2 Die in Midair Plane Crash; Lombardi at USC? February 2, 1959

View Larger Map Wreckage landed in the 7900 block of East 8th Street, Buena Park.

At left, Officer J.F. Harkan shoots Edwin Kelly, 17, during a stakeout at the RKO Hill Street theater at 8th and Hill. Above, Judy Holliday will appear in "Bells Are Ringing" at the Philharmonic Auditorium ... Bob Hope makes an unscripted appearance in Ken Murray's "Blackouts."

Delbert Wong becomes the first Chinese American judge in the U.S. and American Airlines promotes its nonstop jet service to New York.

Did USC really have a chance to hire Vince Lombardi before he became coach of the Green Bay Packers? Maybe, according to Braven Dyer of The Times. In a sports journalism version of the old-boys' network, Dyer said he got a "long-distance call" from the sports editor of Look magazine asking that he put in a plug for Lombardi. Dryer said the Look editor was an old Fordham booster. That's where Lombardi played in college. Anyway, Dyer said he tried but "SC went elsewhere. I don't remember the year." Did Dryer and The Times really have the juice to make that happen or did he just need a lead for his column? Would Lombardi have even considered a West Coast job? Would a college president really listen to the opinion of a sports columnist? And if Dyer was advising USC, who was talking to UCLA? -- Keith Thursby [Keith: Am I imagining things? The Globetrotters vs. the Rams? Jerry Lewis with the Dodgers? --l rh]

Comments

[Keith Thursby]

Larry--The Rams really did play basketball. I think for a variety of reasons, from community service to staying in shape. I once saw the Rams play basketball at Cerritos College against a faculty team to raise money for charity. As for Jerry Lewis, the Dodgers were smart to use Wrigley Field for off-season games. And did you see some of Lewis' teammates? A couple guys named Koufax and Drysdale.
--Keith