Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 6/29/07

6/28/1947:
Bob Falkenburg of Los Angeles ends a gallant run by Austrian Hans Redl in straight sets in the round of 16 at Wimbledon. Despite losing an arm in World War II, Redl returned to tournament tennis and won three matches here before bowing to Falkenburg's powerful game, honed on California hardcourts. He'll continue to play Davis Cup for Austria for many more years, while Falkenburg, though losing in the next round of this year's tourney, will return to win Wimbledon in 1948.

Birthdays:
Don Baylor b. 1949
John Elway b. 1960
Mark Grace b. 1964
Corey Koskie b. 1973
Michael Vick b. 1980

POLITICS

American foreign policy since the end of the Cold War is brilliantly explained in this serious, thoughtful book. Merry, a former Wall Street Journal reporter, considers the dangers inherent in imposing Western values upon alien cultures and explains how America’s crusading nature has affected conflicts around the world and what it can mean for our future. A timely, lucid analysis of current affairs.

SANDS OF EMPIRE, by Robert W. Merry (Simon & Schuster, 2005)