A Few Memories! Do You Remember These?

The song keep running through my mind.The Statler Brothers!  "Do You Remember These?"

For example, Do you remember the earliest days of television? It was all Black and White. I remember going downtown to see the new invention, television. They had one in the street-side window at the local newspaper. People would stand on the sidewalk and watch the new TV pictures being shown.

Those pictures were quite snowy. It was back around the time that Joe Louis knocked out Jersey Joe Walcott, in the very first round. We rushed home from the ballfield, to the rich kids house, just in time to see Jersey Joe out cold on the canvas. Do you remember that?

How about the rotary telephone, back when we had to dial the numbers. I don't think we even had Area-Codes back then?  We did have party lines, remember when we could listen in on our neighbors conversations?  That was back around the time that Gene Bearden pitched the Cleveland Indians to the American League Championship over the Red Sox. That win was in a one game Playoff as I recall?

We had the corner Sunoco Gas Station. Saturday was Fill-Up day at our house. Dad would take the '38 Dodge down to the corner. The going Price was 6 gallons for a $1.00. Talk about bargains. They sure knew how to live in those days. That was around the time that Tommy Holmes broke his leg sliding into home plate at Braves Field. They were playing the Cleveland Indians in that 1948 World Series.

Does anyone remember those old "Horn" Radios of the 40's. As I remember them, there was a large metal case, with the huge horn, with the picture of a howling dog on it. As a family, we crowded around that horn to listen to all those heavyweight title fights featuring the Brown Bomber, Joe Louis, Billy Conn, Ezzard Charles, and so many more opponents.

Then there were those old Studebaker automobiles, the first cars to feature the hill brakes. That was back when Ted Williams was dominating the batting standings, even tossing in a .406-season. They haven't topped that average to this day.

Esther Williams was the reigning bathing beauty queen. They even showed her shoulders in those one piece suits. That was about the time that Jimmy Piersall and Billy Martin were duking it out under the stands at Fenway Park. Talk about a pair of hot heads. They said Jimmy wasn't wrapped real tight. That surely added to the legendary Sox-Yanks rivalry back then.

There was one road from Maine to Boston. Turnpikes were a thing of the future, They had not been built around the late '40's. I believe the Maine Turnpike came into being around 1950, and was initially built to Portland only. The leaders promised that the road would be paid for within 10-years, and would then be Free to the riding public after that time period. Can't believe the natives bought that story.

That was right around the time that the Philly Whiz Kids became prominent, winning the National League Championship with ease in 1950. I believe their balloon was burst in that years Fall Classic at the hands of the New York Yankees.

How many people remember those original Ink Pens. The school desks with the Ink Wells. We all needed what they called Ink Blotters. What a mess they created. That was back when Birdie Tebbits was catching for the Sox. Back before Pesky was traded to the Tigers. Back when Tex Hughson and Boo Ferris were the star pitchers for the Sox. They solved all those problems with the very first Ball Point Pens. What a great invention. It was around the time that Pumpsie Green took over second base for the Sox. Right?

Automatic Transmissions? What a fantastic invention. Especially for every female driver back then. Came into being about the time that Hal Newhouser was the ace of the Detroit pitching staff. Back when Ralph Kiner was knocking the ball out of every National League Park. Way back then, when Kiner hit that homer clear over the center field Score Board at old Braves Field.

Ah Yes!  The Memories! We'll try for more in coming months. But, Do You Remember These?