JANUARY 3 UPDATE
COMMITMENTS
So Cal Vipers Gold
Nicole Lee - C / 3rd Temple University
Kaitlyn Laabs -LF / 1st Brown University
Bridgett Morales -C Norte Dame
Sam Mora -O/F Florida CC Jacksonville
Bri Jones -2nd Base Morehead State
Valyncia Raphael -SS University of Wisconsin
Jessica JJ Johnson -1st East Carolina University
Kristina Moore, Norristown Area High School, Norristown, Pennsylvania, 3b, East Norriotn Heartbreakers, has committed to Ursinus College, Collegeville, Pa.
Jessica Anhel, C/INF, Michigan Bulldogs, signed w/ Saginaw Valley State University
Stacy Kraatz, P/1st, Ann Arbor Gold, signed w/ Saginaw Valley State University
ATHLETES WE MOURN
Our review last weekend inadvertently omitted sports figures who passed away in 2004. (List compiled by Sports Illustrated)
Ken Caminiti, 1996 National League MVP
Marge Schott, Reds owner 1984-99; once suspended for racial/social insensitivity
Cotton Fitzsimmons, two-time NBA Coach of the Year
Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch, Rams receiver who “ran like a demented duck”
Tug McGraw, the heart and soul of ’73 Mets World Series Team
Pete Cutino, led Cal’s water polo team to eight national titles
Bruce Edwards, Tom Watson’s caddy for 30 years; worked US Open despite ALS
Sid Smith, Maple Leaf captain had six 20-goal yeats
Jimmy McLarnin, considered second greatest welterweight of all time
Marco Pantani, Italian cyclist won Tour de France in 1998
Harry “the Cat” Brecheen, lefty won 3 games for Cards in 1946 Series over Red Sox
Gunder Hagg, Swedish miler whose 4.01.4 record was broken by Roger Bannister
Pat Tillman, Card spurned NFL to serve and was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan
Yinka Dare, 7 foot Nigerian who was big disappointment with NBA Nets
Joe Gold, inventor of workout machines; his gyms shaped Arnold
Ray Boone, patriarch of baseball’s 3-generation family; 13 years in MLB
Brian Maxwell, Canada’s greatest marathoner was best known for inventing Power Bar
Doc Counsilman, six NCAA titles as Indiana swimming coach; swam Channel at 58
Ivan Hlinka led Czech hockey team to Olympic gold in 1998
Fanny Blankers-Koen was pregnant when she won four Golds in track at ’48 Olympics
Bobby Avila., first Latin to win batting title; helped Indians win ’54 Series
Justin Strzelczyk, Steeler lineman led police on mysterious chase and died in collision
Darrell Russell, Hot Rod Rookie of Year 2001; died in 300mph crash
Roosevelt Brown, Giant was considered by many best offensive lineman ever.
BELATED CHRISTMAS FOR ELI
Forever cast as Archie’s other kid and more indelibly as Peyton’s little brother, Eli finally broke the schneid, leading the Giants to his first victory, 28-24 over the Dallas Cowboys. Eli thre three touchdown passes and led the winning 2-minute drill, capped by Tiki Barber’s record-setting run. (Wow. Did you see those pix of Green Bay fans shoveling snow out of the stands before Sunday’s game?)
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
NOTABLE BIRTHDAYS
0106 -BC-Marcus Tullius
Cicero Rome, statesman/author (Academica)
1624 William Tucker 1st Black child born in America
1680 Johann Baptist Zimmermann German stucco worker
1730 Charles Palissot de Montenoy French writer/politician
1757 Johann Abraham Sixt composer
1763 Joseph Fesch French cardinal/war commission/earl/senator
1777 Louis Poinsot French instrument worker
1777 M A Elisa Bonaparte Corsican monarch of Lucca/Piombino
1786 Johann Christian Friedrich Schneider composer
1789 Carl G Carus German physician/psychologist/philosopher
1793 Lucretia Coffin Mott US, teacher/minister/abolitionist/feminist
1802 Feliks Ostrowski composer
1803 Douglas William Jerrold London, author/playwright/wit (Punch
Magazine)
1810 Eliza Von Bretton di Zerega Danish West Indies, baroness
1810 Antoine T d'Abbadie French explorer (Ethiopia)
1819 Thomas Hill Watts Attorney General (Confederacy), died in 1892
1823 Jaak-Nikolaas Lemmens Flemish composer
1829 John G R Acquoy theologist/church historian
1829 Konrad Duden German linguist (Der grosse Duden)
1830 Alexander Ewing composer
1835 Larkin Goldsmith Mead sculptor
1840 Father Joseph Damien de Veuster Belgium, helped lepers in Hawaii
1853 Iwan Knorr composer
1868 Franz V M Cumont Belgian religious historian
1869 Paul Charles Rene Landormy composer
1870 Henry Handel Richardson Australia, novelist (Richard Mahoney)
1870 Henry Eichheim composer
1876 Wilhelm Pieck co-founder German Communist Party/President (1949-60)
1879 Grace Anna Goodhue Coolidge 1st lady (1923-29)
1882 Willem Benoy Flemish actor/director (Pygmalion)
1883 Clement Richard Attlee (L) British PM (1945-51)
1884 Eli S Jones US, evangelist (Christ of Indian road)
1884 Raoul Armand Georg Koczalski composer
1886 Arthur Mailey cricketer (great Aussie leg-spinner & cartoonist)
1886 John G Fletcher US, poet (Epic of Arkansas)
1886 Josephine Hull Newtonville MA, Academy award character actress
(Harvey)
1887 Helen Parkhurst US educator (Education on the Dalton plan)
1891 Osip E Mandelstam Polish/Russian poet/author (Kamenj)
1892 John Ronald Reuel Tolkien South Africa, philologist/writer (Lord of
Rings)
1893 Pierre Drieu La Rochelle French novelist/essayist (Gilles)
1895 Boris Mykolayovich Lyatoshyns'ky composer
1895 Mihail Andricu composer
1897 Marion Davies [Marion Cecelia Douras], Brooklyn NY, actress
(Operator 13)
1897 Pola Negri [Barbara A Chalupec], Polish/US actress (Madame Bovary)
1898 Johannes Hin Holland, yachtsman (Olympics-gold-1920)
1898 ZaSu Pitts Parsons Kansas, actress (Life With Father, Dames)
19-- Tom Bower Denver CO, actor (Dr Willard-The Waltons)
1900 Dorothy Arnzer director
1900 Maurice Jaubert composer
1901 Eric Voegelin Germany, US philosopher (Order & History)
1901 Ngo Dinh Diem President/Dictator of South Vietnam (1955-63)
1902 Henry Lennox d'Aubigny Hopkinson diplomat/politician
1903 Charles Foulkes Canada, General
1904 Boris Kochno Russian ballet dancer (La Chatte)
1905 Ray Milland Neath Wales, actor (Lost Weekend-Academy Award 1945)
1905 Dante Giacosa engineer/designer
1906 Roman Brandstaetter writer
1907 Anna May Wong Los Angeles CA, actress (Impact, Study in Scarlet)
1909 Victor Borge [Borge Rosenbaum], Copenhagen Denmark, pianist/comedian
1910 Thomas Stuart Willan historian
1911 John Sturges US, director (Old Man & Sea, Magnificent 7)
1912 Robert Flemyng Liverpool England, actor (Windom's Way, Young
Winston)
1914 Jean Louvel Flemish pianist/conductor/composer
1916 Betty Furness New York City NY, actress/consumer activist (Studio 1)
1916 Antonio Estevez composer
1917 Vernon Walters New York City NY, US permanent representative to the
UN
1918 Maxene Andrews Minnesota, singer (Andrew Sisters-Boogie Woogie Bugle
Boy)
1921 John Russell Los Angeles CA, actor (Pale Rider, Rio Bravo)
1922 Bill Travers Newcastle-on-Tyne England, actor (Born Free, Gorgo)
1922 Jacques Wildberger Swiss composer (In My End is My Beginning)
1922 Morten Nielsen Denmark, poet/resistance fighter
1923 Dragutin Gostuski composer
1923 Jaroslav Hasek Czech writer (Good Soldier Schweyk)
1924 Andre Franquin cartoonist
1924 Henry M Fazzie South African Union/UDF-leader
1924 Roy Harding British teacher
1926 George Martin record producer (The Beatles)
1926 Danny Overbea blues singer/guitarist
1928 Frank Ross Anderson Canada, International Chess Master (1954)
1929 Marilyn Lloyd (Representative-D-TN, 1975- )
1929 Sergio Leone Italian, director (Fist Full of Dollars)
1930 Eddie Egan Bronx New York City, actor (Joe Forrester)
1930 Robert Loggia Staten Island, actor (Officer & a Gentleman, THE Cat)
1932 Anatoli Petrovich Kuklin Russia, cosmonaut
1932 Jaswick Taylor cricketer (West Indies pace bowler 50s, 10 wickets in
3 Tests)
1932 Mara Corday Santa Monica CA, actress (Foxfire, Black Scorpion)
1934 Carla Hills politician (US Presidential Commission on Housing-1982)
1934 Bryan George Kelly composer
1936 Betty Rollin actress (Crossing Delancey)/author (Last Wish)
1936 David Vine British sport commentator
1936 Jos Kunst composer
1939 Bobby Hull NHL forward (Chicago Blackhawk 1957-72)
1940 Thelma Schoonmaker actress/editor (Casino, Cape Fear, Good Fellas)
1941 Van Dyke Parks Alabama, actor/musician (Bonino, Billy Crystal Hour)
1941 Shima Iwashita actress (Red Lion, Hara-Kiri, Double Suicide)
1944 Christina von Saltza US, swimmer (Olympics-3 gold/silver-1960)
1945 Victoria Principal Fukuoka Japan, actress (Earthquake,
Pamela-Dallas)
1945 Stephen Stills Dallas TX, singer/songwriter/guitarist (Crosby Stills
& Nash)
1946 John Paul Jones rocker (Led Zeppelin-Stairway to Heaven)
1947 Sergey Filipovich Protchenko Russian cosmonaut
1948 Larry McNeeley Lafayette IN, banjo player (Glen Campbell Hour)
1948 Manfred Kokot East German runner (world record 50 meter indoor)
1950 Beth Anderson composer
1951 Frank Chikane Secretary-General of South African Council of Churches
1953 Angelo Parisi France, heavyweight judo (Olympics-gold-1980)
1954 Ross The Boss rocker
1955 Cynthia Sykes Coffeyville KY, actress (Flamingo Road, St Elsewhere)
1956 Mel Gibson Peekskill NY, actor (Mad Max, Mrs Soffel, Lethal Weapon)
1957 Frank Dicopoulos Akron OH, actor (Frank Cooper-Guiding Light)
1959 Rusty Golden rocker (Boys Band)
1960 Joan Chen [Chen Chung], Shanghai China, actress (Last Emperor)
1961 Erwin Blom Dutch singer/guitarist (Eton Crop)
1962 Darren Daulton US baseball catcher (Philadelphia Phillies)
1962 Gavin Hastings WLAF kicker (Scottish Claymores)
1962 Mark Gardner US baseball player (Florida Marlins)
1962 Ulrike Lang writer
1963 Aamer Malik cricketer (Pakistani batsman in 13 Tests 1987-90)
1963 Ashley Chinner Cape Town South Africa, golfer (1992 CGIA Canadian
Tour)
1963 Jim Everett NFL quarterback (Los Angeles Raiders, New Orleans
Saints, San Diego Chargers)
1964 Cheryl Miller Riverside CA, basketball player (Olympics-gold-1984)
1965 Daniel Stubbs NFL defensive end (Philadelphia Eagles, Miami
Dolphins)
1965 Mark Dewey Grand Rapids MI, pitcher (San Francisco Giants)
1966 Chetan Sharma cricketer (Indian Test bowler, World Cup hat-trick
1987)
1966 John Kropke CFL defensive tackle (Saskatchewan Roughriders)
1966 Luis Sojo Barquisimeto Venezuela, infielder (Seattle Mariners)
1966 Wendell Davis NFL wide receiver (Indianapolis Colts)
1967 Helena Bonham Carter London England, actress (Getting it Right)
1967 Joseph Amor San Jose, video game record holder (Space Invaders)
1967 Demetri Davis WLAF tight end (Barcelona Dragons)
1967 Magnus Gustafsson Sweden, tennis star
1968 Kent Carlsson Sweden, tennis star
1968 Kerry Huffman Peterborough, NHL defenseman (Philadelphia Flyers,
Ottawa)
1968 Shannon Sturges actress (Savannah)
1968 Thomas Rayam CFL offensive linebacker (Edmonton Eskimos)
1969 Matt LaBounty defensive end (Seattle Seahawks)
1969 Nikki Nelson Topaz Lake NV, country singer (Highway 101-Cry Cry Cry)
1969 Steve Poapst Cornwall, NHL defenseman (Washington Capitals)
1970 James Brown NFL tackle (New York Jets)
1970 Tony Farmer NBA forward (Charlotte Hornets)
1970 Trudi Jeffrey Brisbane Queensland Australia, golfer (1990 Australian
Jr Champion)
1970 Yogi Johl Vancouver BC, 130 kg Greco Roman wrestler (Olympics-96)
1971 Cory Cross Lloydminster, NHL defenseman (Tampa Bay Lightning)
1971 Ku'ualoha Taylor Hawaii, Miss Hawaii-USA (Miss Congeniality-1996)
1971 Rene van Rijswijk Dutch soccer player (RKC)
1972 Charles Johnson NFL wide receiver (Pittsburgh Steelers)
1972 Deborah Carter WNBA forward (Utah Starzz)
1972 Jacques Wildberger composer
1973 Paula Knoll Moorhead MN, Miss Minnesota-America (1995)
1973 Tyrone Brown NFL wide receiver (Atlanta Falcons)
1974 Stefan Ustorf Kaufbeuren Germany, NHL right wing (Washington
Capitals)
1974 Todd Warriner Blenheim, NHL left wing (Toronto Maple Leafs)
1975 Danica McKellar actress (Winnie Cooper-Wonder Years)
1975 Jason Marsden actor (General Hospital, Eddie-Munsters Today)
1976 Mendel Witzenhauser soccer player (Ajax, VVV)
1977 Beata Handra San Francisco, dance skater
1980 Angela Ruggiero ice hockey defenseman (USA, Olympics-98)
Obviously, a good day to come into the world. My beloved aunt, Batty Gray Evans of Tucson shared this birthday. Odd note: Scopes lists Eddie Egan as an actor; much better known as the model for Popeye Doyle in the French Connection, which Eddie broke. Did you know that Mel (We Were Soldiers) Gibson’s dad moved to Australia so that his sons would not be drafted to serve in Viet Nam? Less auspiciously, I was married on this day; snowing, colder than a polar bear’s tailbone. Also the birthday of Victoria Principal, sexiest woman to grace the tube. Not to forget Mara Corday; can you name the film in which she plays a stewardess who gets sucked out the door of a plane over the jungle – a forerunner in a way of the Phoenix? Jack Ruby died this day in 1967, four years after denying the world an opportunity to convict Lee Harvey Oswald of assassinating President Kennedy. Dame Judith Anderson died in 1967; her final scene at the window of a burning Mandalay in Rebecca was the essence of evil personified. Joan of Arc was handed over to the bishops on this day in 1431 and in 1746 Bonnie Prince Charlie leads the Scots out of Glasgow – enroute to his fateful clash with the English at Culloden Moor. I remember standing on the plain at Culloden, where the brave Scots with their two edged Claymore swords were annihilated by British cannons. (Few of these footnotes appear on the website – just names and dates – the rest of it I somehow remember.) Yerba Buena was renamed San Francisco in 1847. In 1865, Con Orem & Hugh O'Neill boxed 193 rounds before darkness ends match. The Brooklyn Bridge was begun in 1870. In 1920, New York Yankees purchase Babe Ruth from Red Sox for $125,000. British Egyptologist Howard Carter finds sarcophagus of Tutankhamun in 1924 – the richest finding ever in the Valley of Kings. "Mame" closes at Winter Garden Theater New York City NY after 1508 performances. Perhaps the greatest bargain in sports: in 1973, George Steinbrenner III buys Yankees from CBS for $12 million. And the world and our life styles began to change on this day in 1977 when Apple Computer incorporated.
Knew you wanted to know.
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