MID-SOUTH MEMORIES
25 years ago — 1996
Christian Brothers High’s baseball team is playing its postseason a little later than usual this year: Mid-august. The team that went 29-2, a record that marked the best winning percentage in school history (nearly 94 percent), did not have a postseason in the spring because of a Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association ruling. But Memphis’s Bill Speros, an 18-and-under American Legion team deriving all its players from last spring’s Christian Brothers team, will sure have one. After a 17-3 smoking of Mcminnville, Tenn.’s Warren County Saturday night in the American Legion Major Division State Tournament, Speros is headed to the Southeast Regional Championship, which runs Aug. 1620 in Salisbury, N.C. If Speros (38-6) wins the Southeast Regional, it will advance to the World Series, which it has won once (1968) in its 33-year existence. Buster Kelso, who co-coaches the Speros and Christian Brothers teams along with Philip Smith, has more confidence in this team than the nearly identical Christian Brothers squad.
50 years ago — 1971
WASHINGTON – The State Department notified its female employees around the world Wednesday that it was shedding the last vestiges of official sex discrimination and that henceforth women would be on equal footing with men. In a message to all United States diplomatic and consular posts, the department said that no longer would women be barred from recruitment or retention in foreign affairs posts because of marriage, past or present.
75 years ago — 1946
WASHINGTON – The Navy said Saturday it’s only a hop, skip and a jump until people will be able to fly to the moon. Of course, it’s a pretty long hop, skip and a jump. First, the Navy has to perfect its jet propelled, pilotless aircraft. From this research the Navy will learn a lot about the interplanetary system. “Then, a little farther in the future are satellite vehicles, circling the earth hundreds of miles up, like moons,” the Navy said.
125 years ago — 1896
The Baptist camp meeting now in progress at Madison and Dunlap has for the past two nights been annoyed by a gang of toughs and hoodlums who have gathered outside the tent and made hideous howls and other noises while the preaching or hymn singing was going on. Last night about 20 of them gathered behind the tent and called out to the congregation to come join them for a beer. The ushers gave chase in vain for several blocks. We hope the police will attend to the situation tonight.