Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 10/2/2007

10/2/1955:
Les Richter boots a 33-yard field goal as time expires to give the Los Angeles Rams a 27-26 victory over the Steelers at the Coliseum. Pittsburgh head coach Walt Kiesling is incensed and must be restrained from rushing the officials. With time winding down and the Rams out of timeouts, a specious penalty was called against the Steelers by a West Coast-based officiating crew, stopping the clock long enough so that Richter could set up for his game-winning placement. After Pittsburgh's heated protest to the league office, beginning next year officiating crews will be more equitably distributed, not all drawn from the same city or region where a particular game is played.

Birthdays:
Maury Wills b. 1932
Dick Barnett b. 1936
Mark Rypien b. 1962
Thomas Muster b. 1967
Eddie Guardado b. 1970

FOR ARGUMENT’S SAKE

A New Republic senior editor, Foer uses his favorite game to understand world politics. The results are surprising, thought provoking, and entertaining. In Iran soccer advanced the cause of women’s rights. In Serbia soccer and war overlapped with deadly consequences. In Barcelona soccer supports high culture. Armchair travel, character study, and political essay all in one, How Soccer Explains the World is one of those brilliant, unique books that might just change your view of the world.

HOW SOCCER EXPLAINS THE WORLD, by Franklin Foer (HarperPerennial, 2005)