Knox native Jerry Johnson played in the 1969 NCAA Basketball Final game on this date. His Purdue Boilermakers lost to UCLA 92-72.
Chicago gangster, Diamond Joe Esposito, who owned a cottage at Bass Lake, was shot and killed in a gangland slaying in the Windy City. He had his hand in bootlegging and prostitution. He was killed on this date in 1928.
On this date 85 years ago, Che Mah passed away. He died at the age of 88 in 1926, and is buried in Crown Hill Cemetery in Knox. At times in his life he traveled with the Barnum and Bailey Circus and Ringling Brothers Circus. In 1900, Che Mah was playing with the circus in Chicago and saved enough money to retire. A real estate dealer, who he had fallen in love with, convinced him to purchase a farm at Eagle Lake, near Knox. Being no good at farming (after all he was only 24 inches tall) he eventually sold the farm and moved to Knox where he lived until his death.
