Birmingham, Alabama is home to Rickwood Field, the oldest surviving professional baseball field. Rickwood Field was built in 1910 by Rick Woodward, Birmingham industrialist. Rickwood was the host for the minor league Birmingham Barons and the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues. This writer has sentiment for Rickwood because I saw the greats play there: Dave Duncan, Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers, Catfish Hunter, Vida Blue, and Bert Campaneris. However, I also appreciate Rickwood because this stadium was built with private funds. No tax dollars went toward the construction of Rickwood Field. This should be a rebuke to the Dome movement of the current Mayor. While the Birmingham Barons moved to the Hoover Met in 1987, the Barons maintain an annual event at Rickwood Field. On Wednesday, May 27 the Rickwood Classic will highlight a Barons game with the Mississippi Braves, Once a year, the grand old stadium is opened for a day game. Minor League Baseball is polling to see which Minor League Classic event is the top event. Join with me in voting for the Rickwood Classic. Scroll down on the Minor League Baseball website and vote for the Rickwood Classic. You can get information on the Rickwood Classic and other Barons games at the Birmingham Barons website.
Today, Rick Warren of the Saddleback Church in California prayed at the inauguration of President Obama. While some may pick apart his prayer, Rick Warren was true to Christ and gave glory to God. His prayer brought an amen from this writer when Rick Warren prayed that all would remember that we are accountable to God. His closing praise to the Lord Jesus thrilled my soul. While I am not issuing a blanket agreement with everything Rick Warren says or does, I am glad that Rick Warren did not abandon his bedrock faith. Thank you Rick Warren. You can hear this prayer here:
On April 9, 1865 the father of Lee biographer, Douglas Southall Freeman watched General Lee ride away from Appomattox Courthouse and an old man ran out into the road and cried, with hands uplifted “ We love you, General Lee! We love you more than we ever did!” As we are entering a new century, we are enjoying prosperity and progress like never before. But even in light of this progress, our hearts are turned to honor the memory of one Robert Edward Lee and as we face uncertain days for our heritage and our culture, we declare “we love you more than we ever did.” Our ancestors who knew Lee, who rode under his Generalship, who saw firsthand the effects of his leadership and character, saw the urgency and the importance of marking General Lee’s birthday as a holiday. This holiday is to be kept as an opportunity and an obligation to tell succeeding generations of the greatness of this man and the enduring quality of the principles that he fought for. Today, we are gathered here with heads held high, voices uplifted and with hearts full in honor of one of God’s greatest soldiers — General Robert Edward Lee. There are certain reasons why Lee is today revered so highly — so much so that a news related poll two years ago noted that Lee is still — well over a century after his death in 1870, still the South’s most revered figure. What characteristics of Lee so mark his greatness? Please allow me to give two choices made by our General that set him apart, yea, sanctify our General to a position of greatness among us. I. Choice for Constitution which set Lee’s Earthly Destiny Robert E. Lee was born into the famous Lee family of Virginia. Perhaps no extended family played a larger role in the founding of our Federal Republic than the Lee Family of Virginia. His father, “Lighthorse Harry” Lee was George Washington’s closest friend and at Washington’s funeral gave Washington the praise “first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen.” Young Robert grew up with the desire to emulate George Washington. As a young man, Robert E. Lee won appointment to the US Military Academy where he finished near the top of his class, never receiving a demerit during his entire time as a Cadet. From there on, Robert E. Lee was the epitome of an all-American young man. He became a hero in the Mexican War and was named Superintendent of the US Military Academy. Now mind you, I am not just trying to recount his life to this point. I am hoping that you will understand when the crisis of secession came in 1861, Robert Edward Lee was considered a stellar American patriot. No military man had the leadership ability and confidence of fellow military men like Lee. This is evidenced by the fact that when the War began, Mr. Lincoln offered Robert E. Lee command of the Union forces. Please consider the scenario here. This young man had devoted his life to the service of the Union. He had trained to serve the military of the Union. His father and his uncles were part of the founding of this Union. Now, his lifelong dream had been realized as he could follow the steps of his hero Washington as commander of the Union. This was the most agonizing choice Lee ever faced. Unlike the fire eaters like Edmund Ruffin, Robert Toombs and William Lowndes Yancey, Lee initially opposed secession, feeling it not the wisest immediate course. So, how could Lee ever turn down this magnificent offer? Lee understood a deeper loyalty than loyalty to an organic Union. Lee understood that the highest loyalty is loyalty to the principle and Lee chose to follow the Constitution. Lee had studied Rawle’s writings at West Point and had been nurtured at the breast of self-government under a Republican form of government. Lee correctly understood that secession was a right and that the Union was formed by the States. Thus, Lee’s highest patriotic duty was with his native Virginia. Hear me today! While it may seem strange in our 21st Century to speak of secession, our founding fathers all understood that the states formed the Union, thus giving them a right to leave the Union. Lee understood that our Constitution is a compact among states and this was the prevailing view of most Americans during the first 80 years of our existence as a Republic. So, Lee had great sentiment with the Union, but he chose the Constitution and cast his lot with his highest loyalty, his home state of Virginia. Lee truly followed his hero, George Washington by choosing the Constitution. Robert Frost’s poem The Road Less Traveled concludes with “I took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” We are here today because Lee took the road less traveled by. He chose principle over expediency. Have you considered what would have happened if Lee had taken Mr. Lincoln’s offer? Well, for starters, he would have been the North’s most brilliant officer and would likely have shortened the War. But Lee’s greatness is not diminished due to providence determining that our side lost. Lee’s choice was to do that which was right. Lee may have been made President of these United States, may have died a rich man— but Lee made a choice that enabled him to die with a clear conscience. He stood for that which he knew to be right. We thrill at the Biblical stories of Daniel, cast in a den of lions, of little David and his defeat of the wicked giant Goliath with just a sling shot and the three Hebrew children who were cast into the fiery furnace, but yet protected by God. But there are other Biblical examples. John the Baptist was beheaded, early martyrs torn apart by lions and our Lord crucified on a tree. Right is not guaranteed to prevail in this life. Lee understood that he had no guarantee of earthly success, but he chose to do right by standing on the Constitution and in defense of his native Virginia. II. Choice for Christ which settle Lee’s Eternal Destiny Robert Edward Lee was a man with a deep devotion and faith in God and in the death and resurrection of Christ for his own salvation. In a meeting with Confederate Chaplains, when Rev. B.T. Lacy told General Lee that he men in the field were praying for him, his eyes filled with tears and he responded “I am but a poor sinner trusting in Christ alone for salvation and need all of the prayers that can be offered for me.” Often, General Lee was moved to tears by the preaching of the Gospel. He was known to share prayer books and to urge men as they faced battle to turn to Christ as they faced peril. Lee’s faith was not the public, civil religion that we are inundated with by public officials, but a deep, abiding faith that he was guided by in every decision. J. William Jones was a Baptist minister and author of The Life and Letters of Robert E. Lee told of a meeting of the Chaplains with Lee when Jones stated that the men forgot they were dealing with the great warrior and enjoyed communing with an humble, earnest Christian. In the difficult days of Reconstruction, Lee served as President of Washington College in Lexington, VA, now known as Washington and Lee University. Lee would bring preachers in, of various denominations and urged them to preach Christ. He often expressed that his main desire was to see the students become Christians. He was known to visit the sick around Lexington in the afternoons and spent the last evening of public life at a vestry meeting of his local Episcopal Church asking them to raise the salary of his pastor. He caught cold in the night air and died shortly thereafter. Lee’s last words were “strike the tent.” This is significant in light of the Apostle Paul’s words in II Corinthians where Paul makes comparison of our bodies to an earthly tent that is blown and then folds up but is replaced by a heavenly home, not made with human hands. General Lee’s favorite song was How Firm a Foundation and we can say for certain that his faith was firm that when his earthly tent folded, he would take on a heavenly existence. So, with faith he could say “strike the tent.” Benjamin H. Hill said of Lee “He was a foe without hate, a friend without treachery, a soldier without cruelty, a victim without murmuring. He was a public officer without vices, a private citizen without wrong, a neighbor without reproach, a Christian without hypocrisy and a man without guilt. He was Caesar without his tyranny, Napoleon without his selfishness, and Washington without his reward.” In a day of uncertainty and challenge to the very bedrock principles we have believed, may the greatness of Lee stand to challenge us toward honor, toward faith and toward a determination that the Cause for which Lee fought and Jackson died will never be shamed and by God’s help may we honorably stand. Robert Edward Lee is the best of that which is produced from Southern culture. I pray that the Southern people will not turn their back on the noble honor of Robert E. Lee. Even today, Lee's birthday is an official holiday in several states, including Alabama. Robert E. Lee's memory should never be lost. Rather, the honor and character of Lee should remain as a model for character. On this state holiday, take two minutes to watch the video from Gettysburg as the men paid tribute to General Lee.
Each January, hundreds of concerned pro-lifers gather in historic Brother Bryan Park near Five Points South in Birmingham to peacefully witness support for the right-to-life. Regardless of the weather, these faithful souls gather to march past abortion clinics in silence, in remembrance of those unborn babies who met a painful and violent death through abortion. The 2009 Birmingham March for Life will be held this Saturday, January 17 at 10:45 AM at Brother Bryan Park. The event lasts no longer than one hour. On January 22, 1973, the US Supreme Court handed down Roe vs. Wade, a landmark decision that struck down laws in all fifty states which prohibited abortion. Since that time, pro-life Americans have worked hard to limit abortion until Roe vs. Wade could be repealed. According to National Right to Life, the number of abortions performed since Roe vs. Wade passed is approaching fifty million. Think of the effect on the work force with fifty million absent workers in a coming generation. The Birmingham March for Life is peaceful, openly stating opposition to violence. The mood is somber and spiritual. Polls now show that a majority of Americans oppose abortion on demand. In Alabama, opposition to abortion is extremely high. May I kindly urge that you bring that conviction to the March for Life and join this peaceful and legal demonstration of the support for protecting human life.
According to Pete Shotton's The Beatles, Lennon and Me, the Beatles were looking at fan mail and John Lennon picked out a letter from a student at Quarry Bank who informed the Beatles that his literature master in school was playing Beatles music and then leading the class in discussion about the meaning of the songs. Each Beatles song was analyzed for meaning. The fun-loving Beatles thought this was hilarious, so they set out to write a non-sensical song for the literature masters to analyze. The memory of the band playing in Quarry Bank reminded them of a silly ditty about slapping yellow matter custard on a dead dog's eye. The foolishness among them led to the writing of the famous hit I Am the Walrus, lead song on the album Magical Mystery Tour. One of my favorite lines in the song was Semolina Pilchard climbing up the Eiffel Tower. Semolina was a grainy pudding that John Lennon was forced to eat as a child. Pilchard was a brand of sardines fed to cats. Why does all of this strike me as funny? Because many Christians have determined to read something about drugs, Communism, or perversion into every line of every Beatle song. Some tried to link Semolina Pilchard to a drug agent named Pilcher who had busted some British rock stars. However, Officer Pilcher came on the scene after the song. As a side note, Pilcher was arrested for corruption. I remember a well-known preacher damning the Beatles' satirical song Back in the USSR, a parody of the Beach Boys' California Girls, which thoroughly mocked the Soviet Union. The song was condemned as advocating Soviet Communism.This preacher came to the line let me hear your balalaikas ringing out and shouted that he would not use that word (balalaikas) in public. A balalaika is simply a Russian musical instrument. Just for fun, here are the lyrics to the non-sensical I Am the Walrus. At the end of the song, you hear um-pah, um-pah, pickin' up the um-pah over and over. Some claimed that the words were ho, ho, ha ha, everybody's smokin' pot. Note the phrases such as sitting on a cornflake. Such is the substance that made I Am the Walrus.
I Am the Walrus Lyrics Artist(Band):The Beatles Review The Song (174) Print the Lyrics
I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together. See how they run like pigs from a gun, see how they fly. I'm crying.
Sitting on a cornflake, waiting for the van to come. Corporation t-shirt, stupid bloody Tuesday. Man, you been a naughty boy, you let your face grow long. I am the eggman (woo), they are the eggmen (woo), I am the walrus, goo goo gajoob.
Mister City P'liceman sitting Pretty little policemen in a row. See how they fly like Lucy in the Sky, see how they run. I'm crying. I'm cry, I'm crying, I'm cry.
Yellow matter custard, dripping from a dead dog's eye. Crabalocker fishwife, pornographic priestess, Boy, you been a naughty girl and you let your knickers down. I am the eggman (woo), they are the eggmen (woo), I am the walrus, goo goo gajoob.
Sitting in an English garden waiting for the sun. If the sun don't come, you get a tan from Standing in the English rain. I am the eggman, they are the eggmen, I am the walrus, goo goo gajoob ga goo goo gajoob.
Expert texpert choking smokers, Don't you think the joker laughs at you? (ho ho ho, he he he, ha ha ha) See how they smile like pigs in a sty, see how they snide. I'm crying.
Semolina Pilchard, climbing up the Eiffel Tower. Elementary penguin singing Hare Krishna. Man, you should have seen them kicking Edgar Allan Poe. I am the eggman, they are the eggmen, I am the walrus, goo goo gajoob ga goo goo gajoob (rhythmical speaking along with juba's). Juba juba juba, juba, juba, juba, juba, juba, juba juba. Juba juba..... (speaking) or, you can watch the video here
For the past ten years, Cherryholmes has powerfully impacted the Bluegrass Music scene with excellent albums and tremendous songs. More than once the Cherryholmes Family Band has won awards at the International Bluegrass Music Awards (IBMA) for their talent, including 2005 Bluegrass Group of the Year. Various members of the band have received awards for their individual talent. The Cherryholmes Band has received multiple Grammy nominations. Regular readers of Musings from Maytown may remember Cherryholmes as a band formed by father of the family, Jere Cherryholmes. This home-schooling family learned to play instruments in mere months and began touring on their own, establishing themselves as premier entertainers in Bluegrass Music. With Jere on the upright bass, mother Sandy playing mandolin, daughter Cia Leigh on the banjo, sons Skip and BJ on guitar and violin, and the youngest daughter Molly on the left-handed fiddle, Cherryholmes has developed a style of high-energy bluegrass called Bluegrass on Steroids. Cherryholmes presents how Christians can execute their talent in a secular venue with a Christian worldview. The latest Cherryholmes album was reviewed here at Musings from Maytown. One song from that album ranked near the top of the bluegrass charts, This is My Son, featuring Cia Leigh Cherryholmes on lead vocals. Now, for a new chapter in the Cherryholmes success story, on January 12, Cherryholmes will expand beyond the bluegrass market as they release a re-mix of This is My Son on country stations. Listen to a video of this great hit and when January 12 comes, join with me in contacting your local country station and ask them to play This is My Son by Cherryholmes.
Readers of Musings from Maytown predicted, by a 33-9 vote, that the Florida Gators would defeat the Oklahoma Sooners in the BCS Championship Bowl to be played Thursday evening, January 8. While Las Vegas predicts a Sooner victory, the intelligent readers of Musings from Maytown see this game as a Gator win. One note worthy of consideration is the low vote totals in this poll. This past week, traffic has been steadily high on Musings from Maytown. For the second week in a row, Blog Net News has declared Musings from Maytown as Alabama' most influential blog. We thank the kind, but perceptive calculators at Blog Net News. Why the low vote totals? We can guess that readers were burned after soundly predicting an Alabama victory in the Sugar Bowl. Another reason is that fans are truly uncertain on how the BCS bowl will fare. Nonetheless, this game should be an offensive barn burner with two of the finest quarterbacks in college football history. One question remains: will this game determine a national championship or will the Utah Utes have a legitimate claim on the national title?
Already, the news media is portraying Israel as invaders and the poor Palestinians as victims as the Israeli Army has moved troops into Gaza in retaliation for the shelling of Israeli areas from the terrorist group Hamas. If one formed opinions only from the perspectives presented by many media outlets, one would believe that the folks in Gaza simply seek self-determination and the tyrannical Israelis are wanting to swallow their land and treat them like slaves. CNN raised the issue that an Israeli missile hit dangerously close to a UN school, not mentioning that Hamas terrorists were utilizing the school as a place of harbor. First of all, Musings from Maytown has no reason to act as apologist for every action of the state of Israel. No doubt, that nation 's record is not blameless in regards to human rights. The same can be said of virtually every nation at some point in their history. While this does not justify mistreatment, nor should we single out Israel as a failure in human rights. One might be surprised to compare the standard of living for Palestinians who live within Israel as opposed to Palestinians in Third World countries. Should we support a Palestinian homeland? Consider that Israel has conceded land adjacent to their border for an Israeli homeland. Consider that when the Ottoman Empire was divided, with the ultimate result that Jewish citizens worldwide began to settle in that area, a Palestinian area was provided. That area is called Jordan. While Israel has long supported the rights of Palestinians to live peacefully within their borders and while Israel has conceded land, these concessions have never satisfied the Palestinians, who continue to call for the liquidation of the Israeli state. Hamas is a terrorist group with a stronghold in Lebanon. Gaining ground in Gaza, Hamas has continued to shell Southern Israel. Having enough, Israeli troops have gone into Gaza to root out the Hamas stronghold. The actions of the Israeli military simply provides that Israel can live in peace. One might wonder what role should be taken by the United States. In a nutshell, we need to stay out of the conflict on either side. In the Gulf War of 1991, US pressure kept Israel from retaliation to the Iraqi missiles hurled into Israeli areas. While the United States does budget billions for aid to Israel, billions more are given to their Arab enemies. The current US budget grants $2.4 billion for Israel, but $1.7 billion for Egypt, $798 million for Pakistan, $688 million for Jordan, and on it goes. American dependence on Middle Eastern oil is a constant concern for Israel, since our foreign policy dare not offend the Saudis and other oil-producing nations. A policy of drilling here in the US would lessen our dependence for oil on nations who fund terrorists who threaten both the US and Israel. Our hope is that Israel will secure their future by protecting their nation. Furthermore, the US should stay out of Israel's way and tend to our own porous borders.
This past weekend, this editor and his wife covered the film Valkyrie for Musings from Maytown. Featuring Tom Cruise, Valkyrie is already ranked among the top five films of the season. Valkyrie details the plot of July 20, 1944 devised by German officers to assassinate Adolph Hitler. Cruise played the mastermind of the plot Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg. The climax of the plot came when a bomb was planted in a briefcase and carried into the Wolf's Lair, where the meeting was held with Hitler and his key military advisors. Stauffenberg determined that Hitler and leader of the SS Heinrich Himmler. Operation Valkyrie was Stauffenberg's plan to utilize the Reserves to immediately arrest the SS leaders, depose Hitler's regime, and end the war. When the blast went off in the Wolf's Lair, Stauffenberg assumed that Hitler had been killed, and immediately passed orders to arrest the SS members and depose the government. However, all fell through when Adolph Hitler spoke on national radio to assure the German people that their Fuhrer lived. This editor makes no claim to have a depth of understanding of Hitler's National Socialism and the details of the War effort. However, this editor was raised by a father who was a World War II veteran who was present on D-Day. Both uncles served in the European theater during that great War. When the film displayed the efforts to depose the Nazi leaders, this writer found himself wondering why the German leaders didn't go along with the efforts. Why did the matter stand or fall on Hitler's survival or his death? Obviously, the force of his personal leadership was able to determine that the coup failed and Hitler remained in power. After viewing the film, this writer checked in with Jeff Massey, Oklahoma Attorney and World War II scholar who confirmed that German soldiers had, prior to Hitler's rise to power, pledged allegiance to the Fatherland. Hitler re-wrote that pledge so that soldiers, entering the German military, were to pledge allegiance to the Fuhrer. My mind began to swim at the blind loyalty to men who likely would not have consented to Hitler's agenda, but did, as many claimed at Nuremberg, simply took orders. With the Fuhrer alive, the country would follow the path of death and tyranny. With the Fuhrer dead, Germany would restore a humane approach to government. Frankly, this angers me. Right is not determined by the life or death of a leader. Principles stand the test of time, not individuals. This is the genius of the American system. Our officials and our military pledge, not to a President, not even to a government, but to the US Constitution. That which makes America is not George Bush or Barack Obama. America is the great nation we are because of our principles-- principles that were founded on limits of government. Prior to the 20th Century, Germany had imbibed a liberal theology, rejecting the old Reformation truths of Martin Luther, which taught the sinfulness of man and the sovereignty of God. A belief in evolution led to the belief that humanity would ascend and achieve greatness. Thus, a belief in breeding out inferior people fit their evolutionary mindset. Society would be improved by a superior race that had advanced farther in the evolutionary cycle. Humanity was the center of existence and not God. The United States was founded my individuals who knew that man is basically sinful, hence too much power in one place is dangerous. The rights of the people are protected from a big government. The next step is an almost religious devotion to a person or a national cause, rather than to right principles. In Hitler's Germany, Hitler changed the principles. When principles are based on moral absolutes, then those principles do not change. In one of the closing scenes of Valkyrie, Colonel von Staufffenberg was executed before a firing squad. A common solider stepped forward to take the bullets with the Colonel. Somehow, I believe that the Colonel could die with a clear conscience in that he had acted on principle. Personalities come and go, movements move on, but principles are eternal. I pray that Valkyrie causes viewers to see the danger of a government with too much control and also the danger of blind allegiance to that government. Our allegiance is always to principles, and then ultimately to God.
The Alabama Crimson Tide crashed and burned in their 31-17 loss to the Utah Utes. Not only did Las Vegas odds makers favor the Tide, but the normally reliable readership of Musings from Maytown overwhelmingly predicted a Tide victory. Honest observers must offer heart felt congratulations to the Utah Utes for making opportunities and exploiting Tide weaknesses. What were the keys to the Utah victory? 1) Alabama's offensive line was in disarray. From the absence of Outland Trophy winner Andre Smith, to the playing of two true freshmen on the line, Alabama's normally powerful offensive line was at their weakest. This weakness was displayed in that the normally steady Quarterback John Parker Wilson was sacked eight times, threw two interceptions, and lost a fumble. These difficulties came because Wilson had inadequate protection from the offensive line. Credit is due to the Utah coaching staff for detecting the potential weakness and maximizing the lack of protection for Alabama's quarterback. Alabama's weak running game was also affected by a weak offensive line. 2) Utah came out with the no-huddle offense, throwing Alabama off guard and resulting in an early 21-0 lead. As it turns out, this early scoring flurry more than made the difference in the game. 3) Alabama's defensive tacking appeared to be weak. Earlier in the season, Musings from Maytown noted Alabama's lack of impact tackling, but that problem seemed to be corrected by mid-season. One cannot help but wonder if the Andre Smith controversy, the New Orleans surroundings, and perhaps lack of respect for Utah may not have distracted the Tide. Musings from Maytown believes that Coach Saban will guide the Tide to recover quickly, produce a stellar recruiting season, and lead the Tide back to greatness in the 2009 season.
industrialist. Rickwood was the host for the minor league Birmingham Barons and the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues. 
