JFK 50 years ago
I was in my final semester at Queens College in NYC. I decided to cut my afternoon classes and head for the Big A to play some ponies. I actually heard the news of his death from Fred Cappossella, the track announcer. Jay Hovdey, in a recent DRF article, reported that the final TWO races were cancelled that day, but my recollection as one of the 24,000 in attendance (pre-OTB; people actually went to the track) is that racing was cancelled after about the 3rd or 4th race. Anyway, I headed home, and went to my part-time job at the Boys Club of Queens in Astoria that evening (I was the librarian, believe it or not). I usually didn't allow the tv set to be on except for special occasions or sports events, but that Friday night I sat glued to the tv set with all the kids, witnessing history. I remember it like yesterday (although my wife insists I can't remember yesterday, and she's absolutely right.)
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