Jim Kershner’s This day in history

From our archives, 50 years ago

The Spokane Interstate Fair was getting under way and the front page of the Spokane Daily Chronicle showed off two of its attractions.

The first was named Rahbana, a purebred Arabian horse, which had already won a “champion’s rating” in horse shows in Calgary and San Francisco.

The second was named Carol Katheryn Marsh. She was the “Fairest of the Fair,” the fair’s beauty queen and spokesperson.

Fair officials promised that it would be the biggest Interstate Fair ever. The goat division alone attracted 83 nannies, billies and kids – up from a total of only four in 1951.

From the accident beat: A Geiger Field airman died in a freak accident in a field near the air base while walking back from a restaurant.

Another airman, a close friend, was swinging a switchblade knife “back and forth at some tall weeds” when the blade accidentally hit the man in the chest.

The tip cut an artery. Despite attempts at mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and “open-heart massage,” the airman died at the scene.

Also on this date

1974: Emperor Haile Selassie was deposed by Ethiopia’s military after ruling for 58 years.

2010: Lady Gaga swept the MTV Video Music Awards with eight wins, wearing a dress made of meat as she accepted the video of the year award for “Bad Romance.”