1968 NFL Quiz: The year the Jets would go on to win the Super
Bowl (Jan., ”69), which two runners led their respective leagues
in rushing that year, and were also the only 1,000-yard rushers
for the season? [Hint: In the AFL, this player was a rookie].
Yes, this is a toughie.
Tournaments in the Middle Ages
Tournaments seem to have their origins in France. It”s not clear
when they emerged as a sport. In the late eleventh century, the
practice of charging with lances tucked under the arm rather than
used as a spear developed as a new military tactic. The melee
tournaments of this period were bloody affairs, hardly
distinguishable from actual battle. The principal weapons were
sword and lance. The general understanding was that the object
of the tournament was to capture and ransom one”s opponents,
not to kill them. But fatalities were inevitable and, coupled with
the destruction of local property, the Church disapproved.
In 1130 the Council of Clermont declared that “we firmly
prohibit those detestable markets or fairs at which knights are
accustomed to meet to show off their strength and their
boldness.” But despite the condemnation, tournaments
flourished. In the 13th century blunted weapons were more
frequently used, and the martial sport that previously focused on
participants began to cater to the spectator.
Jousts were the most popular of the events. This was where the
opponents charged at one another with lances from opposite ends
of the enclosed areas. Tournaments soon became occasions of
great festivity and were often an integral part of the celebrations
held in honor of victorious campaigns, diplomatic meetings,
coronations, knightings, christenings, and weddings. Eventually,
changes in warfare led to a decline in the sport and by the 17th
century tournaments were a thing of the past.
The Hundred Years” War, Part II
There were actually 4 phases. The 1st phase (1337-1360)
featured Edward II of England and his warrior son Edward the
Black Prince. They invaded France and won their victory at the
Battle of Crecy (Bar Chat, 11/15). Using artillery for the first
time, they captured Calais in 1347. After pausing for the Black
Death, the English invaded southern France. In 1356 they
defeated the French at Poitiers and captured King John II as well
as many of France”s most important knights. The Treaty of
Bretigny recognized Edward as the ruler of Aquitane, and
England received Calais and a huge ransom for the captured
king.
The 2nd phase (1369-1395) began when the nobles of Gascony,
sought help from the French king, Charles V, over the taxes
imposed by Edward and the Black Prince. The French didn”t
win much during this time. Basically, the two sides seemed to
just march around the countryside, checking out the vineyards.
Finally, towards the end of this period, the English withdrew to
their coastal fortresses and let the French control the interior of
the country. *Friday, the conclusion to the Hundred Years” War.
Cathars
The Cathars, or Cathari, were members of a heretical Christian
sect that took hold in the 11th century, and flourished throughout
western Europe. The movement grew out of several other
heretical sects who believed in the concept of “dualism,” a
principle which holds that there is an equal division of forces of
good and evil in the world. All things spiritual, such as the soul,
were good; all things material, including the human body, were
evil.
The Cathars organized their own Church, with its own liturgy,
doctrine, and clergy. As believers in the impurity of the material
world, Cathars fasted frequently and were strict vegetarians.
They shunned material possessions (like VCRs and Camcorders)
and they were celibate.
There were two levels of Cathars – the “perfect” and the
“believers.” The perfect were held to higher moral standards
than the believers, who were usually from among the general
population. One of the ways they diverged from the established
Church was in their belief that Jesus was not the Son of God but
merely an angel.
It should come as no surprise then that the Church worked
vigorously to crush the Cathar movement. Pope Innocent III
launched a 20-year crusade in 1209. Pope Gregory IX began a
papal inquisition against the Cathars in 1233, imprisoning,
torturing, and burning unrepentant Cathars at the stake. The
movement was so popular, however, that it took generations to
eradicate. The last Cathar bishop was killed by the Inquisition in
1321.
Battle of Hittin
Also called Hattin, was waged on July 4, 1187 between the
crusaders, led by Guy of Lusignan, and the Muslims, under
Saladin. The battle saw the virtual destruction of the Christian
forces and marked a turning point in the Crusades.
Saladin had amassed an army of 20,000 men and laid siege to the
Christian-held city of Tiberias, the first step in Saladin”s holy
war against the crusader states of the Holy Land. Mr. Guy,
ignoring the advice of his commanders, launched a counterattack
that led his troops into the arid plains near the town of Hittin in
Galilee. Saladin waited for the Christian troops to be driven by
thirst to make for a nearby lake and attacked, annihilating Guy”s
troops and capturing him. Saladin released King Guy in
exchange for a promise to refrain from coming to the aid of other
crusader states; this paved the way for Saladin”s successful
campaigns against the crusader states of Jerusalem, Antioch, and
Tripoli.
[Source for all stories: “The Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages,”
by Norman Cantor]
Top 3 songs for the week of 11/20/61: #1 “Big Bad John”
(Jimmy Dean) #2 “Runaround Sue” (Dion) #3 “Fool #1”
(Brenda Lee).
Quiz Answers: NFL – Leroy Kelly, 1239 yards. Kelly had 3,
1000-yard seasons and amassed 7274 yards in his great career
with Cleveland. AFL – Paul Robinson, 1023, Cincinnati.
Robinson only had 1900 yards in 6 years after 1968.
Next Bar Chat, Friday. The conclusion of…The Middle Ages.
