The weekly news update featuring First National League Baseball Game
To all North Pole City Elves, those in Santa's Village, in the Lower 48 and all around the world, this is your weekly update for the week of April 17, 2023. I'm your host Walter "Mistletoe" Livingstone and I'm your co-host, Becky "Marshmallow" Livingstone, Let's go to press.
For the week of April 17, 2023 your sponsor will be Yule Love It at 117 Silver Bell Circle. Whether you want a steaming cup of cocoa or a whole meal...We know Yule love it! Stop by today for a free hot cocoa with any order. That is: Yule Love it on Silver Bell Circle.
Santa has cancelled this week's work-out schedule for the reindeer team due to their long flights this past week while they were out travelling to Easter Island and some of the other locations that they flew to during Santa's trip. "They all did quite well, but they could sure use some rest," he said when he returned, "they all deserve some extra carrots and some extra sleep this week." Santa is known to be a very aggressive pilot and does push the reindeer team when they are traveling. This is why they are exercised every other day and are on a very special diet to keep them fit and ready to go at a moments notice.
Edward Hinklemyer has issued a notice that there will be a training and apprentice seminar sometime in September for anyone wishing to become a full fledged craftsman elf in Santa's workshop. There have been over 1000 applicants so far this year who have applied for retirement and will be ending their service at the end of this season. This large number of retirements happen about once every 100 years and Edward believes that by bringing in the newer applicants to work with the current craftsman before they leave will create a much easier transition period.
The division of WWW/PR will be working with Mrs. Claus this week to create a new webpage connected to her site that will cover the history and etiquette of teas. Friday is international tea day and they hope to have the page completed and posted by then. Be sure to check out the TAOLF.com website for more information.
This week in North Pole Weather it willl be between -13 and -22. There is also snow in the forecast on Wednesday. There is a 60% chance of snow on Wednesday with the accumulation being a very small amount (only 1/2 an inch), but any snow is amazing in the North Pole. The rest of the week will be a mix of sun and clouds. So get outside and enjoy!
WELF-NPC has invited all of the columnists at the Peppermint Post over to the studio on Tuesday for a meet and greet and a luncheon for Newspaper Columnist Day. This is a fun event that we have every year and we look forward to spending some time with those who write our copy each week. Lunch will begin at noon.
On April 22, 1876, the first official National League baseball game was played. The Boston Red Caps beat the Philadelphia Athletics, 6-5. The game lasted two hours and 5 minures and was played in Philadelphia 100 years after the country was born in the same place. The game was palayed under "favorable" weather before 3,000 fans at the Athletics' grounds at 25th and Jefferson streets", a Philadelphia Inquirer reported, continuing with "The Athletics should have won the game, but their fielding was poor."
In September 1845, a group of New York City men founded the New York Knickerbocker Baseball Club. One of them—volunteer firefighter and bank clerk Alexander Joy Cartwright—would codify a new set of rules that would form the basis for modern baseball, calling for a diamond-shaped infield, foul lines and the three-strike rule. He also abolished the dangerous practice of tagging runners by throwing balls at them. Cartwright’s changes made the pastime faster-paced and more challenging.
While April 22, 1876 was the first official National League game, the teams were not the first in professional baseball—the first pro team was the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings. The National League was also not the first major professional baseball league—the first league was the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players which formed in 1871. The National Association was loosely configured and had no central leadership or authority to govern its teams. Therefore, corruption, gambling, drunkenness and other malpractices became commonplace. That allowed William Hubert, an Illinois businessman and owner of the Chicago White Stockings, to emerge as the founder of the much more stable National League.
Hubert took the six strongest clubs from the National Association—the Boston Red Stockings (which became the Red Caps), Philadelphia Athletics, Hartford Dark Blues, St. Louis Brown Stockings, Chicago White Stockings and New York Mutuals—and two new clubs the Louisville Grays and Cincinnati Reds to form the National League. Hubert put new rules in place that gave the new league a better chance for success than its predecessor. It was an invite-only league and teams had to pay substantial league dues and were subject to league discipline for misbehavior.
In 1876, the pitching mound was 45 feet from home plate instead of today's 60 feet, six inches. Pitches were supposed to be delivered underhanded, but pitchers "violated that rule with impunity," says John Thorn, Major League Baseball's official historian. Nine errant balls walked a batter instead of four in the modern game. Before an at-bat, a batter could specify a high strike zone (waist to shoulders) or low one (waist to shin).
In the first game, Boston scored the new league’s first run in the second inning by George Wright. They then also took a two-run lead into the bottom of the ninth following hits by Murnane, Schafer, and Manning, but the Athletic club wasn’t defeated yet. Lon Knight doubled, stole third, and scored on Force’s out. Then Parks couldn't handle David Eggler's "difficult chance," putting the tying run on second. Fisler hit a foul ball that McGinley, playing with one eye, caught. Down to one last out, the Athletics got a reprieve when Boston third baseman Schafer muffed Meyerle’s grounder. That brought up Sutton, who managed only a "feeble hit" back to the pitcher, who retired him at first. The Bostons were then the 6–5 winners in the first of many games to come that continue to this day.
The offices of the North Pole City Commerce will be closed this week since the executive board will be out and about all week strolling up and down the streets of North Pole City to stop by and check out some of the member's establishments and try to recruit more members. With over 5,000 members in the association, this is still close to only a fourth of the businesses within North Pole City. The goal of the association is to try and gain 1000 new members this fiscal year.
Today is National Kickball Day and the North Pole City Sports League will be holding intermural type games in their large arena center all week for anyone who would like to come and join in on one of the several pick-up games going on all week. All of the games will be based on a first to 10 wins format, so there will be several games going on all week, just for the fun of it. There will be sandwiches and beverages available for all participants as well.
In community events, this week we start with Cheeseball Day on Monday the 17th. Celebrate with Mrs. Claus' Kitchen as they share a Mini Cheeseball Appetizer Buffet with various cheeseball types for you to try.
Then on Tuesday the 18th we celebrate International Juggling Day. The Elf Juggler Association will be having demonstrations and juggling lessons all day at the North Pole City Hotel.
On Thursday the 19th it is Look Alike Day and High Five Day. We encourage all elves to find someone to dress like to celebrate and don't forget to give everyone you see a high five!
Friday the 21st is Chocolate Covered Cashew Day and Tea Day. There will be a stand in city center with chocolate covered cashews for passers by provided by Santa Himself. He picked them up from the Easter Bunny on his trip to Easter Island. Mrs. Claus will be holding a High Tea as well and reservations are due by Tuesday.
Then Saturday is Earth Day! Be sure to do something to be kind to our Earth!
On Sunday, it is Movie Theater Day and Talk Like Shakespeare Day. The Movie Theater will be showing all movies based on Shakespearian Plays. Get a free ticket if you talk with a Shakespearian dialect when you come to the ticket window.
WELF NPC would like to wish a very happy 800th Birthday to Alan "Cinnamon" Twinklestein of Santa's Workshop. Alan has been in charge of painting the eyes and eyelashes on dolls for at least 300 years now. Before that he used to sculpt toy waggons. We wish him many more happy years.
This is Walter "Mistletoe" Livingstone and Becky "Marshmallow" Livingstone with the reminder: Life is like a tea cup – to be filled to the brimm and enjoyed with friends!.
Have a good evening, and be sure to tune in next week for another WELF-NPC North Pole Radio News Update.
