Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 12/16/2007

12/16/1978:
Thirteenth-ranked North Carolina staves off third-ranked Michigan State, 70-69, in an intersectional matchup at Carmichael Auditorium in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels jump to an early lead but barely manage to hold off the Spartans late surge, led by effervescent sophomore guard Magic Johnson and forward Greg Kelser. Coached by Jud Heathcote, Michigan State will shake off this temporary setback and capture the first national championship in school history next March by defeating Larry Bird and Indiana State in the NCAA final at Salt Lake City.

Birthdays:
Buddy Parker b. 1913
Mike Flanagan b. 1951
Orlando Woolridge b. 1959
William Perry b. 1962
Donovan Bailey b. 1967


For eight months, New York Times reporter Steinberg followed Ralph Figueroa, an admissions officer at elite private college Wesleyan University to determine how Figueroa and his team decide who gets admitted and who rejected. For parents with children approaching college age, the book is a white-knuckle read, filled with suspense and surprise on a par with a thriller. A riveting, enlightening story with some useful tips to boot.

THE GATEKEEPERS: INSIDE THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS OF A PREMIER COLLEGE, by Jacques Steinberg (Penguin, 2003)