MID-SOUTH MEMORIES
25 years ago — 1995
Deerfield, Ill. – “I’m back.” With those two simple words, Michael Jordan officially rejoined the Chicago Bulls on Saturday and ended his 17-month hiatus from basketball, the sport he once ruled. He will return today when Chicago plays a nationally televised game against the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis, ending more than a week of speculation, wild rumors and media-mobbed practices for Chicago. In rejoining the NBA, Jordan is giving up a short-lived professional baseball career with the Chicago White Sox organization. He played last summer for the AA Birmingham Barons.
50 years ago — 1970
Councilman Wyeth Chandler predicts that much of the George Wallace platform of 1968 will be incorporated into the GOP platform in 1972. He told a dinner meeting of about 25 American Party members Tuesday night that even now, “you can recognize in many of Vice President Agnew’s well-turned phrases an echo of the Wallace plan.” Mr. Chandler pointed out that many Socialist political planks from the 1920s wound up as part of Democratic Party platforms in the 1950s. He concentrated much of his talk on the necessity for returning powers to state and local governments from the federal level. Councilman Chandler disclaimed any political party affiliation. 75 years ago — 1945
Columbus, Miss. – Down here in Mississippi, an entire era is passing with scarcely a nod from historians. Lacking historical significance in a world at war, its passing is relatively unimportant. But, reckoned in terms of tradition and deep-seated sentiment, it is momentous. Beginning with the session 1945-46, Mississippi State College for Women students will not be required to wear uniform dress!
100 years ago — 1920
A plan for raising $600,000 to furnish and equip Methodist Hospital, now under construction, was approved yesterday at a meeting of the board of trustees of the institution. Memphians on the board are John R. Pepper, T.W. Lewis, Mrs. St. John Waddell, T.K. Reddick and Leslie M. Stratton.
125 years ago — 1895
Little Willie Whitemore, age 11, escaped from the rockpile at the Shelby County jail Tuesday but was overtaken in his flight and returned to the station house. Opposite Willie’s name was the charge “escaped from rockpile,” and still further down in the records was the disposal of the case, “restored to rockpile.” And so goes a pitiful little life. We must have a home of correction for our juvenile offenders.