Remembering The Rev. Billy Graham, Dr. Arthur Moss, Tito Francona, Ben Agajanian

The Rev. Billy Graham was the most influential evangelist of the 20th Century. He preached to large audiences all across the world and was welcomed by presidents and state leaders everywhere. Dr. Arthur Moss was one of medicine’s most important cardiologists. He was a pioneer in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. Tito Francona was an outfielder for the Cleveland Indians of the 1950’s and 60’s, best known for being the father of the Indians’ current manager Terry Francona. Ben Agajanian was one of football’s first placekicking specialists, one of only two players to play in all three professional leagues.

Remembering Dennis Edwards, Walter Goldbach and Chief Wahoo, and Ray Kroc’s First McDonald’s

In 1968 Dennis Edwards took over the role of lead singer in The Temptations, after David Ruffin had been asked to leave the group. Edwards’s singing style reinvigorated the group, and The Temptations had some of their biggest hits with him from 1968 to 1973 including “Cloud Nine”, “Ball of Confusion”, I Can’t Get Next To You” and “Papa Was A Rolling Stone”. Walter Goldbach won a 1947 contest sponsored by Cleveland Indians’ owner Bill Veeck to draw a logo for the team. Goldbach drew the now controversial Chief Wahoo, which is being phased out by the club. The first McDonald’s that Ray Kroc opened was in Des Plaines, Illinois in 1955. After it closed, it became a museum, then a tourist site, and was finally torn down in late 2017.

Remembering John Mahoney, John Gavin, Oscar Gamble

John Mahoney started acting in his late 30’s at

Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago and then went on to Broadway, movies, and television. His most famous role is as Martin Crane, the father on “Frasier” (1993-2004) one of the most successful ensemble sitcoms in television history. John Gavin was the rugged actor, best known for his role opposite Janet Leigh in “Psycho” (1960). He left acting and became the American ambassador to Mexico in the 1980’s. Oscar Gamble was the long-time outfielder for a host of teams in the 1970’s and 1980’s, best known for his stylish Afro hairdo, often considered the best in sports.

Remembering Mort Walker, Naomi Parker Fraley, Ingvar Kamprad, Ursula Le Guin

For over 60 years Mort Walker penned the comic strip “Beetle Bailey”, lampooning life in the military. It was one of the most successful comic strips in the 20th Century. Walker was also a collector of other comic strips and donated his collection to The Ohio State University. Naomi Parker Fraley was the woman captured in a 1941 photo at a California naval air station, who may have been the model for one of the iconic “Rosie the Riveter” posters. She certainly has a claim to being a “Rosie the Riveter”, if not the first. Ingvar Kamprad was the founder of the Swedish furniture giant IKEA, and he eventually became one of the world’s wealthiest men. Ursula Le Guin was one of the top female science fiction writers of our generation. Her Earthsea series of fantasy books are today considered groundbreaking fiction.

Remembering Hugh Masakela, John Coleman, Bradford Dillman

Hugh Masakela was the legendary South African trumpet player, known as much for his struggle against apartheid as for his music. He is best known in the United States for his performance at the Monterey Pop festival in 1967 and his 1968 hit “Grazing in the Grass”. John Coleman was the quirky weatherman who made his name in Chicago and then moved to San Diego. Along the way he was a cofounder of The Weather Channel and part of Good Morning America. Bradford Dillman was the handsome actor whose most famous role was in the 1959 movie “Compulsion”, a retelling of the notorious Leopold and Lobe “thrill killing” in 1924

Remembering Doug Harvey, Dan Gurney, Edwin Hawkins

Doug Harvey was the top umpire in baseball for over 30 years. His no-nonsense approach, knowledge of the rules, and his silver hair made him a respected figure across the game. Dan Gurney was a racecar driver, often considered the best of his generation in both Europe and the US. He was a team owner and an innovator having devised the full- ace helmet and the aerodynamic “Gurney flap”. He may also have been the first to spray champagne as part of a victory celebration. Edwin Hawkins was the Bay Area gospel musician, whose 1970 crossover hit “Oh, Happy Day” became an enduring classic.

Remembering Dorothy Malone, Jo Jo White, Delores O’Riordan, Mathilde Krim

Dorothy Malone was the beautiful and talented actress who got her start playing a nameless bookshop girl opposite Humphrey Bogart in “The Big Sleep” (1946). She won an Academy Award for her role in “Written on The Wind” (1956), and became a household name for her role as Constance Mackenzie in the television adaptation of Peyton Place (1964-1969). Jo Jo White was the stellar guard for the Kansas Jayhawks, 1968 US Olympic Team and the Boston Celtics. He was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2015. Mathilde Krim was a researcher, founder of the American Foundation for AIDS Research, and a tireless fundraiser and advocate for AIDS patients. Delores O’Riordan was the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Cranberries

Remembering Rick Hall and Fame Studio, John Young, Jerry Van Dyke, Carm Cozza

Rick Hall was the music producer responsible for the Muscle Shoals sound that was a primary influence in bringing together white and black musicians. He also worked with different types of music, primarily country, rock, and rhythm and blues, and artists including Clarence Carter, Wilson Pickett, Etta James, Duane Allman and Bobbie Gentry. John young was a NASA astronaut for 42 years, who flew on Gemini, Apollo and Skylab missions, as well as walking on the moon. Jerry Van Dyke, younger brother of Dick, was a longtime television performer, noted for the failed television show, My Mother The Car (1965-66) and the popular show Coach (1989-97). Carm Cozza was the Yale football coach for four decades and one of the most successful coaches in Ivy League history

Remembering Keith Jackson, Dr. Milt Rosenberg, Thomas Bopp

Keith Jackson was the voice of college football for decades. His down-home delivery and his love for the game were a television highlight for millions. He was also on the first broadcast of Monday Night Football in 1970 along with Howard Cosell and “Dandy” Don Meredith. Dr. Milt Rosenberg was the University of Chicago professor who had a nighttime radio interview show in Chicago on WGN for 40 years. With an eclectic group of guests and a strong nighttime signal, it was widely listened to across the country. Thomas Bopp was the amateur astronomer who, along with Alan Hale, discovered Comet Hale-Bopp in 1995. It was one of the brightest comets ever seen.

Remembering The Boeing 747, Capt. Bruce McCandless II, Dick “Chickenman” Orkin

The Boeing 747 was the legendary aircraft that ruled the skies for passenger transport for a half century. It transformed air travel and changed society but it is being retired in favor of smaller, more economical aircraft. Capt. Bruce McCandless was the NASA astronaut who, through the benefit of the Manned Maneuvering Unit, made the first untethered space walk in human history. He is also the son and grandson of Medal of Honor recipients. Dick Orkin was the radio broadcaster who wrote and performed radio comedy, most notably Chickenman. Chickenman ran out of WCFL in Chicago in the late 1960’s and was then syndicated across the United States and to Armed Services Radio in Vietnam.