. Here, the civilian leader of the military, Commander-in-Chief and President Franklin D. Roosevelt, confers with WWII European Allied Military Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Picture of the Day

What a great image. Charlie Chaplin and Mahatma Gandhi as they meet in London in 1931.

(Photo from Neal Roberson).

Picture of the Day

Berlin, Tuesday, February 17, 1931. Army mess wagon helps feed poor Berliners during the Great Depression.

(Photo from Neal Robinson).