FEBRUARY 15 — 1898 The Maine explodes, leads to Spanish-American War; 1903 1st Teddy Bear goes on sale; 1820 Happy birthday Susan B. Anthony
FEBRUARY 15
1898 – The Main explodes.
Exactly how we the world may never know. But it did lead to an American war with Spain which didn’t last long, and resulted in America becoming a world power for the first time.
It was also America’s first imperialistic swar, and newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst lit the swhole thing on fire. The Maine was a very proud American battleship that was in Cuba to protect American interests after a rebellion against Spanish. It b;lew pu in the Havanna harbor and sunk by reasons unknown. It was suggested at that time that a mine blew it up and that Spoain was responsible.
War was invertible. The Spanish wanted war with America back home and the feeling in America was mutual. Hearst and his yellow journalism propelled American opnion into choosing war with Spain, not just because of the destruction of the Maine but also Spain’s long and brutal history of suppressing of Cuban’s people. President McKinley would declare it, Teddy Roosevilt would join the Rough Riders, and the war was over within three months, and not only did Spain lost Cuba, they also lost Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines.
In 1976, a naval investigation suggested that the Maine was destroyed not by a mine or other act of Spanish sabotage, but likely a fire in the ammunition stocks, although that, alon with everything else in this story, is quite debatable. Getting back to Teddy.
1903 – The first Teddy bear goes on sale.
Yes, the Teddy bear is actually named after Teddy Roosevelt. The reason why the teddy bear is so darn cute and fluffy and adorable is because deep down inside so was the Rough Rider himself. Champion of the Square Deal, leader of the Republican party, war hero, conservationist, TR was an old softy., After he returned form Cuba, he joined President McKinley’s platform as candidate for VP, and McKinley and Roosevelt won the election of 1900. He was VP under McKinley for six months until McKinely was assassinated, and Teddy took over the White House. Aside from being a major conservationalist, he ironically liked hunting. But just for the sport of it, let there be no doubt about it. Once, one of his guides chased down and clubbed a bear and tied it to the tree. When Teddy Roosevilt saw hehe either shot the bear to put it out of its misery, or let the bear go, one of the two, accounts vary on this. Political cartoonist Clifford Berryman, who drew for the Washington Post, illustrated the bear as a cub, implying that under his rough and tough macho image, Teddy was just an old softie at heart.
1988, After singer Jo Elliot had referred to El Paso as ‘the place with all those greasy Mexicans’, Def Leppard were forced to cancel a concert in El Paso, after they received threats that the gig would be disrupted. 1982 Dan Issel of Denver Nuggets begins a free throw streak of 63 consecutive made
1978 Leon Spinks beats Muhammad Ali in 15 for the heavyweight title – Ali will win it back in September
1932 U.S. bobsled team member Eddie Eagan becomes the only athlete to win a gold medal in both the Winter and Summer Olympic games (boxing 1920)