This day in Texas History: Lightnin’ Hopkins Dies January 30, 1982 On this day in 1982, blues singer Sam (Lightnin’) Hopkins died of cancer. Hopkins was born in Centerville, Texas, in 1912. At age eight he made his first instrument, a cigar-box guitar with chicken-wire strings. By ten he was playing music with his cousin,…
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This day in Texas History: Challenger Explosion Kills Texas Astronaut and Her Colleagues January 28, 1986 On this day in 1986, the space shuttle Challenger (Mission STS-51-L) exploded shortly after takeoff. Seven American astronauts were killed, including Texas resident Judith Arlene Resnik. She was the second American woman astronaut. She had taken her first space…
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This day in Texas History: Baseball Legend Bibb Falk Born in Austin January 27, 1899 On this day in 1899, Bibb Falk was born in Austin. As a boy he sold peanuts and worked as a batboy at the local Texas League ballpark. At the University of Texas he was a star player under Uncle…
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