Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/6/2007

8/6/1948:
Fanny Blankers-Koen of the Netherlands, a 30-year-old mother of two, wins the 200-meter dash to capture her third gold medal in the London Olympic Games. A favorite of the large crowds attending the first Olympics in 12 years, Mrs. Blankers-Koen has already won the 100-meter dash and 80-meter hurdles and will become the first woman to earn four gold medals in one Olympiad when she anchors the Netherlands 4 x 100 relay team to victory tomorrow.

Birthdays:
Pauline Betz b. 1919
Clem Labine b. 1926
Dale Ellis b. 1960
Tony Fernandez b. 1962 (Wikipedia lists his dob as 6/30/62, not sure if this is him!)
David Robinson b. 1965


Theater geeks of all ages will cotton to this madcap coming-of-age novel. Edward Zanni is accepted at prestigious performing arts school Julliard, but Dad (and wicked Stepmom) won’t pay. He initiates a scheme crazier than the plot of a musical comedy to pay the tuition. Acito won raves for his debut: “Witty...pitch-perfect” (The New York Times), “funny, fast, satisfying” (People), and “endearing” (Details).

HOW I PAID FOR COLLEGE, by Marc Acito (Broadway, 2005)