January 17, 2008

50 years ago
1958

Football
The Canadian Football Council, meeting in Winnipeg, changed its name to the Canadian Football League. Winnipeg lawyer G. Sydney Halter was chosen as Commissioner.

30 years ago
1978

Hockey
WHA
All-Star Game
All-Stars 4 @ Quebec 5

6,143 were in attendance at Le Colisee to see the defending Avco World Trophy champion Nordiques defeat the WHA All-Stars. Marc Tardif led the Nordiques with 1 goal and 4 assists, and was named the Nordiques' best player. Mark Howe of the New England Whalers was named the All-Stars' best player.

25 years ago
1983

Died on this date
Doodles Weaver, 71. U.S. comedian and comic actor. Brother of NBC president Pat Weaver, and uncle of actress Sigourney Weaver. He was a member of Spike Jones' troup from 1946-1951, creating the comic character "Professor Feitlebaum." He hosted kiddie TV shows in Los Angeles and San Francisco in the 1950s. He reportedly became a drunkard in later years, and committed suicide after several years of poor health. Doodles got his nickname from his mother, who told him he looked like a doodlebug.
Look for him in a small role in Alfred Hitchcock's movie The Birds.

10 years ago
1998

Scandal
U.S. President Bill Clinton, in a 6-hour session, defended himself under oath (and perjured himself) against accusations of sexual misconduct while he was governor of Arkansas.