Jamesian Philosophy Refreshed

As soon as Abraham Lincoln received a favorable battle report from Gettysburg in early July 1863, he at once paired the time of year with the time in which the United States had declared its independence from its mother country, and before long Lincoln did the arithmetic.  The two events were separated by 87 years. Months passed before Lincoln spoke on the subject of that battle and its consequences (in November), but his famous address on that occasion begins with the invocation of the length of time that passed between the two events: four score and seven years.  This is likely the only reason the word "score" in that sense remains in the English language.  All of which, as we close in on the 250th anniversary of the same declaration of independence, induces me to ask: what happened just 87 years ago as I write?  That would be 1939. What happened on independence day that year? Four score and seven years ago, legendary first baseman Lou Gehrig delivered a farewell a...

  The name "Wally Pipp" used to be famous among baseball fans. It was famous for decades. It became a coded way of saying "never call in sick!" Pipp was the first baseman for the New York Yankees for a decade, 1915 to 1925. That's his picture above. Pipp lost his job in early June of the latter year, when he complained of a headache. The manager took him out of the line up, and put in a bench warmer to play first base for the day.  That proved a disaster for Pipp and a big break for the erstwhile bench warmer: Lou Gehrig. "Uh, Mr. Pipp, does it kinda make you wish he would get a terrible disease that needs a new name?"   Boo, Hiss. I'm evil. I had actually planned to write something about the Renaissance again today and to explain what I see as the historic/aesthetic significance of the Bosch painting I have mentioned.   But I'll leave further explication for next week. In the meantime, whatever your job is dear reader: Don't Call in Sick!