Hi All,
Today marks my 17th âleap dayâ since I entered onto this whirling
spheroid on November 28th, 1945. Yes I could tell you how many Sunday
through Saturday leap days Iâve experienced but that would be a bore!
Still, February 29th is as special as all time is and below I offer
some perspective on it.
Your comments, whatever they be, are certainly welcome.
comment to
edwincooney45@xxxxxxxxx
Thanks for your time and consideration.
Warm Regards,
E.C.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29TH, 2016
A SIGNIFICANT MARK IN TIME!
The 29th of February only visits us once every 1461 days, so why not
give it a little notice? After all, we celebrate the groundhogs and
valentines of February, the lions, lambs and madness of March, the
fools of April, the mothers of May, the flags, graduates, and fathers
of June, our national independence in July, drooping dogs in August,
labor in September, the ghosts and goblins of October, the turkeys and
pumpkins of November, tots and toys in December and, most fervently,
new beginnings in January. Thus, this question: what do orchestra
leader Jimmy Dorsey, 1930âs baseball player John âPepperâ Martin
of the famous St. Louis Cardinals Gashouse Gang, power-hitting third
baseman Al Rosen of the Cleveland Indians (and, later, baseball
executive of the seventies, eighties, and nineties), Henri âRocketâ
Richard of the NHL Montreal Canadians center, and singer Gretchen
Christopher, female lead of the Fleetwoods of the late 50s and early
60s have in common?
They all were âleap yearlings,â a term used by Ms. Raenell Dawn,
President of The Society of Leap Year babies, which was featured in a
story recently by Adrian McCoy in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Okay!
You may say âso what!â but time and the dates that mark time do
offer us a worthwhile perspective on both our personal time and
national circumstances.
What is it like to have an official birthday only once every four years
while all of your siblings and friends enjoy a guaranteed birthday
celebration each year? Itâs a rarity and oddity most children
donât have to face and rarities and oddities make a huge difference
to us when weâre young and impressionable. As for adults, it has to
be frustrating when it comes to filling out forms. Then, of course,
there are the well-meaning friends who constantly razz you as to
whether you should celebrate your birthday on February 28th or March
1st. Finally, there are those who invariably criticize you no matter
what your own attitude is. If you react to it at all you are
criticized for taking it too seriously and if you donât seem to care,
well, thatâs also a sin!
Other birthdays also invoke special reactions from both friends and
family. If youâre born after November 15th or before the 15th of
January, itâs likely that an aunt will send you a Christmas present
that is also for your birthday. Then, of course, it can be tough to
have to celebrate your birthday with a twin siblingâor even worse two
triplet siblings. Of course, if youâre so inclined, you can take
some comfort from sharing your birthday with a celebrity such as one
listed above.
Then there is the historical significance of events that occurred on
February 29ths of the past. Get a load of these!
On Thursday, February 29th, 1504, Christopher Columbus used knowledge
of a coming lunar eclipse to frighten and thus control hostile native
tribes in Jamaica.
On Monday, February 29th, 1796, President Washington announced
completion of the Jay Treaty signed with Great Britain which turned out
to be the most unpopular act of his presidency. (The reason for the
treatyâs overall unpopularity was that the good Chief Justice John
Jay didnât get the British to stop boarding American naval and
merchant ships illegally with American sailors who were born in England
and taking them back for British service.)
On Thursday, February 29th, 1940, the movie version of Margaret
Mitchellâs âGone with the Windâ won eight Oscars at the twelfth
presentation by the American Academy of Movie Arts and Science.
On Wednesday, February 29th, 1956, President Eisenhower announced he
would seek re-election to a second term despite the severe heart attack
heâd suffered the previous September 24th while vacationing in
Denver, Colorado.
On Monday, February 29th, 1960, the first Playboy Club opened, with
bunnies and all, in Chicago.
On Thursday, February 29th, 1968, the Beatlesâ Lonely Heartâs Club
Band won a Grammy awarded by the American Academy of Recording Arts and
Science.
On Thursday, February 29th, 1968, the Kerner Commission on racial
relations appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in the United States
issues its gloomy report. âAmerica is a nation consisting of two
major races, separate and unequalâ asserted its chairman Illinois
Governor Otto Kerner.
On Tuesday, February 29th, 1972, Hank Aaron, two seasons away from
tying and breaking Babe Ruthâs 714 home run record, is the first
player to sign a $200,000 baseball contract.
On Friday, February 29th, 1980, the Detroit Red Wingsâ Gordie Howe
became the first hockey player to score 800 career goals.
On Wednesday, February 29th, 1984, exactly 28 years after President
Eisenhower decided to continue his career despite his heart attack,
Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, made the decision to
step down and end his nearly 15 years as Canadaâs most eloquent,
glamorous and controversial politician.
There you have a selected list of historical events that occurred on
the calendarâs rarest of dates. Wise, foolish, frivolous and
important events occur every day of our lives. Still, our very
designation of February 29th, which has been determined as crucial to
mark the earthâs rotation around what might be called âheavenly
bodiesâ, thus becomes naturally imbued with human values reflecting
all of those values within its comparatively limited notoriety in human
awareness.
If February 29th lacks value then, as sure as you and I were born, so
does every other date on the calendar!
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
EDWIN COONEY
