BORN IN 1880, TOM MIX WOULD BE 126 YEARS OLD TODAY. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT BACK IN THE 1920'S HE WAS MAKING $3,000 A WEEK FROM HIS COWBOY MOVIES?
The Tom Mix Ralston Straight Shooters Radio Program, aired September 1933 to June 1950 on NBC, Mutual, and the Blue Network and I don't think I missed a one of them, and, at one time, had every radio premium from the Decoders to the pistol and atomic rings.
In 1933 Tom Mix, silent-film cowboy, circus star, and larger-than-life legend, granted the use of his name for a new radio show being developed under the sponsorship of the Ralston Purina Company. Within a few short months of the contract signing, one of Radio’s most successful juvenile series was launched.
The real Tom Mix, Hollywood’s original cowboy hero, lead a sensational, and highly "sensationalized," life. The undisputed king of the silent film cowboys, he both made and lost a fortune during his mythic career. In the early days of Hollywood promotion, Mix was credited as an Oklahoma cowboy, one quarter Cherokee, who had served as a Texas Ranger and had enlisted in the army as a member of Teddy Roosevelt’s “Rough Riders.” Studio press-releases claimed he was wounded in combat in the Philippines and Cuba, and had seen further action as a mercenary in the Boer War and the Boxer Rebellion.
In actuality Mix was born in rural Cameron county Pennsylvania of Irish and English ancestry and had joined the Army in 1898, making it to the rank of sergeant, but saw no combat and ended up deserting. Although never a Texas Ranger, he did serve for short periods as a town marshal and deputy sheriff in Oklahoma and Kansas before starting his career in Hollywood. Tom was one of those film superstars, who could not manage the transition to sound.
The stock market crash of 1929, made it necessary for him to come out of retirement and travel about the country as a circus performer, much in the style Buffalo Bill Cody a generation earlier. Ironically the real Tom Mix had nothing to do with the radio show (other than grant his name to it), but the subsequent royalties and fame he received helped extend his career until October 12,1940, when he was killed in a high speed car crash with his ‘37 Cord roadster along a desert highway outside Florence, AZ.
Tom Mix and the Ralston Straight Shooters radio program was the major rival to another highly successful radio adventure “Jack Armstrong the All-American Boy.” Together the shows defined an era and sold untold millions of cereal boxes in offers for radio program premiums (see some on the right from Norm’s private collection). With a couple Ralston box tops and a dime, Ralston Straight Shooters Fans could send away for various premiums such as: Tom Mix decoders, compasses, Sheriff Mike whistling badges, Straight Shooters pins, comic books, photo albums, and membership medals. And back then you could tell I listened to both of them!
In the early days of the 15-minute daily series the plot revolved around the adventures of Tom Mix on his “TM-Bar ranch” in Dobie, Texas. Also living on the ranch were Tom’s sidekick ”the old Wrangler” (read by Percy Humus), a cook named Wash, and two young wards, Jimmy and Jane. Other characters included cowboy buddy, Pecos Williams, miserly hotel clerk Amos Q Snood, and a group of singing cowboys called “the Ranch Boys Trio,” in which actor Curley Bradley sang a part. Together Tom and the gang would face cattle rustlers, stampedes, killers, ghosts, saboteurs, invisible men, and (in one case) even a giant. Some episodes would contain flashbacks to days when Tom was a soldier in the Boer, Boxer, and Spanish American wars.
Later in the radio program's run, after the death of actor Percy Humus, Tom’s sidekick would become Sheriff Mike Shaw and the plots turned to more of a “western detective” bent. During the war years the two would join the fold of other radio hero’s of the day in battling espionage and various other threats brought on by Japanese and Nazi powers. While many actors would read the role of Tom Mix on the radio, Curley Bradley would become the best know. In the early days of the show he was merely a singing extra, but in 1944 Bradley took over the lead role of Tom and held it until the program’s cancellation in 1950.
In 1943, during the height of the program's popularity, Ralston made a critical error and pulled the series off the air. This was the advent of "daylight savings time" and Ralston assumed that youngsters would not give up an extra hour of playing outside to listen to Tom Mix. The company realized their mistake within weeks, but it took a year before the program was broadcast again on network radio.
In 1949 creators of the program followed the lead of other radio dramas and converted the series to a 30-minute format. But the conversion was not long-lived, nor the program for that matter. The tremendous draw of television was signaling the end of Radio's golden age. The last “Tom Mix Ralston Straight Shooters” program was produced in June of 1950. At the close of the final broadcast announcer Don Gordon signed of with the following declaration.
“In the heart and imagination of the world, Tom Mix rides on and lives on forever.”
There are several sights across the country dedicated to the memory of the “real” Tom Mix. In Dewey, Oklahoma one can visit a museum for Tom Mix and his wonder horse, Tony. There you can find many important relics from Tom Mix’s film and circus career and learn more about his larger than life persona. In Dubois, Pennsylvania the residents hold an annual Tom Mix Festival; and seventeen miles south of Florence, Arizona along a desolate stretch of highway 89 there stands a stone monument with a riderless horse atop, which marks the place where Mix died that sad day in October, 62 years ago.
They ran the Kentucky Derby last Saturday afternoon as the first race in the Triple Crown. Beautiful color, incredible ladies hats, super photography, mint Julips, Derby pie and exciting drama but what makes it for me are those magnificent powerful horses and their skilled riders. I don't have to bet to enjoy.
The favorite horses (3-1), Brother Derek whose home track is Santa Anita in Los Angeles didn't do the job he was expected and the race turned out to be not a race but a walkaway by six lengths by Barbaro The story about the trainer of this horse appeared on the front page of the Denver Post on Friday. Seventeen years ago, United fligtht 232 from Denver to Chicago crashed in an Iowa cornfield. On Saturday, three survivors of that crash will have flown to Louisville to be at trackside, but the draw is not just the horserace. In the words of writer Joseph Sanchez of the Denver Post:
What is drawing them is the man who rescued two of them from that firey crash when they were children traveling alone -- Michael Matz, who now trains Barbaro, one of the Derby favorites. Matz led the two younger Roth kids of the smoldering middle section of the DC-10, and then, with his finance (and now wife) D.D. Alexander, cared for the children until they were reunited with their parents. When Churchill Downs got word of the reunion planned, they offered the Roths a free trip to Louisville and a luxury box from which to cheer for their hero and his horse."
Good going Michael Martz. Good going Barbaro!
My son, Norm Jr., was disappointed that long-time jockey, Pat Day, will not have a mount in this year's Derby. Apparently, the years have caught up with him. Pat has been a man of great skill and character and has unashamedly given witness of his personal faith in Jesus Christ and lived that faith in his daily life, which is important to our family.
Good night, my father was a very conservative preacher but the Kentucky Derby was an enjoyable event for him... especially when it started to be televised in the early 1950's. The Plunketts are an old, very old Southern Indiana and Kentucky family that actually helped open up the Kentucky territory in 1810; our Banta line in 1790's and our Ball line in 1824. My great grandmother's family in Vevay, Indiana -- the Shaws and McKays -- hybridized Timothy in the middle 1800's that allowed it to keep longer and established the horse raising business across the river. They used to float bargeloads of 500 pound bales of Timothy from Vevay, Lamb, and Madison, Indiana down the Ohio River to Louisville where it was sold locally as well as exported around the world.
That fact and my Dad growing up in Indianapolis may have been the reason the Derby was so interesting to him. He NEVER gambled on the race but always wanted us to listen to it on radio and then.... TV took us there in the 1950's. "You know spring has come to Milwaukee when it's Kentucky Derby Day," was dad's favorite phrase. My middle name is Phillip which I was told from early on meant "lover of horses, " and they were important to me all my growing up days.
Dan Fogleberg wrote "The Run for the Roses" which captures the spirit of the race. Oh, it's a rich persons toy and there is lots of booze and gambling... but it's also an exciting challenge and fun to watch. This Saturday will be the 132nd time they've done it. And Churchill Downs had a 250 million dollar facelift last year. I think you might call that a complete makeover.
THE RUN FOR THE ROSES
Born in the valley
And raised in the trees
Of Western Kentucky
On wobbly knees
With mama beside you
To help you along
You'll soon be a growing up strong.
All the long, lazy mornings
In pastures of green
The sun on your withers
The wind in your mane
Could never prepare you
For what lies ahead
The run for the roses so red --
And it's run for the roses
As fast as you can
Your fate is delivered
Your moment's at hand
It's the chance of a lifetime
In a lifetime of chance
And it's high time you joined
In the dance
It's high time you joined
In the dance --
From sire to sire
It's born in the blood
The fire of a mare
And the strength of a stud
It's breeding and it's training
And it's something unknown
That drives you and carries
You home.
And it's run for the roses
As fast as you can
Your fate is delivered
Your moment's at hand
It's the chance of a lifetime
In a lifetime of chance
And it's high time you joined
In the dance
It's high time you joined
In the dance --
YOU BET THE APPEARANCES OF JESUS AFTER HIS DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION IS IMPORTANT!
We have been listing the appearances Jesus made to his disciples and others following his Resurrection as written by Luke and John. What a great time I've had reviewing and organizaing these little vignettes of truth. Today the scripture we present is the close of the Gospel of John. John is not a synoptic gospel as are the other three so his chronology of events is not always exactly as the event may have occurred, but the truth of the event remains constant.
The closing verses of John are written as though they occurred at the “fish breakfast” Jesus cooked for the men. Luke has it occurring in Jerusalem. One thing remains the same. No other world religion or faith system may claim the truth that their leader is still alive – after physical death. This is what the verses we have been using for the past three weeks are saying. “Jesus is alive!” and so will we be when we all face death. Those who have accepted Jesus as God’s Son and have asked him for forgiveness have eternal life. It has absolutely nothing to do with churches, denominations, or the good things we may do for others. True Christianity is not a religion – it’s a relationship. True Christianity is so simple and yet so costly. You have to give God your life.
The last passage we listed was where Jesus asks Peter if he loves him – and asks three times, giving Peter the opportunity to affirm the three denials Peter made just before his crucifixion. Is that beautiful? Remember the Scripture when it said, "Once more he asked him, “Simon, son of John, are you even my friend?” Peter was grieved at the way Jesus asked the question this third time. “Lord, you know my heart; you know I am,” he said. “Then feed my sheep. . . Follow me.” NP
Peter turned around and saw the disciple who Jesus loved following -- the one who had leaned (on his shoulder) at supper that time to ask Jesus, “Master, which of us will betray you?” (Since Peter had just been told how he would die, Peter wanted to know how John was going die.) “What about Him, Lord? What sort of death will he die?”
Jesus replied, “If I want him to live until I return, what is that to you? YOU follow me!” (Hey Pete! Forget the sidetracks. Get focused on the main business!)
So the rumor spread among the brotherhood that the disciples wouldn’t die! But that isn’t what Jesus said at all! He only said, “If I want him to live until I return, what is that to you?”
(Then John says) “I am that disciple! I saw these events and have recorded them here. And we all know that my account of these things is accurate. And I suppose that if all the other events in Jesus’ life were written, the whole world could hardly contain the books!”
(And the book of John ends.)
John 21:20-25 The Living Bible Tyndale Press, Wheaton, IL
Mary Osgood Plunkett thought "Rambln Readers might like to know more about WD-40 that has been as much a part of our lives as silver duct tape. We've listed a phethora of ways this so-called miracle product can be use, misused, and probably abused. I posted this last year and think it's about time for a recycle.
Read the "shower door" part, try it. It's the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower door. It works just as well as glass or tile cleaner -- but have a mat on the floor cause it get's mighty slippery. It's a miracle! Then try it on your stovetop...Voila! It's now shinier than it's ever been. You'll be amazed. And then it suffers the jokes of the competition when they spread the news that it's great for Arthritus.
This miracle product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts.
WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a "water displacement" compound. They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40. The Corsair Company bought it in bulk to protect their Atlas missile parts.
Workers were so pleased with the product, they began smuggling (also known as "shrinkage" or "stealing") it out to use at home. The executives decided there might be a consumer market for it and put it in aerosol cans. The rest, as they say, is history.
The formula for WD-40 is a carefully guarded recipe known only to four people. Only one of them is the "brew master." There are about 2.5 million gallons of the stuff manufactured each year. It gets its distinctive smell from a fragrance that is added to the brew. Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you.
Here are some of the reported successful uses of WD-40:
Protects silver from tarnishing
Cleans and lubricates guitar strings
Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making it slippery
Keeps flies off cows
Restores and cleans chalkboards
Removes lipstick stains
Loosens stubborn zippers
Untangles jewelry chains
Removes stains from stainless steel sinks
Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill
Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing
Removes tomato stains from clothing
Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots
Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors
Keeps scissors working smoothly
Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes
Gives a children's play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide
Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers
Rids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises
Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open
Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close
Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers
Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles
Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans
Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons and bicycles for easy handling
Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly
Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools
Removes splattered grease on stove
Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging
Lubricates prosthetic limbs
Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell)
Removes all traces of duct tape
All if us smile courteously when we hear people say they spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.
Florida's favorite use was "cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers".
The favorite use in the State of New York--WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Also it's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical-laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.
Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately, and stops the itch.
WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and re-wash. Presto! Lipstick is gone!
If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap (if you still have an old car). It displaces the moisture (Remember the reason for its formulation in the first place?)and allows the car to start.
WD-40, long known for its ability to remove left-over tape mung (sticky label tape), is also a lovely perfume and air freshener! Sprayed liberally on every hinge in the house, it leaves that distinctive clean fresh scent for up to two days! Seriously though, it removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor!
Use WD-40 for those nasty tar and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!
THEY'RE ALWAYS COMING OUT WITH SOMETHING NEW IN THIS TECHNOLOGICAL WORLD OF OURS
Introducing the new Bio-Optic Organized Knowledge device. The trade named has been established as "BOOK."
BOOK is a revolutionary breakthrough in technology: no wires, no
electric circuits, no batteries, nothing to be connected or switched on.
It's so easy to use, even a child can operate it.
Compact and portable, it can be used anywhere -- even sitting in an
armchair by the fire -- yet it is powerful enough to hold as much
information as a CD-ROM disc. Here's how it works.
BOOK is constructed of sequentially numbered sheets of paper
(recyclable), each capable of holding thousands of bits of information.
The pages are locked together with a custom-fit device called a binder,
which keeps the sheets in their correct sequence.
Opaque Paper Technology (OPT) allows manufacturers to use both sides of
the sheet, doubling the information density and cutting costs. Experts
are divided on the prospects for further increases in information
density; for now, BOOKs with more information simply use more pages.
Each sheet is scanned optically, registering information directly into
your brain. A flick of the finger takes you to the next sheet. BOOK may
be taken up at any time and used merely by opening it.
Unlike other display devices, BOOK never crashes or requires rebooting,
and it can even be dropped on the floor or stepped on without damage.
However, it can become unusable if immersed in water for a significant
period of time. The "browse" feature allows you to move instantly to any
sheet and move forward or backward as you wish. Many come with an
"index" feature, which pinpoints the exact location of selected
information for instant retrieval.
An optional "BOOKmark" accessory allows you to open BOOK to the exact
place you left it in a previous session -- even if the BOOK has been
closed. BOOKmarks fit universal design standards; thus, a single
BOOKmark can be used in BOOKs by various manufacturers. Conversely,
numerous BOOKmarkers can be used in a single BOOK if the user wants to
store numerous views at once. The number is limited only by the number
of pages in the BOOK.
You can also make personal notes next to BOOK text entries with an
optional programming tool, the Portable Erasable Nib Cryptic
Intercommunication Language Stylus (PENCILS).
Portable, durable, and affordable, BOOK is being hailed as a precursor
of a new entertainment wave. Also, BOOK's appeal seems so certain that
thousands of content creators have committed to the platform and
investors are reportedly flocking. Look for a flood of new titles soon.
=========
Carolyn Wuthrich, a friend of May's passed this on. Dick Schaaf, Vernacular Engineering from Apple Valley, CA in on the piece. Don't know if he is the author
or a "passer on."
Here are some links that are close to my heart because they are friends or family. I try to always have great links at the end of many of my Ramblins articles -- links that relate to the article itself -- but here are some more that will help us move out of our "three-foot circles."
Each of the lines below is a link that will take you to an interesting Website when you click it.
The old and semi-retired Internet Flyer, Harvard No Land discovered an excellent Web site that might help you some day. Here's want Harvey wrote to his friends and to me:
"If you aren't familiar with this site, check it out. It's pretty amazing. Try to find a hymn they don't have listed." Put it on your favorites for that time when there is a questions about "words."
We're always honored by visitors. We do our best to provide new information on this "Ramblin" page ... and leave some of the stuff we think is extra good a little longer than the others. Please visit again.
We'd enjoy hearing from you. Drop us a note. We'd enjoy knowing you're visitin.' To do so, click the "Drop Us A Note" link right below.
We extend to you an old Southern salutation you don't hear much any more down here.... "Ya'll come back now, ya'hear?"
Norman Plunkett
God is good -- ALWAYS!
And especially as He floods you with all the grace you need no matter what the situation. As you trust Him, God's grace is always just enough and always on time.
