A Century in The Sun

Operation Sail: The Spirit of '76

2009-07-08T12:51:15Z

The July 4th holiday reminded me of our country's Bicentennial Year celebration back in 1976 and of the tall ships that visited to Baltimore. The visit by these seven tall sailing ships and several smaller craft proved to be the biggest tourist attraction in Baltimore's history. Between July 10 and July 18 the harbor area was a sea of timbers and humanity. Operation Sail, or OpSail for short, inaugurated public use of the new promenade and athletic field on southern side of the Inner Harbor and helped reawken Baltimore to its potential. This drew many people not just from the Baltimore metropolitan area but from Washington, DC, Virgina and states to the north. The tall ships were very majestic and brought you back to an earlier time in our history when Baltimore's harbor was filled with all kinds of masted ships. OpSail also brought crews from all over the world who mixed well with Baltimore's many different ethnic groups and who also could spread the word about Baltimore after they left. We are lucky to have the USS Constellation, The Pride of Baltimore II, Lady Maryland and other nautical treasures. Tall ships and other vessels still visit our city each year thanks to Sail Baltimore. The Suns' photographers chronicled this event with many shots of the ships, crews and crowds they attracted. I hope you enjoy the photos and feel free to send me comments and ideas for future posts.

Last day of school

2009-06-12T19:40:36Z

The end of the school year brings joy over completing the school year. It also brings a sense of accomplishment and the start of summer. It is the beginning and an ending. Saying goodbye to classmates, teachers and friends you may not see over the summer, but also anticipating the adventures you may have before the beginning of another school year. Looking back at older photos of the last day of school with todays photos you see how little things have changed . Enjoy the photos and let me know if you have any comments, questions or ideas.

Chesapeake Bay Ferries

2009-06-11T14:34:16Z

This past Memorial Day weekend was the traditional opening of the travel season down to the ocean. I was thinking about life before the Cheasapeake Bay Bridge, how people took the Sandy Point Matapeake Ferry and before that the Annapolis-to-Claiborne Ferry. The days of the Sandy Point Matpeake Ferry came to a close with the opening of the Bay Bridge on July 30, 1952. It was a 40-minute trip between the Eastern and Western shores of the bay, during which one could buy something to drink or eat. Or you could read or just stretch out and enjoy the ride. There are still reminders of the old ferry system at Matapeake State Park on Kent Island. The old ferry pier is now a fishing pier and the ferry terminal building was renovated and turned into the Matapeake Clubhouse. The Chesapeake Bay Ferry lives on in Washington state. The Gov. Herbert R O'Conor was sold in 1953 for $301,000 and is operated by the Washington State Ferry System. She was renamed the M.V. Rhododendron after the Washington State Flower and is nicknamed the "Rhody." She has undergone extensive renovations during her long career . The Gov. Harry W. Nice was also bought by Washington state for $ 226,000, but she hasn't been as lucky. She was renamed the M.V. Olympic . Another Maryland ferry boat, the M.V. Gov. Emerson C. Harrington II was sold to Lake Champlain Transportation Company in Burlington, Vermont for $25,693.98 and renamed the Andirondak she is still in service today. The bay ferries didn't eliminate backups, but it was a slower pace. There is talk every once in a while of returning ferries to the bay or even building a third bay bridge. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think about that idea. Here's a link to a photo gallery about the ferries. Here are some more details on the ferry fleet... M.V. Gov. Herbert R. O'Conor could carry 894 passengers and 75 vehicles. She entered service in 1947 and is still in service today in Washington state. M.V. Gov Harry W. Nice could carry 792 passengers and 68 vehicles. She entered service in 1938. M.V. John M. Dennis could carry 880 passengers and 65 vehicles. She entered service 1929 and was sold to a Venezuelan tranport company for $101.000 in 1953. M.V. B. Frank Sherman was built in 1926 and entered service in Maryland in 1948. She was sold for $27,440 to a New York company . M.V. Gov. Emerson C. Harrington II could hold 256 passengers and 32 vehicles. She was built in 1913 and entered service in Maryland in 1938. She is in service today on Lake Champlain.

D-Day, June 6, 1944

2009-06-05T10:21:27Z

June 6, 2009 is the 65th anniversary of the Allied invasion of the Normandy coast, which marked the beginning of the liberation of France and the defeat of Nazi Germany. The long-awaited second front was opened. The largest Armada of men and ships ever assembled would breach the Atlantic wall at great cost and sacrifice. The Baltimore Sun on June 6, 1944 published an extra edition with the headline, "ALLIES INVADING FRANCE - TROOPS LAND IN NORMANDY." The Evening Sun headline, pictured above, read, "Invasion 9 Miles Inland - Opposition Weak, Losses Below Expectations." Additional reports were topped by, "Sunpapers Men Report - O'Neil - H-Hour, McCardell - In Air and Watson - Tactics." This headline referred to The Sun's war correspondents Thomas O'Neil, chief of London Bureau, and Lee McCardell ( no relation ) and Mark S. Watson, the paper's military analyst. Another war correspondent, Holbrook Bradley, was aboard a ship with the 29th Infantry Division waiting to go ashore. Bradley had covered the 29th Infantry Division since 1943 during their training in England and following them across Europe. He wrote a book called " War Correspondent From D-Day to Elbe." He is the Baltimore Sun's last living WW II correspondent. While Lee McCardell flew over the beaches in Baltimore-built Martin Marauders with the 9th Air Force and sent back his dispatches through military censors to the Baltimore Sun . Holbrook Bradley waited on ship while part of the 29th to which he was assigned was waiting to go ashore. The Baltimore Sun didn't run its first eyewitness accounts of the 29th on the beach until June 10, 1944, and that came from Baltimore News-Post and INS Correspondent Louis Azrael, a well-respected journalist who, like Bradley, ended up following the 29th across Europe. Azreal's first dispatch was written on paper found beside a dead German soldier since his own paper was ruined when he leapt from a landing barge. Holbrook Bradley's first dispatchs appeared in The Sun on June 13, and on June 14 he wrote a front-page story headlined, "Bradley Describes 29th Division Landing On Normandy Beachhead." It was dated June 7. Bradley reported that landing craft nearby still had to dodge occasional shells from German batteries. "The scene through which we passed was one of the most desolate we've ever seen. The few houses along the shore were almost blown to bits, evidence of the heavy Navy gunfire early on the first day. Up the hills, German concrete emplacements were completely blasted of the ground, and mazes of barbed-wire entanglements were ripped through huge sections." Bradley saw many bodies, some that had never made it ashore. "Those first few hours on the beach must have been a living hell." Bradley was equipped with a camera and used it that day to take photos from offshore on D-Day and from the beach on the second day. There were many photos of that day that live on, taken by the US.Coast Guard, Navy and Army Signal Corps and others. Some of the most famous were taken by Robert Capa. On June 6 we remember the sacrifices made not just that day and not just on that beach but all the places were men and women have fought and still fight for our freedom . I hope you look at the photo gallery and I also attached other links related to D-Day . The U.S. Army D-Day site Military History Online's D-Day page The D-Day Museum WGBH TV's D-Day page Overview of Operation Overlord

Commissioning Week at the Naval Academy

2009-05-21T19:00:21Z

This week at the United States Naval Academy a tradition continues, with Commissioning Week, also once known as June Week. Among the events and traditions taking place are the climb of the Herndon Monument, the fly overs by the Blue Angels, a sailing review, band concerts, the graduation ball, the color parade and hundreds of Midshipmen jumping into the reflecting pool after the last dress parade. The graduation ceremony is Friday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium and President Barack Obama will make the commencement address. It will be the 21st time a president has addressed the graduating Midshipmen since President James Garfield first did so in 1881. The hats will fly, the Blue Angels will thunder overhead, Anchors Aweigh will play and wedding bells will ring. In my mind I still think of this week as June Week, even though it changed to May in 1979 . The pomp and ceremony of this week makes for some great photographic opportunities. I hope you enjoy the photo gallery and follow the events this week in the paper and online. I appriciate any feedback or comments or future ideas. Other links of interest: A brief history of the Naval Academy Sound files of Anchors Aweigh Presidential Attendance at Naval Academy Graduations 1881 - James A. Garfield 1902 - Theodore Roosevelt 1905 - Theodore Roosevelt 1912 - William Howard Taft 1914 - Woodrow Wilson 1916 - Woodrow Wilson 1921 - Warren G. Harding 1925 - Calvin Coolidge 1933 - Franklin D. Roosevelt 1938 - Franklin D. Roosevelt 1958 - Dwight D. Eisenhower 1961 - John F. Kennedy 1974 - Richard M. Nixon 1978 - Jimmy Carter 1985 - Ronald Reagan 1992 - George H. W. Bush 1994 - Bill Clinton 1998 - Bill Clinton 2001 - George W. Bush 2005 - George W. Bush 2009 - Barack Obama

Preakness Photo

2009-05-14T16:41:20Z

ROUGH RIDING AT THE WIRE - John Rotz aboard Greek Money (right) crosses finish line to win the 86th running of the Preakness at Pimlico with Manuel Ycaza, on Ridan, a nose back, hanging on. Ycaza, white cap and black-and-white sleeve, has his left arm hooked over Rotz's shoulder. Ycaza claimed a foul, which was not allowed by the stewards. (Caption from the May 20, 1962 Sunday Sun) The 134th running of the Preakness is Saturday is fast approaching. The Baltimore Sun will send its talented photo staff to bring you coverage from start to finish. I always enjoyed looking at the photos the next day in the Sunday paper, especially the photo reconstruction of the race and the photo of the finish. The photo above is one of the most famous Preakness photos ever. It was taken at the 1962 Preakness by Sun staff photographer Joe DiPaola, who retired in 1984 after 47 years with the paper. DiPaola photographed many of the finishes at the Preakness. In 1962, when he returned to the newsroom, developed his shot and realized what he had, he quicly ran over to the sports department. He had taken a sensational picture, made even more so by the fact that both horses had all four feet off the ground, a rarity. The photo was used along with racing films to suspend jockey Manuel Ycaza for his actions against jockey John Rotz and for also being the one who claimed foul. DiPaola explained how he took the photo in a July 13, 1984 article by Baltimore Sun retired sports columnist Bob Maisel. "It's funny about that picture," Joe said with a sheepish grin on his face. "Tell you the truth, I was a little hung over that day, not moving to swiftly because I had been to a big Preakness party the night before. "Usually, I'd just shoot the finish in the conventional way, but this time, something told me to go up the track 30-40 feet and look back. Don't tell anybody, because they'll probably bar me from the track, but they had a fairly wide wooden rail then and I decided to crouch up on top of it. "Truthfully, I didn't know what I had until I developed it, but then all heck broke loose didn't it? " Life Magazine made it picture of the week, and it appeared in books. Enjoy the Baltimore Sun's photos and coverage of Preakness.

V-E Day, May 8, 1945

2009-05-08T10:00:58Z

Victory in Europe Day commemorates the end of World War II in Europe. The Evening Sun came out with an extra edition on Monday, May 7, 1945... SURRENDER FLASH - Reims, France, May 7 (AP) - Germany surrrendered unconditionally to the western Allies and Russia at 2.41 A.M. French time today. The surrender took place in a little red schoolhouse which was the headquarters of General Dwight Eisenhower. Price Day, a Sunpapers' war correspondent, was the only staff correspondent of an individual newspaper in the world to witness the surrender. His dispatch would appear on the front page of the Morning Sun on May 9, because his story first had to go through military censors. Here are some excerpts from Sun coverage of the surrender: Jubilation Here Intense But Short - Confetti Showered From Buildings And Streets Fill As Nazis Quit. Baltimoreans jubilation at yesterday's announcement of the final and unconditional surrender of Germany was intense but shortlived. As the news of the end of the War in Europe spread rapidly through the city in the late morning, clouds of confetti billowed forth from the upper floors of downtown buildings and happy, laughing office workers streamed out on the streets. By mid-afternoon, the streets were normal again. On May 8, 1945, President Harry S Truman in a 9 a.m. broadcast said, "Much remains to be done. The victory won in the West must now be won in the East. The whole world must be cleansed of the evil from which half the world has been freed." Other news reports noted that many Baltimoreans observed V-E Day by attending churches and synagogues for special prayer services. Although state and city offices closed for the afternoon, war plants continued to operate with minimum absenteeism. A heavy downpour drenched the city, but shortly after noon a bright sun and a brisk wind cleared away the gloom. Hundreds of high school students and citzens gathered at Sun Square (the site of the photo at the top of this post), watching the Trans-Lux news flashes for any important developments in the world situation.

92nd Flower Mart

2009-04-29T22:41:00Z

The 92nd Flower Mart will take place Friday and Saturday, May 1 and 2. The Flower Mart, a Baltimore tradition, began May 4,1911. There was much going on in Baltimore that day. In the crowded Lyric Theater, President Taft was opening the third annual Peace Conference and sharing the speaker's platform with Andrew Carnegie and Cardinal Gibbons. The Orioles stood fourth in the Eastern League and fans throughout the city were still talking about the game the day before when the team trounced Montreal 22-13. In his downtown office, James H. Preston was receiving congratulations on his election as the city's mayor. And at bunting-draped Mount Vernon Place, the ladies of the Civic League and the Home and Garden Club were wondering how people would react to the city's first Flower Mart. They didn't have long to wait for their answer. By 10 a.m., Baltimoreans by the dozens were streaming into Mount Vernon Place to begin one of the city's most treasured traditions. The Flower Mart is special and brings people together to smell and purchase the flowers and eat crab cakes, to see colorful hats and spring fashions, suck on lemon sticks and just enjoy the spring weather. I have put together a photo gallery of past Flower Marts for you to enjoy. You can also get more information on the Flower Mart homepage and Susan Reimer's gardening blog.

Canton

2009-04-24T16:03:34Z

Canton, once the city's industrial heart, has undergone a transformation over the last 25 years. But this tranformation has preserved much of the community's industrial heritage, by converting the old factories into business and homes. Canton has quite a history. It was a large estate founded by Captain John O'Donnell, who named the area after Canton China. Canton became a shipbuilding center and the frigate Constellation was built there in 1797. Armored plating for the Union warship Monitor was also forged there. Canton was a magnet for many immigrants of Polish, Irish and German descent. The area's many factories made tin cans, copper and beer, and refined oil or packed oysters. Canton is a major transportation hub with its location on the harbor and its railroad connections and roads. The Canton Railroad still serves the needs of the port. Here is a link to some photos of Canton, dating back to the late 1800s. Here's the site of the Canton Community Association. This page on the Baltimore City Website also has good information about the community.

Steeplechasing: A Maryland tradition

2009-04-23T16:44:05Z

Timber racing or steeplechasing in Maryland dates back more than 100 years. The 113th Maryland Hunt Cup is this Saturday, April 25, in Glyndon. It was preceded by the 99th My Lady's Manor in Monkton on April 11, and the 107th Grand National, on April 19 in Butler. The steeplechase tradition has been kept alive by generations of dedicated men and women. I have pulled photos from our files of many past steeplechases. I hope you enjoy them. In an April 14, 2001 Sun story by Mike Klingaman, a rider said, "There's a timelessness about steeplechasing. You're disconnected from the computer, the fax machine, the telephone. You're galloping along with the wind on your earflaps, the horse between your legs and the fence coming up. You're fit. You're focused. You're a part of nature." For more information, here's a link to the official site of Maryland Steeplechasing.

Earth Day

2009-04-22T10:00:29Z

The first Earth Day was April 22,1970. Mother Nature did her part by providing a glorious warm spring day and thousands of Marylanders flocked outdoors to take a closer look at their environment and discuss its problems. On that first Earth Day, thousands of new trees were planted, many bikes were ridden and much trash was picked up. An internal combustion engine was buried by students at the University of Baltimore and many lectures and exhibits were held throughout the state. The governor established the Maryland Council on the Environment. This the 39th Earth Day. More people than ever are aware of the enviromental challenges we face, and if everybody does his or her part, hopefully we can find solutions. Here are some photos looking back on past Earth Days. This link goes to the EPA's history of Earth Day. And here's the official Earth Day site.

Country Doctor

2009-04-16T19:03:19Z

This award-winning photo by Sun photographer Hans Marx is one of my favorites. I was reminded of it when I read a March 1, 2009 article in the Baltimore Sun by reporter Stephanie Desmon. The headline read, "Goodbye country doctors - Maryland rural areas face a crucial shortage of physicians, and legislators seek remedies before situation grows even worse." This photo, which has the feel of a Norman Rockwell painting, was taken in 1952. The picture shows Dr. E. Paul Knotts of Denton, Md. attending the newborn baby of an Eastern Shore farm family. The Sunday Sun Magazine, on March 30, 1952, ran a profile of Dr. Knotts, who was chosen Maryland's first Family Doctor of the Year. This photo actually didn't run with the article in the Sun Magazine. It made its appearance in the Evening Sun on February 3, 1953, when it won a family life photo contest. This was aong several photos that helped Hans Marx win the title of Newspaper Photographer of the Year for 1953. The photo of Dr. Knottts was also displayed at the Smithsonian in 1954 and as part of a book of photographs titled "A Century in The Sun," that was published in 1999. Hans Marx always considered himself a "photojournalist" and this photo prooves he surely was.

World War II Victory Gardens in Maryland

2009-04-14T17:59:33Z

During World War II, Victory Gardens went a long way in providing fresh vegetables and helped alleviate food shortages. In 1943 alone, a Department of Agriculture survey showed that 42 percent of the fresh vegetables came from victory gardens. Marylanders did their part, sowing many seeds and tending their community plots and backyard gardens. Gardeners were recruited by the Civilian Mobilization Commitee and Garden Clubs. These organizations, along with colleges, libraries, newspapers and agricultural departments distributed educational material to help people with their gardens. The Baltimore area alone had more than 50,000 individual gardeners. Plots sprouted in parks, school yards, businesses and neighborhood plots. Gardening is again growing in popularity due to health and economic reasons. You don't need a large plot of land to have a garden, just a little bit of soil and some seeds or plants. To read more about gardening, check out Susan Reimer's blog, Garden Variety. Here's a link to a gallery of archive photos of local Victory Gardens. Here are some other interesting links about the WWII gardens: "Operation Rutabaga," from the America in WWII site. The Victory Gardens chapter from a site about Farming in the 1940.

Happy Easter

2009-04-09T21:09:51Z

Easter is a time of celebration and renewal. It's a time for church services and getting dressed in your Sunday best. It's a time for children to enjoy Easter egg hunts and the Easter bunny. It's a time for wearing a new hat or an Easter bonnet. And it's a time for gathering with family and friends and possibly even having your own Easter parade. Here are some photos from past Easters. I hope you enjoy them. Easter Parade In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it, You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade. I'll be all in clover and when they look you over, I'll be the proudest fellow in the Easter Parade. On the avenue, Fifth Avenue, the photographers will snap us, And you'll find that you're in the rotogravure. Oh, I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet, And of the girl I'm taking to the Easter Parade. - Written by Irving Berlin

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

2009-04-06T10:00:44Z

Opening Day of baseball season comes around once a year, and with it comes a new beginning and a new hope as we cheer on the home team. In Baltimore, we hope for a return of Oriole Magic, but we can also just enjoy the game. Here are some photos from past Opening Days. I will leave you with some lyrics from, "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," written in 1908 by Jack Norworth. Take me out to the ball game, Take me out with the crowd. Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack, I don't care if I never get back. Let me root, root, root for the home team, If they don't win it's a shame. For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out, At the old ball game. The story of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" The Official Site of the Baltimore Orioles Baseball coverage from baltimoresun.com