MID-SOUTH MEMORIES

25 years ago — 1993

Hospitals are returning to their philanthropic roots. After decades of using generous payments from the government and private insurers to fund new programs and facilities, hospitals in Memphis and across the nation are again turning to private donors. And the trend is likely to accelerate as health care reform efforts slash dollars that once went to buildings, equipment, research, professional education and charity care, say hospital officials. “As the well starts drying up, hospitals are going to look to fund-raising,” said Kevin Roper, director of development for Methodist Hospitals Foundation. In anticipation, hospitals are beefing up their fund-raising arms, launching direct-mail campaigns, holding events, and offering services such as estate planning,

50 years ago — 1968

The Memphis Blues put a five game victory streak on the line tonight at Blues Stadium where Dallas-Fort Worth opens a three-game series at 8. The Blues are mired in third place in the Eastern Division standings of the Texas League, but have been getting timely hitting and pitching to bring the record up to 61-64. Dallas is in last place. An added attraction at tonight’s game will be the appearance of Yogi Berra, a former New York Yankee star and now a coach with the Blues parent club, the New York Mets.

75 years ago — 1943

Angela Lansbury, 17, who came to the U.S. three years ago with a group of child refugees from England, smiled with delight at the court approval of the film contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer at Los Angeles yesterday. Her starting salary will be $500 per week. Her mother is Moyna McGill, British actress.

100 years ago — 1918

The Department of Justice has asked Mayor Frank Monteverde to call to the attention of Memphis citizens a federal law which provides a $100 fine and six months’ imprisonment for anyone interfering with carrier pigeons owned by the government or used by the military services.

125 years ago — 1893

R.S. Douglass, the new manager of the Memphis Grand Opera House at Beale and Main, arrived in Memphis today and will open the theater for the season Oct. 18.

THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL FILES Pictures in a Greek newspaper recall to Maj. Eugene Cook, right, of 4735 Lynn Road the earthquake-battered Ionian Islands of Greece in August 1953. He shows civil Air Patrol Cadet Frank Isele of 1921 Netherwood the scenes he saw while flying low over the isles just as the quake was shaking them. Maj. Cook and young Isele returned recently after a month-long CAP-sponsored tour of Europe.