DuckTales

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Captain Eli Thompson Fryer (US Marine Corps) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on April 21-22, 1914, during the engagements of Vera Cruz. His citation reads:

For distinguished conduct in battle, engagements of Vera Cruz, 21 and 22 April 1914. In both days' fighting at the head of his company, Captain Fryer was eminent and conspicuous in his conduct, leading his men with skill and courage.

Sergeant Frederick Fuger (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on July 3, 1863, at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. His citation reads:

All the officers of his battery having been killed or wounded and five of its guns disabled in Pickett's assault, he succeeded to the command and fought the remaining gun with most distinguished gallantry until the battery was ordered withdrawn.

Private First Class Jesse N. Funk (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on October 31, 1918, near Bois-deBantheville, France. His citation reads:

Learning that 2 daylight patrols had been caught out in No Man's Land and were unable to return, Pfc. Funk and another stretcher bearer, upon their own initiative, made 2 trips 500 yards beyond our lines, under constant machinegun fire, and rescued 2 wounded officers.


Congrats to Jon Smoltz on having his number retired by the Braves and being inducted into their Hall of Fame. For my money, Smoltz is a Hall of Fame (as in, the Baseball Hall of Fame) pitcher. Was he the greatest pitcher I ever saw? No… that’s Greg Maddux by a long shot. But Smoltz is one of the greatest big game pitchers I ever saw.


The I’m just sayin… Kid Show of the Week

The Kid Show of the Week this week is DuckTales. DuckTales is an animated television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation. Based on Carl Barks' Uncle Scrooge comic book series, it premiered on September 18, 1987 and ended on November 28, 1990 with a total of four seasons and 101 episodes in 100 shows. An animated theatrical spin-off film based on the series, DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp, was released widely in the United States on August 3, 1990. The voice cast from the series played their roles in the film also. The viewer follows the adventures of Scrooge McDuck and his three great-grandnephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie (who were originally living with their uncle Donald, are left in Scrooge's care when the former joins the Navy). Important secondary characters, that often take part in the adventures, include Donald Duck, Scrooge's pilot Launchpad McQuack and butler Duckworth, the inventor Gyro Gearloose, and the nanny Mrs. Beakley and her granddaughter Webby. The most notable antagonists in the series are the Beagle Boys, the witch Magica De Spell, and the industrialist Flintheart Glomgold. In a typical story, the villains are after McDuck's fortune or his Number One Dime; another common theme is a race after some sort of treasure. Although some stories are original or based on Barks' comic book series, others are pastiches on classical stories or legends, including characters based on either fictional or historical persons. The series is known for its many references to popular culture, whether it be Shakespeare, Jack the Ripper, Greek mythology, James Bond or Sherlock Holmes - to mention a few.

The show's second season saw the addition of characters Fenton Crackshell and Bubba Duck. Along with them came stories that generally shifted away from the globetrotting plots of the first season, and revolved primarily in the contemporary setting of Duckburg. Episodes would feature either Bubba or Fenton but rarely both. Although Scrooge and his great-nephews were the show's main characters, some episodes focused on other characters like Launchpad or Gyro. Some members of Scrooge's extended family (The Duck Universe), like Gladstone Gander who had extremely good luck, were also seen in the series. Characters like Gladstone were often seen in the early Carl Barks comic book stories.

The series is notable for being the first Disney cartoon to be produced for syndication, and paving the way for future Disney cartoons, such as Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers and TaleSpin. DuckTales also spawned spin-off series Darkwing Duck.

I don’t think DuckTales is still on TV anymore, so the only way to watch this great kid-friendly show is DVD. Trust me, it’s worth the money. This is the kind of show that girls and boys like to watch.