January 26, 2008

100 years ago
1908

Born on this date
Percy Beard. U.S. hurdler and coach. Mr. Beard set a world record time of 1.2 seconds in the 120-metre hurdles in 1931, and tied the record in 1934. He won a silver medal in the men's 110-metre hurdles at the 1932 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Mr. Beard was track and field coach of the University of Florida Gators from 1937-1964, and used his civil engineering background to design all-weather tracks. He was inducted into the U.S. National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1981, and died on March 27, 1990 at the age of 82.

80 years ago
1928

Died on this date
Guido Nardini, 46. Italian military aviator. Maresciallo Nardini was an air ace during World War I, recording six combat victories from 1916-1918. He continued to serve in the armed forces after the war, and was killed when he bailed out of an aircraft in trouble over the Ciampino airfield, and his parachute malfunctioned.

Aviation
French aviators Dieudonne Costes and Joseph Lebrix flew from Colon, Panama to Guatemala City, Guatemala, the latest stop on their transatlantic flight.

50 years ago
1958

On television tonight
Alfred Hitchcock Presents on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Motive

40 years ago
1968

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Hello Goodbye--The Beatles (2nd week at #1)

Edmonton's Top 10 (CJCA)
1 Bottle of Wine--The Fireballs
2 Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)--John Fred and his Playboy Band
3 Susan--The Buckinghams
4 I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite--Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart
5 Woman, Woman--The Union Gap
6 Itchycoo Park--Small Faces
7 Green Tambourine--The Lemon Pipers
8 Dear Eloise--The Hollies
9 Jezebel--The Witness Inc.
10 Bend Me, Shape Me--The American Breed
Pick of the Week: Sunday Mornin'--Spanky and Our Gang
New this week: Tomorrow--Strawberry Alarm Clock
Lollipop Train--Barry McGuire
1941--Tom Northcott
Get Out Now--Tommy James and the Shondells
Strawberry Shortcake--Jay and the Techniques

On television tonight
Off to See the Wizard, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Alexander the Great, starring William Shatner, Adam West, Joseph Cotten, and John Cassavetes

This episode was a pilot for a proposed series, filmed in 1963. The series was rejected by ABC, and the network kept the program in its vaults until broadcasting it as part of the family-oriented anthology series.



30 years ago
1978

On television tonight
James at 15, starring Lance Kerwin, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Star-Crossed Lovers



Class of '65, starring Tony Bill, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Class Clown

Television
It was announced that Frank Rigney, longtime colour analyst on CBC telecasts of Canadian Football League games, would be taking his telestrator with him to join the CTV broadcast crew for CFL games.

Died on this date
Leo Genn, 72. U.K. actor. Mr. Genn trained as a barrister, and practiced law when he wasn't acting, assisting the prosecution at the Nuremberg war crimes trials. His movie credits included The Velvet Touch; Mourning Becomes Electra; Quo Vadis (1951); Moby Dick; and 55 Days at Peking.

Scandal
South Korean rice dealer Tongsun Park reportedly gave U.S. Justice Department investigators in Seoul evidence that 15-18 current members of the United States Congress may have received cash gifts in violation of ethical standards. Acting Deputy Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti said that about $1 million had been given to American officials. Two days earlier, Mr. Park had told investigators that he had made financial contributions to at least five U.S. Senators, including the recently-deceased Hubert Humphrey (Democrat--Minnesota).

Disasters
A snowstorm swept the midwestern United States, with 15-inches of snow in Michigan and Indiana, killing more than 70 people and stranding thousands of motorists. In Ohio, about 150,000 homes were without heat or electricity when the storm knocked out power lines. In West Virginia, rivers overflowed their banks and forced at least 3,000 people to flee.

Hockey
NHL
Pittsburgh @ Detroit (postponed, snow)
Toronto 2 @ New York Islanders 4
Minnesota 2 @ Buffalo 1
Cleveland 0 @ Chicago 5
St. Louis 1 @ Los Angeles 5

A major snowstorm caused the postponement of the Red Wings' vs. the Penguins at Olympia Stadium. The storm also battered Chicago, and it was expected that the Black Hawks' home game that night against the Cleveland Barons would also be postponed. To the surprise of just about everybody, the game went ahead. Only 537 fans were on hand in the 17,000-seat Chicago Stadium to watch the Black Hawks win 5-0. Tony Esposito stopped 26 shots for the shutout, and the Black Hawks got goals from Ivan Boldirev, Stan Mikita, John Marks, Alain Daigle, and Phil Russell. Paul Harrison made 34 saves to outduel Buffalo goalie Don Edwards for his first NHL win as the North Stars upset the Sabres at War Memorial Auditorium. Glenn Goldup scored twice and Marcel Dionne scored his 250th career NHL goal as the Kings beat the Blues at the Forum in Inglewood, California.

Football
CFL
In Edmonton, Vic Rapp of the British Columbia Lions was awarded the Annis Stukus Trophy as the CFL's Coach of the Year for 1977. Mr. Rapp had coached the Lions to a 10-6 record and second place in the Western Football Conference, the Lions' best season since their Grey Cup championship year of 1964.

25 years ago
1983

Died on this date
Paul "Bear" Bryant, 69. U.S. college football coach. He amassed a record of 323-85-17 in 38 years as a head coach at Maryland (1945); Kentucky (1946-1953); Texas A&M (1954-1957); and Alabama (1958-1982), and recorded just one losing season. Bryant died just a month after announcing his retirement (and appearing on the cover of Time magazine).

Hockey
The Toronto Maple Leafs came from behind to earn a 6-6 tie with the Edmonton Oilers at Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton.