University of Nebraska Press

This Week in History: July 21-25, 2008

Well bloggers, it’s been awhile. You try and try, but sometimes life (or in this case summer classes) just gets in the way.  What’s important though, is that we’re together again and that even though we haven’t seen each other, history has prevailed. This week we’ve got everything from Jesse James to Praibha Patil, and a little Italian fascism just for fun.  Ready to pick up where we left off?

July 21, 1873: Jesse James and the James-Younger gang attempted and succeeded in pulling off the first successful train robbery in the American West.

Well I think it’s safe to say that Jesse James was a rebel of sorts (rebel, robber, murderer…you know) but if you’re interested in another kind of “bad boy” then please check out REBEL: The Life and Times of John Singleton Mosby by Kevin H. Siepel, which chronicles the life of this bipartisan Commander.

July 22, 1882: American Painter Edward Hopper was born today.
If you fancy yourself an art connoisseur   then please take a look at Beyond Madness: The Art of Ralph Blakelock by Norman A. Geske.

July 23, 1929: Fascist Italy bans the use of foreign words.
In the wake of a burgeoning bilingual culture, Americans are well versed in the foreign word controversy. If you find that you’re an advocate of words, regardless of their origin, then you may enjoy the book of poetry Modern Archaist by Osip Mandelstam.

July 24, 1783: Simon Bolivar, the South American liberator is born today.
There is so much to South American culture, the politics, literature, food, entertainment and sports. If the latter is what really appeals to you the please take a look at Venezualen Bust Baseball Boom: Andres Reiner scouting on the New Frontier by Milton H. Jamil.

July 25, 2007: Pratihba Patil is sworn in as the first women president in India.
The position of women in politics has risen considerably in the past 50 years. For a look at Lincolns first female mayor please take a look at Mayor Helen Boosalis: My Mother’s Life in Politics by Beth Boosalis Davis.

Ok, bloggers that’s enough history for today check out the UNP website for more titles.  Join us next week for a little Trivia and a few Links!

Linking in Lincoln: July 24, 2008

New from the University of Nebraska Press, is Chief Bender’s Burden: The Silent Struggle of a Baseball Star by Tom Swift.  Charles Albert Bender was the greatest American Indian Baseball Player of all time. His career unfolded in a time of great prejudice but his reputation for possessing an “unflappable demeanor” garnered him respect from the sporting world. This remarkable story told by journalist Tom Swift is sure to show you a side of baseball that is often overlooked, and his talent of utilizing both storytelling and the objectiveness of journalism recreates the “silent struggle” this sports hero endured. This week Linking in Lincoln will take a closer look at the player, the writer, and all the things in between!

Care to brush up on your Chief Bender bio?  If so then do it here at Wikipedia.

For you sports fanatics out there, you can take a look at his stats here.

Tom Swift is an award winning journalist and freelance writer. For more info take a look at his website, “Writers Notebook”.

Curious about other American Indian baseball players? Check out Baseball Almanac for a more comprehensive list.

There are numerous sports heroes out there, but My Hero-sports gives bios and introductions to who they consider to be the most significant.

Chief Bender grew up on the White Earth Reservation. Go to their website for a closer look at their significant history.

Hope you enjoy bloggers! Join us tomorrow for a little TWIH

Lincoln in Linking: July 17, 2008

                                                    Linking the Bases!

      New this month from the University of Nebraska Press, is Clearing the Bases: The Greatest Baseball Debates of the Last Century by Allen Barra. I know at one time or another we have all asked ourselves who the greatest baseball player is in the last century? Ok, may not ALL of us (such as myself), but we cannot deny that someone, somewhere, has probably asked this at some time.  We also cannot deny the pervasive influence sports has in our culture and the questions that arise as a result.  As America’s favorite pastime the debates regarding the game often become boisterous and inflated. What sports journalist Allen Barra, whose column “By the Numbers” is often referenced on NPR, has done with his freshman book is to tackles these questions and provide his expert opinion. This week’s  Linking in Lincoln is going to dissect these topics and attack them at random. We will talk debates, baseball, and NPR. Think you can handle it blogger, or are we going to have to take this outside….?

Want to learn the ins and outs of the debating world (I know, don’t we all) then check out IDEA, or the International Debate Education Association, for all you’ll ever need (or want) to know!

In 1960 was the first televised National Debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Check out BBC for a closer look.

I’ve got three words for you: National. Public. Radio.  Need I say more?

Want to join your own debate? Then check out ForandAgainst.com, an online debating forum. The topic for today is children in restaurants…

Are you curious just how much of an “expert” Mr. Barra is? Well then check out an online archive of his work, here.

That’s it for today bloggers! Check back with us tomorrow for some TWIH.

Tuesday Trivia Answers

1. Magic Johnson
2.Mike Tyson
3. Michael Vick
4. Chicago White Sox
5.Tanya Harding
6. Kobe Bryant
7. Pete Rose
8. Boris Onischenko

Tuesday Trivia: June 24, 2008

It's no surprise when a famous athlete ends up in the papers for a sex scandal, or drugs, or dog fighting….yet how often do we investigate the events leading up to these very public falls from grace? New this month from the University of Nebraska Press is Sports Heroes Fallen Idols: How Star Athletes Pursue Self-Destructive Paths and Jeopardize their Careers, by Stanley H. Teitelbaum.  Using his background in psychotherapy, he takes a serious look at how society props up our athletic heroes and then revels in their demise. In this week’s Tuesday Trivia we’re going to take a look at famous sports scandals and test just how closely we pay attention to their downfalls.

Match the scandal with the year it happened.
1.    1992
2.    2003
3.    1991
4.    2007
5.    1989
6.    1919
7.    1976
8.    1994

A.    Magic Johnson announces that he is HIV positive.
B.    Mike Tyson is convicted of rape.
C.    Michael Vick is indicted for dog fighting.
D.    The Chicago White Sox threw the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds.
E.    Ice skater Tanya Harding, hired men to injure competitor Nancy Kerrigan in the 1994 Olympic Games
F.    Kobe Bryant is accused of sexual assault
G.    Pete Rose, manager of the Cinncinati Reds, was banned from baseball for gambling on games.
H.    Boris Onishenko wired the handle of his fencing sword to trigger the scoreboard, during the Olympic Games.

Ok, bloggers how’d you do? Check back tomorrow for the answers!

This Week in History: June 16-10, 2008

What do Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, Abraham Lincoln, and Juliano Belletti all have in common? Well, other than This Week in History, not a whole lot. They are all, however, very significant to our humble blog as their endeavors give us reason to exist. So in honor of their efforts, we will proceed with another session of This Week in History.

June 16, 1859: Abraham Lincoln gives his famous speech House Divided in Springfield, Illinois.

Whether you are a fan or not, the legacy President Lincoln has left on this country has been considerable to say the least. For a look at an equally important figure on the opposite side, check out Rebel: The Life and Times of John Singleton Mosby, by Kevin H. Siepel

June 17, 1631: Mumtaz Mahal dies giving birth. Her husband, Mughal  Emperor Shah Jahan I, then spends the next twenty years building her tomb. We know this as the Taj Mahal.

Now THAT is a love story, and if romance is your thing you might be interested in Valentines, by Ted Kooser.
June 18, 1981: The AIDS epidemic is formally recognized by the medical professionals of San Francisco.

The tragedy of disease has had its affects all over the world, and we are weighted down with the stories of loss. The miracles are less frequent, however,  so if you’re in the mood for one then please check out  It’s Good to Know a Miracle: Dani’s Story, by Jay and Sue Shotel.

June 19, 1953: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are put to death at Sing Sing in New York.

Their tale of Soviet espionage, with regards to the Atomic Bomb, gained international attention during the cold war. If seedy crime, and even seedier trials are your thing then have a look at Atrocities on Trial, by Patricia Herbre and Jurgen Matthaus.

June 20, 1976: Today Brazillian Juliano Bellitti was born.

Are you a fan of South America, and perhaps also athletics? If so, then Venezuelan Bust, Baseball Boom by Milton H. Jamail may just be the book for you!

You can find all these and more at the University of Nebraska Press website. Otherwise, we’ll see you on Tuesday for a little trivia!

This Week in History: June 9-13, 2008

Well bloggers we have survived a long week of rain, tornadoes, and otherwise grim weather and can all breathe a sigh of relief. In fact, just to keep our minds at rest TWIH will make no mention of mother earth or her foul temper. Perhaps this will appease her? Instead we will focus on Judy Garland, Anne Frank, and Tom Cheek. Curious what little tidbits I might have about these fascinating people, and how they tie to UNP? Well join me and find out!

June 10, 68:  Roman Emperor Nero commits suicide by beseeching his secretary to slit his throat in an attempt to avoid death by flogging.

Nero isn’t the first prominent figure to have an even more public suicide. In 1954 CBS’s Don Hollenbeck ended his own life after a very public altercation with Senator Joe McCarthy. Read more about this confrontation, and his otherwise extraordinary life in Radio’s Revolution: Don Hollenbeck’s CBS Views the Press, by Loren Ghiglione.

June 10, 1922: The beloved American actress Judy Garland was born today.

Ms. Garland is best known for her role as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz.  If you’re a fan of L. Frank Baum then you’re sure to love a newly printed book of his children’s stories, The Twinkle Tales.

June 11, 1805: The Great Fire of 1805. The same year that Detroit was named the capitol of Michigan Territory, the city was burned to the ground.

Wildfires are unfortunately nothing new to modern day America. To find out more about how we can learn to prevent these natural disasters by changing our own perspectives, please read Wildfire and Americans, by Roger G. Kennedy.

June 12, 1942: A young girl named Anne Frank receives a diary for her thirteenth birthday.

The Diary of Anne Frank is one of the most widely read books in the world. She gave us a front row seat to possibly the largest genocide in human history. For more unique perspective on this time period, check out The Great Plains during World War II, by R. Douglas Hurt.

June 13, 1939: Major League Baseball announcer for the Toronto Blue Jays, Tom Cheek was born today.

Before the arrival of television (and all its wonders…) baseball could be enjoyed through sound only, as families crowded around radios to listen to their favorite games. To see how the advent of technology affected this beloved American pastime, take a look at Center Field Shot, by James R. Walker and Robert V. Bellamy Jr.

Ok, bloggers that’s it for this week. See you again next week for a little Tuesday Trivia!

Tuesday Trivia: May 27, 2008

SPORTS TRIVIA!

New this week from the University of Nebraska Press is Beyond the Dream: Occasional heroes of Sports by Ira Berkow. Famous New York Times sports columnist, Berkow has compiled a book of his notable athlete profiles. Ranging
from the MVP’s to the player who never quite made it big, this book encapsulates all the behind the scenes people, stories, and events that shape a compelling sector of our culture. This week, Tuesday Trivia will take a look at some of the sports figures featured in the book and see how familiar you are with these athletic heroes! Match the Sports hero with their fun fact!

A.    Casey Stengel
B.    Christine “Chris” Evert
C.    Joe Louis
D.    Pete Rose
E.    Muhammed Al
F.    Bobby Fischer
G.    Rod Laver
H.    Hank Aaron
I.     Arnold Palmer
J.    Gale Sayers
K.    Joe DiMaggio
L.    Roger Maris
M.    Ted Williams

1.    This player was banned from the league for betting on this own team
2.    MLB created an award given annually to the most effective hitters in the league
3.    After Achieving a 56 game hitting streak was considered to be a “picture perfect player”
4.    This player is a 2 Time MVP winner
5.    This tennis player won 18 Grand Slam singles titles
6.    This baseball player broke Babe Ruth’s single season home run  record
7.    This football player was born and raised here in Omaha, Nebraska
8.    Two words: Ice Tea and Lemonade
9.    This man was the number one tennis player in the World for 7 years straight
10.    This chess player was a teenage prodigy
11.    This boxer is famous for the line “Float like a butterfly, and sting like a bee”
12.    This baseball player is nicknamed “Dutch”
13.    This baseball player earned a congressional Gold Medal in 1982

How did you do bloggers? Are you a sports trivia aficionado? Check back tomorrow to find out!

More Praise for Chief Bender's Burden

Chief Bender’s Burden: The Silent Struggle of a Baseball Star by Tom Swift

“A gem. . . . Swift’s mission is to reassert Bender as an important figure in the history of the game, both as a player and a groundbreaking figure. His book does well in both ways.”—Kevin Canfield, Chicago Sun-Times

To read earlier praise for Chief Bender's Burden, please visit http://nebraskapress.typepad.com/university_of_nebraska_pr/2008/02/starred-review.html.

Continued Praise for Branch Rickey

Branch Rickey: Baseball’s Ferocious Gentleman by Lee Lowenfish

“The book title captures the complexity of the man who ‘made a spark that helped shape three cultures—black, white and American.’ Rickey III attended a book signing and lecture by Lee Lowenfish at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Lowenfish wrote the latest book about baseball’s integration pioneer. Rickey III calls it the best of three books about his grandfather, who as an executive with the Dodgers brought Jackie Robinson to the Major Leagues in 1947. ‘It’s a more comprehensive character study with the benefit of insight, the distillation of time, events and history’ grandson Branch Rickey III said.”—Max Utsler, MLB.com

View a complete listing of praise for Branch Rickey at http://nebraskapress.typepad.com/university_of_nebraska_pr/2007/02/praise_for_bran.html.