Monthly Archives: September 2021

Downstream, the Science History Institutes new exhibition about river water analysis over the last 200 years, explains the political and scientific history of watershed protection.

It opens Tuesday, Sept. 14, and answers the questions: What did we know, and when did we know it?

It starts at the birth of the United States, in the late 1700s when the capital of the new nation, Philadelphia, was a wet and stinking mess, according to the oversized text that immediately greets visitors upon entry.

The area around what is now Dock Street in Old City was dense with leather tanners and beer brewers, whose effluvia choked what was then Dock Creek with pollutants.

Curator Jesse Smith said people could see, smell, and taste the contaminants in the network of creeks that used to form a web of waterways throughout Philadelphia. Their human senses were their primary analytical tools.

It was biological, he said. Waste from industries like tanning, like brewing, animals that were left to rot in waterways, and also vast amounts of human waste.

Arranged chronologically, Downstream starts with the mess that was Center City water and follows the progressive development of water science over the next two centuries, and how it intersected with the ecology, politics, and economics of water.

Although people knew how bad the water was in the 1700s, nothing was done about it until people started dying en masse. A series of yellow fever epidemics the most serious of which killed 10% of Philadelphias population, about 5,000 people, in the fall of 1793 snapped the city into action.

Philadelphia needed a new source of clean water, and the Schuylkill River was the best candidate: a much cleaner waterway on the opposite side of the city from the heavily industrialized Delaware River.

The Fairmount Water Works was built as the nations first large-scale municipal water system, pulling drinking water from the Schuylkill and sending it through underground wooden pipes throughout the city.

To this day, the Philadelphia Water Department occasionally discovers original wooden pipes still underground. Downstream features a small section, about two feet long, under glass.

Go here to see the original:

Exhibition traces a 200-year history of water pollution in Philadelphia - WHYY

CUMBERLAND A large crowd turned out for the Whiskey Rebellion at the Allegany Museum on Friday evening to enjoy beverages and celebrate regional history.

The ticketed event, held from 6 to 10 p.m., is the largest single fundraiser held for the museum each year.

The event featured tastings from 17 small-batch Maryland and national distillers of whiskey, moonshine, vodka and rum. Other activities included a cigar pairing, a silent auction and numerous period reenactors.

The event is a lot of fun, said City Councilwoman Laurie Marchini, who volunteered to bartend for the event. Its one of my favorite events each year and it helps the Allegany Museum. The history is fantastic and the food is great.

Food was provided by students from the Allegany College of Maryland culinary arts program.

The fundraiser celebrates the history behind the nations Whiskey Rebellion. In 1794, an uprising led by farmers and distillers, mainly in western Pennsylvania, reached fever pitch over the young countrys decision to impose a tax on whiskey. The uprising ultimately had to be quelled by troops sent by President George Washington. The federal troops marched through the region to put an end to the insurrection.

John Koopman III, who portrays George Washington at events across the country, attended in full period attire.

When I first started studying Washington, I thought I might find some negative things, said Koopman. He wasnt perfect; he had his flaws. But overall, the more I study him, the more impressed I am about him and its an honor to portray him and bring honor to his memory. Its also a pleasure to come to Cumberland where there is so much history.

Koopman will also take part in Heritage Days on Saturday on Washington Street.

The activities will start at the Gordon-Roberts House from noon until 2 p.m., where I will give a presentation, he said. Then at 4 oclock I will mount a horse and ride around and review the troops; then I will attend a dinner at City Hall.

Chuck Park, the owner of the award-winning Charis Winery on Howard Street, had wines and rums on display at the event. He had a chance to speak to the six-foot-four Koopman.

Hes a lot taller than expected, said Park. He looks amazing. The thing about the Whiskey Rebellion is that it is a quality event. Everyone does a superb job and we enjoy it every year. The re-enactors are top-notch.

Marion Daniels of Mount Savage portrayed Martha Washington at the event.

I love events like this, she said. The Whiskey Rebellion is a great way to learn of our countrys history and our regions history. Its also a great way to meet people and support the Allegany Museum.

Jim Rogers of Howard County also attended the fundraiser. He is a reenactor who portrays a soldier in the Maryland Forces, which consisted of five federal battalions.

Its a great event, said Rogers. Seeing people in full-period attire doing reenactments is a great way for people to learn history and a great way to teach our history. It has a lot of advantages over simply sitting in the classroom. The Allegany Museum has done a great job of bringing us all together for an enjoyable event.

More here:

History and beverages celebrated at the Whiskey Rebellion - Cumberland Times-News

DENVER, CO SEPTEMBER 8: Quarterback Cam Newton #1 of the Carolina Panthers is hit in the head by Von Miller #58 as he is sacked by outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware #94 of the Denver Broncos in the third quarter of a game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on September 8, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

We are getting closer and closer to the Denver Broncos kicking off their 2021 season. But before we place all focus on the season opener against the New York Giants, lets take a look back at some of the best opening day games in team history.

The Broncos have not won a season opener since 2018 and are 0-2 in Week 1 under head coach Vic Fangio. They would like to put an end to both of those skids on Sunday when they take on the Giants, who they are 6-7 against all-time.

The Broncos have had some great victories in season openers across their history and here, we are going to look back at their five best wins to kick off a new season. So sit back and enjoy some Denver Broncos history.

1987 vs. Seattle Seahawks: The Broncos needed to get off to a good start with the taste of Super Bowl XXI still in their mouths. They got off to that kind of start against a pretty good Seahawks squad.

On September 13, 1987, John Elway had one of his best opening day performances ever, throwing for 338 yards and four touchdown passes as the Broncos blew the Seahawks out 40-17.

1991 vs. Cincinnati Bengals: The Broncos suffered through a season-long Super Bowl hangover in 1990 and hobbled to a 5-11 season. They were a much better team in 1991, and that started with a thunderous performance against the Bengals.

The Broncos scored 45 points and pounded the Bengals 45-14 en route to a 1-0 start.

1995 vs. Buffalo Bills:The Broncos had a new guy running the show as this was the head coaching debut for Mike Shanahan and the Broncos were able to get a win over a Bills team that still had Jim Kelly and finished 10-6 that year.

1997 vs. Kansas City Chiefs:Coming off one of the worst losses in franchise history to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the divisional round the year before, the Broncos got the 1997 season off to a good start with a 19-3 win over their hated division rival.

That would be just one of three regular-season losses for the Chiefs that season and they would actually win the AFC West division, only to lose to the Broncos again in the playoffs.

See original here:

Denver Broncos: Recalling the 5 best season-opening wins in team history - Predominantly Orange

In the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, The Star Press rushed to publish a special extra print edition that afternoon,the cover of which bore the headline "U.S. UNDER ATTACK."

One local article in the special edition began: Remember this date: Sept. 11, 2001. "We've lost our innocence today," said Bryan Byers, a criminal justice professor at Ball State University. "We really have. This is a turning point for us as a society."

Byers, an expert in hate-crimes, added in the article that the attacks' ramifications were likely to be profound: "We will understand ... this sort of thing can happen here."

Students at local schools who were taking ISTEP+ that day didn't learn of the attacks until breaks in testing; state education officials notified schools of options for suspending later testing if necessary.

Rick Kaufman, a teacher at Cowan Junior-Senior High School, told The Star Press, "In my history classI told my kids that this is exactly what their kids will be reading about years from now. We are living history."

As the day progressed, Muncie City Hall and the Delaware County Building remained open, but nearby federal offices were closed. "We are still here, but we've got the building locked down, so nobody is going to be getting in," an FBI official said. Security at the downtown jail was heightened; bomb-sniffing dogs searched the county buildings, and armedofficers patrolledoutside the Justice Center and guarding the ramp to the jail.

Bygone Muncie: 20 years later, looking back at local ties to 9/11

Muncie Mall closed in the afternoon out of respect, afterschool activities and school sports events were canceled and flights at the Delaware County Airport were halted, stranding a couple of pilots who'd been scheduled to fly from Muncie to Oklahoma that day.

Bill Gosnell, the director of Delaware County Emergency Management, warned, "People should not call 911. They probably know more than what we do. It's not like we have a pipeline to the FBI."

People determined to do something to help overwhelmed the Ball Memorial Hospital Blood Bank with unsolicited offers to donate blood, waiting up to 2 1/2 hours to have their blood drawn the afternoon of Sept. 11.

A photo from the Muncie H.H. Gregg that morning showed Christy Arnold and her 2-year-old son watching news coverage of the attacks on a wall of TV screens. "Gosh, maybe we should stay home," Arnold said. "It seemed kind of silly to come out and buy something when all of this was going on."

In an article quoting local military veterans, World War II veteran Clinton Beaty said, "This is a terrible thing, It comes as a heck of a surprise. I was thinking about Pearl Harbor all over again. This is as bad or worse than that. Everything is shut down all over the country. Lord help us."

By noon Sept. 11, drivers were lining up at gas stations to fill their tanks, prompting official concerns about panic buying by consumers and potential price-gouging by businesses, particularly when the price jumped to $1.99 a gallon locally though that was still well below reports of $4 to $6 a gallon elsewhere in the state. One local gas station owner said he'd let his gas pumps go dry that day before he'd raise the price.

Muncie remembers 9/11: Ball State to mark 20th anniversary of 9/11 with ceremony, displays, tolling bells

New Castle Police Chief Darrell Jackson doubled the number of police officers on duty and patrolling the city overnight, not because of fears of terrorism but for concerns a little closer to home. "Nowhere in Indiana that I know of has been threatened," he said. "It's just crowd control. ... The main problem we're having is people who are going crazy over (gasoline) and at the grocery stores."

By Sept. 12, many local churches and religious organizations planned prayer services and vigils, or simply announced their sanctuaries would be open all day. At a community prayer service at High Street United Methodist Church that drew about 200 people, religious leaders referred to the victims, their families, and political leaders. Leading a prayer for emergency responders, Pastor John Kiefer said, "We are especially grateful for the emergency people who fled toward the disaster, who not only risked their lives but lost their lives in an attempt to save others."

Travel plans were canceled for East Jay and West Jay middle school eighth-graders who had been scheduled to leave Sept. 11 for a field trip to Washington, D.C., and for Ball State students who had planned to fly out of Indianapolis for international programs. similarly, Muncie Mayor Dan Canan and the Delaware County commissioners canceled their plans to travel to Washington, D.C., the next week to talk about federal grants and programs with Indiana's congressional delegation.

As the strange week progressed, local mental health experts noted that the sadness, anxiety, lack of focus or trouble sleeping many were experiencing was normal after such a devastating tragedy. Informal group counseling sessions were offered at the Center Township trustee's office for those who needed help.

By Sept. 14, a Star Press article noted, American flags and flagpoles were sold out as people rushed to display Stars and Stripes.

Exactly a week after the attacks, a prayer service specifically for emergency personnel was scheduled at the Justice Center to honor emergency responders who died in New York City and Washington, D.C., on 9/11.

Story continues below the gallery.

Starting on the day of the attack, Star Press coverage made note of people with local ties who'd been in the vicinity of the various attacks, including Delaware County Sheriff Steve Aul, who was on a D.C.Metro train a minute away from the Pentagonwhen that building was hit. Other stories told of several local families relieved to hear from loved ones who worked in or around the World Trade Center but who were safe.

By the weekend, however, The Star Press reported that Gary Bright, a 1983 graduate of Muncie Southside High School, who worked on the 90th floor of Tower number 2, the second to be hit by a hijacked plane, was among the missing. Bright had moved to New York City six years earlier and had worked for an insurance company in the World Trade Center, but had recently quit that job, his sister, Michelle Hornback of Muncie, told The Star Press.

'It's time we expose the truth': 9/11 families see a turning point in fight to reveal alleged Saudi role

Unaware that he had just taken a new job with another company in the World Trade Center, his sister's first reaction was to assume he was safe: "I was like, 'Well, I'm so glad he doesn't work there anymore.'"

After learning her brother might have been in the tower after all, Hornback couldn't bear to watch televised news reports from the scene, she said. The family was still awaiting official word at the end of September, but by Oct. 3 his obituary appeared in The Star Press, with a memorial service scheduled for the next day.

Two other people with Muncie ties also were reported dead or missing after the attacks.Lauren Grandcolas, wife of former Muncie resident Jack Grandcolas, was aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. And Ball State graduate Lt. Gen. Timothy Maude, a three-star Army general, was missing a week after the attack at the Pentagon.

Originally posted here:

'We are living history': How Muncie reacted to the 9/11 attacks - The Star Press

While credit history is a key element in evaluating a borrowers ability to make a mortgage payment, building credit in the United States is not an equitable endeavor, said Hugh Frater, Fannie Maes chief executive, in a blog post.

So rent should count for something. But according to FICO, which uses data from credit reports to build scoring systems that are already part of the mortgage underwriting process, only 0.3 percent of the 80 million or so adults who live in rental housing have any mention of rent in their credit files.

How can this be? I wanted to talk to the three dominant bureaus Equifax, Experian and TransUnion about renters. Equifax and TransUnion did not reply at all, while Experian sent a statement in lieu of an interview. As is often the case when I ask after their doings, my request somehow ended up at their industry association instead, even though I hadnt asked to speak with anyone there.

Francis Creighton, who runs the Consumer Data Industry Association, said it, too, was aghast at the fact that, according to FICO, information on rent payments made up less than 1 percent of the data that companies and others sent to the bureaus.

Its a really big problem, he said. We desperately want that information on file.

For the credit bureaus to get it, however, landlords including hundreds of thousands of people who own an apartment here or a three-flat there would have to hand it over.

They have no incentive to do it, said Laurie Goodman, vice president of housing finance policy at the Urban Institute. Its worth doing only if everyone contributes, because then the landlords could make use of that new collection of data to screen tenants. And everyone is very much not contributing at present.

Given that the credit bureaus dont have the rental data that Fannie Mae and others want so much, Fannie developed a somewhat abstruse workaround involving a desktop underwriter validation engine and orders for verification of assets.

See original here:

Always Pay the Rent? It May Help Your Mortgage Application. - The New York Times

Professional tennis player and Rancho Mirage native Desirae Krawczyk won her third Grand Slam title of the year Saturdayat the U.S. Open in New York, making her just the secondwoman to win three majors in mixed doubles since 1985.

Krawczyk and mixed doubles partner Joe Salisbury, of Great Britain, defeatedGiuliana Olmos of Mexico and Marceo Arvalo of El Salvador, 7-5, 6-2, in the mixed doubles final in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Krawczyk, 27, and Salisbury, won the French Open together in June, and then Krawczyk and Neal Skupski, also of Great Britain, won the Wimbledon mixed doubles event a few weeks later.

Martina Hingis was the last to win three mixed doubles Grand Slamsin the same season when she did so in 2015. Prior to Hingis, Martina Navratilova won three of four in 1985.

Krawczykis now in rare company.In addition to Hingis and now Krawczyk, just four other women have won three slams in the same season over the last 20 years: Serena and Venus Williams, Paola Suarez and Virginia Ruano Pascual.

The title also makes Krawczyk the seventh player, male or female, to have won three of the four mixed doubles titles in a season in the Open Era. The others are Hingis and Leander Paes (2015), Navratilova ('85), Bob Hewitt ('79) and Marty Riessen and Margaret Court ('69).

"Honestly, just to think about that is just crazy to me," Krawczyk told reporters afterward. "I'm just happy with how well I've done. It hasn't really sunk in yet. Just happy to be able to play with so many friends and family and to play with Joe and have our whole team with us. It's been a good two weeks."

Salisbury won the men's doubles title,with American Rajeev Ram, on Friday at the U.S. Open, making him the first man to win men's doubles and mixed doubles at the event since Bob Bryan in 2010.

More: BNP Paribas Open: Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka in, Federer and Nadal out of Indian Wells tournament

More: What you need to know about BNP Paribas Open in October 2021: Tickets, field, weather

Krawczyk began playing tennis at Palm Valley Country Club. At Palm Desert High School, shebecamethe top singles player underhead coachGlenn Erickson, and graduatedin 2012.

She then played at Arizona State, andbeat the nation's top-ranked player on two occasions. Krawczyk wasnt certaina pro career was sustainable, though sheplayed in 17 International Tennis Federation tournaments and playedher way onto the WTA Tour as a doubles player.

In 2018, Krawczykwon her first tournament, with Alexa Guarachi, of Chile,in women's doubles in Gstaad, Switzerland. A year later, following a series of strong performances, Krawczyk and Olmos won a women;s doubles WTA 250 event in Nottingham, England, and won a doubles title with Olmos in Acapulco before the ongoing pandemic forced much of the 2020 season to be canceled.

Krawczyk and Guarachi won a WTA 250 event in Istanbul last September and the two reached the final at Roland Garros, inOctober. The pair lost in a tight two-setter.

Together, Krawczyk and Salisbury reached the semifinals in mixed doubles at the Australian Open earlier this year. Krawczyk has been on a tear ever since.

Krawczyk and Olmosreached the final of a WTA 250 event in Guadalajara, Mexico, and Krawczyk also reached the final of a WTA 500 in Stuttgart, Germany with Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

WithGuarachi, she won doubles titles in Adelaide, Australia, and Strasbourg, France, and now has three Grand Slam titles to her name in mixed doubles.

"She's now won three in a row," Salisbury said of Krawczyk on Saturday. "We won French together, she won Wimbledon and now here. Just incredible."

Now, Krawczyk will enjoy a homecoming of sorts as she prepares to return to Indian Wells to play at her home tournament, the BNP Paribas Open, which starts Oct. 4.

Andrew John covers sports for The Desert Sun and the USA Today Network. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com and find him on Twitter at @Andrew_L_John.

Here is the original post:

Desert native Desirae Krawczyk makes history with third Grand Slam title of season at US Open - Desert Sun

Anyone in New York on the morning of September 11th, 2001 will tell you just how perfect the weather was that day. Brilliant sunshine, a deep blue sky, and mild temperatures with low humidity, and a light north breeze.

However, with a category 1 hurricane nearby, the weather and subsequent events of that day could have been drastically different.

In the days leading up to that fateful morning, a hurricane was tracking through the Atlantic, moving northwest towards the East Coast.

Hurricane Erin had formed a week prior across the tropical Atlantic and began to strengthen on approach to Bermuda.

The storm reached major category 3 status as it passed just to the east of the island on September 9th.

Meanwhile, a cold front was driving south from the Great Lakes and pushing into the Northeast.

This front would move through New York City on September10th, bringing cloudyandrainy weather to the area.

Once offshore, the front would then act to push Erin out to sea and away from land. In its wake, deep blue skieswould dominate the Northeast as high pressure moved in from the west.

In a stunning satellite image from September 11th, 2001, both Hurricane Erin and the smoke plume from Lower Manhattan are visible.

The haunting image underscores just how close that storm was to potentially altering the course of history that day.

Tracks like the one Erin took are not unheard of this time of year.

In fact, on the 10-year anniversary of the attacks in 2011, Hurricane Katia passed just offshore, similar to Erin. And in an eerie coincidence, Hurricane Larry this past week also took a similar track for the 20-year anniversary.

These tracks, curving along the coastline, are a result of cold fronts pushing them out to sea something that becomes more common in the late summer months.

All of the hijacked flights on September 11, 2001, took off from airports in the Northeast.

It is safe to assume that if Erin made landfall in the Northeast, or tracked close enough, air travel would have been disrupted. However, whether an East Coast Erin track would have ruined or delayed the worst terrorist attack in U.S.history is something we will never know.

Read more from the original source:

The storm that could have changed history - NBC2 News

Few periods in history have had a greater impact on humankind than that of ancient Rome. While its influence on western civilization, in particular, has been ubiquitous, its remnants can be found virtually everywhere, from our calendar and political systems to our alphabet. The more-than-1,000-year span of influence that began with the founding of Rome in 753 B.C. has left an indelible mark on the world.

So who exactly left an indelible mark on ancient Rome?

From its inception to its collapse in 476 A.D., ancient Rome had three distinct periods: Regal Rome, (753509 B.C.), when monarchs ruled; Republican Rome (50927 B.C.), when Roman elected its governors; and Imperial Rome (27 B.C.476 A.D.), when a supreme ruler oversaw the empire, and in early years did so alongside the elected senate. Over that time, Rome was ruled by scores of kings, dictators and emperors who expanded it from a small city to an empire spanning nearly 2 million square miles and consisting of, historians estimate, anywhere from 50 to 90 million inhabitants.

These rulers, often as innovative and ingenious as they were brutal and corrupt, spanned the gamutfrom teenagers and impotent leaders barely able to hold court for months to era-defining emperors responsible for molding at least part of the world today as we know it. Here are a few of the most influential.

READ MORE: How Ancient Rome Thrived During Pax Romana

The death of Julius Caesar.

Leemage/Corbis/Getty Images

Technically, as the last ruler of Romes Republican era, Gaius Julius Caesar was never recognized as an emperor. But its impossible to tell the story of Rome (or its eventual transition from a republic to an empire, without mentioning Julius Caesar. Aside from being a successful general, conquering Spain and Gaulfeats that greatly expanded the size, power and wealth of RomeCaesar enacted a number of foundational reforms that would set up the oncoming Roman Empire. As leader of the Roman Republic, Caesar increased the size of the senate to represent more Roman citizens, established the Julian calendar (the 365-day, 12-month calendar still in use worldwide), granted Roman citizenship to all those living under Roman rule and redistributed wealth among the poor. These reforms made Caesar increasingly popular with Romes commoners while alienating him from its elite (and leading to his eventual infamous assassination). After his murder at the hands of dozens of members of the senate, Rome officially transitioned from a democracy to an imperial society.

READ MORE: How Julius Caesar's Assassination Triggered the Fall of the Roman Republic

Gaius Octavius Thurinus

Universal History Archive/Getty Images

Gaius Octavius Thurinus,also known as Octavian or Augustus, served as the first official emperor of the Roman Empire, and is often seen by historians as the greatest. The emperor (for whom the month of August is named) introduced the period of peace known as the Pax Romana, which saw the Roman economy, agriculture and arts flourish. During that period of relative peace, Augustus also established a number of reformsincluding tax incentives for families with more than three children and penalties for childless marriagesthat helped the Roman population grow. An aggressive builder, he also oversaw the construction and rehabilitation of many of Romes great temples and the strengthening of its legendary aqueduct system.

READ MORE: 8 Things You May Not Know About Augustus

Tiberius Caesar Augustus

Universal History Archive/Getty Images

In ancient Rome, few emperors were better at acquiring land for the empire than Tiberius Caesar Augustus. Romes second emperor owes his place on this list solely due to his military conquests. As an emperor and politician, Tiberius is largely considered to have been uninterested in the job and not shy in showing that disinterest. (Roman philosopher Pliny the Elder called him the gloomiest of men.) When it came to conquering neighboring lands and expanding Romes territory, however, few were better. During his reign, he oversaw one of the greatest military expansions in ancient Romes history, widening the empires boundaries deep into present-day Croatia and Germany.

READ MORE: 8 Ways Roads Helped Rome Rule the Ancient World

Titus Flavius Vespasianus

Universal History Archive/Getty Images

After the tyrannical reign of Emperor Nero, Rome found itself in a crisis of instability. So much so that during the 12-month span following Neros death, the empire had four different rulers (known as the Year of the Four Emperors). It wasnt until Titus Flavius Vespasianus ascended the throne that stability and prosperity returned to Rome, setting the nation back on track. During his reign, Vespasian helped reform the financial system and began many ambitious construction projects, most notably the Colosseum. Vespasian was also the first Roman emperor ever to be succeeded by his son. That father-son handoff would lay the groundwork for the Flavian Dynasty, a near three-decade period of fiscal and cultural prosperity.

Emperor Trajan among the soldiers.

DeAgostini/Getty Images

Often in the conversation for greatest Roman emperor by historians, Marcus Ulpius Traianus was the second Roman emperor in the Nerva-Antonine dynasty commonly referred to as Romes Golden Age. Bolstered by one of the greatest military expansions in Roman history, Trajans reign marked the peak of Romes geographic expansion, as it covered nearly 1.7 million kilometers of territory in Europe, Africa and Asia and boasted nearly 57 million people. In addition to his military successes, Trajan also oversaw many ambitious building projects, including the still-standing architectural marvel, Trajans Column. He also expanded Augustus financial aid programs for poor Roman citizens, in turn providing one of the earliest examples in history of a federal welfare program.

READ MORE: How Far Did Ancient Rome Spread

A defensive fortification in the Roman province of Britannia, begun in 122 AD in the reign of the emperor Hadrian, known as Hadrian's Wall.

English Heritage/Heritage Images/Getty Images

Publius Aelius Hadrianus claims a spot as one of Romes most influential emperors for his ability to secure Rome and its borders and the unprecedented engineering prowess he displayed while doing so. He oversaw construction of Hadrians Wall, a 73-mile-long defensive fortmuch of which still stands today and is recognized as a British cultural icon. He also leaves the Pantheon, which revolutionized architecture with its innovative construction of shapes built with concrete.

READ MORE: 10 Innovations That Built Ancient Rome

Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius presided over Rome during one of the civilizations most peaceful periods. That lack of turmoil afforded Pius the opportunity to focus on advancing on the infrastructure successes and civic reforms of his predecessor Hadrian. His greatest contribution to Roman civilization, however, came through the legal system. As the first Roman emperor to adhere to the concept of natural law, Pius instituted a legal system that would serve later as the reference point for many nations developing their own legal systems, including Britain, France and Germany.

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

Universal History Archive/Getty Images

Known as the emperor-philosopher, emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus produced writings now considered philosophical canon. A fervent adherent of Stoicisma Hellenistic school of philosophy that claimed that becoming a clear and unbiased thinker was key to gaining universal reasonthe emperor (who was famously portrayed in the Oscar-winning Gladiator) is widely regarded as one of historys most essential philosophers. His book Meditationsis largely regarded as a literary masterpiece.

Publius Licinius Valerianus makes the influential list less for what he did than what was done to him. In 260 A.D., after the Battle of Edessa against the Persians, Valerian (a notorious persecutor of Christians) became the first Roman emperor to be taken as a prisoner of war. The unprecedented capture sent shockwaves through the Roman Empire, only to be exacerbated by the fact Valerian was never rescued. The emperor went on to die in captivity under unknown circumstances. Romes inability to rescue its own sovereign would deal a seismic blow to the mystique of power the Romans held over the world. And, many historians believe, it would plant the seed in the minds of foreign nations that the previously unconquerable nation of Rome could indeed be toppled.

Map of Roman empire under Emperor Diocletian rule (AD 284-305).

DEA Picture Library/De Agostini/Getty Images

On one hand, Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus deserves to be remembered for saving Rome from the Crisis of the Third Century, a near 50-year periodmarked by civil war, political instability rebellions and invasionsduring which the empire nearly collapsed. On the other, some historians believe it was his installation of the tetrarchy form of government that might prove his most valuable contribution. Under the tetrarchy, Diocletian mandated that Rome would be ruled by four leaders: an emperor in the west, one in the east (the Augustus emperor) and two junior co-emperors (the Caesars). The tetrarchy didnt last, but it did provide the groundwork for the practice of splitting the Roman empire into eastern and western halves, a move that would prove crucial in extending its lifespan.

READ MORE: 6 Civil Wars That Transformed Ancient Rome

Considered by many to be the last western Roman emperor, Constantine I brought many changes that would irrevocably alter the Roman empire. He was the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity and make it the religion of the empire with his Edict of Milan in 313 A.D. Constantine also built Byzantium (later renamed Constantinople), which would become the empires epicenter for the next thousand years and mark the transition into the new epoch known as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantine Empire.

READ MORE: 8 Reasons Why Rome Fell

See original here:

11 Roman Emperors Who Helped Mold the Ancient World - History

CLEVELAND (AP) Milwaukee ace Corbin Burnes combined with reliever Josh Hader to pitch baseballs record ninth no-hitter this season, breaking a mark set when pitchers began throwing overhand in 1884 as the Brewers beat the Cleveland Indians 3-0 on Saturday night.

Burnes (10-4) struck out 14 with 115 pitches over eight innings, taking a perfect game into the seventh while overpowering the Indians, who were no-hit for the third time in 2021. This time is was by Burnes who has become a Cy Young contender as the Brewers run away with the NL Central and Hader, one of the games top closers.

Cleveland is the first team to be no-hit three times in the same year all of them with starter Zach Plesac (10-5) on the mound.

The right-handed Burnes was in control from the start, striking out 11 of his first 14 hitters and retiring the first 18 in order. After walking Myles Straw to start the seventh, the 26-year-old got through the eighth thanks to a diving catch by center fielder Lorenzo Cain on Owen Millers liner.

The Progressive Field crowd booed as Hader came on in the ninth. He overpowered Oscar Mercado, striking him out to start the inning. Then, first baseman Jace Peterson went into foul territory to making a lunging catch for the second out.

Hader ended the no-hitter by getting Straw to flail at a pitch in the dirt. The Brewers stormed the field to share hugs and high-fives with a signature victory in their runaway season.

Juan Nieves pitched the Brewers previous no-hitter on April 15, 1987, at Baltimore.

Arizona rookie Tyler Gilbert had thrown the majors most recent no-hitter on Aug. 14, and the Chicago Cubs threw the only previous combined effort on June 24. The other no-hitters this season were thrown by San Diegos Joe Musgrove (April 9), Carlos Rodn of the Chicago White Sox (April 14), Cincinnatis Wade Miley (May 7), Detroits Spencer Turnbull (May 18) and the Yankees Corey Kluber (May 19).

Most of those gems were thrown before MLB cracked down on the use of sticky foreign substances by pitchers in late June.

The no-hitters by Miley and Rodn both came against the Indians, as did a seven-inning no-hitter by Tampa Bay on July 7 that didnt officially count in the Major League Baseball record book. Arizonas Madison Bumgarner also had a seven-inning no-hitter in the second game of a doubleheader at Atlanta on April 25.

The Brewers completed this bit of history three days after Minnesota rookie Joe Ryan retired the first 19 Indians batters in a 3-0 win at Progressive Field.

Plesac couldnt get his head around being on the wrong side of three no-hitters. Prior to Saturday, Jim Perry was the only starter in baseball history to have his opponent throw a no-hitter three times in a career prior to Saturday

I dont even know if that makes sense to me, Plesac said. Thats insane. I dont know if its me or what.

Plesac allowed three runs, two earned, over six innings.

The Brewers scored twice in the first inning on an RBI double by Christian Yelich and a sacrifice fly from Omar Narvez. Milwaukee made it 3-0 in the second when Rowdy Tellez doubled home Daniel Vogelbach.

Tellez experienced right knee pain while running the bases and left the game.

DUGOUT DANGER

Peterson returned to action after being struck by a foul ball on his left arm Wednesday in the home dugout against Philadelphia. Manager Craig Counsell said Peterson was hit squarely by a line drive off the bat of a Phillies player, but the ball narrowly missed hitting his elbow.

TRAINERS ROOM

Brewers: RHP Brandon Woodruff (flu-like symptoms) will not make his scheduled start Sunday after becoming ill in the team hotel. Counsell said Woodruff has lost some weight from the bug, pushing his next outing to Wednesday at Detroit.

Indians: RHP Shane Bieber (right shoulder strain) threw a bullpen session before the game and will be evaluated Sunday. Acting manager DeMarlo Hale said the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner could begin a rehab assignment as early as Tuesday.

UP NEXT

Brewers: LHP Eric Lauer (5-5, 3.18 ERA) will start on regular rest in the three-game series finale, moving up one spot in the rotation to replace Woodruff. The Northeast Ohio native and Kent State product has never pitched against the Indians.

Indians: RHP Aaron Civale (10-3, 3.25 ERA) makes his second start since spending 77 days on the injured list with a sprained third finger on his right hand. Civale allowed one run in 4 2/3 innings in his return, losing to the Twins on Sept. 7.

See the original post:

Brewers throw first combined no-hitter in franchise history - WeAreGreenBay.com

College football has been a staple of American culture for more than a half-century longer than the NFL. The professional game owes much of its success to the foundation built by the college sport.

A range of college coaches transformed the game on and off the field.From Yale's Walter Camp to Alabama's Nick Saban, here are eight whose innovations or achievements have significantly impacted the sport over the past 15 decades.

INNOVATION: The rulebook

Walter Camp, "The Father of American Football," won three national titles at Yale.

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

While still on Yales football team in 1880, Camp submitted a revolutionary series of proposals that took football from chaotic scrum to the countrys signature sport. Camps seminal submissions included a line of scrimmage, a center-quarterback exchange, the concept of downs and the scoring system itself. Pre-Camp, the sports rulesincluding the number of players per sidevaried based on location.

At age 29, Camp took over as Yales coach. His prescient mind for the sport helped the Bulldogs win three national championships in five years. One of them came in 1888, the season Yale outscored its opposition, 694-0, in 13 games. Although Camps coaching career did not last long, the Yale and Stanford leader became known as "The Father of American Football."

READ MORE: Who Invented Football?

INNOVATION: Strategy

Camps rules still left the on-field product light on creativity during the 11-on-11 eras initial decades. Operating with undersized teams at Carlisle (Pennsylvania), Warner unveiled a host of tactics that injected deception into football. The single-wing formation, footballs primary set during the 20th centurys first half, came from Warners Carlisle years.

Using shifts, fakes and the newly legalized forward pass, the agricultural schools football team compiled four one-loss seasons during Warners tenure. He also debuted the three-point stance and shoulder pads, which impacted the game much longer than his formations.

At Carlisle, Warner had a 113-43-8 record, boosted, in part, by multi-sport legend Jim Thorpe. He played for Warner during the coach's second stint at the school. Warner's tenure at Carlisle included upset wins over national powers Army and Harvard.

INNOVATION:Platooning

Before World War II, college football featured strict substitution limits. Once a team subbed a player, he could not return until the ensuing quarter. With the war draining football talent nationwide, an emergency rule allowing unlimited substitutions took effect in 1941. A belated Crisler capitalization on this front eventually reshaped the construction of football depth charts for generations.

Against the Doc Blanchard- and Glenn Davis-powered Army team that won the 1945 national championship, Crislers Michigan team was forced to use several freshman. To maximize his depleted teams chances, Crisler subbed out his linemen and linebackers for fresh bodies on offense and broke with ironman football tradition.

Coaches were asking me, 'What's it all about? What are you up to?' Crisler said in 1964. A few coaches tried platooning that very season, next year Army went to it and practically everybody else followed suit.

Army still won, 28-7, and the college game reverted to substitution restrictions until the 1960s. But Crislers emergency tactics ultimately led to the demise of players playing on both offense and defense during a game.

INNOVATION:No-huddle offense

Bud Wilkinson's Oklahoma teams won 47 games in a row from October 1953 to November 1957.

John Melton/Oklahoma Historical Society/Getty Images

The longest win streak in college football's top division belongs to Oklahoma, which had a 47-game run from October 1953 to November 1957. Wilkinsons Sooners established one of the games great dynasties, dominating with a rushing attack and becoming the first team to regularly deploy a 3-4 defense. To wrap up Year 3 of the streak, Oklahoma sprung a midgame surprise that would impact offenses for decades.

Down 6-0 to Maryland at halftime of the Orange Bowl, Oklahoma quickly erased the deficit with two second-half drives. Sooners players sprinted to the line after plays, catching the Terrapins off guard. Wilkinson waited all season to unleash the Sooners Go-Go package, and it made the difference in securing his second national championship.

Oklahoma beat Maryland, 20-6, and claimed its third national title the following season. The no-huddle remains a staple for offenses at all levels, particularly in college, more than 60 years later.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT:Integration trailblazer

In the mid-1960s, Michigan State's Duffy Daugherty recruited Black players and won two national titles.

Rich Clarkson/NCAA Photos/Getty Images

Long before other major powers did, Daugherty recruited dozens of Black prospects from southern states and assembled a mid-1960s national powerhouse.Future No. 1 NFL draft pick Bubba Smith, a 6-foot-7 defensive end, and eventual Pro Bowl wide receiver Gene Washington signed with Michigan State out of Texas and became part of the Spartans mini-dynasty.

After Daughertys 1965 squad won a national title, his 1966 team became the first predominantly Black starting lineup to win a championship in college football's top division.Featuring a Black quarterback out of North Carolina, future NFL assistant coach Jimmy Raye, the 1966 Spartans had 12 Black starters and 20 overall. After a season-ending 10-all tie with Notre Dame, Michigan State shared that years championship.

Michigan States success preceded an integrated Southern California team's rout of an all-white Alabama team in 1970, awakening the remaining southern holdouts and launching full integration of the sport during the 1970s.

READ MORE: 10 African American Pioneers in Sports

INNOVATION: Air Raid

LaVell Edwards' passing attacks fueled Brigham Young.

Tim DeFrisco/Allsport/Getty Images

During a run-heavy football period, BYU provided a reprieve. The Cougars pivot to a high-octane passing attack ignited a dormant program and gradually led to the college games metamorphosis.

Building on Don Coryells concepts from his San Diego State stay, Edwards and his offensive coordinators built a brand that churned out passing titles. Edwards' teams included five first-team All-American quarterbacksincluding Jim McMahon and Steve Young. His teams combined to lead the nation in passing yards nine times from 1976-1994.BYU became the most recent non-major-conference team to win a national title; the Western Athletic Conference-based outfit went 13-0 in 1984.

BYU won in the late '70s and early '80s because nobody could figure out what was going on, Young said in 2012.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT: Recruiting speed

University of Miami coach Jimmy Johnson went on to have great success with the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL.

Focus on Sport/Getty Images

Taking over a burgeoning Miami dynasty after Howard Schnellenbergers 1984 exit, Johnson prioritized speed even at the expense of the size teams coveted at that point.

Among Johnsons speed-based accomplishments: three straight seasons with a top-five defense nationally (1986-88) and converted linebackers Danny Stubbs and Greg Mark remaining 1-2 in sacks in Hurricanes history.

Johnsons speed merchants were especially adept at stopping teams that used the Wishbone offense, a run-based attack. Miami beat Oklahoma, a Wishbone team, in three straight seasons; the third conquest secured the 1987 national title.

A speed boom ensued, with Florida State following Miamis lead and cranking up the states premier rivalry. Johnson helped transport this blueprint to the NFL, where fast pass rushers are mandatory and speedy linebackers, adept at pass defense, have displaced bulkier run-stoppers.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT: Sustained supremacy

Alabama coach Nick Saban's Crimson Tide won the 2020 national title, further burnishing an impressive resume.

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Six national championships in 12 years place Saban-led Alabama on its own tier among modern programs. LSU is the only other team to have won three national titles in the 21st century; Saban is responsible for the first of those (2003).

Saban, an assistant coach under Bill Belichick when he was with the Cleveland Browns, helped the Southeastern Conference maintain its perch as college football's premier football league.

Initially anchored by menacing defenses, four of which led the nation, the Saban-era Crimson Tide have produced dozens of players for the NFL, including many drafted in the first round.

READ MORE: When College Football Stars Played NFL Champs

Continued here:

8 College Football Coaches Who Changed the Game - History