Fifty Years Ago at Knoxville and the Nation
Monday, September 12, 2005
September 1956
By Bob Wilson
Early in the month, Mars made its closest pass to Earth since 1924 at 35,120,000 miles. The 30th annual "Miss America" crown went to Marian Ann McKnight from South Carolina. Elvis Presley made his first appearance on the "Ed Sullivan Show". Sunday nights on NBC you could have watched "777 Bengal Lancers", "Circus Boy", "Steve Allen Show", "The Alcoa Hour" and "Loretta Young". Number one on the Country and Western music chart is (you guessed it) Presley's "Don't Be Cruel" and "Hound Dog". Mildred "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias, 42, died after a long battle with cancer. She was considered to be the "Greatest Female Athlete of this Century". The book "Peyton Place" was released by Messner Publishing. It would eventually end up with 11 million in sales. Thursday nights on CBS you could tune in to "My Friend Flicka", "West Point", "Zane Grey Theater", "The Crusader", "Schlitz Playhouse", "The Lineup" and "Person To Person". Mickey Mantle finished the regular season with 52 home runs.
September 1 - Dean Sylvester claimed his fifth feature of the season when he was first to take the checkered flag in the 15-lap main event. He finished ahead of Woolheather, Kenny Crook (Knoxville) and DeCarlo.
September 8 - Dean Woolheather took five racing events in both modified and stock competition, including the main events in both classes. In the modified feature he was followed by Shinstine, Sylvester, and Mascaro. Joe Rynearson, who had been injured in the August 18 race appeared before the race crowd to show that he had recovered.
September 15 - Season Championship. Dean Sylvester topped a field of 28 competitors in capturing the 25-lap Season Championship for 1956. 2000 fans watched Shinstine, Delano and Mascaro chase him to the stripe. Jack Delano became the track points champion in the modified division with consistent finishes during the season. Sylvester was the runner-up driver. Dean Woolheather won the stock division points champion with W.R. Newton of Des Moines placing second.
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