126. Cardinals, Catholics, and Commonwealths

Some bits and pieces.

The University of Louisville Baseball team ended their season yesterday, losing 3-1 to North Carolina in the College World Series, played at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha. They will be welcomed home at 1:30 this afternoon at a Rally at Jim Patterson Stadium, located at the northeast corner of S. Third Street and Cental Avenue, alongside the Denny Crum Overpass. Imagine coaching basketball for thirty-one years (although the last three were not up to par), compiling a 675-295 record, and guiding your college to two NCAA championships, first in 1980, then in 1986, and as a reward, they name a railroad overpass in your honor.

Last week, I scribbled some lines on Jim Patterson, the Louisville entrepreneur who put down some money to have the new baseball stadium built. An unidentified reader has commented that I failed to mention Mr. Patterson was a $10,000.00 donor to the Swift Boat PAC which attacked John Kerry in the 2004 presidential race. While I have not confirmed this donation, such a donation from Mr. Patterson would not surprise me. The unidentified commenter pointed out that as a donor, Mr. Patterson is "part of the problem." If he is a donor, I concur.

Having said that, one of my goals here is to convey some sense of the history here along the Left Bank of the Ohio River near Milepost 606. Who was whom, why things were named, which Catholic churches were exclusively Irish, German, or French, how colleges became universities, how something called Lee Terminal became Louisville International Airport, how buffalo and cattle paths becames lanes, then roads, and now highways, and other such trivia. Now and then I might ignore some fact and choose to skip over it. In other instances, the fact later pointed out to me may be one I did not know, as is the case with Mr. Patterson and his purported donation of $10,000.00 to the Swiftboaters. When I wrote of Mr. Patterson, I did not know of this donation. And, I'm not sure if I would have included it or not. After all, it is my blog. I will promise to always portray as facts things I know to be facts. Allegations tend to be identified as such, as are my personal opinions.

A few entries back I mentioned Virginia Governor Thomas Jefferson signing into law a county named in his honor and asked if anyone knew where it was (or is). No one responded. Either my five loyal readers didn't know or don't care. Ignorance can be corrected with education. Apathy is something I'm not sure I understand. Anyway, the county Jefferson approved the legislation creating is now known as Jefferson County, Kentucky, located here along the Left Bank of the Ohio River near Milepost 606. The legislation was approved in June, 1780 and became effective in December, 1780, when the transmontane territory of Kentucky was still a part of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is a recurring question - I've asked it before.