St. Louis Rams Quiz (Cleveland / LA Rams; 1937 – 2000):
1) Rushing yards, game? [Hint: 247…not a well-known back]
2) Pass receptions, career? 3) Receiving yards, game? [Hint:
336.#2 and #3 are not the same] 4) Identify the 3 retired #”s; 7,
74, 78. Answers below.
December 7, 1941
[President Franklin Roosevelt”s address to a joint session of
Congress on December 8.]
Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, members of the Senate and the
House of Representatives:
Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941 – a date which will live in infamy – the
United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked
by naval and air forces of the empire of Japan.
The United States was at peace with the nation, and, at the
solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its
government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of
peace in the Pacific.
Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced
bombing in the American island of Oahu the Japanese
Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to
our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American
message. And, while this reply stated that it seemed useless to
continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no
threat or hint of war or of armed attack.
It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes
it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or
even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese
Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States
by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.
The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe
damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell
you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition,
American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas
between San Francisco and Honolulu.
Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack
against Malaya.
Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.
Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam.
Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.
Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island.
And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.
Japan has therefore undertaken a surprise offensive extending
throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today
speak for themselves. The people of the United States have
already formed their opinions and well understand the
implications to the very life and safety of our nation.
As Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy I have directed
that all measures be taken for our defense. Always will our
whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.
No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated
invasion, the American people, in their righteous might, will win
through to absolute victory.
I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the
people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the
uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery
shall never again endanger us.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people,
our territory and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding
determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph.
So help us God.
I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and
dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, a state of war
has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.
[On the evening of Dec. 8, FDR addressed the American people
over the radio. Germany and Italy didn”t declare war on the U.S.
until Dec. 11, at which time FDR sent a message to Congress
requesting that Congress approve the declaration for these
theatres as well. Following are excerpts from the Dec. 8 address.
FDR did not make an additional one following the Dec. 11
events because the previous speech fully discussed America”s
entry into the war.]
The sudden criminal attacks perpetrated by the Japanese in the
Pacific provide the climax of a decade of international
immorality.
Powerful and resourceful gangsters have banded together to
make war upon the whole human race. Their challenge has now
been flung at the United States of America. The Japanese have
treacherously violated the long-standing peace between us.
Many American soldiers and sailors have been killed by enemy
action. American ships have been sunk; American airplanes
have been destroyed.
The Congress and the people of the United States have accepted
that challenge.
Together with other free peoples, we are now fighting to
maintain our right to live among our world neighbors in freedom
and in common decency, without fear of assault…
.We are now in this war. We are all in it – all the way. Every
single man, woman and child is a partner in the most tremendous
undertaking of our American history. We must share together
the bad news and the good news, the defeats and the victories –
the changing fortunes of war.
.This government will put its trust in the stamina of the
American people and will give the facts to the public as soon as
two conditions have been fulfilled; first, that the information has
been definitely and officially confirmed; and, second, that the
release of the information at the time it is received will not prove
valuable to the enemy directly or indirectly.
.We must be set to face a long war against crafty and powerful
bandits. The attack at Pearl Harbor can be repeated at any one of
many points in both oceans and along both our coast lines and
against all the rest of the hemisphere.
It will not only be a long war, it will be a hard war. That is the
basis on which we now lay all our plans. That is the yardstick by
which we measure what we shall need and demand; money,
materials, doubled and quadrupled production – ever increasing.
The production must be not only for our own Army and Navy
and air forces. It must reinforce the other armies and navies and
air forces fighting the Nazis and the war lords of Japan
throughout the Americas and the world.
.I repeat that the United States can accept no result save
victory, final and complete. Not only must the shame of
Japanese treachery be wiped out, but the sources of international
brutality, wherever they exist, must be absolutely and finally
broken.
.We may acknowledge that our enemies have performed a
brilliant feat of deception, perfectly timed and executed with
great skill. It was a thoroughly dishonorable deed, but we must
face the fact that modern warfare as conducted in the Nazi
manner is a dirty business. We don”t like it – we didn”t want to
get in it – but we are in it and we”re going to fight it with
everything we”ve got.
I do not think any American has any doubt of our ability to
administer proper punishment to the perpetrators of these
crimes.
.The true goal we seek is far above and beyond the ugly field of
battle. When we resort to force, as now we must, we are
determined that this force shall be directed toward ultimate good
as well as against immediate evil. We Americans are not
destroyers – we are builders.
We are now in the midst of a war, not for conquest, not for
vengeance, but for a world in which this nation, and all that this
nation represents, will be safe for our children. We expect to
eliminate the danger from Japan, but it would serve us ill if we
accomplished that and found that the rest of the world was
dominated by Hitler and Mussolini.
We are going to win the war and we are going to win the peace
that follows.
And in the dark hours of this day – and through dark days that
may be yet to come – we will know that the vast majority of the
members of the human race are on our side. Many of them are
fighting with us. All of them are praying for us. For, in
representing our cause, we represent theirs as well – our hope
and their hope for liberty under God.
—–
Washington vs. Philadelphia, 12/7/41
The 27,100 fans who showed up for the last football game of the
season between the Redskins and the Eagles didn”t know that the
war had begun. Soon announcements began to pour out of the
P.A. system. “Admiral Bland is asked to report to his
office…Captain H.X. Fenn is asked to report.” Skins
quarterback Sammy Baugh said, “I had never heard that many
announcements one right after another. We felt something was
up, but we just kept playing.”
The sportswriters in the press box had an idea. One AP scribe,
Pat O”Brien, got a message ordering him to keep his story short.
When he complained, he received another message: “The
Japanese have kicked off. War now!” But Redskins president
George Marshall wouldn”t allow an announcement of the attack
during the game, explaining it would distract the fans.
One player for the Eagles, rookie halfback Nick Basca, had
hardly played all year, but he kicked the extra points on the
Eagles” only two scores (they would lose 20-14). Basca enlisted
in the Army on December 10. He was piloting a tank for Gen.
George Patton”s Fourth Armored Division when, on Nov. 11,
1944, the tank hit a mine. Basca was killed. [Source: Sports
Illustrated, S.L. Price]
Top 3 songs for the week of 12/9/67: #1 “Daydream Believer”
(The Monkees) #2 “The Rain, The Park & Other Things” (The
Cowsills) #3 “Incense And Peppermints” (Strawberry Alarm
Clock.far out, man)
St. Louis Rams Quiz Answers:1) Rushing yards, game: Willie
Ellison ran for 247 back in 1971, a season in which he had
exactly 1,000. For his career he rushed for 3,426 yards and a 4.3
avg. 2) Receptions, career: Henry Ellard, 593. Ellard is #8 all-
time with 814, including his years with Washington (and 5
receptions for New England). 3) Receiving yards, game: Willie
“Flipper” Anderson, 336 (1989). This is the all-time high for a
single game, as well, though it was an OT affair. [Stephone
Paige had 309 for K.C. in 1985.regulation game.] Back to
Anderson, in 1989 he averaged 26.0 on 44 catches and finished
his career with a 20.1 avg. for his 267 receptions. 4) 3 retired
Rams” #”s: #7 Bob Waterfield (dubious.though he led them to
3 straight title games (1949-51). #74 Merlin Olsen #78 Jackie
Slater.
Steelers Update (12/5 Bar Chat): M.R. wanted me to remind
everyone that in 1974, not only was Lynn Swann one of the
Steelers” great #1 picks, they also took Jack Lambert with the #2
round selection, John Stallworth (#4.through a draft day trade)
and #5 Mike Webster. I also have to note that L.C. Greenwood
was a #10 selection from Arkansas-Pine Bluff back in 1969, the
same year that Joe Greene was a #1.
And Jeff B. wanted to make sure that Frenchy Fuqua got his due
for his glass-heeled shoes which contained goldfish.
Next Bar Chat, Monday.
