AMERICANPATRIOT VIEW IN

FULLSCREENCLICK ABOVE

MARCH 11, 2010

STANDING UP FOR

DISABLED VETS

P.T. BARNUMTHE GREATESTSHOWMAN ON EARTH

WRIGLEY FIELDAMERICA’S CLASSIC BALLPARK

AMERICANPATRIOT

WRIGLEY FIELDAMERICA’S CLASSICBALLPARK

46P.T. BARNUMTHE GREATESTSHOWMAN ON EARTH8

ST. PATRICK’S DAYTHE WEARING OF THE GREEN

KENNY ROGERSTHE FIRST 50 YEARS

10

THIS WEEKIN AMERICANHISTORY

FAJITASTRUE TEX-MEX

QUOTE OFTHE WEEK

16 17

US MINT STANDS UP FOR

DISABLED VETS 12

14

4 AMERICAN PATRIOT

WRIGLEY FIELDAMERICA’S CLASSIC BALLPARK

AMERICAN PATRIOT 5

Wrigley Field remains one of the most beautiful

of settings, situated in urban Chicago IL on the

corner of Clark and Addison Streets within eye-

sight of the Lake Shore Drive skyline. It is also

among the most traditional: Ivy covered brick

walls, a manually operated scoreboard, and

flags denoting “wins” and “losses” hung from

the left field foul pole after every game. The field

remains largely free of advertising, and was the

home of the first permanent concession stands

and the last holdout before allowing night

baseball, in 1988. The cozy setting has led the

stadium to be described by sportswriters as

“The Friendly Confines” of Wrigley Field.

Cubs baseball games attract people who not

only love the ballpark but love to cheer for the

underdog. The beloved Cubbies are, in the big

picture, an exercise in futility. They have not won

a World Series since 1908 — 112 years! —

and have been shut out of the World Series since

1945. However, no major league team has con-

tinuously represented the same city longer than

the Cubs and their predecessors, who date

back to 1870. Many of baseball’s great historic

moments occurred at Wrigley Field, including

Ernie Banks’ 500th homerun in 1970, Babe

Ruth's “called shot” in the 1932 World Series,

Pete Rose tying of Ty Cobb's record 4,191 hits

in baseball history in 1985, and Sammy Sosa's

three amazing 60-or-more homerun seasons.

Surprisingly, Wrigley Field has also hosted

more professional football games than any

other stadium in America, though the Chicago

Bears now play at Soldier’s Field.

Today, after many alterations and renovations,

Wrigley has grown in seating capacity from

14,000 to 41,118 customers. In a charming

tradition, hundreds more watch from the apart-

ment building rooftops outside the park. Around

the block are many bars, restaurants and base-

ball memorabilia shops; the economic hub

fringes a dense residential area and is an inte-

gral part of the neighborhood and feel of the

games. Wrigley is filled to near capacity on a

daily basis as baseball fans come to see the

“The Friendly Confines.” Tours are also avail-

able, and provide an insider's look at nearly a

century of history in the legendary ballpark.

Iowa may be the location of the fantasy Field of Dreams, but for many the realthing is Chicago’s Wrigley Field. Built in 1912, it stands as the second oldestbaseball stadium in the Major Leagues after Boston's Fenway Park. In 1916,the first National League game featuring the Cubs was played. The Wrigley’sof gum dynasty fame bought the team and park in 1920 and renamed it inhonor of owner William Wrigley, Jr.

CLICK HERE FOR A VIRTUAL TOUR OF WRIGLEY FIELD

6 AMERICAN PATRIOT

P.T. BARNUMTHE GREATEST SHOWMAN ON EARTHTo understand the history of the circus and the spectacle in America —and the venerable Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus —you must begin with the showman of showmen, P.T. Barnum.

Born in Bethel CT, Phineas T. Barnum started asa small businessman and founder of a weeklynewspaper in nearby Danbury. Frustrated by smalltown life, increasingly skilled at public relationsand with a hankering to be in the spotlight, hemoved to New York City in 1834 and embarkedon an entertainment career. His first major suc-cess was a variety troupe called “Barnum’s GrandScientific and Musical Theater,” which featureda disabled African American woman who, hersponsors claimed, was 160 years old and hadbeen the infant George Washington’s nurse. (Asubsequent autopsy proved her to be 80 yearsold.) Barnum’s find was a sensation.

Next, Barnum purchased the struggling Scudder'sAmerican Museum, a collection of curiosities, whichhe turned into the most famous showplace of theera. The public could see educated dogs andfleas, automatons, jugglers, ventriloquists, livingstatues, albinos, fat men and bearded women,singing and dancing acts, models of Paris andJerusalem, dioramas of the Creation and the Del-uge, glassblowing, knitting machines, war dance,Siamese twins, flower and bird shows, whales,mermaids, melodramas, menageries of rare ani-mals and more. Altogether, the museum showedover 600,000 exhibits during its existence. Itmade Barnum a national name.

Two of his greatest successes in this period were:General Tom Thumb, a 25 inch tall and 15 poundman whose real name was Charles S. Stratton;and Jenny Lind, the most famous singer of hertime, a Swede whom he introduced to the Amer-ican public with a national tour.

In 1854, Barnum published his autobiographyand retired. After going bankrupt, however, thevolatile Barnum resurfaced in 1871 with a circus.

Soon it was the largest in America. By 1874, heexpanded his “P.T. Barnum’s Traveling World's Fair,Great Roman Hippodrome and Greatest Show OnEarth” to a size covering five acres. It filled 10,000seats at what was New York’s original MadisonSquare Garden. Along with a young partner, JamesA. Bailey, the three-ring extravaganza he createdwas to become an American institution. His lastgreat coup was the 1881 purchase from the Lon-don Zoo of the largest elephant in captivity, Jumbo.

In 1891, the indefatigable Barnum began to fail.As a final stunt, a few weeks before his death,Barnum gave permission to the Evening Sun toprint his obituary, so that he might read it. Afterhis death, Bailey purchased the circus, success-fully toured in the U.S. and Europe, and then, in1902, merged with competitor Ringling Brothersto create the combined Ringling Bros. and Barnum& Bailey Circus. Its slogan is still “The GreatestShow On Earth.”

AMERICAN PATRIOT 7

LEARN MORN ABOUT THE CIRCUS’ HISTORYAND PLAN YOUR NEXT VISIT HERE

8 AMERICAN PATRIOT

ST. PATRICK’S DAYTHE WEARING OF THE GREEN

AMERICAN PATRIOT 9

The parade is inexorably linked to the growth of

the Irish-American community in America, and

to the pride they feel about their contribution

to our society. There were a handful of Irish im-

migrants to America during the Colonial and

Revolutionary War generations. Then, in the

1840s, their presence dramatically increased.

This was largely due to Ireland's potato famine

of 1845-49, which prompted a wave of immi-

gration. Truth be told, most of the Irish who came

to the U.S. during this period arrived poor and

uneducated. They encountered ethnic and eco-

nomic discrimination, and the longstanding prej-

udice of many members of the English Protestant

majority toward both the Irish and Catholicism.

Even menial jobs were hard to find.

Suffice it to say that the new immigrants learned

to harness their large numbers, to organize

through social and fraternal groups, and found

great success economically and, especially, by

controlling political and governmental positions.

By 1900, living conditions had improved and

institutionalized discrimination had waned for

the majority of Irish Americans. Their contribu-

tion to American culture, education, politics,

science and business during the 20th century

is immeasurable. The annual St. Patrick’s Day

parades became transformed into a show of

strength for Irish Americans. In 1948, President

Truman attended the New York parade, a stun-

ning moment for the many Irish whose ancestors

had to fight stereotypes and prejudice.

Today, St. Patrick’s Day — and the “Wearing

of the Green” to acknowledge years of Irish

suffering and to denote Irish pride — is widely

embraced in America. The New York City event

is the world’s oldest civilian parade and the

largest in the United States, with over 150,000

participants. Upwards of 100 cities now hold

parades of their own. And although North

America is home to the largest productions, St.

Patrick's Day is celebrated in other locations

far from Ireland, including Japan, Singapore, and

Russia. One especially unique way to celebrate

St. Patrick’s Day takes place in Chicago. There,

the Chicago River is dyed green each year.

Once dyed green for a week, today, in order to

minimize environmental damage, only forty

pounds of dye are used, making the river green

for only several hours.

CLICK HERE TO HEARA PERFORMANCE OF THEFOLK SONG, THE WEARINGOF THE GREEN

St. Patrick's Day is a holiday commemorating the death, as legend has it, of Patrick,the patron saint of Ireland. More to our point, it is observed in America on March 17each yearwith parades that celebrate the success and heritage of the Irish in America.Among themost well-known are: the New York City parade which dates to 1762; theBoston parade whichmay date as far back as 1732; and one in Savannah, GA parade,which was first held in 1824.

10 AMERICAN PATRIOT

The United States Mint is currently issuing silver one-dollar coins tohonor disabled American veterans. The American Veterans Disabledfor Life Commemorative Coin Act authorizes the United States Mint tomint 350,000 such coins. Surcharges earned by sale of the coins arehelping to fund the planned American Veterans Disabled For LifeMemorial in Washington DC.

US MINT STANDS UP FORDISABLED VETS

AMERICAN PATRIOT 11

The coin’s obverse (heads side) was designed

and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-

Engraver Don Everhart. The design features

the legs and boots of three disabled veterans,

which pays tribute to the service and sacri-

fice of our disabled veterans. The inscription

“They Stood Up For Us” is in the banner

along the coin’s upper rim. Additional in-

scriptions on the obverse are “In Good We

Trust, 2010” and “Liberty.”

The coin’s reverse (tails side) is the work of

the Mint’s Artistic Infusion Program Master

Designer Thomas Cleveland and sculpted by

Sculptor-Engraver Joseph Menna. Here, the

design depicts a forget-me-not flower at the

base of a wreath wrapped in a ribbon that cra-

dles and supports clusters of oak branches.

The oak branches represent strength, while

the forget-me-not is a widely accepted sym-

bol of remembrance for those who sacrificed

their lives for our country. The inscriptions

include “Take This Moment To Honor our

Disabled Defenders of Freedom.”

As noted above, surcharges from the sale

will go directly to the Disabled Veterans’

Life Memorial Foundation, the organization

raising the private funds for the construction

of the Memorial. The Memorial will be the

first in the capital area dedicated to living

disabled veterans across all service branches

and all areas of conflict. Commanding an

impressive two-acre site between Washington

Avenue SW, C Street SW and Second Street

SW, the memorial will be within full view of

the U.S. Capitol, adjacent to the National

Mall, and across from Independence Avenue

and the United States Botanic Garden. The

monument was sponsored in 2000 by Sen-

ator John McCain, former Senator Max Cle-

land, and Representatives Sam Jonson and

the late John Murtha. President Bill Clinton

signed it into law soon thereafter.

An introductory coin sales period, in which

special pricing for proof and uncirculated

versions of the coin, ends on March 29. After

that, regular pricing will be in effect. Available

options include proof and uncirculated ver-

sions of the coin, struck in 90 percent silver.

Coins can be purchased at www.usmint.gov/

catalog or 1-800-USA-MINT.

SEE AN INTERVIEWWITH THE MEMORIAL’SNATIONAL SPOKESPERSONGARY SINISE

http://www.americanpatriotdigital.com/node/303

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12 AMERICAN PATRIOT

KENNY ROGERSTHE FIRST 50 YEARS

Born in 1938, Rogers, like many country

superstars, came from humble roots. Born

in Houston, TX, he and his seven siblings

were raised in one of the poorest sections of

town. He got high school playing guitar and

fiddle. As a senior, he played in a rockabilly

band, then after graduation struggled through

the 1960s with multiple bands. This included

brief but promising success with the New

Christy Minstrels and Kenny Rogers & The

First Edition. Though he had a couple of big

hits, by 1974 Rogers was severely in debt. It

was then that he developed a more accessi-

ble, radio-ready style that rocketed his career.

The rest is history. Rogers has charted more

than 70 hit singles, topping the country and

pop album charts for more than 423 indi-

vidual weeks in the U.S. alone. Rogers is

one of a handful of artists to sell over 125

million albums. Two of his albums, “The

Gambler” and “Kenny,” are featured in the

About.com poll of “The 200 Most Influen-

tial Country Albums Ever.” He was voted

the “Favorite Singer of All-Time” in a poll of

USA Today and People magazine readers.

His duet with Dolly Parton, “Islands In The

Stream,” is the #1-selling duet of all time. His

extensive history of success includes 20

platinum, 27 gold records and a Diamond-

certified Greatest Hits album. Rogers has

won three Grammy Awards, five Country Music

Association Awards, 18 American Music

Awards, eight Academy of Country Music

Awards, and 11 People’s Choice Awards.

Along the way, Rogers is a regular at charity

concerts, and his restaurant chain regularly

sponsors charity and community events.

CLICK HERE TO HEAR ROGERSPERFORMS HIS SIGNATUREHIT, THE GAMBLER

An icon of American countrymusic, Kenny Rogerswill be performing atthe event of his lifetime this spring. “Kenny Rogers: The First 50 Years”will tape on April 10 at the MGM Grand At Foxwoods as a televisionspecial capturing hismusical legacy. Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, AlisonKrauss, Wynonna and The Oak Ridge Boys are just some of the namesslated to appear. These musicians will be part of the performance,and a few will host different segments of the show travelling throughRoger’s six decades of hits.

14 AMERICAN PATRIOT

FAJITASTRUE TEX-MEX

The fajita is classic Tex-Mex food, a mix

of Texas cowboy and Mexican panchero

foods. Considering the limited number

of skirts per carcass and the fact the

meat wasn’t available commercially, the

fajita tradition remained regional and

relatively obscure for many years.

Today, the term fajita has strayed from

its original meaning, and now describes

just about anything that is cooked and

served rolled up in a soft flour tortilla.

This includes chicken, pork, shrimp and

all cuts of beef. These days it is often

cooked with onions and peppers, and

served with condiments such as shredded

lettuce, sour cream, guacamole, salsa,

cheese and tomato.

Historians who study such things credit

Sonny Falcon, an Austin area restauran-

teur, who operated the first commercial

fajita stand in Kyle TX and at rodeos and

fairs. Dubbed “The Fajita King,” he actu-

ally trademarked that name and his food

became popular in the Houston, San An-

tonio and Austin areas. From there, the

dish exploded, to the point where Mexican

food restaurants nationwide have adapted

the dish, and even McDonald’s has fajitas

on their menu from time to time. Not just

a cheap and regional food anymore,

restaurants worldwide now serve it up

and people everywhere are familiar with

the site of fajita meat being brought to

the table sizzling loudly on a metal platter

or skillet, with tortillas and condiments

served on the side.

Texans would like to lay claim to the fajita, but history gives creditto Mexican ranch workers living in West Texas in the late 1930sor early 1940s. When a steer was butchered, the workers weregiven the least desirable parts to eat as part of their wages, oftenthe tough cut of beef known as skirt steak. In Spanish, fajita is aform of the word faja which translates to “belt” in English.

CLICK HERE FOR 1000 FAJITA RECIPES

AMERICAN PATRIOT 15

QUOTE OFTHE WEEK

"If the Government is big enough to giveyou everything you want, it is big enoughto take away everything you have."

— GERALD FORD38TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, ONLY PRESIDENT ELECTED TO

NEITHER THE PRESIDENCY OF VICE PRESIDENCY. HE WAS APPOINTED VICE

PRESIDENT BY RICHARD NIXON AFTER SPIRO AGNEW RESIGNED.

16 AMERICAN PATRIOT

THIS WEEK INAMERICAN HISTORY

AMERICAN PATRIOT 17

1933.Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal programskicked off this week in an effort to fight theGreat Depression.

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