May 31

May 31 in the history of the Birmingham District:

2008: 2nd annual Magic City Brewfest started at Sloss Furnace.
2006: Dedrick Griham abducted and raped attorney Sandra Gregory and was arrested later in the day.
2003: Terrorist Eric Robert Rudolph was arrested in Murphy, North Carolina.
2000: Alpine Ice Arena closed.
1988: The Kirklin Clinic was announced by the University of Alabama Health Services Foundation.
1981: "Don't Look Back" told the story of Satchel Paige on ABC.
1976: The American Freedom Train departed Birmingham.
1969: Educator Jack Farr married Janice Smith.
1965: West End Hills Missionary Baptist Church dedicated their new building in Powderly.
1962: Liberty National Life Insurance began offering tours to its "Miss Liberty" statue, hosted by "Liberty Belles".
1957: The town of Trussville became the "City of Trussville".
1931: The Birmingham Airport was dedicated.
1925: 7 miners were killed in the 1925 No. 2 Mine explosion.
1922: Birmingham Railway Light & Power Company streetcar No. 34 was destroyed in a collision with a Seaboard Air Line Railroad train at 5th Avenue South and 52nd Street in Woodlawn.
1904: Andrew Beard was granted U. S. Patent No. 761,056 for an improved automatic car-coupling.
1901: Inventor Miller Reese Hutchison married Martha Jackson Pomeroy in New York.
1861: Educator and poet Samuel Ullman enlisted in the Mississippi militia.

Joe Namath, born May 31, 1943

Births

1988: Comedian Clinton Catlin was born in Demopolis, Marengo County.
1943: Football great Joe Namath was born in Pennsylvania.
1923: Gynecologic pathologist Hazel Gore was born in Australia.
1915: Cultural activist Isabel Comer was born Isabel Bibb Anderson in Montgomery.
1879: Birmingham Barons pitcher Bill Foxen was born in Tenafly, New Jersey.

2016: Former Birmingham City Council member Leroy Bandy died.
2012: Former Bessemer City Council member Thomas Tolbert died.
2011: Journalist and author Wayne Greenhaw died from complications from heart surgery.
1996: LSD advocate Timothy Leary died in Beverly Hills, California.
1974: Educator and naturalist Blanche Dean died in Clay County.
1958: Southern Toy Co. president Billy Edmundson died of a heart attack while playing golf.
1942: Attorney Lee Bradley died.
1925: 7 miners were killed in the 1925 Piper No. 2 Mine explosion.
1901: Physician John Payne died after being shot in the head.

2009: Alabama Warriors defeated the Henry County Horsemen 20-17 at Warrior Stadium.
2003: Birmingham Steeldogs 63 - Macon Knights 37 at the BJCC Arena.
1997: Alabama Saints at Lexington Bluegrass Bandits.
1978: The Birmingham Bandits were announced as one of six teams to play the inaugural season of the Super Soccer League.