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First Totally Professional
Football Game!
September 3
Football caught on among
the general population and began to be the subject of intense
competition and rivalry, albeit of a localised nature. In
1892, although payments to
players were considered unsporting and dishonorable at the time,
a
Pittsburgh area club, the
Allegheny Athletic Association, surreptitiously hired former
Yale All-American guard
William "Pudge" Heffelfinger.[20]
On
November 12, Heffelfinger
became the first known professional football player. He was paid
$500—a huge amount at the time—to play in a game against the
Pittsburgh Athletic Club. Heffelfinger picked up a Pittsburgh
fumble and ran 35 yards for a touchdown, winning the game 4-0
for Allegheny. Although many observers held suspicions, the
payment remained a secret for many years.
On
September 3,
1895 the first wholly
professional game was played, in
Latrobe, Pennsylvania, between
the Latrobe
YMCA and the Jeannette Athletic
Club. Latrobe won the contest 12-0.
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Labor Day 124 years old!
September 1
President
Grover Cleveland proclaimed the first national observance of Labor Day,
henceforth the first Monday in September. In 1882, Peter J. McGuire,
founder of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, first suggested a day
to honor workers. That year, on September 5th, the Knights of Labor held
the
first "Labor
Day" parade in New York City. The organization
repeated the parade the next two years. In 1884 it adopted a resolution
declaring the first Monday in September to be Labor Day.
The
Knights of Labor campaigned for national recognition
of the holiday, which succeeded ten years later. On June 28th, Congress
passed the bill to make Labor Day a holiday in the District of Columbia
and for all federal workers in the states.
Because the 1894 law only applied to
the District of Columbia and federal workers in the states, each state
had to enact its own Labor Day legislation. Eventually, all the states
and territories put the law into operation, and Labor Day became a
national holiday.
  
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Grandparent's Day
September 7
It
is only right and fitting that one day of the year is set aside
to honor our grandparents. It is time to celebrate those special
people who are always there with a hug, a kiss, a cookie,
something special, or take us somewhere.
National Grandparent's Day originated in 1978. Then President
Jimmy Carter declared it to be the first Sunday after Labor Day.
If
you can, enjoy the day with them. That is the greatest gift they
can receive from you. If you can't see them, call them. When you
call, make sure you have the time for a long conversation.
Remember, grandparents will always ask about you first and
listen intently to everything you have to say. They are never
rushed or in a hurry. They are there just for you.
Click here
for more information:
National Grandparent
Day Homepage
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Constitution Day
September
17
The
Constitutional Congress held it's final meeting on September 17,
1787. Do you have any idea why? That's right! It was to sign the
Constitution of the United States of America, a document for
which they so painstakingly labored to create and perfect.
After the meeting there was still much to do. Individual states
then had to meet and vote on it. The U.S. Constitution did not
go into effect until two years later on March 4, 1789.
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International Peace Day (UN)
September 21
Since
2002, it is always on the 21st of September. Prior to this
change, it was celebrated on the 3rd Tuesday of September.
Created by a vote of the the United Nations General Assembly in
1981, this day is dedicated to establishing and promoting World
peace. It is celebrated by countries around the world. World
peace is a valuable and worthy proposition. You would think it
easy to accomplish, as no one really wants war and unrest.
Unfortunately, complete world peace still proves unreasonable.
This is not to say that it is impossible, or even that the world
has not moved in this direction. The world is truly more
peaceful today than it was yesterday, or the day before, or the
day before,.....
Click here
for more information:
International Day of Peace |
Autumnal Equinox
September 22
The Autumn
equinox signals the beginning of Fall. It is the point where there is
exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness at the equator. If
you live anywhere else, however, you will see a little bit more or a
little bit less than 12 hours of daylight. The daylight hours are
dwindling and will continue to do so until we reach the Winter Solstice,
the shortest day of the year and the start of winter.
In ancient
times, the Autumn Equinox was cause for a variety of pagan festivals,
among them the celebration of the birth of Mabon, the son of Mordon, the
Goddess of the earth.
It is also a
time to celebrate with a variety of Fall and Harvest Festivals. People
enjoy fall festivals as they sense the closure of a great summer season
and the coming of a long winter. The fall festivals are the last of the
outdoor events until spring. Just getting there is half the fun as you
drive through hills and forests ablaze in fall color. So, get out and
enjoy them.
Click here for more information:
Autumnal Equinox
 
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Rosh
Hashanah
September 30
The
festival of
Rosh Hashanah --the name means
"Head
of the Year" --is observed for two days beginning on
Tishrei 1, the first day of the
Jewish year. It is the anniversary of the creation of
Adam and Eve, the first
man and woman, and their first
actions toward the realization of
mankind's role in our world.
Rosh
Hashanah emphasizes the
special relationship between
the creator and humanity: our dependence upon the creator as our creator
and sustainer, and the creator's
dependence upon us as the ones
who make his presence known and felt in this world. Each year on
Rosh Hashanah, "all inhabitants of the world pass before
the creator
like a flock of sheep," and it is decreed in the heavenly court,
"who shall
live, and who shall die... who
shall be impoverished, and who shall be
enriched; who shall fall and
who shall
rise." But this is also the day
we proclaim the creator
King of the Universe. The Kabbalists teach that the continued existence of the universe is
dependant upon the
renewal of the divine desire
for a world when we accept the creator's
kingship each year on Rosh
Hashanah.
The
central observance of Rosh Hashanah is the sounding of the
shofar, the ram's horn, which
represents the trumpet blast of a people's coronation of their
king. The
cry of the shofar is also a
call to
repentance; for Rosh Hashanah
is also the anniversary of
man's first sin and his repentance thereof,
and serves as the first of the "Ten Days of Repentance" which
culminate in
Yom Kippur, the Day of
Atonement. Another significance of the shofar is to recall the
Binding of Isaac which also
occurred on Rosh Hashanah, in which a ram took Isaac's place as
an offering to the creator; we evoke Abraham's readiness to sacrifice
his son and plead that the merit of his deed should stand by us
as we
pray for a year of
life, health and prosperity.
Altogether, the shofar is sounded
100 times in the course of the
Rosh Hashanah service.
Additional Rosh Hashanah observances include: a) Eating a piece
of
apple dipped in honey to
symbolize our desire for a
sweet year, and other
special foods symbolic of the
new year's blessings. b)
Blessing one another with the
words Leshanah tovah tikateiv veteichateim, "May you be
inscribed and sealed for a good year." c)
Tashlich, a special prayer said
near a body of
water (an ocean, river, pond,
etc.) in evocation of the verse, "And You shall cast their sins
into the depths of the sea." And as with every major Jewish
holiday after candlelighting and prayers we recite Kiddush and
make a blessing on the Challah. |
Ramadan
September 1-30
0Ramadan is the ninth month of the
Muslim calendar. It is during this month that Muslims observe the Fast
of Ramadan. Lasting for the entire month, Muslims fast during the
daylight hours and in the evening eat small meals and visit with friends
and family. It is a time of worship and contemplation. A time to
strengthen family and community ties.
It
is during this month that Muslims fast. It is called the Fast of Ramadan
and lasts the entire month. Ramadan is a time when Muslims concentrate
on their faith and spend less time on the concerns of their everyday
lives. It is a time of worship and contemplation
During the
Fast of Ramadan strict restraints are placed on the daily lives of
Muslims. They are not allowed to eat or drink during the daylight hours.
Smoking and sexual relations are also forbidden during fasting. At the
end of the day the fast is broken with prayer and a meal called the
iftar. In the evening following the
iftar it is customary for Muslims to go out visiting family and
friends. The fast is resumed the next morning
According to
the Holy Quran:
"One may eat and drink at any time
during the night "until you can plainly distinguish a
white thread from a black thread by the daylight: then keep the fast
until night"
The good that
is acquired through the fast can be destroyed by five things -
These are
considered offensive at all times, but are most offensive during the
Fast of Ramadan
During
Ramadan, it is common for Muslims to go to the
Masjid (Mosque) and spend several
hours praying and studying the Quran. In addition to the five daily
prayers, during Ramadan Muslims recite a special prayer called the
Taraweeh prayer (Night Prayer). The
length of this prayer is usually 2-3 times as long as the daily prayers.
Some Muslims spend the entire night in prayer
On the evening
of the 27th day of the month, Muslims celebrate the
Laylat-al-Qadr (the Night of Power).
It is believed that on this night Muhammad first received the revelation
of the Holy Quran. And according to the Quran, this is when God
determines the course of the world for the following year
When the fast
ends (the first day of the month of Shawwal) it is celebrated for three
days in a holiday called Id-al-Fitr (the Feast of Fast Breaking). Gifts
are exchanged. Friends and family gather to pray in congregation and for
large meals. In some cities fairs are held to celebrate the end of the
Fast of Ramadan.
Johnny
Appleseed Day
September 26
Johnny Appleseed Day honors one of
America's great legends. Johnny Appleseed was a real person. John
Chapman was among the American settlers who were captivated by the
movement west across the continent. As Johnny Appleseed traveled west,
he planted apple trees along the way, and sold trees to settlers. With
every apple tree that was planted, the legend grew.
A Little About the Legend:
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John Chapman (aka Johnny Appleseed)
was born on September 26, 1774.
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He was a nurseryman who started out
planting trees in western New York and Pennsylvania.
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During the life of John Chapman,
the "West" was places like Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois.
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John Chapman was a deeply religious
person He was known to preach during his travels.
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According to legend, Johnny
Appleseed led a simple life and wanted little. He rarely accepted
money and often donated any money he received.
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It is believed that he died on
March 11, 1845, from what was referred to as the "winter plague".
The actual date of his death has been disputed.
There is a lot of "legend" in stories
written about Johnny Appleseed. By it's definition, over the years,
legends grow bigger than life. It also appears that there is some link
between Johnny Appleseed and very early Arbor Day celebrations.
Celebrate today with an apple rich
menu. Include fresh apples for snacks, and some applesauce or apple pie
for dessert. And, make plans to plant an apple tree.
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Full Moon
