MID-SOUTH MEMORIES

25 years ago — 1996

Their athletic eligibility is gone, but four former University of Memphis student-athletes will get an opportunity to earn another victory for their school. Melissa Isham, Chad Williams, Jamie Runkle and Dewayne Porter will represent U of M in the GPA Challenge game show, a new question-and-answer competition to be taped at Dallas in October and shown in syndication during the 1996-97 television season. U of M was one of 32 NCAA Division 1 colleges selected; choices were based on the success of a school’s studentathletes on the field and in the classroom. Mississippi State is also participating. “The word is out there that our student-athletes have accomplished some special things academically, and our athletic reputation hasn’t been subpar, either,” said Dr. Tim Sumner, U of M’s director of athletic academic services. “Our graduation rate for athletes who have exhausted their eligibility in all sports — those who stay here and play — is 89 percent. It used to be in the high 40-percent range.”

50 years ago — 1971

Lobo the Clown took the place of Santa yesterday at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Lobo arrived with 44 teenage “helpers” from Albany, Ga., for St. Jude patients’ first July Jubilee. “We’ve done away with Christmas in July,” said Lobo, who is actually Ted Hood, 18, of Albany. “We don’t need Christmas twice a year any longer so we started July Jubilee.”

75 years ago —1946 Representatives of six Memphis civic clubs, some “cussin” mad, met under the broken Highway 61 bridge over Nonconnah Creek yesterday and demanded to know why speedier progress isn’t being made by the contracting firm. Closing of the bridge forces a detour on the important highway link between Memphis and the Mississippi Delta, and leaves business men along

the highway stranded.

100 years ago — 1921

WYNNE, Ark. – The city council of Wynne at its regular monthly meeting this month passed a resolution abolishing for the time being the salary of every official of the city. The council has resolved to put the city on a cash basis and the best plan before them was to cut off

every expense which was possible to be cut off. The abolishing of all salaries will mean a savings of about $3,000 annually.

125 years ago — 1896

KEY WEST, Fla. – Advices from Havana, Cuba, state that a panic exists in the Spanish Army due to a great number of yellow fever patients.

STAN CARROLL/THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL FILE July 11, 2016 - Demolition of Richardson Towers began on Monday morning. Watching the projected monthlong process are (from left) Mitchell Read, 10, Caleb Caraway, 11, and Lucas Caraway, 10.