Jackson: Seven days in May (1968)

From SABR member Frank Jackson at The Hardball Times on May 16, 2017:

Seven Days in May was a 1962 novel and a 1964 film about an attempted military coup in the United States. Most of the narrative takes place in Washington, D.C. Curiously, just a few years later, in 1968, there were seven days in May when a ballplayer for the Washington Senators commandeered the sports headlines.

In American history, 1968 is noted for the Vietnam war, protest marches, assassinations, riots, and other forms of turmoil. In baseball history, the 1968 season was infamous for offensive statistics that were less than riotous.

After the April 4 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., riots occurred all around the country, including the nation’s capital. On April 5, President Lyndon Johnson called in federal troops as well as National Guardsmen to back up the Washington, D.C. police force. Order was not restored till April 8.

Read the full article here: http://www.hardballtimes.com/seven-days-in-may-1968/



Originally published: May 17, 2017. Last Updated: May 17, 2017.