Christmas Bird Droppings: Wishing the best for a fun, safe holiday in Birdland

Hello, friends.

There are now three months and five days remaining until Orioles Opening Day 2023. You’ll have to wait another week beyond that for the first game at Camden Yards.

Around the blogO’sphere

Friends, there ain’t nothin’ going on here over the Christmas holiday. Don’t worry. You haven’t missed anything, provided you were paying attention over the last week to the unexpected reunion with Mychal Givens and the acquisition of probable 2023 backup catcher James McCann.

Elsewhere in baseball, there IS a fresh round of drama regarding the results of Carlos Correa’s physical. Will this lead to the scuttling of another reported deal, or are they going to work their way through this one? It’s already weird and it could get weirder.

We’ll see if Mike Elias manages to slip in something else between Christmas and New Year’s. I’ll be paying attention but not holding my breath.

Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries

There are a few former Orioles who were born on Christmas Day. They are: 1985-86 infielder Tom O’Malley, 1956-58 pitcher Charlie Beamon, and 1954 pitcher Mike Blyzka.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you in addition to merry Christmas! Your birthday buddies for today include: scientist Isaac Newton (1642), American Red Cross founder Clara Barton (1821), baseball Hall of Famer Pud Galvin (1856), actor Humphrey Bogart (1899), jazz man Cab Calloway (1907), baseball Hall of Famer Nellie Fox (1927), musician Jimmy Buffett (1946), actress Sissy Spacek (1949), and baseball Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson (1958).

On this day in history...

In 336, the first historical evidence of a Christmas celebration in Rome exists.

A variety of kings in old times opted to have their crowning ceremonies take place on this day, including William the Conqueror as he formally became King of England in 1066.

In 1758, a comet was sighted by astronomer Johann Palitzsch. The comet’s arrival had been predicted by Edmund Halley in 1705 and arrived as predicted, since which time it has borne his name. Halley himself did not live to see the comet’s return, as he passed away in 1742. The comet’s next arrival in the inner solar system is anticipated to be in 2061.

In 1776, George Washington led the Continental Army in crossing the Delaware River, leading to the next day’s victory in the Battle of Trenton.

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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on December 25. Have a safe Christmas.