April 5, 1614

Pocahontas marries John Rolfe

1936

Tornadoes devastate Tupelo and Gainesville

April 6, 1896

First modern Olympic Games

1917

U. S. enters World War I

1841

Tyler is inaugurated as 10th president

April 7, 1889

Civil war erupts in Rwanda

1947

Auto pioneer Henry Ford dies

April 8, 1974

Aaron sets new home run record

April 9, 1865

Robert E. Lee surrenders

1959

First astronauts introduced

April 10, 1912

Pony Express debuts

1970

Paul McCartney announces

the breakup of the Beatles

2005

Tiger Woods wins fourth Masters

April 11, 1968

Dr. King is assassinated

1970

Apollo 13 launched to the moon

Rosenbergs sentenced to death for spying

April 5, 1951

The climax of the most sensational spy trial in American history is reached when a federal judge sentences Julius and Ethel Rosenberg to death for their roles in passing atomic bomb secrets to the Soviets. Although the couple proclaimed their innocence, they died in the electric chair in June 1953.

The Rosenbergs were convicted of playing a central role in a spy ring that passed secret data concerning the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union during and immediately after World War II. Their part in the espionage came to light when British physicist Klaus Fuchs was arrested in Great Britain in early 1950. Under questioning, Fuchs admitted that he stole secret documents while he was working on the Manhattan Project, the top secret U. S. program to build an atomic bomb during World War II. He implicated Harry Gold as a courier who delivered the documents to Soviet agents. Gold was arrested a short time later and informed on David Greenglass, who then pointed the finger at his sister and brother-in-law, Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. Julius was arrested in July and Ethel in August 1950. After a brief trial in March 1951, the Rosenbergs were found guilty of conspiracy to commit espionage. At their sentencing hearing in April, Federal Judge Irving R. Kaufman described their crime as “worse than murder” and charged, “By your betrayal you undoubtedly have altered the course of history to the disadvantage of our country.” He sentenced them to death.

The Rosenbergs and their attorneys continued to plead their innocence, arguing they were “victims of political hysteria.” Humanitarian organizations in the United States and around the world pleaded for leniency, particularly since the Rosenbergs were the parents of two young children. The pleas for special consideration were ignored, and Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed on June 19, 1953.

The Rosenberg trial has long been analyzed, but it seems while there was little doubt that Julius was a spy giving information to the Soviets about the atomic bomb, there was little evidence that Ethel helped her husband in his endeavor. They both were avowed Communists, having met each other at a Young Communist League meeting, but the evidence against Ethel was never very convincing.

Clinton County News Headlines:

Thursday, April 6, 1950 – Volume 1, #23

DeForest makes good showing in All-Star game

Although playing only approximately one-half of the all-star basketball game at Tompkinsville Friday night, Bill DeForest, graduating center of the CCHS Bulldogs, tied for scoring honors with Bryant of Columbia, scoring 16 points. He also ruled the rebounds during this game, taking more off the backboard than any two players while in the game.

DeForest, 18 year old, 6 ft. 4 in. pivot man, was declared to be one of the greatest players in this section by coaches, players, and officials who saw him perform. He has a season average of about 20 points per game.

DeForest is being sought by several colleges. His choice at present is TPI at Cookeville, Tenn.

Coach Raymond Reneau says that DeForest is the best player he has had the privilege of working with. He says that when he enters college he plans to concentrate 100 per cent on studies and basketball.

New baseball league organized

A new baseball league to be known as the Southern Kentucky Burley League was formed this week at a meeting in Glasgow of the managers of baseball teams of Albany, Brownsville, Burkesville, Cave City, Glasgow, and Tompkinsville. Officers of the newly organized league included N. L Morgan, Jr. of Albany as secretary/treasurer. The season schedule will be announced at an early date.

Out for the first practice session Sunday was Luther Conner, Willard Conner, Charlie Long, Joe Talbott, Bob Chilton, Randolph Smith, Ned Sloan, and John B. Smith, Jr.

The Southern Kentucky Burley League will be composed of very strong teams. More than a dozen of the local club backers were present at a meeting Monday night, and all voiced their desire for a strong, winning team. Plans are to, if possible, use all local players except a pitcher and one other player.

Billy the Kid convicted of murder in sheriff’s death

April 9, 1881

After a one-day trial, Billy the Kid is found guilty of murdering the Lincoln County, New Mexico sheriff and is sentenced to hang.

There is no doubt that Billy the Kid did shoot the sheriff, though he had done so in the context of the bloody Lincoln County War, a battle between two powerful groups of ranchers and businessmen fighting for economic control of Lincoln County. When his boss, rancher John Tunstall, was murdered before his eyes in February 1878, the hotheaded young Billy swore vengeance. Unfortunately, the leader of the men who murdered Tunstall was the sheriff of Lincoln County, William Brady. When Billy and his partners murdered the sheriff several months later, they became outlaws, regardless of how corrupt Brady may have been.

After three years on the run and several other murders, Pat Garrett finally arrested Billy in early 1881. Garrett, a one-time friend, was the new sheriff of Lincoln County. On this day in 1881, a court took only one day to convict Billy of the murder of Sheriff Brady. Sentenced to hang, Billy was imprisoned in the Lincoln County jail as Sheriff Garrett gathered information and supplies needed to build a gallow.

For Kentucky Facts and Trivia this week, let’s do something different…

March 23, 1948 – University of Kentucky wins its first NCAA National Championship. Adolph Rupp’s “Fabulous Five” wins 58-42 over Baylor. The team is met in Lexington by 15,000 fans and given a parade on a fire truck. Season Record: 36-3.

March 26, 1949 – UK wins its second and consecutive NCAA championship, defeating Oklahoma A & M 46-36 in Seattle. Season Record: 32-2.

March 27, 1951 – UK wins its third NCAA title, defeating Kansas State, 68-58, in the finals in Minneapolis. Season Record: 32-2.

March 22, 1958 – UK wins its fourth NCAA title by defeating Seattle, 84-72 in Louisville. Season Record: 23-6.

March 27, 1978 – Jack “Goose” Givens scores 41 points as UK wins its fifth NCAA championship, 94-88 over Duke in St. Louis. More than 10,000 fans greet the team at Blue Grass Airport and 15, 000 more at Memorial Coliseum. Season Record: 30-2.

April 1, 1996 – Rick Pitino and company take UK’s sixth championship against his mentor, Jim Boeheim, and Syracuse 76-67. Season Record: 34-2. This team included Ron Mercer, Jeff Sheppard, Tony Delk, Walter McCarty, among others. Season Record: 34-2.

March 30, 1998 – The Comeback Cats. For #7, Tubby Smith and team faced a Rick Majerus led Utah team and came away with all the marbles in a 78-69 win. This team came back from double digit deficits in three NCAA tournament games to take it all, including the final game. Season Record: 35-4.

April 3, 2012 – After three years as head coach, John Calipari wins his first National Championship ring with the Kentucky Wildcats. After a long wait, UK finally accomplishes the “Great 8” National Championship. With Anthony Davis, Marquis Teague, Doron Lamb, Terrance Jones, Darrius Miller, and Michael Kidd-Gilcrist, the players became one unit on the floor, anticipating each other’s every move. The Cats beat a good Kansas team 67-59 in New Orleans to take the big trophy back where it belongs…in Kentucky.

8 National Championship. 15 Final Fours. 27 SEC titles. Basketball Perfection.