“Humpty Dumpty” (October 18, 1983)
By Charles Phillip Bissell (1926 -)
16.5 x 12, ink and wash on board
Coppola Collection

In 1960, Boston Globe cartoonist Phil Bissell, working for $25 a day, was handed an assignment that would change his life—and the lives of fans of the brand-new AFL football team coming to Boston. “Sports editor Jerry Nason came to me and he said, ‘They’ve decided to call the team the Boston Patriots. You better have a cartoon ready for tomorrow’s edition.’” Bissel’s “Pat Patriot” cartoon was the Patriot’s logo from 1961-1992.

The “false intellect” criticism of Reagan was most persistent. A word-slinging orator, his past as an actor always colored the view of his pronouncements as scripts.

Humpty Dumpty (from Alice Through the Looking Glass) is a classic false intellect. Just before his renowned accident, Humpty Dumpty tells Alice that words can mean exactly what he wants them to mean, and if you ask them to do more work than normal, you just pay them a little more.

By 1983, the economy was bouncing back in big ways. Internationally, the Cold War was at its highest tensions since the Cuban Missile Crisis. On October 15, Reagan addressed the Nation on “The Quality of Life in America.”

“I know I court trouble when I dispute experts who specialize in spotting storm clouds and preaching doom and gloom. But at the risk of being the skunk that invades their garden party, I must warn them: Some very good news is sneaking up on you. The quality of American life is improving again. `Quality of life’ — that’s a term often used but seldom defined. Certainly our standard of living is part of it, and one good measure of that is purchasing power.”

“In 1980 the U.S. ranked only 10th among 20 industrial nations in per capita income. By the end of 1982, we’d climbed all the way up to third place. Our stronger dollar has increased purchasing power. Real wages are up. And inflation is down to 2.6 percent.”

“Our critics may never be satisfied with anything we do, but I can only say those who created the worst economic mess in postwar history should be the last people crying wolf 1,000 days into this administration, when so many trends that were headed the wrong way are headed back in the right direction.”

Dr. An Wang (June 7, 1983)
By Charles Phillip Bissell (1926 -)
16.5 x 12, ink and wash on board
Coppola Collection

In 1960, Boston Globe cartoonist Phil Bissell, working for $25 a day, was handed an assignment that would change his life—and the lives of fans of the brand-new AFL football team coming to Boston. “Sports editor Jerry Nason came to me and he said, ‘They’ve decided to call the team the Boston Patriots. You better have a cartoon ready for tomorrow’s edition.’” Bissel’s “Pat Patriot” cartoon was the Patriot’s logo from 1961-1992.

An Wang (1920-1980) emigrated from China after WW2, and earned MS and PhD degrees from Harvard, in Applied Physics, in 1946 and 1948, respectively. Wang founded Wang Laboratories in June 1951 as the sole proprietor. He is a key figure in the development of magnetic core memory (which he sold to IBM in 1955), and for dedicated word processing machines in the mid-1970s. The company became the first market leader in desktop calculators.

With a $4M gift on June 3, 1983, Wang’s generosity spearheaded restoration of the Metropolitan Theater in Boston, which was renamed as the ‘Wang Theater’ in 1983.

In 1984, the Wang family owned about 55 percent of the company stock, and Forbes magazine, estimating his worth at $1.6 billion, ranked him as the fifth richest American.

“Primary Ring” (March 16, 1968)
By Charles Phillip Bissell (1926 -)
16.5 x 12, ink and wash on board
Coppola Collection

In 1960, Boston Globe cartoonist Phil Bissell, working for $25 a day, was handed an assignment that would change his life—and the lives of fans of the brand-new AFL football team coming to Boston. “Sports editor Jerry Nason came to me and he said, ‘They’ve decided to call the team the Boston Patriots. You better have a cartoon ready for tomorrow’s edition.’” Bissel’s “Pat Patriot” cartoon was the Patriot’s logo from 1961-1992.

In 1968, only 5 years out from the assassination of his brother, Robert Kennedy had decided he was not going to run. A senator from New York, RFK disagreed with President Johnson (LBJ) on policy, especially the Vietnam War. He was hesitant to challenge the man who succeeded JFK.

On March 16, 1968, in the midst of a tumultuous era, Kennedy told the world he had changed his mind. The strong showing by Gene McCarthy in the NH primary is said to have had a strong effect on Kennedy’s decision to run. Reaction to his announcement was generally enthusiastic and hopeful… and is likely to have contributed to the surprise announcement by LBJ, on March 31, that he was dropping out of the race and would not seek to be re-nominated for the presidency.

Less than 3 months after this was published, RFK was assassinated in an LA hotel.

Ironically, the cartoon shows these three still in the game when, eventually, it was Hubert Humphrey who ran against Richard Nixon.

“If the suit fits…” (April 30, 1986)
By Charles Phillip Bissell (1926 -)
16.5 x 12, ink and wash on board
Coppola Collection

In 1960, Boston Globe cartoonist Phil Bissell, working for $25 a day, was handed an assignment that would change his life—and the lives of fans of the brand-new AFL football team coming to Boston. “Sports editor Jerry Nason came to me and he said, ‘They’ve decided to call the team the Boston Patriots. You better have a cartoon ready for tomorrow’s edition.’” Bissel’s “Pat Patriot” cartoon was the Patriot’s logo from 1961-1992.

The U.S. Justice Department announced on April 28, 1986, its decision to bar Austrian President Kurt Waldheim, accused of involvement in Nazi atrocities, from entry to the United States as a private citizen.

Although Waldheim was not barred from visiting the U.S. in his official capacity as the Austrian head of State, President Reagan had pledged that he would never extend an invitation to Waldheim for an official visit.

The situation got more complicated in June 1986, when the former U.N. secretary general won a convincing victory in the runoff of Austria’s presidential election.

Asked today about the move to bar him, Waldheim replied that he was seeking legal advice and hoped a solution would be found. As a head of state, Waldheim was immune from being barred entry.

The controversy over Waldheim’s war record erupted in March 1986 when the World Jewish Congress released documents showing that he had hidden key details about his service as a German intelligence officer in the Balkans between 1942 and 1945. Evidence emerged suggesting that he was in a position to be aware of German atrocities even if he was not himself guilty of war crimes.

While acknowledging that he could have been more candid about his past, Waldheim denied wrongdoing. He contended that he and his family were opposed to the Nazis politically but that, as a German officer, he was subject to strict military discipline.

“What’s the Course, Sir?” (January 22, 1969)
William (Bill) Crawford (1913-1982)
18 x 22 in., ink and crayon on heavy paper
Coppola Collection

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Crawford_(cartoonist)

Crawford worked as a sports cartoonist and for the Washington Daily News and the Washington Post from 1936-38. He joined the Newark News as an editorial cartoonist and his cartoons were distributed to more than 700 daily newspapers by the Newspaper Enterprise Association. He was an active member of the National Cartoonists Society, serving as its president and vice-president. In 1956, 1957, 1958, and 1963 he was awarded “Best Editorial Cartoon” by the National Cartoonist Society, and in 1973 he received their Silver T-Square Award. Crawford retired in 1977.

President Richard M Nixon was inaugurated on Monday, January 20, 1969.

“A Pointed Issue…” (August 12, 1982)
by Charles Phillip Bissell (1926 -)
11 x 13, ink and wash on board
Coppola Collection

In 1960, Boston Globe cartoonist Phil Bissell, working for $25 a day, was handed an assignment that would change his life—and the lives of fans of the brand-new AFL football team coming to Boston. “Sports editor Jerry Nason came to me and he said, ‘They’ve decided to call the team the Boston Patriots. You better have a cartoon ready for tomorrow’s edition.’” Bissel’s “Pat Patriot” cartoon was the Patriot’s logo from 1961-1992.

In Japan, the depiction of history and society in school textbooks has been a long-standing controversy. Japanese conservatives, especially intellectuals, have regarded this issue as an ideological struggle against Japanese progressives who – according to the conservative view – are trying to use public education to mold students into leftist cosmopolitans who feel no affection for their country, traditions or history.

Globally, Japan’s neighbors, Korea and China in particular, have been concerned with how Japanese imperialism and invasions are depicted in Japanese textbooks.

One large textbook dispute happened in the summer of 1982, which had kicked off in April, when an article in a left-leaning weekly criticized the conservative authors of a recent best-seller book (“Problematic Junior High School Textbooks”) that attacked certain school textbooks for left-leaning tendencies.

At the same time, the national Ministry of Education (MOE) was steadily tightened control over school curriculum and textbooks. In the 1980-1981 screening, it famously ordered a distinguished historian to change various passages. The MOE comments of the author’s description of the Nanjing Massacre: “[I] cannot believe that [the Japanese Force] systematically carried out the massacre as a military force. . . . [Some] phrases such as ’in the chaos during the Japanese Force’s occupation of Nanjing, numerous Chinese soldiers and civilians became victims’ can be stated.”

In late August 1982, the Chief Cabinet Secretary stated that Japan would consider fully the criticisms of its Asian neighbors in order to promote friendship and referred to “making a correction on government responsibility.” The Miyazawa statement did not specify what measures the government would take, but the South Korean government nevertheless accepted it. The Chinese government initially insisted that it was insufficient guarantee against future revisionism in textbook screening, but eventually it too accepted Japanese pledges to make appropriate corrections.

“Golfer of the Year” (February 8, 1971)
by Charles Phillip Bissell (1926 -)
11 x 16, metal printing plate and photo-negative
Coppola Collection

In 1960, Boston Globe cartoonist Phil Bissell, working for $25 a day, was handed an assignment that would change his life—and the lives of fans of the brand-new AFL football team coming to Boston. “Sports editor Jerry Nason came to me and he said, ‘They’ve decided to call the team the Boston Patriots. You better have a cartoon ready for tomorrow’s edition.’” Bissel’s “Pat Patriot” cartoon was the Patriot’s logo from 1961-1992.

Alan B Shepard, Jr., was one of the group of seven Mercury astronauts, and the first American (and second person) in space, making a sub-orbital flight on May 5, 1961.

He was grounded for years because of inner ear issues, but was returned to active status on May 7, 1969, after a successful operation.

He made his second flight into space as commander of the Apollo 14 mission (January 31 to February 9. 1971), following the ill-fated Apollo 13.

While on the Moon, Shepard used a Wilson six-iron head attached to a lunar sample scoop handle to drive golf balls. Despite thick gloves and a stiff spacesuit, which forced him to swing the club with one hand, Shepard struck two golf balls, driving the second, as he jokingly put it, “miles and miles and miles.”

Shepard was born and raised in Derry, NH (my own hometown), which became known as “Spacetown” in honor of its native son. The sports teams of the local semi-private high school (and one of America’s oldest), Pinkerton Academy, are known as the Astros.

I do not have the original pen and ink art. The main image here is the photoshop-inverted image of the negative, which was used to create the metal plate used to print the cartoon (see additional images).

“John F Kennedy 1917-1963” (November 25, 1983)
by Charles Phillip Bissell (1926 -)
11 x 13, ink and wash on board
Coppola Collection

In 1960, Boston Globe cartoonist Phil Bissell, working for $25 a day, was handed an assignment that would change his life—and the lives of fans of the brand-new AFL football team coming to Boston. “Sports editor Jerry Nason came to me and he said, ‘They’ve decided to call the team the Boston Patriots. You better have a cartoon ready for tomorrow’s edition.’” Bissel’s “Pat Patriot” cartoon was the Patriot’s logo from 1961-1992.

Kennedy was a fan of fine cigars, and Cuban cigars in particular. In February of 1962, he asked press secretary Pierre Salinger to help him acquire a large supply of Cuban cigars—and quickly. When Salinger asked how many he needed, Kennedy told him, “About 1000 Petit Upmanns.” And he wanted them by the next morning. The next day, when Salinger informed the president that he had managed to get 1200 of them, he wrote that, “Kennedy smiled, and opened up his desk. He took out a long paper that he immediately signed. It was the decree banning all Cuban products from the United States. Cuban cigars were now illegal in our country.”

In 2002, famed deep-sea explorer Robert Ballard discovered the wreck of Kennedy and his crew’s PT-109 boat about 1200 feet below the water’s surface during a National Geographic expedition. “I’m very pleased, because it was a real needle in a haystack, probably the toughest needle I’ve ever had to find,” Ballard said—which was quite a testament, as Ballard also discovered the Titanic.