WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:18.920 The first American contender for the World Heavyweight Championship was a Negro. 00:18.920 --> 00:22.120 An author miraculously finds a lost, valuable manuscript. 00:22.120 --> 00:24.160 Paul Revere did not write alone. 00:24.160 --> 00:25.160 Can you imagine that? 00:25.160 --> 00:29.000 Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is Lindsay McHarry, and those statements are all true. 00:29.000 --> 00:31.880 And in just a moment or two, my thespian friends and I are going to prove them to you. 00:31.880 --> 00:59.520 So we'll be seeing you. 00:59.520 --> 01:10.620 In a moment or two. 01:10.620 --> 01:13.360 Let's go. 01:13.360 --> 00:59.520 So I don't know anything about it, that didn't 01:59.520 --> 02:06.920 Well, now we're all set and raring to go, so here's our first Can You Imagine That item 02:06.920 --> 02:07.920 for this session. 02:07.920 --> 02:11.840 You know, I think we should put aside a special department and call it the It Couldn't Happen 02:11.840 --> 02:12.840 Pigeon Hole. 02:12.840 --> 02:15.580 Here's an interesting and amazing story I dug up. 02:15.580 --> 02:19.680 It seems that Hermann Sudermann, the noted German playwright and novelist, in his early 02:19.680 --> 02:22.960 days as a writer had to work pretty hard to make both ends meet. 02:22.960 --> 02:26.560 One day he sold a novel to a newspaper, but the editor insisted that Sudermann write the 02:26.560 --> 02:29.840 whole thing at once, not just a chapter or two at a time. 02:29.840 --> 02:34.440 So Hermann Sudermann went to his home and laboriously completed the entire book, page 02:34.440 --> 02:37.380 after page, of closely handwritten manuscript. 02:37.380 --> 02:41.660 Then he started to Berlin to deliver the story, but he had to stop at Insterburg, a town in 02:41.660 --> 02:44.480 East Prussia, to change trains, and there... 02:44.480 --> 02:48.200 This is where I change trains for Berlin, is it not? 02:48.200 --> 02:51.040 Yeah, but your train will not be here for a little while. 02:51.040 --> 02:52.040 Oh, all right. 02:52.040 --> 02:53.040 Thank you. 02:53.040 --> 02:54.040 Hermann. 02:54.040 --> 02:55.040 Hermann. 02:55.040 --> 02:56.040 What? 02:56.040 --> 02:57.040 It's Benner, Fritz. 02:57.040 --> 02:58.040 Where are you? 02:58.040 --> 03:04.040 It has been a long time since we last seen each other, Nikvar. 03:04.040 --> 03:06.960 Fritz, what are you doing here at Insterburg? 03:06.960 --> 03:07.960 Visiting the town. 03:07.960 --> 03:09.760 And you know what? 03:09.760 --> 03:13.440 Here with me are Heinrich Müller, Schantz, and all the rest of the old friends. 03:13.440 --> 03:15.520 That is fine, fine. 03:15.520 --> 03:19.000 I have some time before I must catch the Berlin train. 03:19.000 --> 03:20.960 It will be just like old times. 03:20.960 --> 03:22.960 All of us together, Nikvar. 03:22.960 --> 03:27.560 And, Gabbard Fritz, I must be sure to catch the Berlin train, because I have right here 03:27.560 --> 03:31.200 in my pocket a manuscript that will mean bread and butter. 03:31.200 --> 03:35.960 I have not had it so easy, and I have got to get this book to the editor. 03:35.960 --> 03:37.420 Don't worry, Hermann. 03:37.420 --> 03:40.640 You will put you on the Berlin train, all right. 03:40.640 --> 03:41.640 Now come on. 03:41.640 --> 03:43.440 The others are at the end. 03:43.440 --> 03:47.160 Well the reunion was staged, and the next morning Hermann Südemann found himself on 03:47.160 --> 03:49.200 the train, arrived in Berlin. 03:49.200 --> 03:53.680 Perhaps the celebration of the night before had clouded Herr Südemann's brain somewhat. 03:53.680 --> 03:57.040 At any rate, he stepped off the train. 03:57.040 --> 03:59.840 I want the carriage to take me to... 03:59.840 --> 04:03.040 Oh, oh, du lieber, oh, Hermann. 04:03.040 --> 04:04.040 What is wrong? 04:04.040 --> 04:05.040 My manuscript. 04:05.040 --> 04:07.040 I had it here in my pocket. 04:07.040 --> 04:09.040 Oh, no, no, now it's gone, gone. 04:09.040 --> 04:10.040 Oh, that works. 04:10.040 --> 04:12.040 And perhaps it is still on the train. 04:12.040 --> 04:13.040 On the train. 04:13.040 --> 04:14.040 It has to be. 04:14.040 --> 04:15.040 If it is not, then I am lost. 04:15.040 --> 04:16.040 Oh, I must get it. 04:16.040 --> 04:17.040 Please, please help me. 04:17.040 --> 04:18.040 I have to get it. 04:18.040 --> 04:20.240 Please, please help me. 04:20.240 --> 04:22.480 But the manuscript was nowhere to be found. 04:22.480 --> 04:26.120 Südemann sat in his hotel room in Berlin trying to rewrite the book, but the words 04:26.120 --> 04:27.120 wouldn't come. 04:27.120 --> 04:30.480 Heartbroken, he made his way back to his hometown, and once more he had to stop at 04:30.480 --> 04:32.600 Insterburg for the train change. 04:32.600 --> 04:36.680 Desperate, with little money and his friends gone from the town, Südemann decided to get 04:36.680 --> 04:39.840 himself something to eat, so he went into a delicatessen. 04:39.840 --> 04:40.840 Guten Morgen. 04:40.840 --> 04:41.840 You wish something? 04:41.840 --> 04:42.840 Sure, I want a herring. 04:42.840 --> 04:43.840 One herring? 04:43.840 --> 04:44.840 Yeah, one little herring. 04:44.840 --> 04:48.280 I'm not very hungry. 04:48.280 --> 04:51.280 Sehr gut, ja. 04:51.280 --> 04:52.680 Do you want it wrapped? 04:52.680 --> 04:54.680 You may eat it here if you wish. 04:54.680 --> 04:55.680 No, no, danke. 04:55.680 --> 04:56.680 Please, wrap it up. 04:56.680 --> 04:57.680 Ja, mein Herr. 04:57.680 --> 04:58.680 Here it is, mein Herr. 04:58.680 --> 04:59.680 Too fennig. 04:59.680 --> 05:00.680 Too fennig. 05:00.680 --> 05:01.680 Himmel. 05:01.680 --> 05:02.680 Oh, du lieber. 05:02.680 --> 05:03.680 What's the matter? 05:03.680 --> 05:04.680 What is it? 05:04.680 --> 05:05.680 Are you ill? 05:05.680 --> 05:06.680 No, no, no, no, no, but this paper. 05:06.680 --> 05:07.680 You quickly, quickly bring me all the wrapping paper you have. 05:07.680 --> 05:08.680 Quickly, I must have it. 05:08.680 --> 05:09.680 I must, I must. 05:09.680 --> 05:10.680 But there is writing. 05:10.680 --> 05:11.680 Just a minute. 05:11.680 --> 05:12.680 I must have it. 05:12.680 --> 05:13.680 I must, I must. 05:13.680 --> 05:15.040 But there is writing on it. 05:15.040 --> 05:16.040 Ja, I know. 05:16.040 --> 05:24.160 It is my writing, my writing, my manuscript, my book. 05:24.160 --> 05:27.200 And it was Hermann Sudeimann's book, all but a few pages of it. 05:27.200 --> 05:31.240 The novel thus recovered was Frau Sorge, the book that established Sudeimann's reputation 05:31.240 --> 05:32.240 and fame. 05:32.240 --> 05:33.240 Can you imagine that? 05:33.240 --> 05:34.240 The French troops are on their way. 05:34.240 --> 05:35.240 The British are coming. 05:35.240 --> 05:36.240 The British are coming. 05:36.240 --> 05:41.400 Well, that must be Paul Revere, writing from the 05:41.400 --> 05:48.040 Charlestown to Lexington to warn the colonists that the English soldiers are on the march. 05:48.040 --> 05:49.880 But what's that other voice doing there? 05:49.880 --> 05:53.360 Well, Paul didn't ride alone that night of April 18th, 1775. 05:53.360 --> 05:58.240 No, indeed, his companion was one William Dawes, but it was Paul Revere's name which 05:58.240 --> 06:02.200 has come down to us through the years as the man who made that historic ride. 06:02.200 --> 06:05.440 By the way, that patriot's name was not originally Revere. 06:05.440 --> 06:11.240 No, Paul was the third son of Apollos Revoir, who migrated to Boston from Germany and upon 06:11.240 --> 06:13.960 reaching America changed the family name to Revere. 06:13.960 --> 06:14.960 Can you imagine that? 06:14.960 --> 06:19.560 But of course, Paul Revere wasn't only known among his fellow men as somewhat of a horseman. 06:19.560 --> 06:22.600 As you probably know, he was also a maker of false teeth. 06:22.600 --> 06:27.760 Here is an advertisement which has been discovered in the Boston Gazette of August 29th, 1768. 06:27.760 --> 06:32.640 Whereas many persons are so unfortunate as to lose their foreteeth by accident and other 06:32.640 --> 06:37.440 ways to their great detriment not only in looks, but in speaking both in public and 06:37.440 --> 06:38.540 private. 06:38.540 --> 06:43.000 This is to inform all such that they may have them replaced by false ones that look as well 06:43.000 --> 06:49.200 as natural and answer the end of speaking to all intents by Paul Revere Goldsmith near 06:49.200 --> 06:52.200 the head of Dr. Clark's fourth, Boston. 06:52.200 --> 06:54.800 Can you imagine that? 06:54.800 --> 06:58.440 Did you know that the first American ever to fight for the world's heavyweight boxing 06:58.440 --> 07:00.080 championship was a Negro? 07:00.080 --> 07:01.080 That's right. 07:01.080 --> 07:02.080 His name was Tom Mullinoh. 07:02.080 --> 07:05.880 He had been a slave on a plantation in the state of Virginia and when his master heard 07:05.880 --> 07:09.760 that Tom had given a terrific whipping to a Negro bully on a neighboring plantation, 07:09.760 --> 07:13.720 he promptly gave Tom his freedom and suggested that he follow the pugilistic profession. 07:13.720 --> 07:18.240 Gratefully, Tom Mullinoh embraced the idea, also accepting his former master's offer of 07:18.240 --> 07:19.840 transportation to England. 07:19.840 --> 07:24.160 Then the recognized center of the boxing sport and the home of the world's heavyweight champion, 07:24.160 --> 07:25.160 Tom Cribb. 07:25.160 --> 07:29.760 When Mullinoh arrived in England in the year 1810, he negotiated eight fights, won them 07:29.760 --> 07:35.240 all, received less than $350 for all of them and became a definite contender for the championship. 07:35.240 --> 07:39.560 He finally met Cribb at Copsville Common on December 10th, 1810. 07:39.560 --> 07:43.680 Before a crowd of 20,000, Mullinoh mauled Cribb all over the ring for 30 rounds. 07:43.680 --> 07:46.080 Yes, I said 30 rounds. 07:46.080 --> 07:48.400 They took their boxing seriously in those days. 07:48.400 --> 07:51.920 Well, let's imagine that we're listening to a radio broadcast of the Mullinoh-Cribb 07:51.920 --> 07:54.240 battle as the announcer of the ringside says... 07:54.240 --> 07:57.680 Well, ladies and gentlemen, Tom Cribb is in pretty bad shape. 07:57.680 --> 07:59.720 The seconds are working over him hard right now. 07:59.720 --> 08:02.320 Yes, sir, he doesn't look much like a champion. 08:02.320 --> 08:05.960 Well, on the other hand, the American is still going top roll. 08:05.960 --> 08:08.640 Here's the bell announcing the start of the 31st round. 08:08.640 --> 08:10.480 The lads come out of their corners. 08:10.480 --> 08:12.160 Mullinoh is making a dash for Cribb. 08:12.160 --> 08:14.920 Hits him with a hard right, smash and drops him. 08:14.920 --> 08:17.600 The referee motions the American to a neutral corner. 08:17.600 --> 08:18.600 He's counting. 08:18.600 --> 08:19.600 One. 08:19.600 --> 08:20.600 Two. 08:20.600 --> 08:22.720 Back a minute, right a minute. 08:22.720 --> 08:23.720 What happened then? 08:23.720 --> 08:25.920 I hope you believe it, ladies and gentlemen. 08:25.920 --> 08:30.480 The American, in trying to avoid bodily contact with Cribb, stumbled and pitched Ed Long right 08:30.480 --> 08:31.480 into a ring post. 08:31.480 --> 08:32.480 He's unconscious. 08:32.480 --> 08:36.160 Yes, now, both men are lying prone on the canvas, completely out. 08:36.160 --> 08:37.160 Can you imagine that? 08:37.160 --> 08:40.840 Well, now, we'll see what's going to happen now. 08:40.840 --> 08:45.840 Both men were revived for the 32nd round and both groggy, virtually out on their feet, 08:45.840 --> 08:50.040 pushed and shoved each other unsteadily around the ring until toward the end of the round, 08:50.040 --> 08:54.840 they bumped into each other, weaved a moment again, and then both fell to the floor as 08:54.840 --> 08:56.560 the bell rang. 08:56.560 --> 08:59.480 Somewhat revived once more, they were shoved by their seconds into the ring for the start 08:59.480 --> 09:00.480 of the 33rd round. 09:00.480 --> 09:04.480 And here we go for another round of this grueling fight, ladies and gentlemen. 09:04.480 --> 09:07.000 Both Cribb and Marlino looked badly, very badly indeed. 09:07.000 --> 09:09.000 Neither one looks as though he... 09:09.000 --> 09:10.000 There! 09:10.000 --> 09:12.000 Cribb has landed a neat one to the American's face. 09:12.000 --> 09:13.000 He's down, ladies and gentlemen, he's down. 09:13.000 --> 09:14.000 The American is down. 09:14.000 --> 09:15.000 The referee motions Cribb to a neutral corner and begins to count. 09:15.000 --> 09:16.000 Three. 09:16.000 --> 09:17.000 Four. 09:17.000 --> 09:18.000 Five. 09:18.000 --> 09:19.000 Six. 09:19.000 --> 09:20.000 He's still lying there. 09:20.000 --> 09:21.000 He doesn't move. 09:21.000 --> 09:22.000 Eight. 09:22.000 --> 09:23.000 Nine. 09:23.000 --> 09:24.000 Ten. 09:24.000 --> 09:25.000 And he's out. 09:25.000 --> 09:34.120 Tom Cribb is still heavyweight champion of the world. 09:34.120 --> 09:37.640 After the fight, it was discovered that when the American Negro dove into the ring post 09:37.640 --> 09:40.340 in the 31st round, he had fractured his skull. 09:40.340 --> 09:43.920 But that didn't change the decision and Tom Cribb retained his title. 09:43.920 --> 09:45.920 Marlino's head injury affected his memory. 09:45.920 --> 09:49.680 And although he fought a few times after that big battle, he didn't earn much, finally drifted 09:49.680 --> 09:54.640 into oblivion and was found eight years later in an army barracks in Ireland dead. 09:54.640 --> 09:59.560 But Tom Marlino, former Negro slave on a Virginia plantation, still retained his title as the 09:59.560 --> 10:02.760 first American contender for the world's heavyweight championship. 10:02.760 --> 10:04.840 Can you imagine that? 10:04.840 --> 10:08.920 Did you ever hear of a songwriter who after writing one of the most singable and successful 10:08.920 --> 10:11.400 popular tunes of his time refused to write another? 10:11.400 --> 10:13.000 Well, here's one. 10:13.000 --> 10:16.680 His name was Michael Nolan, a singer in the music halls of London several generations 10:16.680 --> 10:17.680 past. 10:17.680 --> 10:22.320 He penned a ditty, later singing it and popularizing it among English audiences. 10:22.320 --> 10:26.320 Soon, American music publishers hearing of the immense popularity of this new foreign 10:26.320 --> 10:30.000 hit brought it to the United States and it was introduced at the old London theater in 10:30.000 --> 10:34.360 New York by Annie Hart, known professionally as the Bowery Girl. 10:34.360 --> 10:38.040 Its lilting melody very, very soon stole its way into the hearts of all those who heard 10:38.040 --> 10:39.040 it. 10:39.040 --> 10:43.780 And within a short time, thousands of copies of the song were being sold, not by one publisher, 10:43.780 --> 10:47.760 but by all the publishers who cared to take the trouble to set the song up in notes and 10:47.760 --> 10:48.820 type. 10:48.820 --> 10:52.520 You see, that happened in the days before the international copyright laws had been 10:52.520 --> 10:57.280 passed and Michael Nolan, its author and composer, never received a cent of royalties from the 10:57.280 --> 10:59.360 American sales of his song. 10:59.360 --> 11:03.640 He felt so bitter about the situation that he resolved never again to write another song 11:03.640 --> 11:05.720 and he never did. 11:05.720 --> 11:07.440 Can you imagine that? 11:07.440 --> 11:11.760 When you hear the title of the number, you'll realize why Nolan gave way to resentment. 11:11.760 --> 11:15.200 You've sung it many times yourself, but we're pleased to present our orchestra and quartet 11:15.200 --> 11:20.640 reviving all the potent memories inherent in the lovable old Waltz, Little Annie Rooney. 11:20.640 --> 11:45.480 She's my sweetheart, I'm her boy. 11:45.480 --> 12:01.280 A winning way, a pleasant smile, dressed so neat but quite in style. 12:01.280 --> 12:16.280 I'm a married chap, your time too wild as Little Annie Rooney. 12:16.280 --> 12:31.920 She's my sweetheart, I'm her boy. 12:31.920 --> 12:51.360 I'm her joy, soon we'll marry, never too far. 12:51.360 --> 12:54.360 Well I guess we've about run out of time on this session of Can You Imagine That? 12:54.360 --> 12:58.020 But we're all hoping you'll be listening again when we appear next time on this same station. 12:58.020 --> 13:14.240 Until that time, this is Lindsay McCarry saying goodbye now. 13:14.240 --> 13:30.940 Cheers.