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Chamberlain, Wilt

(Encyclopedia)Chamberlain, Wilt (Wilton Norman Chamberlain), 1936–99, American basketball player, b. Philadelphia. At the Univ. of Kansas he was a two-time All-American center. During 14 seasons in the National B...

Erving, Julius

(Encyclopedia)Erving, Julius ûrˈvĭng [key], 1950–, American basketball player, b. Roosevelt, N.J., known as “Dr. J.” An excellent shooter, rebounder, and ball-handler, he played for the American Basketball...

Robinson, Sugar Ray

(Encyclopedia)Robinson, Sugar Ray, 1920–89, American boxer, b. Detroit as Walker Smith, Jr. He began boxing after three years of high school in New York City. Having won all his amateur fights (about 90), includi...

St. Denis, Ruth

(Encyclopedia)St. Denis, Ruth sānt dĕnˈĭs [key], 1877–1968, American dancer, b. Newark, N.J., whose name was originally Ruth Dennis. After her debut (c.1893) she toured with David Belasco. In 1906 she began h...

Sills, Beverly

(Encyclopedia)Sills, Beverly, 1929–2007, American coloratura soprano, b. Brooklyn, N.Y., as Belle Silverman. Her childhood career as a radio singer (when she was first nicknamed “Bubbles”) led to voice studie...

Marquis, Don

(Encyclopedia)Marquis, Don (Donald Robert Perry Marquis) märˈkwĭs [key], 1878–1937, American author, b. Walnut, Ill. In 1912 he began the humorous column “The Sun Dial” in the New York Sun and later conduc...

Krock, Arthur

(Encyclopedia)Krock, Arthur, 1886–1974, American journalist, b. Glasgow, Ky. He left Princeton to take up reporting and worked in Louisville and Washington. In 1927 he joined the New York Times, becoming Washingt...

Galli-Curci, Amelita

(Encyclopedia)Galli-Curci, Amelita ämālēˈtä gälˈlē-ko͞orˈchē [key], 1889–1963, Italian coloratura soprano. She studied piano at the Milan Conservatory and meanwhile trained her own voice. From the time...

Lehmann, Lilli

(Encyclopedia)Lehmann, Lilli lāˈmän [key], 1848–1929, German operatic soprano. She made her debut in 1865 in Prague and in 1870 joined the Royal Opera, Berlin. Her stature as one of the greatest singers of her...

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