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History of the US Open

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The US Open is a grand slam tennis tournament that takes place in Flushing, New York each year. It traditionally has the biggest pay out in professional tennis, a purse of $1.5 million dollars to the winners on both the men’s and women’s side. Tennis is also one of the only sports that the men and women athletes receive equal prize money. Needless to say US Open tennis is quite lucrative!

The US Open is only forty years old, relatively young in the world of tennis. Wimbledon started in the 1800s. 2008 was the 40th anniversary of the US Open. This year the tournament enters its 41st year. The US Open is a relatively new event in the world of tennis, but it has been around forever, over 100 years when it used to be called the U.S. Championships. Only in the last forty years has it been the tournament we know today.

The first winner of the US Open was Arthur Ashe, whose name now graces the stadium where the finals are played each year. He won the first title in 1968. Ashe was considered an amateur at the time of his win, so he was unable to collect the money for winning, at that time it was $14,000, the most for any tennis tournament. Instead, Ashe only collected $20 per diem. He was also the first African American to ever win a men’s singles title at tennis Grand Slam Championship.

In 1975, the US Open was the debut of the first night tennis game.  This was also the first year of three that the US Open was played on a clay court, just like the French Open. The open is now played on a hard court.

The US Open was originally played at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, New York.  It was moved to the USTA national tennis center in Flushing Meadows, New York in 1978.

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History and Horse Racing in Newmarket, England

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Newmarket is known far and wide for the industry of horse racing.  The history of the village, as well as the modern economy of the village today, is intertwined with the sport.  The National Horse Racing Museum is located close to many a Newmarket hotel,  and currently is part of the incredible Jockey Club.  An article that details the history of racing is on display at this location, written by the museum’s former director, Hilary Bracegirdle.  The museum also offers an in depth look on their website, at the history of and the influence of the horses to the village.

Another organization that receives many questions on the topic is the Newmarket Local History Society.  As with many in the world today, everyone wants to know who we are and where we come from, the the History Society receives many calls and letters regarding past jockeys with whom they may be related, or regarding anyone else in the industry in any capacity with whom they may be family.  Those in the industry are historical and modern day ‘rock stars’, and everyone wants to know that they are a part of the history and glory.  However, Bracegirdle states that unless the individual for whom one is searching for was high up in the industry, it is just very difficult to track.

The number of these inquiries is so great that two more societies field calls looking for those family members, the Cambridgeshire Family History Society, and the Saint Edmunds office of county records.   The history of the village does exceed that of the racing industry, though what most people consider Newmarket, the turf, the tracks and pounding of hooves is what comes to the minds of everyone.  Many of the areas throughout the town are filled with remains from the Bronze age, and provide evidence that people have been settling in the region for thousands of years, far before the advent of the industry of horse racing.

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Cheesy Cotswolds

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Every year in Cooper’s Hill an unusual annual event take place, the Cheese Rolling Festival. This festival is so popular, all the Cotswolds Hotels are booked full. If you have what it takes, are prepared a possible risk to get a few bones broken, sprain an ankle, or get a concussion, then you might just possibly win a round of Double Gloucester cheese.

The Festival takes place on the Spring Bank Holiday Monday in May. This tradition dates back to the Roman times, but there really is no actual evidence to verify this belief. The inception of the Festival surrounded an event started by and for the people of the local village of Brockworth, but today, people from all over the world come to participate in the event. This is how the Cheese Rolling works: first, from the top of Cooper’s Hill, a round Double Gloucester cheese is given a rolling start, then all the competitors race down the hill after the Rolling Cheese. The participants, in theory are supposed to run down the hill to catch the wheel of cheese and the first person crossing the finish line at the base of the hill wins it. But, the chances of anyone catching the cheese after it has a good head-start and then is hurling down the slopes at approximately 110 kilometers per hour, doesn’t stand a chance.

Anyone in its way would most definitely be run down, and according to reports, there have been several incidents of spectators being bowled over. I have been to Cooper’s Hill and have trekked to the top and I can certainly attest to the steepness.  The unevenness of the ground  is cause alone for many injuries every year.  In case you’re wondering, just how anyone drives back home with all their broken bones and sprained ankles, the event organizers have graciously arranged for St. John’s Ambulance to be in attendance as well as volunteer rescue teams who will pick up any and all casualties off the hill.

It really is a fun event and it’s totally free. There is a parking fee, but that helps fund the event. All you need to participate, it to just show up.

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Moreton-in-Marsh and the Beauty of the Cotswolds

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Moreton in Marsh is located along the Fosse Way, an old Roman pass from Lincoln to the southern coast that lies just under the modern road, in the valley of Evenlode.  The town has the color of the stone that was mined in the area, a light honey yellow, much as does the American town of Sedona take on the color of the red rocks.  Moreton in Marsh was situated perfectly throughout history along the stage coach route that led from Worcester to London, and this became the hub and main resting place for the horses and the drivers.  Many of the old inns are still standing, in the middle of town.  This was the center of four regions, and it is quite easy to choose a Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire hotel in the area.

The center of town has been a thriving market place for hundreds of years, and still is to this day.  The open air market happens on Tuesdays and as in many of the towns and villages located throughout the Cotswold hills, cloth and wool clothing are popular and have been the main source of financial stability, from the Medieval times right up to the current day.   Many of the buildings date back to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.  The architectural heritage is amazing, with such historical buildings still standing as the White Hart Royal and the Curfew Tower.

Now, in modern times there are many small shops and independent boutiques, antique stores, galleries and tea houses.  The shopping malls here do not carry brand name or designer labels, just the beauty of the traditional and the classic.  All of the counties sit within the Cotwolds, which are outstandingly beautiful.  This area has become known as the Heart of England, and many parks, museums, and gardens are located within the hills, as well as the shopping in the market place and a thriving nightlife.  This quiet area has much to offer, all set withing the tranquil beauty of the English countryside.

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Chaucer’s Canterbury

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I took a fast trek along the Canterbury Way in England, it’s a short cut in a way, from Farnham to Canterbury. Actually, it known as the North Downs Way and then on to Dover. It’s a much shorter pilgrimage than the regular more popular Pilgram’s Way. I was concerned about language gaps and I’m more accustom to the creature comforts of Bed and Breakfast joints or as I planned in advance, a nice stay at Canterbury Hotel at the end of my trek.

This short cut is a nice alternative and a good reason to re-read Chaucer. Of course, Chaucer’s book follow the exploits of a group of pilgrims travelling from London to Canterbury by foot. But, I wanted to follow the trail from Farnham, because it’s known as the North Down Way and if I started at London, I would get all sloggy with city stuff, which I’d rather not do.

I’ve received three cautionary remarks from earlier pilgrims, pilgrims with experience. First, historically, I’ll still on a pilgrims route and it’s a very long-distance walk. There’s no infrastructure or any book references along the way, and by now you’d think there would be. Second, the terrain can be a bit repetitive, all day walking along a hillside, walking up, walking down, walking up, walking down, I think you get the drift. Lastly, the view seems to be similar and if you lodge, instead of camp, it can get quite expensive. If you don’t lodge, you’ll end up pretty soggy through out the trek. I hope to find some hostels along the route. The guide book I have, which is the latest one printed, does have maps and provides a good amount of information about where I can go to find facilities and points of interest along the way. With all that said, I’m on my way. See you in Canterbury.

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Lennon and Chester

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We decided to make our trip to England be a revisiting of John Lennon’s life as he grew up. We started with booking a room at a Chester Hotel. That’s where his sister, Julia Baird has fond memories of her and John spending time together. They would travel by train from Liverpool because Chester was for them, the best place to buy clothes. Then after clothes shopping they would have lunch at a place called ‘Browns’ and then take a walk down to the river.

We got to take a little tour Chester offers. We got to see where John Lennon got the inspiration of the song ‘Nowhere Man,’ and where the Beatles actually played their earliest shows. Plus, where John spent his wedding night. But, besides seeing all of where John went in Chester, we also checked out Chester’s other points of interest, like the Roman Walls, which were really cool, and the Chester Cathedral.

Then off to Liverpool, and our first stop was at Strawberry Fields. Strawberry Fields was a Salvation Army Children’s home which was not too far from where John Lennon home on Menlove Avenue was. While at Strawberry Fields, we heard stories about how he used to play in the trees behind the gates and how he would go with his Aunt Mimi to the annual fete. His Aunt would even take him to the garden parties every summer which were held on the grounds of Strawberry Field.

Still in Liverpool is Penny Lane. It’s a street in Liverpool where Paul McCartney and John would meet to catch a bus that took them into the center of the city. And finally, in Liverpool, we went to the birthplace of John Lennon. Maternity Hospital on Oxford Street. Born to Julia and Alfred Lennon who gave him the name John Winston Lennon named after his paternal grandfather and Winston Churchill.

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The Crucible: Theatre Imitating Life

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The Crucible is a play written by Arthur Miller that deals with the Salem, Massachusetts witch trials of 1692. The dialogue from the play was taken from the actual transcripts of the trials from this notorious period in this county’s colonial history. So, it may be somewhat contradictory to say this country, as it was still under the ruler ship of England at the time. Miller wrote the play in response to the paranoia of the McCarthy era, and a criticism of what many people considered to be a modern day witch hunt, based on ferreting out suspected communists and homosexuals. Miller himself would be brought before the House of Un-American Activities and was convicted of contempt of congress for refusing to name fellow participants in meetings he had attended. This closely corresponds to the witchcraft trials where the accused were obligated to name other witches with whom they interacted.

The play centers on the main characters Abigail Williams, John Proctor, Tituba, the reverend Samuel Parris and others as they deal with the disturbing behaviors and circumstances that account for the believed witchcraft outbreak. The romantic relationship between John Proctor and Abigail Williams is the primary invention of Miller, and he places Abigail at an older age than she actually was at the time. The play first opened on Broadway in 1953 and initially received hostile critical and mainstream audience response. The New York Times gave it a strong review and called the performances powerful. Regardless of the harsh early response, the play won Tony Award for Best Play that year, and it has been popularly produced since then. Theater ticket listing pages, will usually show a production of the Crucible being staged somewhere in the country at any given time. Williams is a well-respected American playwright, who is also known for his iconic play Death of A Salesman. A film version of the Crucible was made in 1996 and stared Daniel Day Lewis and Winona Ryder.

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Jack The Ripper Tour Events

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The Jack The Ripper tours in London are fascinating adventures that provide a since of thrill and suspense, though also a trip through time. This legendary serial killer continues to inspire the imagination of many people throughout the world due to the gruesome manner of the murders and also the unsolved nature of the crimes. There are many theories surrounding the identity of the ripper, though none have been able to be conclusively proven. On The Trail of Jack The Ripper is one of the most popular an extensive tours available through purchasing tickets to the event in London. This series of tours first began in 1982 with the intention of providing a guided walk through the alleys and streets that Jack first roamed. The tour guides are experts on information surrounding these events, and questions and discussions are a fascinating aspect of the tour. One of the reasons this tour is so popular and respected for its professionalism is that it keeps the groups limited in number to provide a more personal encounter and ensure that everyone can see and hear it all.

The murders occurred in the area of London that is known as the Whitechapel district, and the surrounding area. Most of the victims in the crimes were prostitutes of various ages. Most of the women died by have having their throats cut, and afterwards many were mutilated with various organs being removed. This led officials to believe that the murderer may be someone with a detailed knowledge of anatomy and surgery. The killer began to be referred to as Jack after a letter was sent to the London Central News Agency and contained a claim that the writer was actually the murderer and signed it Jack. Because the murders were never solved and no one was ever prosecuted for the crimes, the events have gone done into the dark themed folklore of many cultures. There have been many theories associated with the identity of the killer, and professional researches, crime investigators and even amateur detectives are still captivated by this horrific series of brutal murders.

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Oregon Shakespeare Festival

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The Shakespeare Festival in Ashland Oregon has a long history of offering major theatrical performances in the western United States. It has three primary stages that offer everything from contemporary hits to various choices from the classical cannon. Shakespeare is always on the schedule rightly should be as the company is named after this great playwright. At least one of his plays is almost always presented on each of the stages. The three stages are the Angus Bowmer Theatre, New Theatre, and the Elizabethan Stage. There is also the Courtyard Stage, which generally only presents one play at a time. The others offer their performances in repertory. Tickets to the theatre and its various performances and other events are available on the company’s website.

The current season includes the plays Macbeth, The Music Man, Don Quixote, Much Ado About Nothing and Henry VIII. Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s great tragedies. It was written sometime between 1603 and 1606 and is often considered to have been written specifically for the new King of England, James I. It is the shortest of his tragedies and is only slightly longer than half the length of Hamlet, though that happens to be an incredibly long play. Macbeth deals with the murder of King Duncan of Scotland and the subsequent rise and fall of his successor, Macbeth. Lady Macbeth, his wife, is a major character and one of the strongest forces in Macbeth’s crimes. Another contributing factor is the cryptic prophesy of the three weird sisters, also known as the witches.

Henry VIII is one of Shakespeare’s history plays and is based on the life of this English King. It is believed that it was originally called All is True and was not given its standing title until it was first published in the Folio of 1623. There is a lot of evidence that play may have been written in collaboration with fellow Elizabethan playwright John Fletcher. It was common at the time for various writers to contribute to one play. The Holinshed Chronicles are accepted as the primary source for the drama.

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Sports Tickets for Red Sox

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My sister and I bought Sports Tickets to the Sox game for Sunday. We got off the Orange Line at Back Bay so we could catch a quick beer. That’s when we noticed a finish line for the Boston Marathon was right in front of us. We noticed people anxiously waiting in line, apparently to get their Marathon race packets. When they did, they proudly put on their marathon t-shirt and have friends or family members take photos of them before the Marathon.

My sister and I felt like we too were a part of all the excitement these Marathoners were exhibiting. The area of the street where the finish line was located blockade off the traffic. I watched one Marathon guy standing on the painted finish line, he was sandwiched between the grandstands and the crowd barriers with his hands waving in the air while his girlfriend or wife took pictures of him. He even made a pose like he had just crossed the finish line after completing the race. He was so excited, brimming really. I wanted to go over to the finish line myself and have me sister take my photo as I would make a pose that I just completed the Boston Marathon.

My sister felt the same as me, we wanted to somehow feel apart of the Boston Marathon. We forgot about getting a beer, because all the bars were packed with runners and all the ralliers. We could hear laughter being caught by the breeze and we could tangibly feel the excitement for what was about to happen as we past each bar. My sister and I just looked at each other and made a running dash to Fenway. We were laughing when we both at the same time hummed the theme to Chariots of Fire. We laughed so hard, we had to stop and catch our breath. By the time we caught our breath, it was time to now get excited with the Sox!

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