The National World War II Memorial will assume its central place among Washington's defining landmarks today, opening to the public after nearly two decades of debate and anticipation.

The chain-link fences surrounding the $172 million project are to come down early this morning, and visitors will be allowed to enter the 7.4-acre site at 9:30 a.m. -- a month before the memorial is to be officially dedicated Memorial Day weekend.

You can read the rest here, and there are several hi-res renderings of the monument here. The memorial home page can be found here.

Posted by: Ted at 06:22 AM | category: History
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In 1926, a syndicate of buyers purchased the Victoria Tigers, moved them to Detroit, and renamed them the Cougars. In 1930 the name changed again to the Falcons, and in 1932 they became the Red Wings.

Madison Square Garden was built primarily for boxing by Tex Rickard, but he got a lot of financing from the Barnum and Bailey Circus. In exchange, he made a deal that allowed the circus to come in every year at a certain time, in perpetuity. That time coincided with the NHL playoffs, and later, when the New York Rangers club formed, they played some playoff series with no home games because of scheduling conflicts.

In 1928, the New York Rangers met the Montreal Maroons in the Stanley Cup finals. During the second period of game 2, a shot hit the Rangers goalie in the eye and he was taken to the hospital (they didn't wear masks in those days). There was no backup goalie available, so the Rangers coach/general manager donned the pads and took the net. He wasn't entirely unfamiliar with it since he sometimes played goal during team practice, and the Rangers won the game in overtime. For the rest of the series the Rangers used a goalie who'd spent most of the season in the minors, and they went on to win the hard-fought best-of-five series. Long time hockey fans may recognize the coach's name: Les Patrick.

Patrick was hired to coach the fledgling Rangers, but he inherited a team built by Conn Smythe, who was fired before they played a single game. Bitter over his treatment, Conn Smythe vowed to build a team that would beat the Rangers. In 1927 he purchased the Toronto St. Pats, changed their name to the Maple Leafs and their colors from green and white to blue and white. In 1932 the Leafs won the Stanley Cup.

When Chicago was awarded a franchise, the Black Hawks signed most of the players from the powerhouse Portland franchise of the newly-defunct Western Canadian Hockey League. In 1934 the Black Hawks won their first Stanley Cup behind the stellar play of goalie Chuck Gardiner. Gardiner had been ill all season and died eight weeks after winning the Cup.

More later as the playoffs progress.

Posted by: Ted at 05:14 AM | category: History
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The Vezina trophy is awarded each year to the top goaltender of the season. It's named for George Vezina, the first great goalie to play the game. He started his career in 1910, playing for a mediocre Montreal team. Despite that, he led the league in goals-against average his first two seasons, took Montreal to the Stanley Cup finals in his fourth season, and won it all for the first time in his fifth season.

In the early days, goalies were not allowed to fall to the ice to make a stop, making it much harder to prevent scoring. George Vezina developed a stand-up style that influenced other goalies in the league for decades.

In November, 1924, Vezina was obviously not in good health. Despite a high fever he was in net for the Canadiens' season opener versus the Pittsburgh Pirates. He collapsed during the first period, and was diagnosed with advanced tuberculosis. He passed away four months later.

George Vezina was one of the original dozen players elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame when it opened in 1945.

Posted by: Ted at 07:57 PM | category: History
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In 1892, the British Governor General of Canada Sir Frederick Stanley donated the Stanley Cup as "an outward and visible sign" of an annual championship among hockey teams in Canada.

The Cup is unique among championship trophies in that each member of the winning team is allowed to take the Cup home for a day to share with friends and family.

That tradition started in the 1980's, a few years after Montreal Canadiens player Guy Lefleur "stole" the Cup from the team's victory party. He drove the Cup to his boyhood home in Quebec, and placed it in the front yard where his father had built a makeshift rink where he first learned the game.

The very first winners of the Cup were the Amatuer Athletic Association of Montreal, in 1893, and for reasons unclear today refused to accept the trophy. They topped the league again in 1894 and that time accepted the Cup.

I'll post more little tidbits as the playoffs continue.

Posted by: Ted at 06:42 AM | category: History
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Here's the story of how the San Jose Sharks hockey franchise got its name, from the official Sharks website.

(in the extended entry, for those bored by sports stuff.) more...

Posted by: Ted at 11:48 AM | category: History
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Here's a neat page about the oldest-surviving McDonalds (the third one built), with pictures. Growing up, we had one very much like this in our town. Not real close, it was a treat for us every time we went.

Thanks to Transterrestrial Musings for the pointer.

Burger King sucks.

Posted by: Ted at 09:57 AM | category: History
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1 I am a lifelong Burger Thing hater. And usually surrounded by fans of the abominable franchise. Thank God Mrs. Buckethead is not a BK fan.

btw, thanks for the compliment on the space history post.

Posted by: buckethead at April 01, 2004 05:34 PM (ztNrs)

2 Always been a McD's person myself, too. BK's fries are gross. Always cold. Even when they're not cold, they're gross. IMHO. Aren't you glad I stopped by to participate in the discussion? Heh.

Posted by: topdawg at April 01, 2004 07:18 PM (JMaAr)

3 On two different occasions, in two different states, we were driving on vacation and the only thing on the interstate was BK. I ordered a burger and TWICE we got on the road and discovered there was no top bun. That's not incompetence, that's malice.

Plus their commercials insult my intelligence.

Posted by: Ted at April 01, 2004 08:16 PM (ZjSa7)

4 Oh, and Topdawg, I'm enjoying the hell out of TND! You keep me smiling.

Posted by: Ted at April 01, 2004 08:17 PM (ZjSa7)

5 At least in Australia, Burger King/Hungry Jack burgers are far superior to the pallid offerings purveyed by Mackers.

Of course the local greasy-spoon burgers are better still, with pineapple, beetroot, lettuce, egg, bacon, onions, tomato, and ketchup. Oh yes, and something vaguely meat-like in there too. (We find the idea of Pickles or Mayo on burgers ... disturbing.)

Mackers, OTOH, does have Party Rooms and Ice Cream cakes, so for those of us who have toddlers underfoot, they have certain advantages on birthdays.

My 2-year old son Andrew summed it up yesterday:
"Mackies! Chippies!"
"OK Andrew, you've been a Good Boy, what do you want?"
"Burger King Chidren Mee!"
(No, I'm not joking, and it's vaguely worrying...)
The nearest Mackers is about 2 km away, the nearest Hungry Jack's is at the other end of the city. *SIGH*

Posted by: Alan E Brain at April 01, 2004 10:13 PM (JtN0G)

6 I must confess to a loathe of McDonald's, though I don't eat so much fast food. I like BK, and even Wendy's, but I do have a thing for Popeye's, when I'm in the mood for it.

Although I was eating Jack in the Box out west and that works for me.

Posted by: Scott at April 06, 2004 04:28 PM (zL4bg)

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