7/11-7/17/48

7/11 Sunday Played a chess game with Eugene which I left unfinished went I went to play B. Fellman losing to him. When I returned to Eugene he announced that I couldn't stop mate. Later I played with Eugene at Walton. Sylvia's temp was under 100° all day. She does a lot of coughing. When Eugene propounded a riddle to Sylvia and me "What nut doesn't grow." Sylvia guessed a "dough-nut". Eugene heard Baron Munchausen on "Tell It Again".

7/12 Won two out of three chess games from Eugene on the St. James grass. The kids later played "go fish" which was Sylvia's preference as she won when they chose. The Jewish Army won the biggest battle of the war capturing two towns. The Newspaper Guild left the City C.I.O. Council.

 7/13 Sylvia was up most of the night with a pain in her ear which she called her cheek. Dr.Holzman came at 4 PM. It was an inflamed ear. She got another shot of penicillin. Her temp was under 100°. She also got ear drops, argyrol in the nose. No aspirin. Eugene spent the afternoon at his school's indoor playground. He played a game in which a checker is hit through a hole in a board using a small stick. As the Democratic convention nears, Presidential possibilities besides Truman are Douglas, Pepper, Gov. Laney of Ark. Seymour Stedman is dead at 76.

Dad seems to be describing "nok hockey", which I remember playing regularly at the St. James park playground; perhaps it wasn't there yet.  

7/14 Sylvia normal and feeling fine today. Played tennis and chess with Eugene. His slogan these days is ""Heigh-ho Silver" as he starts to run. He made an Electric well driver. Jews seized Jerusalem's water supply. The Democratic Convention recognized the S. Car. white primary, called illegal by the Supreme Court. The A.L. All stars beat the N.L. 5-2 for the eleventh victory in fifteen years. Yankee pitcher Raschi started. Sam and Molly came over bringing some fairy tales and Mama brought "Jugglehead" a head with magnetized eyes, ears, noses etc.
 
Just looked up "Jugglehead"; a book says it was first issued in 1953. Inferior research, apparently. 

7/15 Sylvia was normal all day. I beat Schinesi and played some with Eugene. Also split four chess games with him during the day. Lillian went out in the evening ... Togliatti was seriously wounded by a 25 year old assassin, Antonio Pallante who fired three shots into him, one entering his chest. Strikes, riots, demonstrations and shooting followed in a dozen cities. Truman and Barkley were nominated on the first ballot as delegates from two Southern states walked out in protest against a strong civil rights plank. Russia blamed the Berlin crisis on the revaluation of the currency and setting up of a separate state by the Allied powers.

7/16 Sylvia fine. The kids played they were a couple entertaining guests. In the park I beat Karl B. while Eugene lost a chess game to him. Thousands picketed Gimbels in protest against the conspiracy of dept. store owners and Congress to smash the Union. Truman called a special session July 26. Greek guerrillas won victories over gov't troops in the Grammos mountains. The UN ordered a new truce in Palestine. Many progressives were arrested in Turkey. Condon was finally cleared by the US Atomic Energy Comm. Gen. Pershing died at 87.

7/17 Sylvia was out of bed today and looking very cute. I beat B. Fellman, Eugene standing behind the fence as usual. Steel companies gave 13¢ per hour raises but plan to raise the price of steel. A big managerial shakeup saw Leo Durocher replace Mel Ott as Giant pilot. Bert Shotton replaced Durocher as Dodger manager. Dusty Cooke replaced Ben Chapman as Philly boss.

I do remember watching Dad play tennis while I stood behind, outside the fence around the courts.