Happy Birthday Earvin "Magic" Johnson

“Ask not what your teammates can do for you. Ask what you can do for your teammates” - Earvin “Magic” Johnson

(Earvin “Magic” Johnson)

Earvin “Magic” Johnson was born on August 14th, 1959 in Lansing, Michigan, USA. As a young child Johnson loved basketball and his favorite player was Bill Russell.

(Johnson as a young child)

Johnson was on his high school basketball team. He changed high schools from a predominantly Black school to a predominantly White school where he faced a lot of racism while attending it. At 15 years old he got the nickname “Magic”.

(Johnson in high school)

After graduating high school Johnson attended Michigan State University.

(Johnson in college)

Also during this time he started his rivalry with other basketball player Larry Bird.

(Johnson (Left) and Larry Bird (Right))

In 1979 he was drafted into the NBA by the Los Angeles Lakers.

(Johnson in 1979)

In 1980 the Lakers won the NBA championship. Johnson won the Finals MVP award. In 1981 he missed 45 games due to torn cartilage in his left knee. Johnson then signed a 25 year, $25 million contract with the Lakers. In 1982 the Lakers won the NBA championship and Johnson won the Finals MVP award.

(Johnson in 1982)

In 1984 Johnson became friends with his rival Larry Bird. In 1985 the Lakers won the NBA championship. Also in 1985 Johnson created a charity event called “A Midsummer Night’s Magic”.

(Johnson in 1985)

In 1986 he won the Season MVP award. The Lakers won the 1986 NBA championship. Johnson won the Finals MVP award.

(Johnson in 1986)

In 1988 the Lakers won the NBA championship. In 1989 Johnson won the Season MVP award. Johnson also won the Finals MVP award.

(Johnson in 1989)

In 1991 Johnson found out that he was HIV positive. Also in 1991 Johnson made the “Magic Johnson Foundation”.

(Johnson in 1991)

Also in 1991 Johnson married Earlitha Kelly. In 1992 Johnson won the All Star MVP award. Also in 1992 Johnson was apart of the USA basketball team called “The Dream Team”. The Dream Team won Gold at the Olympics.

(The Dream Team)

In 1994 Johnson became coach of the Lakers. He then left the same year then bought 5% of the team. In 1996 he returned to playing for the Lakers.

(Johnson in 1996)

In 1997 he officially retired. In 1998 he hosted a talk show called “The Magic Hour”. In 1999 Johnson joined a swedish basketball team. Also in 1999 he was the main speaker for the UN’s World AIDS day.

(Johnson in 1999)

In 2000 he started a record label called “Magic Johnson Music”. In 2002 he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

(Johnson in 2002)

In 2006 he created a contract food service. In 2007 Johnson supported Hillary Clinton in her campaign for president. In 2008 he became an ESPN studio analyst. In 2010 Johnson and a few other basketball players played basketball with Barack Obama.

(Johnson (Left) and Barack Obama (Right))

Also in 2010 Johnson sold his share of the Lakers. In 2012 Johnson owned a share of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2014 he bought shares of the Los Angeles Sparks. Also in 2014 he bought shares of the Los Angeles Football Club. In 2015 he supported Hillary Clinton in her campaign.

(Johnson in 2015)

In 2016 He hosted a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. In 2017 Johnson replaced Jim Buss as the president of basketball operations for the Los Angeles Lakers. (Johnson in 2017)

Today he turns 58 years old and we would all like to say happy birthday Earvin “Magic” Johnson.

Videos of Earvin “Magic” Johnson

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUZJsJTA6M4   “1979 NCAA Finals - Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson [Opening]”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjZnhecZ8Fk  “Magic Johnson's 1st Game as NBA Player”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hyo1ugJ0IU  “Magic Johnson 1980 Finals: 42pts, Gm 6 vs. 76ers”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6u4tMGzhutk  “Kareem (23-7-5) & Magic (10-14-9) 1982 Finals Gm 1 vs. Sixers - Showtime Clinic”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgsTTGUyCX8  “Magic Johnson: 1986-87 MVP Presentation”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r8IehGHjwY  “Magic Johnson 1988: 29pts, 11rebs & 19asts vs. Atlanta Hawks”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSfy4AhDDnw  “Magic Johnson announces retirement Nov 7, 1991”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhU1Lbjl2DQ  “Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Patrick Ewing & Co - Dream Team Highlights - Barcelona 1992 Olympics”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrpUbY_iYqw  “MAGIC is BACK!! Bulls @ Lakers 1996”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad9UqapGC7o  “Earvin "Magic" Johnson's Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Speech”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9BH7C49WEI  “An Interview with Magic Johnson”

Happy Birthday Satchel Paige

“Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody's watching” - Satchel Paige

(Satchel Paige)

Satchel Paige was born as Leroy Page on July 7th, 1906 in Mobile, Alabama, USA. In the mid 1920’s his parents changed their last name to “Paige”. He got the name “Satchel” from a job toting bags at a train station. At age 10 Paige got interested in baseball. At age 13 he was arrested for shoplifting. he was committed to the Industrial School for Negro Children in Mount Meigs, AL, the state reform school. He was at the school until he was 18. While at the school he focused on his pitching skills. In 1923 he was released from the school. He then played for semi pro teams. In 1926 Paige joined the Chattanooga White Sox of the minor Negro Southern League.

(Paige in 1926)

In 1927 Paige's contract was sold to the Birmingham Black Barons of the major Negro National League. In his first big game in late June 1927, against the St. Louis Stars, Paige incited a brawl when his fastball hit the hand of St. Louis catcher Mitchell Murray. Murray then charged the mound and Paige raced for the dugout, but Murray flung his bat and struck Paige above the hip. He finished the 1927 season 7–1 with 69 strikeouts and 26 walks in 89 ⅓ innings. In 1929 Paige went 12–5 and 10–9 while recording 176 strikeouts. Paige then played winter baseball in Cuba. In 1930 he was leased to the Baltimore Black Sox. He was then leased to the Chicago American Giants. In 1931 Paige went to the Cleveland Cubs.

(Paige in 1931)

Paige then moved to the Crawford Colored Giants. He then joined a Negro all star team. He finished that season with a 6–0 record and 70 strikeouts in 58 innings. In 1932 Paige took the mound when the Crawfords opened the season on April 30 in their newly built stadium, Greenlee Field, the first completely black owned stadium in the country. Paige went 10–4, allowing 3.19 runs per game and striking out 92 in 132 ⅔  innings. In 1934 Paige had his best season he went 14–2 in league games while allowing 2.16 runs per game, recording 144 strikeouts, and giving up only 26 walks. Paige received his first East West All Star Game selection in 1934. In 1935 Paige dominated, with a 29–2 record, 321 strikeouts, and only 16 walks. Paige was banned from the NNL for the 1935 season for jumping to the Bismarck team. He was then signed to the Kansas City Monarchs.

(Paige in 1935)

In 1936 Paige returned to Pittsburgh. Paige went 5–0, allowed 3.21 runs per game, and struck out 47 in 47 2/3 innings. In 1937 Paige played in the Dominican Republic. In 1938 he went to play in Mexico. He suffered an arm injury while in Mexico causing him to be out of work. In 1939 he returned to baseball. He then played baseball in Puerto Rico. He ended the season with a 19–3 record, a 1.93 ERA, and 208 strikeouts in 205 innings. In 1940 Paige went to play for the Kansas City Monarchs. In 1941 Paige played for the New York Black Yankees.

(Paige in 1941)

In the 1942 East West All-Star Game Paige allowed three runs on five hits and was charged with the loss in the 5–2 game. Paige was the reason for the Monarchs winning the 1942 Negro World Series. In 1943 Paige was the West's starting pitcher in the East West All Star Game. The West won. In the 1946 Negro World Series the Monarchs faced the Newark Eagles. Paige didn't play for game 7 of the series and the Monarchs lost. In 1948 Paige joined the MLB team, The Cleveland Indians. Paige became the oldest man ever to debut in the major leagues, at the age of 42 years old. Paige ended the 1948 season with a 6–1 record with a 2.48 ERA, 2 shutouts, 43 strikeouts, 22 walks and 61 base hits allowed in 72 2/3 innings.

(Paige in 1948)

In the 1949 season he ended the season with a 4–7 record and was 1–3 in his starts with a 3.04 ERA. In 1950 he signed with the Philadelphia Stars in the Eastern Division of the NAL. In 1951 Paige signed with the St. Louis Browns. He ended the season with a 3–4 record and a 4.79 ERA. In 1952 Paige finished the year 12–10 with a 3.07 ERA. In 1953 Paige ended the year with a disappointing 3–9 record, but a respectable 3.53 ERA. Paige then joined the basketball team the Harlem Globetrotters. Paige would "pitch" the basketball to Goose Tatum, who would "bat" the ball with his arms, run around the "bases" and slide "home" safely. Paige never actually played on the team, though.

(Paige apart of the Harlem Globetrotters)

In 1955 Paige signed a contract with the Greensboro Patriots of the Carolina League. Paige finished the season 11–4 with an ERA of 1.86 with 79 strikeouts and only 28 walks. In 1957 Paige had a 10–8 record with 76 strikeouts versus 11 walks and 2.42 ERA. In 1961 Paige signed on with the Triple-A Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League. In 1965 Paige signed with the Kansas City Athletics.

(Paige in 1965)

In 1966 Paige pitched in his last game in organized baseball. In 1968 Paige assumed the position of deputy sheriff in Jackson County, MO. In 1969 he became a pitching coach. In 1971 Paige was the first member of the Negro wing of the Hall of Fame.

(Paige in 1971)

In 1980 Paige was named vice-president of the Triple A Springfield Cardinals. On June 8th, 1982 Satchel Paige died of a heart attack in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. He was 75 years old.

(Paige’s grave)

Today is his 111th birthday and we would all like to say happy birthday and rest in peace Satchel Paige.

Videos of Satchel Paige

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA3TLzWAOE0  “Satchel Paige.”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3q2TeFuTq8  “Satchel Paige Pitching Footage (No Sound)”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA0LyX8H-q4  “Satchel Paige on Satchel's Age -- And Other Topics”  

Anniversary of Jack Johnson's Death

“An individual action, multiplied by millions, creates global change” - Jack Johnson

Jack Johnson was born as John Johnson on March 31st 1878 in Galveston, Texas, USA. As a child he helped his family financially. He then moved to Dallas, TX. He then began to start boxing. At 16 he moved to New York. After beating a stronger man in a fight he believed he could become a boxer. In 1898 he made his professional debut. In 1901 Johnson was arrested due to prize fighting being illegal in Texas.

(Johnson (Middle) in 1901)

The sheriff let Johnson and the man who he was fighting with spar in jail for a reduced bail. In 1903 he won the World Colored Heavyweight championship. In 1908 he won the world heavyweight title. After winning the title media attacked Johnson with racist comments and called for a “great White hope” to defeat Johnson and take the title back.

(Johnson in 1908)

In 1910 Johnson fought James Jeffries and Johnson won which caused racial riots in Texas, Colorado, New York, Washington D.C. and 22 other states.

(Johnson (Right) in 1910)

Johnson refused to fight Black boxers due to the fact he felt he could make more money fighting White boxers. In 1913 he finally fought another Black boxer.

(Johnson in 1913)

In 1915 Johnson lost the title to Jess Willard.

(Johnson in 1915)

Johnson fought professionally until 1938. He did his last fight in 1945.

(Johnson in 1945)

On June 10th, 1946 Jack Johnson died in a car crash in Franklinton, North Carolina, USA. He was 68 years old.

(Johnson’s grave)

Today is the 71st anniversary of his death. Take time to remember this great athlete today.

Videos of Jack Johnson

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAzuDJQkxis  “Jack Johnson KOs Burns This Day In Boxing History - December 26, 1908 -”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnMJL36_oCs  “Jack Johnson vs James J. Jeffries (1910)”

P.S. sorry for the late post

Anniversary of Satchel Paige's Death

“Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody's watching” - Satchel Paige

(Satchel Paige)

Satchel Paige was born as Leroy Page on July 7th, 1906 in Mobile, Alabama, USA. In the mid 1920’s his parents changed their last name to “Paige”. He got the name “Satchel” from a job toting bags at a train station. At age 10 Paige got interested in baseball. At age 13 he was arrested for shoplifting. he was committed to the Industrial School for Negro Children in Mount Meigs, AL, the state reform school. He was at the school until he was 18. While at the school he focused on his pitching skills. In 1923 he was released from the school. He then played for semi pro teams. In 1926 Paige joined the Chattanooga White Sox of the minor Negro Southern League.

(Paige in 1926)

In 1927 Paige's contract was sold to the Birmingham Black Barons of the major Negro National League. In his first big game in late June 1927, against the St. Louis Stars, Paige incited a brawl when his fastball hit the hand of St. Louis catcher Mitchell Murray. Murray then charged the mound and Paige raced for the dugout, but Murray flung his bat and struck Paige above the hip. He finished the 1927 season 7–1 with 69 strikeouts and 26 walks in 89 ⅓ innings. In 1929 Paige went 12–5 and 10–9 while recording 176 strikeouts. Paige then played winter baseball in Cuba. In 1930 he was leased to the Baltimore Black Sox. He was then leased to the Chicago American Giants. In 1931 Paige went to the Cleveland Cubs.

(Paige in 1931)

Paige then moved to the Crawford Colored Giants. He then joined a Negro all star team. He finished that season with a 6–0 record and 70 strikeouts in 58 innings. In 1932 Paige took the mound when the Crawfords opened the season on April 30 in their newly built stadium, Greenlee Field, the first completely black owned stadium in the country. Paige went 10–4, allowing 3.19 runs per game and striking out 92 in 132 ⅔  innings. In 1934 Paige had his best season he went 14–2 in league games while allowing 2.16 runs per game, recording 144 strikeouts, and giving up only 26 walks. Paige received his first East West All Star Game selection in 1934. In 1935 Paige dominated, with a 29–2 record, 321 strikeouts, and only 16 walks. Paige was banned from the NNL for the 1935 season for jumping to the Bismarck team. He was then signed to the Kansas City Monarchs.

(Paige in 1935)

In 1936 Paige returned to Pittsburgh. Paige went 5–0, allowed 3.21 runs per game, and struck out 47 in 47 2/3 innings. In 1937 Paige played in the Dominican Republic. In 1938 he went to play in Mexico. He suffered an arm injury while in Mexico causing him to be out of work. In 1939 he returned to baseball. He then played baseball in Puerto Rico. He ended the season with a 19–3 record, a 1.93 ERA, and 208 strikeouts in 205 innings. In 1940 Paige went to play for the Kansas City Monarchs. In 1941 Paige played for the New York Black Yankees.

(Paige in 1941)

In the 1942 East West All-Star Game Paige allowed three runs on five hits and was charged with the loss in the 5–2 game. Paige was the reason for the Monarchs winning the 1942 Negro World Series. In 1943 Paige was the West's starting pitcher in the East West All Star Game. The West won. In the 1946 Negro World Series the Monarchs faced the Newark Eagles. Paige didn't play for game 7 of the series and the Monarchs lost. In 1948 Paige joined the MLB team, The Cleveland Indians. Paige became the oldest man ever to debut in the major leagues, at the age of 42 years old. Paige ended the 1948 season with a 6–1 record with a 2.48 ERA, 2 shutouts, 43 strikeouts, 22 walks and 61 base hits allowed in 72 2/3 innings.

(Paige in 1948)

In the 1949 season he ended the season with a 4–7 record and was 1–3 in his starts with a 3.04 ERA. In 1950 he signed with the Philadelphia Stars in the Eastern Division of the NAL. In 1951 Paige signed with the St. Louis Browns. He ended the season with a 3–4 record and a 4.79 ERA. In 1952 Paige finished the year 12–10 with a 3.07 ERA. In 1953 Paige ended the year with a disappointing 3–9 record, but a respectable 3.53 ERA. Paige then joined the basketball team the Harlem Globetrotters. Paige would "pitch" the basketball to Goose Tatum, who would "bat" the ball with his arms, run around the "bases" and slide "home" safely. Paige never actually played on the team, though.

(Paige apart of the Harlem Globetrotters)

In 1955 Paige signed a contract with the Greensboro Patriots of the Carolina League. Paige finished the season 11–4 with an ERA of 1.86 with 79 strikeouts and only 28 walks. In 1957 Paige had a 10–8 record with 76 strikeouts versus 11 walks and 2.42 ERA. In 1961 Paige signed on with the Triple-A Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League. In 1965 Paige signed with the Kansas City Athletics.

(Paige in 1965)

In 1966 Paige pitched in his last game in organized baseball. In 1968 Paige assumed the position of deputy sheriff in Jackson County, MO. In 1969 he became a pitching coach. In 1971 Paige was the first member of the Negro wing of the Hall of Fame.

(Paige in 1971)

In 1980 Paige was named vice-president of the Triple A Springfield Cardinals. On June 8th, 1982 Satchel Paige died of a heart attack in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. He was 75 years old.

(Paige’s grave)

Today is the 35th anniversary of his death. Take time to remember this great athlete today.

Videos of Satchel Paige

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA3TLzWAOE0  “Satchel Paige.”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3q2TeFuTq8  “Satchel Paige Pitching Footage (No Sound)”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA0LyX8H-q4  “Satchel Paige on Satchel's Age -- And Other Topics”

Anniversary of Jesse Owens' Death

“We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort” - Jesse Owens

(Jesse Owens)

Jesse Owens was born as James Owens on September 12th 1913 in Oakville, Alabama, USA. When he was 9 years old Owens and his family moved to Cleveland OH. Owens got the name Jesse when a school teacher misheard him and thought his name was Jesse. Owens started to run track while in middle school. In 1933 Owens matched the world record for 100 yard dash and the long jump. In 1935 Owens married Ruth Solomon and had 3 daughters together.

(Ruth Solomon and Jesse Owens)

Owens then attended Ohio State University.

(Owens in 1935)

Owens won a record eight individual NCAA championships, four each in 1935 and 1936. Also in 1935 Owens set three world records and tied a fourth. In 1936 Owens went to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany to represent the US. Owens had to be escorted everywhere while in Berlin due to many fans trying to rush him. Owens won 4 gold medals while at the Olympics.

(Owens (Middle) in 1936)

When he returned to the US after the Olympics there was a parade in his honor and at the parade he received $10,000 in cash from a random person in a paper bag. Later at a reception honoring Owens couldn't enter through the front door of the Waldorf Astoria New York and instead forced to travel up to the event in a freight elevator to reach the reception honoring him due to segregation laws.

(Owens in 1936)

In 1936 Owens spoke at a Republican rally held in Baltimore, MD on October 9, 1936, Owens said "Some people say Hitler snubbed me. But I tell you, Hitler didn't snub me. I am not knocking the President. Remember, I am not a politician, but remember that the President did not send me a message of congratulations because people said, he was too busy.” Due to racial discrimination Owens was prohibited from amateur sporting appearances to bolster his profile. Owens then found out that the commercial offers had all disappeared. In 1946 Owens  joined Abe Saperstein in the formation of the West Coast Baseball Association (WCBA), a new Negro baseball league. Owens became the Vice-President and the owner of the Portland Rosebuds franchise.

(Owens (Left) running at a WCBA game)

The WCBA disbanded after only two months. Owens tried to make a living as a sports promoter he would give local sprinters a ten- or twenty-yard start and beat them in the 100-yd dash. He also challenged and defeated racehorses; as he revealed later, the trick was to race a high-strung thoroughbred that would be frightened by the starter's shotgun and give him a bad jump.

(Owens racing a horse)

Owens later ran a dry cleaning business and worked as a gas station attendant to earn a living, he eventually filed for bankruptcy. In 1966, he was successfully prosecuted for tax evasion. The government appointed him as a US goodwill ambassador. Owens traveled the world and spoke to companies such as the Ford Motor Company and stakeholders such as the United States Olympic Committee. After he retired, he owned racehorses. In 1968 Owens initially refused to support the black power salute by African American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Summer Olympics. He told them, “The black fist is a meaningless symbol. When you open it, you have nothing but fingers weak, empty fingers. The only time the black fist has significance is when there's money inside. There's where the power lies”. Four years later in his 1972 book I Have Changed, he changed his opinion, “I realized now that militancy in the best sense of the word was the only answer where the black man was concerned, that any black man who wasn't a militant in 1970 was either blind or a coward”. In December of 1979 Owens was hospitalized with an extremely aggressive and drug resistant type of lung cancer.

(Owens in 1979)

On March 31st, 1980 Jesse Owens died of lung cancer in Tucson, Arizona. He was 66 years old.

(Owens’ funeral)

Today is the 37th anniversary of his death. Take time to remember this great athlete today.

Books by Jesse Owens

• I Have Changed (1972)

Videos of Jesse Owens

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCmvDwDocrw  “Jesse Owens, Hitler reaction”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jB0n35UIv-s  “1936, 100m, Men, Olympic Games, Berlin”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQIe4JKjYn4  “Race Official Trailer #1 (2015) - Stephan James, Jason Sudeikis Drama HD”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLGj3JnblqA  “Jesse Owens Berlin Olympics interview”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hLFgTFfzhE  “Jesse Owens Rare Interview”