Top Comments appears nightly, as a round-up of the best comments on Daily Kos. Surely you come across comments daily that are perceptive, apropos and .. well, perhaps even humorous. But they are more meaningful if they're well-known ... which is where you come in (especially in diaries/stories receiving little attention).
Send your nominations to TopComments at gmail dot com by 9:30 PM Eastern Time nightly, and indicate (a) why you liked the comment, and (b) your Dkos user name (to properly credit you).
A week from Saturday, the United States men's team will face England in the opening round of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. On June 29, 1950 (nearly sixty years ago) these teams faced each other in the same tournament in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
In those pre-TV days, North America was the only place on earth that didn't care that the US defeated England (the inventors of the game) by a score of 1-0 in one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. Only one US reporter - the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Dent McSkimming - covered the tournament ... and he had to pay his way there on his vacation to do so.
And I'll relate the game's story, as it's an unusual tale with many twists and turns. But it's the other story - the saga of Joe Gaetjens who scored the only goal in the contest - that makes this far more than a sports odyssey, and instead a human drama of the first magnitude. Hence, the title of this diary.
In a way, this result was even more improbable than the 1980 U.S. ice hockey win over the Soviets (as momentous as that was, how it made hockey a national sport and thrills me to this day). I say that because the hockey game took place before U.S fans, the U.S. squad was thought to have a decent chance at the bronze medal and several players went on to NHL careers.
By contrast, the World Cup team was lucky to qualify, the match took place down in Brazil and none of the 11 players that day achieved any fame in their semi-pro careers after defeating what was considered the best team in the world (in fact, the U.S. did not qualify again for the World Cup until forty years later in 1990). Instead, they went back to their jobs as teachers, postmen, assembly-line workers and even a funeral home hearse driver. Some prospects couldn't get time off to go to Brazil.
The US had qualified for the Cup in qualifiers despite losing to Mexico 6-0 and 6-2 ... because they had defeated Cuba 5-2 and drew 1-1. Those were the only three competitors in North America at the time. In international exhibition contest ("friendlies") the US had these losses under their belt: Italy (9-0), Norway (11-0), Northern Ireland (5-0) and Scotland (4-0). However, the team had become better the longer they played, and by the time they reached the World Cup: in the three matches they played (England, Spain and Chile) they were either ahead or tied for the first seventy minutes of play. But their lack of conditioning (and the heat in Brazil) often led to several late goals conceded.
The game was dominated by the English side; numerous shots went off the post/crossbar and goalkeeper Frank Borghi had to make many saves. U.S. player Walter Bahr later told Reuters, "Nine times out of ten, they would have beaten us handily. But that was our day".
The US players had one ally: the Brazilian fans, who were hopeful that in the event of a US victory the Brazilian squad might not have to face England in the next round (a feeling shared by supporters of Italy as well). "Mais Um!" ("One More!") was the constant chant from the Brazilian fans.
The only goal was scored in the 37th minute by Joe Gaetjens (half-Haitian, half-German and the only player of color on the squad) who played for the Brooklyn Wanderers, washed dishes and studied accounting at Columbia University. Walter Bahr took a shot from about 25 yards out, which Joe Gaetjens slightly deflected at the penalty spot - and which wound up behind English goalkeeper Bert Williams. Walter Bahr, by the way, had an interesting life. He became the head coach of the Penn State men's team for many years, his grandson Dieter is a prospect and Walter became the father of future NFL Super Bowl champion place-kickers Chris Bahr (Raiders) and Matt Bahr (Steelers and Giants).
"Mais Um" ("One More") was heard again as Gaetjens almost got another goal in the second half. But the English attack was relentless - and then less than ten minutes from the end, US defender Charley Columbo (an Italian-American) brought down Englishman Stan Mortensen with a rugby-like tackle just outside the penalty area. The Italian referee Generoso Dattilo whistled a foul and a free kick, but instead of ejecting Columbo: Dattilo walked up to him wagging his finger, supposedly saying "Buono, buono [Good, good]!" "Charley claimed that to his dying day," his teammate Harry Keough later said (while wryly noting that Italy's team was also in contention for the title).
The final whistle came soon after, resulting in the field being swarmed by the Brazilian fans shown carrying off Joe Gaetjens in this photo.
A demoralized English team lost to Spain 1-0 and were eliminated from the tournament (along with the US, who lost 5-2 to Chile). But while England's players received a somewhat cool welcome home, the US players received upon their return exactly the same reception as when they left: silence.
Geoffrey Douglas wrote an book about the match called The Game of Their Lives which was made into a film The Miracle Match some time later. Four of the eleven starters are still alive today (L-to-R: goalkeeper Frank Borghi, midfielders John Sousa and Walter Bahr and also defender Harry Keough - who was the coach of St. Louis University's team for many years). And all of what has been related so far makes for an interesting story.
But to me, what makes this story transcendent is that.....
....years later, Joe Gaetjens returned to his native Haiti when he was arrested at his workplace by Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier's gangster secret police, the Tonton Macoutes (that translates from Haitian Creole as "Uncle Boogeyman"). Although Joe himself was apolitical - the Gaetjens family considered this to be retaliation for their family's opposition to the Duvalier regime (as Duvalier declared himself a "President for Life" in 1964). Joe Gaetjens is believed to have been killed at the notorious Fort Dimanche prison around July 10th of 1964, according to his brother Jean-Pierre.
That is not certain; the family spent years seeking some sort of final declaration, to no avail. Joe's brother Jean-Pierre believed that had Joe followed-through on his initial declaration to seek U.S. citizenship (which enabled him to compete for the US back in those days) - and which would very likely have been granted - Duvalier would not have dared to arrest him; fearing a confrontation with the U.S. Alas, said his brother: their mother had prevailed upon him not to relinquish his citizenship. After Joe's abduction, many members of his family (including his wife and kids) did flee to the US, fearful of follow-up arrests by Papa Doc.
But his name was never forgotten: he and the rest of his teammates are in the US Soccer Hall of Fame and in 1997, several years after the fall of Duvalier's son, Jean-Claude ("Baby Doc"), the Haitian government authorized the issue of a postage stamp in honor of its native son.
And to close this story: Joe Gaetjen's name is still celebrated throughout Haiti. ESPN arranged for Joe's son Lesly (a gym teacher in the Washington, D.C. area) to visit Haiti for the first time since age seven (when his mother brought her children to the USA).
Although I can't embed this, ESPN's Outside the Lines program invited (and filmed) Lesly visiting the notorious Fort Dimanche prison, reuniting with long-lost relatives and seeing where his father had lived. It ends with ESPN convincing security guards at the national stadium in Port-au-Prince to unlock the gates ... when they are informed just who has arrived.
If you have nine minutes: at this link watch this video. It is a hard-hearted person indeed who can watch this video and not be moved. Repeat: watch this video and you'll understand more than anything I've written in this diary.
And now: on to Top Comments:
-----------------------------------
From ezdidit:
In this comprehensive diary by Chris Rodda - on why Glenn Beck is wrong to argue that we are a Christian nation - ezdidit cites Moore's Law in stating that 'Social networks have accelerated the mythbusting of propaganda and lies' by the right wing.
And the clincher? ezdidit believes that this comment by Inland sums up the diary quite nicely.
From Drewid:
First, in the midst of a diary by Eclectablog - applauding the AP's willingness to say that anti-government tea partiers are "suddenly ... clamoring for it" .... Andrew C White recoils at Mississippi governor Haley Barbour's analogy to toothpaste.
Dragon5616 follows-up on that same diary by noting ....
these words by D in Northern Virginia : "But if you got enough toothpaste on you, you couldn’t breathe.
From emeraldmaiden:
Mehitabel9 pleads with employers to acknowledge - with a simple autoresponder - those who have applied for job openings.
And adding one from myself .....
In this diary by blackwaterdog about the retired Pittsfield, Massachusetts man (whose sign urges all to be grateful for President Obama) - huntergeo deems Lenny Kates as having "enough energy to come out of retirement, as a congressman".
And lastly ... Top Mojo (cskendrick/sardonyx-style) excluding search-identifiable tip jars, first diary comments, Cheers and Jeers and (alas) da pooties:
Top 30 Comments excluding tip jars, first comments and stuff:
1) Krauthammer is a mean, bitter, piece of shit by Paleo — 140
2) Whoa by Ray Radlein — 116
3) The difference between liberals and conservatives by Finck II — 108
4) And Keith Olbermann recognized Nate's talent by sawgrass727 — 103
5) Obama and Sir Paul. by kitebro — 94
6) You can't say you want peace by mint julep — 93
7) If Beck truly believes in God, by christine20 — 86
8) I am grateful to Pres. Obama by in2mixin — 85
9) I hope they will still by Odeomi13 — 84
10) And can I assume by jsfox — 83
11) I predict: no consequences at all n/t by jeff in nyc — 81
12) The problem with trying to rewrite history by snackdoodle — 78
13) It's really simple, Mr. Hayward: by RLMiller — 72
14) This also means that Bonddad is in the NYT n/t by New Deal democrat — 70
15) Kenneth the Page speaks: by Jeff Y — 69
16) I'll sum up by Inland — 64
17) A year ago tomorrow..... by dehrha02 — 63
18) Klingons have honor. by Winter Soldier — 62
19) I believe the Evergreen students by Flyswatterbanjo — 61
20) I swear that was one of the best take downs ever by grannyhelen — 61
21) I thought it was so moving when Sir Paul said by dotster — 61
22) But they printed it because they were ... by Chris Rodda — 60
23) No but being a successful human being does by snackdoodle — 60
24) Is This Self Defense? by rssrai — 59
25) Thanks for this round-up by GN1927 — 59
26) Thank you for this. by Laura at Working America — 58
27) Rest assured by Hillbilly Dem — 57
28) No wonder this Aitken is a hero by milkbone — 57
29) You really don't get it ? by Troutfishing — 57
30) Presidents need political capital by a night owl — 57
Top 30 Comments with no exclusions, aka the Tip Jar & Pooties list :-):
1) Tip Jar by Chris Rodda — 493
2) tj by Nuisance Industry — 432
3) Tip Jar by blackwaterdog — 425
4) Tip Jar by Eclectablog — 328
5) Tip Jar by BruinKid — 317
6) Tip Jar by catchlightning — 248
7) Tip Jar by Muzikal203 — 218
8) Tip Jar by justdafacts — 215
9) Tip Jar by Flyswatterbanjo — 200
10) Tip Jar by The Electrical Worker — 168
11) Tips by Ellinorianne — 163
12) The purist in me won't be happy until he by RLMiller — 158
13) Krauthammer is a mean, bitter, piece of shit by Paleo — 140
14) Tip Jar by slinkerwink — 139
15) Tip Jar by Bill Halter for US Senate — 128
16) Whoa by Ray Radlein — 116
17) Tip Jar by Chrislove — 109
18) Tips! Oh, and... by weatherdude — 109
19) The difference between liberals and conservatives by Finck II — 108
20) Scritchie Jar by triciawyse — 107
21) And Keith Olbermann recognized Nate's talent by sawgrass727 — 103
22) Tips for Na-na-na, GOODBYE, you Beckerhead!!!! by MinistryOfTruth — 95
23) Obama and Sir Paul. by kitebro — 94
24) Tip Jar by Liveblog — 93
25) You can't say you want peace by mint julep — 93
26) Tip Jar by A Siegel — 88
27) If Beck truly believes in God, by christine20 — 86
28) Tip Jar by Pam LaPier — 86
29) I am grateful to Pres. Obama by in2mixin — 85
30) I hope they will still by Odeomi13 — 84