Monthly Archives: April 2018

04 25, 2018

Theodore Roosevelt: Making the Modern American President

By |2018-04-25T06:00:25-04:00April 25, 2018|

Our resident historian Dr. John Foster started his US Presidents of the 20th Century series last week with Theodore Roosevelt.

We’ve filmed and shared his talk for those who couldn’t join us that night.

Learn how Roosevelt’s morals affected his approach to war, conservation and philanthropy. Also, discover how Roosevelt’s innovations helped create the modern presidency.

If you enjoy Foster’s talk and want to learn more about Roosevelt, Foster recommends Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris and Theodore Roosevelt in the Badlands by Roger DiSilvestro.

Our series continues at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 21, with a focus on Woodrow Wilson. The talk is free to attend and open to all.

Other historical talks by Foster can be watched on our YouTube page, including:

04 22, 2018

Borrow traffic cones from Mentor Public Library

By |2018-04-22T06:00:15-04:00April 22, 2018|

You can now borrow traffic cones from Mentor Public Library.

You can now borrow traffic cones from Mentor Public Library.

Is your kid learning how to drive?

Firstly, our condolences. Secondly, you can now borrow a set of five traffic cones from us, so your new driver can practice.

Here’s the deal:

  • All you need is an adult Mentor Public Library card in good standing.
  • You get to borrow the cones for two weeks. (No renewals.)
  • You owe $5 in fines for each day they are late and $10 for any cone that isn’t returned.

Use the cones for driving practice, garage sales — however you need them. (Just try not to run them over.)

04 16, 2018

MPL Talks: The Mexican-American War

By |2018-04-16T06:00:55-04:00April 16, 2018|

Consider this a prologue to our Civil War series. David Lintern, a volunteer at the James A. Garfield National Historic Site, discussed the Mexican-American War during a program last week at the library.

The Mexican-American War is where most Civil War officers saw their first active combat.

Learn about Ulysses Grant’s remarkable equestrian escape during one battle, the march to Mexico City, and why Santa Anna was a hero to some Mexicans and a traitor to others.

If you’re interested in history, we have two more programs this month you’ll enjoy.

First, our resident historian Dr. John Foster is starting a series that will focus on the US Presidents of the 20th Century. It begins with Rough Rider and conservationist Theodore Roosevelt.

Foster—who, in addition to being a librarian, has a doctorate degree in history—will discuss one of our country’s most fascinating presidents at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 19, at our Main Branch. The talk is free and open to all. You can register to attend online or call us at (440) 255-8811 ext. 247.

Additionally, Foster will discuss the Easter Rising of 1916 at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 21,  at the Concord Township Community Center—7671 Auburn Road in Concord Township.

On Easter Monday, April 24, 1916, a group of Irish patriots staged a rebellion against British rule in Ireland. Although it failed, the Easter Rising opened the door to Irish independence within a decade. Learn about the rebels and their reasons during Foster’s lecture.

The Easter Rising talk is also free to attend. To register, call Suzy Cobb at (440) 639-4650.

Finally, our Civil War series continues at noon on Wednesday, May 9, at our Main Branch. The topic will be President James A. Garfield and the First Decoration Day.

By the way, if you’re interested in Civil War history, some other previous talks in our Civil War series can be viewed online in their entirety:

04 13, 2018

‘Runaway Midwife’ author Patricia Harman explains why midwives inspire her

By |2018-04-13T06:00:10-04:00April 13, 2018|

“One of the interesting things about midwives … they make great heroines, because they walk a razor’s edge between life and death. Mostly life, but occasionally not.”

Retired midwife and author Patricia Harman visited us earlier this week. She discussed:

  • the tragedy that inspired her newest novel, “The Runaway Midwife”
  • why storytelling is important for both authors and midwives
  • why midwives make for compelling heroines.

Visit our YouTube channel for more author interviews

 

04 12, 2018

Bad Boys & Bad Times: Cleveland Indians from 1937-1942

By |2018-04-12T06:00:33-04:00April 12, 2018|

BobFellerSigCleveland Indians historian Scott Longert visited us earlier this week to talk about the Tribe from 1937 to 1942.

We can’t share every glorious anecdote. After all, that’s what his next book is for. But we can give you five fun facts from Longert’s Tribe talk.

1. The snake-bit 1937 Cleveland Indians

The 1937 Indians had a murderer’s row for a starting rotation: all-star Johnny Allen; Mel Harder who won more than 200 games in his career; and a promising young guy named Bob Feller. You may have heard of him.

But that rotation was never quite as good on the field as it was on paper, mostly due to injuries.

Feller managed to dislocated his ulna while throwing a curveball during his first start of the season. It hindered him for two full months.

Meanwhile, Allen suffered from appendicitis and missed several starts. Ultimately, he managed to put together a remarkable season, going 15-1. That “-1” is an interesting story too.

2. Allen’s temper

Johnny Allen was 15-0 going into his final start of the 1937 season. He pitched a marvel of a game too and might have won if not for a muffed defensive play by third basemen Odell Hale.

Allen took umbrage to Hale’s error and tried to fight him after the game. Twice.

After the second fracas, manager Steve O’Neill forced Allen to sit next to him on the train ride home. And he managed to sooth his frazzled ace, in part by offering him $25 in gas money.

3. Rolling with Rollie Hemsley

Rollie Hemsley was a great catcher — a 5-time all-star and World Series champion.

He was also a notorious alcoholic for the first decade or so of his career.

Before he joined the Indians in 1938, he was repeatedly kicked off teams or traded for his behavior while drinking.

One time, he picked a fight with three sailors who were on shore leave. And when police tried to break it up, he punched an officer and ripped off his badge.

Of course, he faced a battery of criminal charges, but the only one that made him mad was driving without a license. He had a license, he argued. He just lost it during the fight.

Hemsley’s story has a happy ending. He joined Alcoholics Anonymous while with the Indians and stayed sober thereafter.

4. Nobody likes Vitt

Oscar Vitt became the Indians manager in 1938, and he was immediately unpopular. In fact, the team nearly mutinied against him in 1940.

But he was a known firestarter, even going back to his days as a player.

While a rookie with the Detroit Tigers, he almost got pummeled by Ty Cobb. You see, the rookie thought it was a good idea to heckle Cobb after he got picked off of second.

Vitt suggested that Cobb should wear a ball-and-chain. Cobb suggested that Vitt should shut his mouth or suffer tremendous violence.

Vitt wisely kept his mouth shut.

5. Terminal catch

In 1938, the Come to Cleveland Committee organized a stunt in which Indians catchers Hank Helf and Frankie Pytlak would catch baseballs dropped from the Terminal Tower.

For context, the Terminal Tower is more than 700 feet high.

Miraculously, Helf and Pytlak each caught one.

The balls were estimated to be traveling 140 mph. When one bounced, it flew back up 30 stories.

For more remarkable stories from Indians’ history, check out Longert’s books.

He’s written about:

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