MID-SOUTH MEMORIES
25 years ago — 1993
The Memphis and Shelby County Sports Authority likely will pursue an estimated $40 million to $45 million expansion of Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, chairman Ron Terry said Wednesday, but plans will not proceed until William B. Dunavant Jr. commits to continuing his bid for an NFL expansion team. Terry said he will recommend at today’s sports authority meeting that the 18-member panel drop consideration of a new stadium, estimated to cost $110 million to $125 million, in favor of expanding the 62,953-seat Liberty Bowl to between 65,000 and 67,000 seats.
50 years ago — 1968
Union Planters National Bank and National Bank of Commerce yesterday announced they will offer a new allpurpose credit card plan in metropolitan Memphis within the next three months. The card, called Master Charge, will be honored by businesses across the nation, including many of those in the Memphis area. As soon as the credit card plan is launched, NBC will abandon its Charge-All credit card, a service which was restricted to the Memphis area. Charge-All customers and merchants will be solicited to join the new plan.
75 years ago — 1943
WASHINGTON — Immediate dismissal of 300,000 government employees was demanded last night by Senator Byrd’s economy committee. The committee’s report charged “gross waste and misuse of federal funds.” Byrd said most government agencies are guilty of dealing themselves unwarranted pay raises.
100 years ago — 1918
City firemen called off their threatened strike last night after a compromise agreement was reached in a meeting of the city commission and the firemen’s union. The city agreed to add 23 men to the fire department, to give firemen a 10-day vacation this year and to establish the double platoon system by Sept. 1.
125 years ago — 1893
Yesterday being a sultry Saturday, baseball games were a dime a dozen across the city. Whitehaven beat Pleasant Hill, S.C. Toof defeated the Chelsea Good Things and the Plantation Chill Cures were badly beaten by the Scalawags. Of course the big game is today when the Memphis Bluebirds face the club from Atlanta.