Stumblin' Along 6/29 '25
Everybody Loves Somebody
- Bedloe’s Island & Fort Wood
- Yanks Week 14 Notes
Everybody Loves Somebody
- YouTube Rabbithole
Alright @YouTheReader,
Quick bit of history up top. Last Sunday’s bit about Fort Gibson mentioned that Liberty Island today was once called Fort Wood. Here’s more on the island that the Statue of Liberty calls home…
Like Ellis Island today, Liberty Island was grouped as part of the “Oyster Islands” in the New York Harbor. Known for its excellent source of oysters and such, it was a food source for Native Americans who dared to boat out to it. After Henry Hudson showed up in 1609, another Dutch colonist, Issac Bedloe, claimed the island in 1667. It officially became Bedloe’s land when British Colonial Governor Francis Lovelace gave him a written grant, noting that Bedloe wished to rename it “Love Island.” Unfortunately, Bedloe didn’t have the budget to support 30 useless single people hanging out in a Villa for 2 months or the camera crew to film such an extravagant reality TV show because it was 1670. Anyway, Issac Bedloe would pass away in 1673, and that same year, Governor Lovelace would be overthrown by the Dutch Navy, who renamed Love Island to Bedloe’s Island.
(Source: National Park Service)
A year later, once the English took back Bledloe’s Island in 1674, they figured we might as well just keep it the same name, and while we’re at it, let’s give the land to Issac Bedloe’s widow. So, Mary Bedloe Smith would hold onto Bedloe’s Island until she faced bankruptcy in 1732. A pair of New York merchants, Adolph Philipse and Henry Lane, bought the land of Mary Bedloe Smith, but the two men didn’t have much say in how it would be used as the city of New York started to use it as a quarantine station to inspect incoming ships for smallpox. Once Phillipse and Lane got bored of having NYC use it on the sick, they sold the island to Archibald Kennedy in 1746. Kennedy worked as a foreman general on the Port of New York from 1722 to 1763, and his goal was to turn Bedloe’s Island into his retirement summer house. Within a decade of owning Bedloe’s Island, Archibald Kennedy even built a lighthouse, but the City of New York would again intervene and force him to sell it to them so they could build a small hospital for those with infectious diseases.
During the American Revolution, the British controlled the New York Harbor. They used Bedloe’s Island as an asylum for Tory refugees, otherwise known as American colonists who stayed loyal to Great Britain during the war. With French forces’ help, the Americans took over Bedloe’s Island and used it as a defense post with a clear view of NYC under British control. That said, the French would then overstay their welcome on the island, and it wasn’t until 1796 that they were kindly asked to leave. From the start of the 19th century to 1834, New York and New Jersey argued about who owned Bedloe’s Island, but it was finally agreed that they both did.
While New York and New Jersey were bickering about who owned the land, the federal military deemed it an excellent location for a fort. So, in preparation for another war with Great Britain, the Americans built an 11-point star fort from 1808 to 1811. The star fort stored artillery and infantry until the American Civil War. In 1814, New York Governor Daniel D. Tompkins renamed the island Fort Wood after Eleazer D. Wood. He was an army hero killed in action at Fort Erie during the War of 1812.
From 1851 to 1876, Fort Wood served as a recruiting and military training depot. It was a prime location for Army officers to take a boat to Manhattan to recruit new immigrants. During the American Civil War, Fort Wood was not only used to build up the Union Army, but also doubled as a Confederate prisoner of war camp.
After the American Civil War, Fort Wood constructed new housing and a radio station on the island. With two transmitter towers in the 1920s, it became an important East Coast communication center operated by the Signal Corps of the US Army. The fort was occupied by the War Department as an army post until 1937. Also, it wasn’t until WWII in 1942 that the radio operations at Fort Wood were relocated to Governors Island, ending the US Army’s century-long association with Bedloe’s Island.
More on how Bedloe’s Island and Fort Wood became the home of the Statue of Liberty next week…
Game 77 (6/22)
- 11:30 AM Roku Game is bizarre, but I kind of like it. Before noon, Will Warren gives up 2 runs in 1st inning, don’t like that. The Yankees get on the board in the 2nd inning when Jazz Chisholm Jr. inadvertently levels the Baltimore catcher on a DJLM RBI single. The heart of the order wastes a 2nd and 3rd with nobody out in the 6th as Cody Bellinger hits a fly ball that Aaron Judge decides not to tag up, Mike Stanton Ks, and Jazz flies out. With two men on and two out in the 7th, Judge strikes out. Tim Hill starts the Top of the 8th with 2 straight walks, but Fernando Cruz puts out the fire with three straight strikeouts. The Yankees finally take the lead in the 8th inning when Jazz triples, scoring Ben Rice and Paul Goldschmidt. Devin Williams closes things out as Yanks win 4-2.
Game 78 (6/23)
- Paul O’Neill is on the call in his hometown of Cincinnati. Judge crushes his 28th home run of the season in the 1st inning, right before Allan Winans makes his Yankee debut on the mound in the bottom half. After Winans gets through 3 innings in 22 pitches, he unravels in the 4th, allowing 3 runs. Yanks leave 9 guys on base and go 0 for 12 with Runners In Scoring Position, losing 6-1.
Game 79 (6/24)
- Reds rookie Chase Burns begins his MLB career with 5 straight strikeouts. The #2 pick from last year’s draft has filthy stuff. Ben Rice gets the scoring going in the 4th inning with a solo home run hit 420+ feet. Anthony Volpe then triples to score Jazz and Judge. After Carlos Rodon gets through 6 scoreless innings in 88 pitches, Aaron Boone takes the southpaw out and puts in Johnny Lasagna. Loaisiga proceeds to blow the lead. To make matters worse, Jazz gets ejected for arguing with the umpire. The Yankees go 1 for 8 with Runners in Scoring Position and lose yet another road game in extra innings, 5-4.
Game 80 (6/25)
- Yanks score for first in 2nd on a Trent Grisham bases-loaded base knock. Jazz blasts a 2-run home run. Max Fried, as he’s done all season, continues to be consistently stellar as he goes 7 strong scoreless innings, allowing just 1 unearned run. Yanks end up winning 7-1.
Game 81 (6/27)
- Will Warren throws 36 pitches in the 1st inning but gets out of bases-loaded trouble without allowing a run and striking out the side. Jazz hits a solo shot in the 2nd. That’s all the runs they would technically need, but Cody Bellinger and DJLM tack on RBI singles as well. Due to the long 1st, Warren can only pitch into the 5th, but he, Tim Hill, Fernando Cruz, Luke Weaver, and Devin Williams combine to shut out the Sacramento A’s. Yanks win 3-0, throwing their 8th shutout this season.
Game 82 (6/28)
- Yanks face former farm arm in JP Sears, who was dealt for Frankie Montas. Clarke Schmidt extends his scoreless inning streak to 28.2 innings before giving up a solo home run to Brent Rooker with one out in the 4th. It’s the longest consecutive scoreless streak in Yankee history since Don Larsen’s 29 innings from 1957-1958. The Yankees’ bats took an afternoon nap as they got shut out 7-0.
Move to Make?
- Against righty starting pitching, start playing Cody Bellinger at 1st Base more, put Ben Rice behind home plate, bat Jasson Dominguez leadoff, and this way they can still play Trent Grisham in CF. Austin Wells might need to sit more against righties (batting .188 against RHP vs .263 against LHP). If the opponents bring in a lefty to face Dominguez, Boone could pinch-hit Paul Goldschmidt in the leadoff spot, or have Goldy defensive sub in later innings to play 1st and move Bellinger out to LF.
Last but certainly not least, today’s tune is Everybody Loves Somebody by Dean Martin.
This song peaked on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1964. It was the theme song to The Dean Martin Show, which ran from 1965 to 1974. Most importantly for me, however, Everybody Loves Somebody is my grandparents’ wedding song on this day in 1968.
Aside from his great voice, Dean Martin was also known for his love of golf. He had a great swing and even sold his own Dino’s Brand of golf balls. A true ambassador for the game of golf.
Dean Martin’s daughter, Deana, recounted that her father sent Elvis Presley a telegram stating, "If you can't handle the Beatles, I'll do it for you, pally," after this tune topped the charts. Dean and Elvis had somewhat of a rivalry while the US was in the midst of the British invasion. Later on in 1970, Martin went to an Elvis concert in Vegas and The King of Rock & Roll performed this tune, which Martin got a kick out of.
(Source: SongFacts)
I may be a bit biased but I just gotta say, this is a wonderful wedding song.
I’m not surprised in the slightest, my grandparents know great music.
