1948
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1948, a leap year, was the 77th year after the founding of the city of Birmingham.
Events
- The City of Trafford was incorporated.
- The Birmingham Municipal Airport was returned by the Army Air Corps to city control after World War II.
- May: Senator Glen Taylor of Idaho was arrested for attempting to speak to the Southern Negro Youth Congress in Birmingham, a violation of the city's segregation laws.
- The last Miss Birmingham pageant was held at the Alabama Theatre.
- Homewood Park was dedicated.
- Birmingham Railway & Electric Company ridership peaked at 93 million passengers.
- A small fire broke out in room 315 of the Tutwiler Hotel.
- Land on Red Mountain was purchased for development of The Club.
- Trinity Lutheran Church in West End was founded by members of First Lutheran Church.
- The Ku Klux Klan raided Camp Fletcher, a Girl Scout camp near Bessemer.
- The State Teachers College was re-named "Alabama State College for Negroes".
- Southeastern Bible School began offering a four-year degree program.
- The Birmingham Film Council was reconstituted by Charles Zukowski, Jr and Mrs E. M. Darton.
- [[January 23: A snowfall brought 3.8 inches to Birmingham.
- February 1: The Burchfiel Chimes at East Lake United Methodist Church were dedicated.
- July 17: The inaugural Dixiecrat convention, held at Municipal Auditorium, nominated Strom Thurmond as its presidential candidate.
Business
- Western Supermarkets was founded with a first location at Five Points West.
- Cobb Lane Restaurant was opened by Virginia Cobb in the former Levert Apartments.
- The Pell City Steak House was opened.
- Dichiara's Steak House opened on Avenue F Ensley.
- Uncle Tom's Bar-B-Q opened on 6th Avenue South.
- The Birmingham Labor Advocate ceased publication.
- George's Grill opened in the Altamont Apartments on Highland Avenue.
- Bandleader Dewitt Shaw leased the Hollywood Country Club and took over as manager.
- The Launderwell laundromat opened at Five Points West.
- The Jack O'Lantern dinner club opened on Montgomery Highway in Homewood.
Sports
- The Southeastern Conference moved its headquarters to Birmingham.
- The 1948 Birmingham Barons drew 445,926 to Rickwood Field and won the Dixie Series over Fort Worth.
- The 1948 Birmingham Black Barons won the Negro American League pennant over the Kansas City Monarchs, then lost to the Homestead Grays in the final Negro Leagues World Series.
- Satchel Paige signed a Major League contract with the Cleveland Indians.
- Frank House signed a Major League contract with the Detroit Tigers.
- The Birmingham Vulcans and Bessemer Whiz Kids of the Southern Professional Basketball League played their final seasons.
- Ted McCrary coached the Samford Bulldogs to a 4-4-0 season.
- January 1: Alabama lost to Texas 27-7 in the Sugar Bowl.
- January 1: Central State (Ohio) defeated Grambling State 27-21 in the 7th Vulcan Bowl at Legion Field.
- January 1: Arkansas defeated William & Mary 21-19 in the first Dixie Bowl at Legion Field.
- August 31: Jim Wasdell recorded a Barons record six hits against Chattanooga.
- December 4: The 1948 Iron Bowl, won by Alabama 55-0, was the first to be held at Legion Field.
Works
Books
Buildings
- Camp McDowell
- Fair Park Drive-In
- Guaranty Savings and Loan headquarters
- Joe's Ranch House
- Newmar Theatre
- Park Lane Apartments
- Rickwood Field, new ladies' restroom and shorter outfield fence
- hades Valley High School
- Robert Tyler residence
- Vestavia (estate) restoration with new interior murals
- Vestavia Hills Elementary School East
- Wenonah High School
Music
- Phillips High School's Alma Mater was composed by Alfred Mayer
- Hardrock Gunter left the Golden River Boys.
- Jo Jones left the Count Basie Orchestra.
Film, Radio and TV
- WBRC-FM began the transition to become the first television station in Birmingham in 1949.
- The Inside Story, film starring Gail Patrick.
- WJLN-FM was launched as a sister station to WJLD-AM.
- Hank Penny joined the "Hoffman Hayride" television show.
- Dick Hawley joined the WSGN-AM & WSGN-FM broadcasts of the Birmingham Barons.
- Joe Rumore began working at WVOK-AM.
People
- Columnist Clettus Atkinson joined the staff of the Birmingham Age-Herald.
- Cartoonist Charles Brooks joined the staff of the Birmingham News.
- Reporter Clarke Stallworth joined the staff of the Birmingham Post.
- Gus Koutroulakis began working at Pete's Famous Hot Dogs.
- Hoyt Ayers succeeded J. R. Smith as Chief of the Birmingham Fire Department.
- Henry Stanford was named president of Georgia Southwestern College.
- Eugene Zeidman succeeded Max Hurvich as president of Temple Beth-El.
- Samuel Burr entered the partnership of Burr & Forman.
- Edgar Arendall succeeded William M. Vines as pastor of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church.
- H. C. Crelly was re-elected Mayor of Homewood.
- James Permutt was named president of the Jewish Community Center.
- William Engel succeeded Carl Hess as president of Temple Emanu-El.
- J. Duncan Hunter served as interim pastor at Pilgrim Church.
- Kenneth Daniel was promoted to chief engineer for ACIPCO.
- Henrietta Boggs-MacGuire became First Lady of Costa Rica.
- Tom Bradley joined the Bessemer Fire Department.
- Bill Dorrough succeeded Grady Price as Mayor of Leeds.
Births
- January 31: Mike Kolen, football player
- February 5: Mary Anne Blake, nurse
- February 18: Jimmy Lee III, soft drink bottler
- March 17: Larry Langford, politician
- May 17: Carlos May, baseball player
- July 2: Elvin Ivory, NBA player
- August 3: Ray Reach, jazz pianist
- August 7: John Amari, judge
- September 3: Stan Starnes, attorney and executive
- September 8; Donald Watkins, attorney and banker
- September 11: Phillip Alford, child actor
- September 13: Nell Carter, entertainer
- October 29: Kate Jackson, actress and Henry Parsley, Episcopal Bishop of Alabama
- Ray Bauer, steel executive and long-distance runner
- George F. Bowman, Army general
- Jim Dearth, oncologist and hospital administrator
- Ralph Hicks, server
- David Hunke, planner
- David Pollick, college administrator
Awards
- Birmingham Woman of the Year: Dorothy Thames Schwartz
- Miss Alabama: Martha Ann Ingram/Marjorie Orr
- John Rhoden won 1st prize for sculpture at Columbia University.
Graduations
- George M. Murray from the Virginia Theological Seminary
- Tom King from the University of Alabama with a bachelor's in accounting
- Ward McIntyre from Ramsay High School
- Bill Edmonds from Virginia Military Institute with a bachelor's in civil engineering
- Huland Moore from West Point High School in Cullman
- Bobby Bowden and Cliff Holman from Woodlawn High School
Deaths
- May 27: U. S. Representative William B. Oliver.
- Industrialist Henry T. DeBardeleben
Context
In 1948
1940s |
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