Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 12/31/2007

12/31/1983:
Five Dolphin turnovers, including two fumbles on consecutive kickoffs by Fulton Walker in the fourth quarter, prove vitally important as the Seattle Seahawks upset Miami 27-20, at the Orange Bowl in an AFC divisional playoff game. Seattle enjoys a 35-minutes-to-25 edge in possession, helped by rookie running back Curt Warner's 113 yards on 29 carries, ably employing Coach Chuck Knox's offense known affectionately as "Ground Chuck." After Miami goes ahead 20-17 with only five minutes remaining, Seattle quarterback David Krieg finds wide receiver Steve Largent twice for long gainers, setting up Warner to score the winning touchdown with 1:48 left.

Birthdays:
Hugh McElhenny b. 1928
Don James b. 1932
Rick Aguilera b. 1961
Brent Barry b. 1971
Esteban Loaiza b. 1971

QUIRKY HISTORY

You might worry that Basbanes is too clever for his own good when you read the Cervantes-inspired subtitle of his book: Wherein a Colorful Cast of Determined Book Collectors, Dealers, and Librarians Go About the Quixotic Task of Preserving a Legacy. Then you read the book, and realize it fits the bill. Basbanes takes readers on a tour of libraries from Alexandria to Oxford, from New York to the Vatican, and introduces us to the most obsessive, wacky, loveable cast of characters you’ll find outside of fiction. Required reading for all book lovers.

PATIENCE AND FORTITUDE, by Nicholas A. Basbanes (HarperPerennial, 2003)

Patience and Fortitude are the names of the lions guarding The New York Public Library.