July 14, 1902: The Discovery of Machu Picchu

July 14, 1902: Agustín Lizárraga and his expedition to the area now known as Machu Picchu, in Urubamba in his native Peru. It became one the greatest archaeological finds of all time.

In the indigenous Quechua language, "machu" eans "old," as opposed to "wayna," meaning "young"; while "pikchu" means "summit." So "Machu Picchu" means "Old Mountain."

Often referred to as the "Lost City of the Incas," Machu Picchu is one of the most iconic symbols of the Inca civilization, and a major archaeological site in the Americas. It is believed to have served as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti, though no contemporary written records exist to confirm this. The site was abandoned roughly a century later, likely during the Spanish Conquest. Modern radiocarbon dating places its occupation between circa 1420 and 1530.

Machu Picchu was constructed in the classical Inca style, featuring finely crafted dry-stone walls. Notable structures include the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of the Three Windows, and the Intihuatana ritual stone. Although the site was known locally and reached by Lizárraga, it was brought to international attention in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham III.

In 1954, the film Secret of the Incas was filmed there, with Charlton Heston playing an American adventurer named Henry Steele. With his brown leather jacket, fedora, tan pants, over-the-shoulder bag and revolver, Steele is often cited as an inspiration for the later character of Indiana Jones, whose first on-screen appearance, from the viewer's perspective, came at the start of the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark, with the label, "South America, 1936," though not specified as Peru, let alone Machu Picchu.

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July 14, 1902 was a Monday. This was also the day that the original Campanile of St. Mark collapsed in Venice, Italy. I have a separate entry for that event.

These baseball games were played that day:

* The New York Giants lost to the Cincinnati Reds, 6-0 at League Park in Cincinnati. Clarence Currie pitched a 6-hit shutout.

* The Chicago Orphans beat the Brooklyn Superbas, 2-0 at the West Side Grounds in Chicago. Jack Taylor pitched a 2-hit shutout.

For 22 seasons, Adrian Anson was the 1st baseman for the team originally known as the Chicago White Stockings. He became their Captain and manager, and was nicknamed Cap. As he got older, he was nicknamed Pop. The team was renamed the Chicago Colts in 1890, because they were so young. Anson retired after the 1897 season, and the team was renamed the Orphans, because "they missed their Pop." In 1903, they again embraced youth, and became the Chicago Cubs.

As for the Brooklyn team, they had previously been managed by Ned Hanlon, and there was a famous circus troupe of the era, named Hanlon's Superbas. In 1911, they took the name Brooklyn Dodgers, as Brooklyn had many trolley lines, and natives had to "dodge" the trolleys.

* The Philadelphia Athletics beat the Boston Americans, 4-3 in 10 innings at Columbia Park in Philadelphia. Howard Wilson outpitched Cy Young, with both men going the distance. The Americans became the Boston Red Sox in 1908.

* The Washington Senators beat the Baltimore Orioles, 10-9 at American League Park in Washington. The Orioles had already been bought and stripped of their best players, and the franchise was returned to the American League at the end of the season. A new franchise was granted to New York for 1903, and it would eventually become the Yankees. But they and the 1901-02 Orioles were not the same team.

* The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Boston Beaneaters, 4-1 at Exposition Park in Pittsburgh. Honus Wagner went 3-for-4 with 2 RBIs. The Beaneaters became the Braves in 1912.

* The Philadelphia Phillies beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 9-2 at Robison Field in St. Louis.

* And the Chicago White Sox, the Cleveland Bronchos, the Detroit Tigers and the St. Louis Browns were not scheduled. The Cleveland team became the Naps in 1903, the Indians in 1915, and the Guardians in 2022.