Good morning.
Tuesday brings mostly sunny skies and a high of thirty-three to our small city.
Whitewater’s Urban Forestry Commission meets this afternoon at 4:15 PM.
On this day in 1973, the United States Senate voted to confirm Gerald Ford as vice-president following the resignation of Spiro Agnew. One of the three voting against Ford was Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin.
Wisconsin history includes two notable anniversaries, from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries:
1882 – Ringling Brothers’ First Performance
On this date the Ringling brothers of Baraboo, Wisconsin performed their first show to an audience in Mazomanie. The brothers called their show the “Ringling Brothers Classic Comic Concert Company.” The show was barely a success, bringing in 59 paid admissions – just enough money to meet their hotel expenses. However, the brothers continued to tour and raised over $300 in three months, performing in Wisconsin, Iowa, and the Dakotas. After extensive investment and practice, the brothers launched their first circus in Baraboo on May 19, 1884. [Source: Badger Saints and Sinners by Fred L. Holmes, p.476-492]1903 – Green Bay Packer Johnny Blood Born
On this date Johnny Blood (aka John McNally) was born in New Richmond. Blood was an early NFL halfback playing for Green Bay from 1929 to 1933 and 1935 to 1936. He also played for the Milwaukee Badgers, Duluth Eskimos, Pottsville Maroons, and the Pittsburgh Pirates. An elusive runner and gifted pass receiver, he played a major role in the Packers’ drive to the first three championships in 1929, 1930 and 1931. Johnny Blood died on November 28, 1985, at the age of 82. Titletown Brewing Co. in Green Bay named their brew Johnny “Blood” Red Ale after the famed halfback. [Source: Packers.com]
Google’s daily puzzle asks about a writer’s friend: “A friend of J. R. R. Tolkien’s wrote a series of seven fantasy novels for children. By what nickname was this author known to his friends and family?”