Sparkling Stars #18

Alma Sheppard took up professional trotting at just eleven years old, driving Dean Hanover to a new world record in Lexington, Kentucky—and she's been commanding the reins in races ever since. Though she's considerably younger than most of her competitors on the circuit, many in their seventies, Sheppard has a long career ahead of her in a sport where age and experience have traditionally dominated.

In 1872, a California governor's ambitious wager over whether galloping horses leave the ground launches an unlikely chain of events—when a photographer and an engineer collaborate to capture motion, they inadvertently set the stage for something far greater. From Edison's pioneering work on film strips and the first movie actor's humble sneeze, through Major Latham's projected prize fight and Edwin Porter's narrative breakthrough, this non-fiction account traces how the motion picture industry was born from curiosity, persistence, and a $25,000 bet.

Henry Armstrong made boxing history by capturing three world titles within a single year, a feat that stands apart even from Bob Fitzsimmons' earlier achievement of winning three crowns—Armstrong held all three at the same time. This 1946 profile chronicles the champion's remarkable run, from his knockout of Petey Sarron for the featherweight crown in 1937 through his victories over Barney Ross and Lou Ambers in 1938.

Speed Spaulding, an exchange cadet at a school near the Bolivian border, has bested his rival Juan in every athletic contest—and Juan's resentment only deepens when he sees Speed with the lovely Senorita Bella. Desperate for revenge, Juan devises a treacherous plan: challenge Speed to a Portuguese-style bullfight, then secretly substitute a vicious cross-eyed bull with sharpened horns. Speed accepts the challenge and trains hard, but Juan's scheme nearly costs him his life when the dangerous animal enters the arena.

Mel Ott joins the New York Giants at just 16 years old in 1925 after catching the eye of manager John McGraw, becoming one of baseball's most remarkable young talents without ever playing in the minor leagues. By 1929 he's already a powerhouse slugger, and his continued dominance at the plate eventually makes him the home run king of the league and later the Giants' manager himself.

Inspector Click Hunt goes undercover in the 29th Precinct to investigate a string of systematic bank robberies, and his investigation quickly leads him to "Fat" Catt, a former cop who's been making a fortune since leaving the force. When Catt frames Hunt for a guard's murder during a heist, Hunt must clear his name and expose the real mastermind behind the crime wave—all while staying one step ahead of those who want him dead.

At 84 years old, Amos Alonzo Stagg earned his nickname "The Grand Old Man of Football" through nearly five decades of coaching innovation—most notably his 41 years at the University of Chicago—and refused to hang up his clipboard when forced out as athletic director. He carried that legendary coaching legacy to the College of the Pacific in Stockton, where he continues to shape the game he's revolutionized more than any other coach in the country. This 1946 profile marks what will be his 57th season of transforming football.