Jim Kershner’s This day in history

From our archives, 50 years ago

A car full of teenagers was fishtailing its way down Monroe Street in a souped-up muscle car in 1960.

When they screeched to a stop at a traffic light at Maxwell and Monroe, one of the teenagers looked at the car next to them and said, “How about a dig-out?”

A dig-out was 1960 street racer slang for a sudden start from a standing stop, resulting in burnt rubber and heads snapped backward from the acceleration.

The man in the other car didn’t answer.

Then one of the teenagers recognized him: Police judge Gordon S. Lower, well known to most young Spokane traffic offenders.

The teenage driver sheepishly offered, “The gas pedal stuck.”

The judge replied, “Yeah, I’ve heard that one before.”

When the light turned green, the teenage driver crept exceedingly slowly through the intersection.

From the weather beat: Spokane in 1960 suffered through its 56th straight day with no rainfall. The temperature had already hit 90 degrees or above 14 times that summer.

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1967: A week of deadly race-related rioting that claimed 43 lives erupted in Detroit.