Date:  Mon, 6 Oct 1997 06:18:30 -0400
From:  "Barry A. Popik" <Bapopik[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]AOL.COM>
Subject: "The Backbone of America"; First Monday in October; NY Yankees

THE BACKBONE OF AMERICA

  OED's non-anatomical definitions for "backbone" include "the main or
important element, mainstay" (earliest citation is 1849) and "strength of
character, stability of purpose, resoluteness, sturdiness, firmness"
(earliest citation is 1843). OED found English citations, but America may
have had "backbone" first.
   This is from the Charleston Mercury, 20 June 1840, pg. 2, col. 6:

_From the New Orleans Picayune._ (Probably only a few days prior to
this--ed.)
 "THE BACKBONE OF AMERICA."
VHICH IS CLOSELY CONNECTED VITH THE SUBJECT OF ANATOMY.
  Ve're trav'lin' o'er our "backbone," George,
  And I tell you it's a vide bone!
  But vouldn't it be proper
  If it vas called our _side_ bone?
  Our figure's wery much increased
  Awkvard at wery best,
  And vhile condensin' in the east,
  Ve've spread out in the vest!

  Vell, George, ve should have too much sides
  For von poor back to bear,
  But luckily in fattenin' ve
  Prowided for that 'ere;
  Ve've got _two_ backbones! vhich prewents
  All such lopsided bother,
  And yonder sun's the vhole day long
  Trav'lin' from von to t'other!

  Two spines! a wery curious fact
  In the "order wertebrated;"
  And then our _ribs_ of States, so vide
  And vell "articulated!"
  Our soil so braced with muscle, and
  Such rivers for our weins;
  And all our "wiscera" complete
  Except, perhaps, the brains!
(...)
  --STRAWS.
   Alleghany Mountains.

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FIRST MONDAY IN OCTOBER (What else could follow "backbone"?)

   This phrase--from the Constitution--signals the start of the United
States Supreme Court's session. I had planned to be there to file a "friend
of the court" brief on the Ellis Island case. I queried the American Name
Society last year and turned up wonderful stuff.
   I won't be there!
   Long sad story, but here goes--
   Two months ago, I again told my employers (Mayor Giuliani's office and
the Dept. of Finance's Inspector General) how, in 1993, many newspapers had
suggested that someone run for the useless, superfluous position of Public
Advocate and return the money to the city. I had read that and filed for a
Conflicts of Interest Board advisory opinion, and was told months later that
I'd be ignored. I then filed a complaint with the Dept. of
Investigation--and finally received an "advisory opinion" after the election!
 This was a violation of the city charter! It wasn't until earlier this year
that I learned that the DOI had closed my case without telling me, and had
taken no action.
  I also told my employers (again--Mayor Giuliani's office and Dept. of
Finance) that I've had my father die this year, and then my mother die this
year, and how all this was about the incredible, five-year humiliation I've
suffered for solving "the Big Apple," and doing a single good deed, and how I
would appreciate, after all these years, if not justice on the charter
violation, then at least the slightest kindness of a reply.
  My employers never replied.
  My job, by the way, is to give justice to people with parking tickets.
  So it's the "First Monday in October," and I'm not there!!
  Back to etymology. How about those Yankees?

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NEW YORK YANKEES

   Another Yankee playoff series, another incorrect Yankee history book.
   This is from THE YANKEES: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY (1997) by George
Sullivan and John Powers, pg. 11, col. 1:

   In the spring of 1913, _New York Press_ sports editor Jim Price, tired
of trying to cram the word "Highlanders" into his headlines, began using
"Yankees" instead. So the team, which figured it might smell sweeter by any
other name, adopted it.

   As I posted here last year: it was April 1904, it was in William
Randolph Hearst's New York Evening Journal, the sports pages were edited by
Harry Beecher, who was the grandson of preacher Henry Ward Beecher and the
grandnephew of author Harriet Beecher Stowe, the team had just returned from
playing in the South....