PROJECT 364: Freddie, Teddy and Davey

I enjoy the “This Day in History” timelines that crop up from time to time in my life.

Some days, I find it interesting. Some days, I don’t care.

Other days stun me and affect me like a punch to the gut.

Today is one of those days.

It was 34 years ago today that Live Aid was held. Which means that was the day Freddie Mercury and Queen stole the show with a 20-minute set that anybody who knows anything about rock and roll will tell you it was 20 of the greatest minutes in music history.

Don’t believe me?

Have a look:

I’ve written about what Queen means to me before and that stands just as true today as it did during my high school years.

Also, I just happened to watch Bohemian Rhapsody tonight, after I discovered it on HBO.

But there is more.

In 1999, on this day, Ted Williams stopped by Fenway Park for the All-Star game and found himself mobbed by some of the game’s greatest.

For any baseball fan—especially us Red Sox fans—it was an emotional moment.

In fact, I dare say it was one of the greatest moments in team history, until 2004 … and 2007 … and 2013 … and 2018.

Here’s a look back at that:

And lastly, in 1993, NASCAR driver Davey Allison was killed in a helicopter crash in Alabama.

As the stock car writer for the Bangor Daily News back in my early days of journalism, I got to spend some time with Allison when he visited the Oxford 250.

I came away from that time liking him even more than I did before.

RIP, Davey.

Davey Allison.

One last sidenote: In 1977, a blackout hit New York City. It was due to a lightning strike and power was out for 25 hours later. Widespread looting was reported.

Tonight, a major power outage in the west side of Manhattan has affected tens of thousands of people, some of whom are still stuck in elevators as I write this.

Here’s hoping those lights come on soon.