5 Things to Know Today

Good morning, Bethlehem. Today is Wednesday, August 3, 2011 – two days from the start of Musikfest.

1. Ninety years ago today, Baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis banned eight members of the Chicago White Sox for working to deliberately lose the 1919 World Series to the underdog Cincinnati Reds. Landis, who was hired by Major League owners to be the game’s first commissioner while he was still a federal judge, is generally credited with cleaning up baseball during a time when its reputation had faltered because of “game-fixing” and rampant gambling. By 1924, he had banned seven more players for gambling, associating with gamblers or actual attempts at game fixing. The message stuck. To this day, “No Betting on Baseball” signs adorn every clubhouse in the Major and Minor Leagues and betting on baseball remains the game’s only truly unforgivable sin. Just ask Pete Rose.
2. Bring your umbrella with you. There’s a very good chance we will have thunderstorms, showers and heavy rainfall during parts of the day, according to the National Weather Service. The high temperature should hover around 80 degrees.
3. Quarterbacks and defensive backs are scheduled to appear at the autograph tents at at today. Think I’ll ask Mike Vick to sign my PETA T-shirt and then walk up to Asante Samuel and ask him how he likes all his new teammates. Practice sessions are scheduled at 8:05 a.m. and 2 p.m., though it’s not clear how or if the rain will affect that.
4. With news that the local , we thought we’d remind everyone of the services provided at Career Link Lehigh Valley, which today is hosting a job fair for Persons Directed Supports Inc., a non-profit company that provides direct care staff for adults with developmental disabilities. The fair goes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Career Link, which is located at 1601 Union Boulevard in Allentown.
5. You’ve got to give it up for ArtsQuest. It will be less than 48 hours from launching the biggest, most ambitious Musikfest in history, while still providing multiple opportunities for live entertainment at the campus tonight, including Toad the Wet Sprocket at the Musikfest Café at 7:30; Bethlehem’s own AJAR at the , also at 7:30; and stand-up comedy with Colin Jost at the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas at 8 p.m.