Jim Kershner’s this day in history

From our archives, 100 years ago

Ronald Thurber, 8, was playing the “bulldogging” game, with his friends, inspired by Walla Walla’s recent Frontier Days Rodeo.

One boy pretended to be a steer, while one or more other boys attempted to “bulldog” him, rodeo style.

Unfortunately, bulldogging involves twisting the head of the “steer” until he rolls over on his back. And Thurber, unfortunately, was pretending to be the steer.

Thurber suffered a compound fracture of his left knee while being twisted.

The principal of his elementary school in Walla Walla immediately banned all bulldogging.

From the party beat: The opening of the Panama Canal inspired a society soiree at Davenport’s restaurant.

It was a “Panama Tea,” in which “a miniature canal was fashioned in the middle of the table, in which small boats sailed and real fish swam.”

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1811: The first steam-powered ferryboat, the Juliana (built by John Stevens), was put into operation between New York City and Hoboken, N.J. … 1910: Theodore Roosevelt became the first former U.S. president to fly in an airplane during a visit to St. Louis, Mo.