Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/3/2009

1/3/1946:
Prominent jockey George Woolf is thrown from his mount, Please Me, in the fourth race at Santa Anita. He'll suffer a concussion, never regain consciousness and die tomorrow at age 35. A Canadian native from Alberta, Woolf was known as "the Iceman" for his calm demeanor. As a diabetic, he couldn't race frequently so he picked his spots, developing a well-deserved reputation as a big-money rider for major stakes races. His greatest moment came when he piloted Seabiscuit to a match race victory over War Admiral at Pimlico in 1938. He'll be elected to the horse racing's Hall of Fame in 1955.

Birthdays:
Hank Stram b. 1923
Bobby Hull b. 1939
Darren Daulton b. 1962
Jim Everett b. 1962
Cheryl Miller b. 1964

Packers Fact:
Brett Favre had been dropped by opposing pass rushers 424 times in his career entering 2007. Denver's John Elway is the only NFL quarterback to suffer more than 500 sacks in his career at 516.

EAT YOUR HEART OUT, FRANCE

Once upon a time America was a land of canned vegetables. Dinner out was a grilled steak and a baked potato. No longer. We have become a land of foodies, gobbling up fresh spinach and broccoli rabe. We dine out on sushi and tapas—and we crave things like the deconstructed osso buco with saffron orzo, cavolo nero, and chestnut gremolata at Babbo. Whence did this gastronomic revolution come? David Kamp says James Beard, Julia Child, and Craig Claiborne led the way, and he gives us the full and page-turning story. Better have something to snack on as you digest Kamp’s first-rate account.

THE UNITED STATES OF ARUGULA: HOW WE BECAME A GOURMET NATION, by David Kamp (Broadway Books, 2006)

Place To See Before You Die

GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE

See the answer tomorrow.

Q: The modern glass pyramid at the Louvre in Paris—vilified by some and loved by many since being added to the classical structure of the main museum in 1989—was designed by what renowned architect?

a) Renzo Piano b) Gae Aulenti c) Le Corbusier d) I. M. Pei

ON THIS DAY IN 1959, ALASKA BECAME THE 49TH STATE TO JOIN THE UNION. HERE ARE SOME ALASKAN SLANG TERMS.

• Squaw candy. Dried, smoked salmon. Squaw candy was one of the preserved foods that helped Alaskans survive the long, hard winter months.

• Frosted lungs. A feeling in the chest similar to the pain of frostbite; you get it when breathing air that is colder than -30°F.

• Bear insurance. A gun brought with you during outdoor activities such as fishing or hiking, to protect yourself if a bear attacks.

• Skunk bear. A wolverine. (Looks like a bear, smells like a skunk.)

FIRST PERSON TO BE BORN IN ANTARCTICA: EMELIO PALMA, IN 1978.

On excuses, Truly sick:

* My dog swallowed my bus pass.

* I couldn't find my shoes.

* A buffalo escaped from the game reserve and kept charging me every time I tried to leave the house to go to my car.

Excuses used by employees, calling in sick to their workplace