Former UAB star Michael Charles was shot and killed on this day in 1997. As a senior at Alabama-Birmingham, Charles averaged 18.7 points a game. But his mother died during the season and he quickly deteriorated. He skipped a game late in the season when he hurt his ankle, and then did not return for the conference Tournament. He hadn't even told the coaching staff.
He played briefly overseas, but returned to Alabama after a stress fracture. Two years later he was convicted of 3rd degree theft. A few years after that it was 2nd degree theft. Finally, on September 26, 1997, at 3am, his life ended while he was standing in the doorway of a friend's home. Shots were fired from a distance and Charles was hit several times. No one was ever arrested or charged for his murder.
On this day in 1977, Flenoil Crook was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Crook, a basketball player at Jacksonville, was convicted of shooting Donny Tyler – his roommate – in the back. Crook claimed it was accidental, and Tyler maintained that Crook shot him for no reason and without warning.
Corey Beck was shot on this day in 2007. The former Arkansas star was shot in the hand and face during a robbery. Despite injuries that would put him into critical condition, Beck drove himself (and a friend who was also shot) to the hospital.
Today's birthdays include: Joe Holland 1925 (Kentucky), Mel McGaha 1926 (Arkansas), Mike Farmer 1936 (San Francisco), Bob Duffy 1940 (Colgate), Lucius Allen 1947 (UCLA), John Roche 1949 (South Carolina), Trevor Ruffin 1970 (Hawaii), Greg Stiemsma 1985 (Wisconsin), and Jerry Smith 1987 (Louisville)
Musician of the day: Craig Chaquico, guitarist for Jefferson Airplane, born on this date in 1954.
