Remembering The Passed

Remembering Robert Schrieffer

Robert Schrieffer was awarded one-third of the 1972 Nobel Prize in Physics, along with John Bardeen and Leon Cooper, for his work on the quantum theory of superconductivity. This theory also known as the BCS theory, for the initials of the discoverers, explained the electron alignment in superconductors at low temperatures, a concept that had eluded some of the world’s greatest physicists. Schrieffer made his contribution after coming up with the concept on a New York subway train. Late in his career he was involved in a fatal traffic accident and went to prison for a brief time.

Remembering Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison was awarded the 1993 Nobel Prize in Literature, and is generally acclaimed as one of America’s great novelists of the late 20th century. Her 1987 book Beloved, often regarded as her best work, won the 1988 Pulitzer Prize. Her other works include Song of Solomon (1977) and Paradise (1997). She was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Humanities Medal.

Remembering Nick Buoniconti, Cliff Branch, D.A. Pennebaker

Nick Buoniconti was the middle linebacker for the great Miami dolphin teams of the early 1970’s, the leader of the no-name defense. His life took a turn when his son suffered a severe neck injury in a college football game, and Buoniconti became a spokesman for spinal cord injuries. Late in life he developed dementia that he believed to be football related. Cliff Branch was the sprinter turned wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders of the 1970’s and 1980’s. He is generally regarded as one of the great deep threats in the history of the game, although he is still not in the Hall of Fame. D. A. Pennebaker was the documentary filmmaker who works including a profile of a young Bob Dylan in Don’t Look Back (1967) and Monterey Pop (1968), often regarded as the best rock and roll documentary,

Remembering Harold Prince, Daniel Callahan, Mark Kleiman, Lois Wille

Harold Prince was the legendary theatrical producer and director, responsible for many of the greatest plays of the mid and late 20th century. He worked with, among others Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd-Webber. Daniel Callahan is often thought to be one of the fathers of modern bioethics. He was also a cofounder of The Hastings Center, North America’s leading bioethics think tank. Mark Kleiman was a long-time professor at UCLA whose views on drug legalization were influential in changing drug policy in the United States. Lois Wille was one of Chicago’s greatest journalists, both as a reporter and an editorial writer. She won two Pulitzer Prizes during her career.

Remembering Chris Kraft, Rutger Hauer, David Hedison

Chris Kraft was the familiar voice of Mission Control, the operational nerve center of NASA during the 1960’s. He was the man in charge during the Mercury and Gemini programs and part of the Apollo Program. His organizational skills and decision-making capability were key to the success of the American space program. Rutger Hauer was the Dutch actor, best known for his role as the replicant Roy Batty in the 1982 Ridley Scott movie “Blade Runner.” David Hedison was the handsome actor who starred in the horror classic “The Fly” (1958), but is best known for his role as Captain Lee Crane in the Irwin Allen television series “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea” (1964-1968).

Remembering Joao Gilberto, Pernell Whitaker, Fernando Cortado, Pumpsie Green

Joao Gilberto was the Brazilian guitarist and songwriter who was a key figure in bringing the bossa nova style of music to the United States in the early 1960’s. He is best known for the song “The Girl From Ipanema” which he sang in Portuguese and his then-wife Astrid sang in English. Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker was the boxing great who won the world title in four divisions. He was especially adept as a quick, defensive boxer. Fernando Cortado was American computer scientist who developed the time-sharing operating system so that computer time could be divided among many users. Pumpsie Green was the first African-American player to play for the Boston Red Sox, the last major league team to integrate.

Remembering Eva Kor, Justice John Paul Stevens

Eva Kor was a Romanian Jew, who along with her twin sister Miriam, survived the Holocaust. As twins, she and her sister were subject to medical experiments by the notorious Auschwitz camp doctor, Josef Mengele. She surprised the world when she forgave several of the Nazi officers responsible for the Holocaust (but not Mengele).

Justice John Paul Stevens, a native of Chicago, was an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court for 35 years from 1975-2010. Appointed by President Ford, he was the third longest justice in Supreme Court history

Remembering the Volkswagen Beetle, Ross Perot, Martin Charnin

The Volkswagen Beetle was first built in 1938 in Nazi Germany as a cheap, reliable car for the common man. It became extremely popular in the United States in the 1950’s and especially in the 1960’s among the counterculture crowd. Ross Perot was the brash Texas billionaire who founded Electronic Data Systems and ran for president in 1992 and 1996. His 1992 campaign was extremely successful as he garnered more than 19 million votes. Martin Charnin was the Broadway writer and lyricist best known for his work on the 1977 musical Annie.

Remembering Rip Torn, Jim Bouton, The Chicago Defender, and Gene Pingatore

Rip Torn was the actor from the Actors Studio who went on to a memorable, but tempestuous, career in television and the movies. A combative free spirit in real life, he is best known for his recurring role on television in The Larry Sanders Show (1992-1998) and in movies such as Men in Black (1997) and Dodgeball (2004). Jim Bouton was the fastballing pitcher for the 1960’s New York Yankees, who went on to be more famous for his behind the scenes look at baseball in his 1970 memoir Ball Four. The Chicago Defender was the prominent newspaper for African-Americans in Chicago and across the South from 1905 until it closed its print edition in 2019. Gene Pingatore was the most successful high school boys basketball coach in Illinois history. He was also featured prominently in the 1994 movie Hoop Dreams.

Remembering Lee Iacocca, Dr. Henry Lynch

Lee Iacocca was the legendary American automobile executive who worked for Ford and then became the chairman of Chrysler. At Ford, he was responsible for two of their most successful cars, the Mustang and the Pinto. He rescued a cash-strapped Chrysler from bankruptcy, and in the process became one of the country’s most recognizable figures. Dr. Henry Lynch was a trailblazer in the field of familial susceptibility to cancer. He did groundbreaking work on the genetics of cancer, and hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer was named Lynch Syndrome after him.