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Gibson, Althea

(Encyclopedia)Gibson, Althea ălthēˈə [key], 1927–2003, African-American tennis player, b. Silver, S.C. In 1948 she won the first of 10 straight national black women's singles championships. She was the first ...

van Basten, Marco

(Encyclopedia)van Basten, Marco, 1964–, Dutch soccer player. A powerful striker/forward, he began his professional playing career at Ajax Amsterdam (1982–87), where he was a key factor in the team's capturing t...

Sunday, Billy

(Encyclopedia)Sunday, Billy (William Ashley Sunday), 1863–1935, American evangelist, b. Ames, Iowa, in the era around World War I. A professional baseball player (1883–90), he later worked for the Young Men's C...

drum, in music

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Drums drum, in music, percussion instrument, known in various forms and played throughout the world and throughout history. Essentially a drum is a frame over which one or more membranes or sk...

Nelson, Byron

(Encyclopedia)Nelson, Byron (John Byron Nelson, Jr.), 1912–2006, American golfer, b. Fort Worth, Tex. In 1926 he began playing golf as a caddie, and in 1932 he entered upon his professional career. Noted for the ...

Sergel, Johan Tobias

(Encyclopedia)Sergel, Johan Tobias yo͞oˈhän to͞obēˈäs sĕrˈyəl [key], 1740–1814, Swedish sculptor. He studied (1767–79) in Rome, and much of his sculpture is in the neoclassical style. His subjects, ot...

Cordero, Angel Tomás, Jr.

(Encyclopedia)Cordero, Angel Tomás, Jr. tōmäsˈ änhĕlˈ kôrdĕrˈō [key], 1942–, Puerto Rican jockey, b. Santurce. When he retired in 1992 he had won 7,057 races in 22 years. From 1977 to 1990 his mounts w...

Government Publishing Office, United States

(Encyclopedia)Government Publishing Office, United States (GPO), federal bureau originally authorized in 1860 that performs printing and binding for Congress and federal departments and agencies, distributes govern...

Field, Eugene

(Encyclopedia)Field, Eugene, 1850–95, American poet and journalist, b. St. Louis. After working on several Midwestern newspapers, in 1883 he became a columnist for the Chicago Daily News (later the Record). His u...

Hull, William

(Encyclopedia)Hull, William, 1753–1825, American general, b. Derby, Conn. He served brilliantly in the American Revolution and became in 1805 governor of the newly created Michigan Territory. As the War of 1812 b...