Baseball and 1918 pandemic
Could Syracuse pull the upset in NCAA Tournament?
The Front Page
Morning Briefing
Saturday, March 20
By Ken Tingley
I was doing some research on the Red Sox World Series triumph in 1918 this week. It may have been one of baseball’s most challenging seasons ever.
The season was cut short due to World War I with every able-bodied man ordered to be part of the war effort in some way. Major League Baseball was ordered to finish its season by Labor Day (most played about 125 games) and then two weeks were allowed for the World Series between the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox. The first three games were played in Chicago and the rest in Boston.
At the same time, the country was dealing with the “Spanish Flu.” It was later recognized as a world-wide pandemic that killed approximately 675,000 Americans. It was startling to see we may surpass that number before the year is over.
According to information on the Baseball Hall of Fame website, the pandemic did not have a deadly impact on Major League Baseball.
Larry Chappell, a big league outfielder for the White Sox, Indians and Boston Braves was one of the few major leaguers who died.
Several minor leagues also succumbed, along with a Boston Globe sportswriter and the son of The Sporting Life editor.
The most prominent baseball death was that of veteran umpire “Silk” O’Laughlin, who was only 46 when he died, and had umpired in five World Series.
Park setting in Glens Falls.
The dilemma in Glens Falls is not new.
When developer Chris Patten proposed building a four-story apartment complex on the green space next to the Episcopal Church of the Messiah in downtown Glens Falls, there was concern about losing the green space. But it is clear that the city needs more property tax revenue and making the parcel into a park takes it off the tax rolls.
The city offered to buy the lot at one point.
The question I put to you readers is whether another small park - just across the street from City Park - is needed more than tax revenue.
What do you think?
Girard sparks Orange
With Joseph Girard III having his best all-around game in a month, Syracuse advanced in the NCAA Tournament Friday night with a 78-62 upset of San Diego State.
Girard sparked a late Syracuse surge on the first half with 10 points with three 3-pointers and one four-point play.
Girard grabbed six rebounds and handed out seven assists in 28 minutes of play.
Syracuse advances to play No. 3 seed West Virginia on Sunday.
Buddy Boeheim led Syracuse with 30 points.
The other NY team
Little Colgate led Arkansas by as many as 14 late in the first half, but then failed to score in the last five minutes and trailed by three.
Colgate kept it close most of the way before ARkansa pulled away late to win 85-68.
I think they can, especially if Girard can be a scorer.
As it is across the street from the large park and the city needs tax revenue, I would build it. Can the building be built on the property in such a way that it could also include trees, plants, and grass and a path?