quote:

ORIGINAL: keptinchains

(where the US swimming team won the Gas Station Vandalism gold, silver AND bronze...)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Nnanji

But, that doesn't detract from the fact that GB took home a medal count more than half of the U.S.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Nnanji


While much of what you said is true, the US's three biggest sports were all invented here. Baseball, American football and basketball.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lucylastic

quote:

ORIGINAL: Nnanji


While much of what you said is true, the US's three biggest sports were all invented here. Baseball, American football and basketball.

not so much

Basketball was invented by a canadian, Naismith.

The first recorded baseball game took place in canada, But it is based on an old english game called rounders.

American football. On May 13 and 14, two games were played in the US between Harvard University and McGill(Canadian). The first was played using Harvard’s rules, which was a game more like soccer and using a round ball, the second was played using McGill(Canadian) rules, with an oval ball.
http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2014/05/14/how-canada-created-american-football-may-14-1874/

quote:

As it turns out, the real history of baseball is a little more complicated than the Doubleday legend. References to games resembling baseball in the United States date back to the 18th century. Its most direct ancestors appear to be two English games: rounders (a children’s game brought to New England by the earliest colonists) and cricket. By the time of the American Revolution, variations of such games were being played on schoolyards and college campuses across the country. They became even more popular in newly industrialized cities where men sought work in the mid-19th century. 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 burgeoning pastime faster-paced and more challenging while clearly differentiating it from older games like cricket. In 1846, the Knickerbockers played the first official game of baseball against a team of cricket players, beginning a new, uniquely American tradition.

source

quote:



The man most responsible for the transition from this rugby-like game to the sport of football we know today was Walter Camp, known as the “Father of American Football.” As a Yale undergraduate and medical student from 1876 to 1881, he played halfback and served as team captain, equivalent to head coach at the time. Even more importantly, he was the guiding force on the rules board of the newly formed Intercollegiate Football Association (IFA). Thanks to Camp, the IFA made two key innovations to the fledgling game: It did away with the opening “scrummage” or “scrum” and introduced the requirement that a team give up the ball after failing to move down the field a specified yardage in a certain number of “downs.” Among the other innovations Camp introduced were the 11-man team, the quarterback position, the line of scrimmage, offensive signal-calling and the scoring scale used in football today. In addition to his work with the rules board, Camp coached the Yale team to a 67-2 record from 1888 to 1892—all while working as an executive at a watch-manufacturing firm.
source.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lucylastic

I dunno, Ive been in temps of 80-96 in the past week
oh dear you poor thing.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Nnanji

But, that doesn't detract from the fact that GB took home a medal count more than half of the U.S.

quote:

ORIGINAL: thompsonx

Not according to the history books.

quote:

ORIGINAL: thompsonx

The russians were able to bring their troops from siberia because they had made a non aggression pact with japan.The troops themselves were pretty much equivilant.

quote:

ORIGINAL: NorthernGent1

quote:

ORIGINAL: thompsonx

The russians were able to bring their troops from siberia because they had made a non aggression pact with japan.The troops themselves were pretty much equivilant.

When did 'pacts' ever mean anything?

The Russians shipped them over because their intelligence told them not to expect an attack from Japan, rather than any agreement.

As for the troops being equivalent....

You serious?

The Russians were dog shite.

They got blitzed by the Germans who just ran them ragged until they ran out of supplies and the rain/mud hit.

The Siberians were made of much sterner stuff.

quote:

ORIGINAL: jlf1961

quote:

ORIGINAL: NorthernGent1

quote:

ORIGINAL: thompsonx

The russians were able to bring their troops from siberia because they had made a non aggression pact with japan.The troops themselves were pretty much equivilant.

When did 'pacts' ever mean anything?

The Russians shipped them over because their intelligence told them not to expect an attack from Japan, rather than any agreement.

As for the troops being equivalent....

You serious?

The Russians were dog shite.

They got blitzed by the Germans who just ran them ragged until they ran out of supplies and the rain/mud hit.

The Siberians were made of much sterner stuff.

NorthernGent,

Actually (and I hate to admit this) there was a non aggression pact between the Soviet Union and Japan, and (hating the fact he had to admit Yamamoto was right about the Americans) Tojo figured that he was going to have more than enough problems with the US, Great Britain and China by mid '42, so he wisely decided not to violate it (even though he had 'allowed' Imperial troops to do so in the past.)

So Russia not only pulled Siberians off the border, but also some pretty damn good units made up of Ukrainians and Russians that had been moved east when Japan went hog wide in China and Manchuria and with the 'accidental' incursions by Japanese troops over the period from '36 to '39.

In fact, Tojo and his lunatics were seriously considering striking into the Soviet Union AND attacking the US holdings in Asia, but cooler heads prevailed.

There were a number of reasons for the plan.

1) The lack of a full military response by the US in '37 after the USS Panay got bombed by the Japanese.
2) The lack of a major Soviet response to the numerous border incidents involving Japanese troops 'accidentally' firing on Soviet forces while "pursuing" Chinese troops that fled across the border.

And contrary to what western propaganda would have many believe, Soviet officers were not shooting their men for retreating (they shot some Generals who ordered the retreats) and the Soviet army had most things in good supply, the exception being decent tanks.

And finally, please give credit for the German failing to take Moscow where it is due.

It had nothing to do with an influx of new Soviet troops, conscripts or otherwise.

The German war plan called for Moscow to fall BEFORE the onset of the Russian winter. Even Hitler knew that the bitter cold would make conducting Blitzkrieg operations damn near impossible.

The second mistake, which screwed taking Moscow was Hitler's decision to shift a major percentage of the advancing forces to hit Stalingrad.

By doing so, Hitler gave the Russians the one thing they needed.

Time.

And yes, the Soviet defense of Stalingrad cost the Soviets tremendously in the number of troops killed, but again, it tied up a large portion of German troops and bought the Soviets time.

Khrushchev admitted after the war that his whole goal in the defense of Stalingrad was to buy time no matter what the cost.

Which he held first line units in reserve until the Germans had pretty much exhausted their army.

Hitler learned what history has already shown Napoleon, and every idiot who invaded Russia from the west, you cant beat the Russian winter.

quote:

ORIGINAL: thompsonx

ORIGINAL: AtUrCervix



Without "Lend Lease"....there would have BEEN NO UK to support. With it....there was a chance. And....together....with the world's assistance....Hitler and Tojo was (were) contained.

No sweetie the russians did the heavy lifting get someone to show you how to use the library.

quote:

ORIGINAL: jlf1961

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lucylastic

quote:

ORIGINAL: Nnanji


While much of what you said is true, the US's three biggest sports were all invented here. Baseball, American football and basketball.

not so much

Basketball was invented by a canadian, Naismith.

The first recorded baseball game took place in canada, But it is based on an old english game called rounders.

American football. On May 13 and 14, two games were played in the US between Harvard University and McGill(Canadian). The first was played using Harvard’s rules, which was a game more like soccer and using a round ball, the second was played using McGill(Canadian) rules, with an oval ball.
http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2014/05/14/how-canada-created-american-football-may-14-1874/

Lucy, I hate to disagree with you on baseball, and while I knew that Abner Doubleday did not invent it (that was a bs story that was done by A. J. Spalding.)


The truth is that it was not started in Canada, but hey, since you guys dont know anything about bacon, I can understand your confusion.

quote:

As it turns out, the real history of baseball is a little more complicated than the Doubleday legend. References to games resembling baseball in the United States date back to the 18th century. Its most direct ancestors appear to be two English games: rounders (a children’s game brought to New England by the earliest colonists) and cricket. By the time of the American Revolution, variations of such games were being played on schoolyards and college campuses across the country. They became even more popular in newly industrialized cities where men sought work in the mid-19th century. 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 burgeoning pastime faster-paced and more challenging while clearly differentiating it from older games like cricket. In 1846, the Knickerbockers played the first official game of baseball against a team of cricket players, beginning a new, uniquely American tradition.

source

Now as for football, or gridiron football, again I have to disagree with you.

quote:



The man most responsible for the transition from this rugby-like game to the sport of football we know today was Walter Camp, known as the “Father of American Football.” As a Yale undergraduate and medical student from 1876 to 1881, he played halfback and served as team captain, equivalent to head coach at the time. Even more importantly, he was the guiding force on the rules board of the newly formed Intercollegiate Football Association (IFA). Thanks to Camp, the IFA made two key innovations to the fledgling game: It did away with the opening “scrummage” or “scrum” and introduced the requirement that a team give up the ball after failing to move down the field a specified yardage in a certain number of “downs.” Among the other innovations Camp introduced were the 11-man team, the quarterback position, the line of scrimmage, offensive signal-calling and the scoring scale used in football today. In addition to his work with the rules board, Camp coached the Yale team to a 67-2 record from 1888 to 1892—all while working as an executive at a watch-manufacturing firm.
source.

Oh well, bacon, football, baseball.....

I figure the cold affects thinking.[:D]