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If you have nothing else to do today, you could celebrate the 90th birthday of Jack Riley, formerly of Toronto, Ontario, and a one-time right winger with the Philadelphia Falcons and Hershey Bears.

This may sound like sacrilege today, but Mr. Riley hated the name "Pittsburgh Penguins" and the team's logo of a smiling penguin on ice skates.

So what? Well, Mr. Riley was the first general manager of the Penguins when they entered the National Hockey League as one of six expansion teams added during the 1967-68 season.

That's what.

And that's why, for their first season, the Penguins' uniforms just had the word "PITTSBURGH" across the front of the sweater in block letters.

The Penguins made the playoffs in 1970, but sank to the bottom of the standings by 1972, when Mr. Riley was fired.

At last report, he remained an active member of the Penguins Alumni Association, and here's to many more happy birthdays to the team's founding general manager.

But if you didn't get him a birthday present, don't feel bad. The team got one for him Friday night.

. . .

Concert Series Opens Tonight: Otherwise, the city's summer concert series begins at 7 p.m. tonight at the bandshell at Renziehausen Park.

McKeesport Symphony Orchestra kicks off this year's set of concerts (and wraps up its 50th anniversary season) with a free performance.

Joe Bob says "check it out."

Other concerts slated this summer at Renzie include the U.S. Army Jazz Band on Saturday; the Pennsylvania Army National Guard Band on June 28; the Four Townsmen on July 12; "Come Together," a Beatles tribute band, on July 19; Lee Alverson on Aug. 2; William Dell & Wee-Jams on Aug. 16; and Jimmy Beaumont and the Skyliners (including tenor and McKeesport native Dick Muse) on Aug. 30.

In case of rain, concerts are moved to the Palisades, Fifth Avenue at Water Street, Downtown.

. . .

Honor Old Glory: Last but certainly not least, today is Flag Day, a day set aside to honor the red, white and blue, not that polyester Penguins flag you bought at the flea market in North Versailles to hang from the window of your car.

Flag Day commemorates the day in 1777 when the Continental Congress of the American colonies resolved "that the Flag of the thirteen United States shall be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the Union be thirteen stars, white on a blue field, representing a new constellation."

Flag Day was unofficially commemorated beginning in 1877, but President Wilson proclaimed it a national holiday beginning in 1916. Legislation formally installing the day as a federal holiday passed the U.S. Congress in 1949, and was signed into law by President Truman that same year, according to the Library of Congress.

P.S.: As someone who's worn out several American flags, I suggest getting one of the embroidered ones instead of the screen-printed versions --- they seem to last longer. Expect to pay between $30 and $50 for a reasonably sturdy one.

Also, look for a flag with reinforced metal grommets and an "open weave" pattern that lets the air pass through, because they won't tear as easy, and they retain less moisture.