Sacco’s Snippets: May 2019
April 29, 2019May 2019
Here we go again with that bright Sun and those clear crisp nights. Terrible isn’t it? So terrible that I actually have to turn the heat down in the house and open the windows.
Letting in the fresh air, what is this world coming to I ask you? Spring chapter 2 is here and while April showers were a bit of a soggy nuisance along with those terrible northeastern winds, those bursts of pollen, well, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house (sic).
Chapter 2 is a stepping stone to summer heat and long days of much sunshine granted us those vitamins (A and D) we have been in short supply of.
Star-filled skies and red and blue sunsets are back as well as the birds singing a song of, “It ain’t gonna rain no more no more”.
What I love about this time of year is the overlapping of my two favorite sports, Baseball and Hockey.
Watching the Hockey playoffs, even without a horse in the race, is exciting as well as entertaining.
Having been involved in the game of Hockey for a long time gives me the opportunity to see players, whom I have known since they were quite young, go on to the professional ranks and compete for the hardest trophy in any sport to win, Lord Stanley’s Cup.
It is also the time of the year where I can sit back and listen to the beautiful chirping of the sometimes boisterous “Boo Birds” or as they are known by their proper Latin names; Mets and Yankee fans.
It is a glorious beginning to a long and hot summer and a great segue to another season of the Biscuit or in laymen’s terms, Hockey, and such is the circle of life.
About a week ago I was stopped in the rink by a parent of one of our players.
She told me she raid the Snippet for April and was amazed that, not only did I know how to put two words together, but she actually had an “I did not know that” moment.
There were actually some trivia tidbits that were pretty cool and informative and ended the conversation with, “yes I will treat you to a cup of coffee.”
Theses snippets started by me when I was actually coaching out on Long Island and had started to work at the Aviator Sports and Events Center.
They were aimed at Hockey parents who were frustrated with the actions and terrible behavior of parents and players throughout the long season.
They have also served as a guide to help first-time Hockey families cope small problems that had a habit of growing if they weren’t corrected in short order.
Continuing with writing this page for my home away from home (for the last 12 years) has given me the opportunity to reach some new faces that have come to our shores.
This gives some of our newest family members an opportunity to learn something new and most certainly enjoy our facility when they simply walk through the door for the first time of many.
It is also encouraging the younger ones to be a bit more inquisitive and realize that they are walking through the same ground where History was made.
The same space occupied by the real people who lived through a bygone era when our country was a bit younger.
History is forever and to be inquisitive and learning it will make more things make sense.
I also spoke to this young lady about the possibility that someone will look at the days in history here in Snippets and do a bit of research to see whom and what these people are actually known for.
The Month of May is the 5th month of the year and th3rd of 7 to have 31 days.
There is a bit of ancient argument here about the origins of the name and a brief explanation of the names meaning.
The word May comes from the Latin name Maia who was identified as the Roman Goddess of fertility (aka Bona Dea) who was honored by the Romans at this time of the year.
May is the month of true spring and rebirth and thanking her for the process.
There are meteor showers that can be seen from areas, not a washed in street lighting and satellites galore in the north, west, and south.
The Meteor showers are the Eta Aquarids from the 1st to the 20th and the Arietids from 5/22 to 7/2.
The birthstone is Emerald, which is related to fertility, rebirth, and love and the flowers are Lily of the valley and common Hawthorne.
Here are some significant dates and some notable birthdays;
5/1 – 1931 The Empire State Building dedicated in NYC
– 1941 Cheerios introduced
Birthday 1852 – Calamity Jane
1945 – Rita Coolidge
5/2 – 1885 Good Housekeeping goes on sale for the first time
– First sighting of the Loch Ness Monster
Birthday 1972 – Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
1975 – Sara Hughes
5/3 – 1859 the first World Judo Championship
– 1937 Gone with the Wind debuts
Birthday – 1928 James Brown
1937 Frankie Vali
5/4 – 1904 the Suez Canal begins construction
– Margaret Thatcher becomes Prime Minister of Great Britain
Birthday – 1929 Audrey Hepburn
1959 Randy Travis
5/5 – 1260 Kublai Khan becomes Emperor of Mongolia
– 1904 Cy Young pitches first perfect game
Birthday – 1942 Tammy Wynette
5/6 – 1889 the Eiffel Tower opens to the public
– 1937 the Hindenburg crashes in New Jersey
Birthday – 1915 Orson Wells
1931 Willie Mays
5/7 – 1847 the American Medical Association is founded
– 1945 Germany officially surrenders
Birthday – 1833 Johannes Brahms
1901 Gary Cooper
5/8 – 1541 Hernando Desoto reaches the Mississippi River
– 1886 Coca Cola invented
Birthday – 1926 Don Rickles
1964 Bobby Labonte
5/9 – 1429 Joan of Arc defeats English troops at Orlean
– 1994 Nelson Mandela elected President of South Africa
Birthday – 1918 Mike Wallace
1965 Steve Yzerman
5/10 – 1908 Mother’s Day celebrated for the first time
– 1954 Rock around the Clock becomes the 1st Rock and Roll #1 hit
Birthday – 1899 Fred Astaire
5/11 – 1949 Israel joins the U.N.
– 1981 Bob Marley dies
Birthday – 1888 Irving Berlin
1920 Denver Pyle
5/12 – 1965 Soviet space craft Luna crashes on the Moon
– 1970 Ernie Banks becomes the 9th member of the 500 club
Birthday – 1820 Florence Nightingale
1925 Yogi Berra
5/13 – 1976 The ABA plays its last game
Birthday – 1914 Joe Louis
1941 Richie Valens
5/14 – 1973 Sky Lab is launched
– 1998 the last episode of Seinfeld airs
Birthday – 1944 George Lucas
1969 Cate Blanchette
5/15 – 1941 Joe DiMaggio begins his 56 game hitting streak
-1970 the Beatles last album released
Birthday – 1953 George Brett
1978 Amy Chow
5/16 – 1866 Charles E. Hines invents Root Beer
– The Nickel is introduced
Birthday – 1919 Liberace
1966 Janet Jackson
5/17 – 1792 The NY Stock Exchange founded
– 1846 Adolphe Sax invents the Saxophone
Birthday – 1936 Dennis Hopper
1955 Bill Paxton
5/18 – 1919 the Earth passes through the tail of Haley’s comet
– 1980 Mt. St. Helens erupts in Washington State
Birthday – 1920 Pope John Paul II
1946 Reginald Martinez Jackson
5/19 – 1780 an unexplained darkness falls over Eastern Canada and the U.S.
– 1999 Star Wars Phantom Menace released
Birthday – 1945 Peter Townshend
1946 Andre the Giant
5/20 – 1973 Levi Strauss patents Blue Jeans with Copper rivets
– 1902 Cuba gains independence from the U.S.
Birthday – 1908 James Stewart
1972 Busta Rhymes
5/21 – 1881 Clara Barton establishes the American Red Cross
1980 the Empire strikes back opens
Birthday – 1904 Fats Wallor
1952 Mr. T
5/22 – 1908 the Wright Brothers patent their aircraft
– 1967 Mr. Rogers Neighborhood debuts
Birthday – 1783 William Sturgeon
1859 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
5/23 – 1934 Bonnie and Clyde killed in a shootout
– 1969 the Who release Tommy
Birthday – 1952 Marvelous Marvin Hagler
1958 Drew Carey
5/24 – 1844 Robert Morse sends first electric telegram
– 1883 the Brooklyn Bridge opens to traffic
Birthday – 1686 Daniel G. Fahrenheit
1941 Bob Dylan
5/25 – 1935 Babe Ruth hits homerun #714
– 1977 Star Wars released
Birthday – 1944 Frank Oz
1963 Mike Meyers
5/26 – 1889 the Eiffel tower has an elevator
– 1896 Dow Jones Industrial Average published
Birthday – 1907 John Wayne
1926 Miles Davis
5/27 – 1930 the Chrysler Building opens
– 1939 Batman appears in a DC comic for the first time
Birthday – 1837 Wild Bill Hickok
1923 Henry Kissinger
5/28 – 1937 the Golden Gate Bridge opens
– 1937 Neville Chamberlain becomes Britain’s Prime Minister
Birthday – 1888 Jim Thorpe
1944 Gladys Knight
5/29 – 1848 Wisconsin becomes the 30th State
– 1905 the Hoover Dam completed
Birthday – 1903 Bob Hope
1917 John F. Kennedy
5/30 – 1539 Hernando Desoto lands in Florida
– 1922 the Lincoln Memorial dedicated
Birthday – 1908 Mel Blanc
1918 Bob Evan
5/31 – 1884 William Kellogg patents Corn Flakes
– 1927 the last Model T Ford rolls off the assembly line
Birthday – 1930 Clint Eastwood
1940 Joe Namath
Well, there you go another month to enjoy! We do have some interesting things going on at the Aviator and one, in particular, that will get you out of the house/office for a little R and R.
The Golf Center is open and the tees are waiting. The Driving range across Flatbush Avenue is open to working on your driving skills, short game and pitch and putt for anyone who wants to have a little fun.
The Riis Park “Par3” is open as well and your short game can be tuned up.
The weather is getting to where you can start to truly enjoy outdoor activity. Not sure of what you pleasure will be, then book a guided tour and look around.
Also, a favorite of mine is the Summer Camps that we run. In particular, the Aviator Hockey School Summer camps.
All you have to do is ask, email or phone and someone will assist you as soon as humanly possible.
We have a great time and believe me that hard work does pay off.
Plus, all the usual activities that go on all year round.
‘Something for everyone and everyone for something!”
The first step is through the door.
John Sacco
NY Aviators
USPHL Elite/Premiere
718-758-7500
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