Golf Central

A relatively quiet day in the world of golf, most notable for Byron Nelson victory in the Kentucky Open by three strokes over Melvin ‘Chick’ Harbert in 1943. Not being a sanctioned PGA Tour event, it’s not counted among Nelson’s phenomenal record of 52 tour wins and five Major victories. And his victory purse? A $1,000 war bond. Now that’s livin’ alright…

On this day in 1914 Babe Ruth made his debut in Major league baseball. Hitting averages and slugging percentages sound like boxing stats to us, but there is a fair argument to say that 'the Sultan of Swat' transcended his sport more than anyone of his era.

A ferocious left-handed hitter, two of his records still stand after his retirement 73 years ago and in 1999 he was voted as the third greatest US athlete of all time, behind Jordan and Ali. His style of play - that resulted in 714 career home runs - was also the catalyst in the change of baseball to a high-scoring power game.  

On a happier note, birthday felicitations to 1990 US Open champ, Mike Donald (50), saucy r&b jailbird Lil Kim (33), the inoffensively folksy Suzanne Vega (49),  former heavyweight champ Leon Spinks (55) and Italian fashion geezer Georgio Armani (74).