February 07 |
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Clarence Linden Crabbe's Birthday
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February 7 is the birthday of one of the few personalities who was named, or
rather nicknamed, after food. Larry "Buster" Crabbe was named after the once popular
buster crabs which are crabs halfway between hard shell and soft shell. He
was a top athlete, an Olympic gold
medal winner, film star, and the
grandfather of
Nick Holt,
defensive coordinator of the
University of Southern California Trojans football
team and former
head coach of the
University of Idaho. Buster Crabbe, the celebrity, was best known as the popular Adonis sci-fi film star of the 1930' s and 40' s with his "Flash Gordon" and "Buck Rogers" pictures. Buster Crabbe' s film career was launched by his success in two Olympic Games: 1928, where he won the bronze medal for the 1,500 meter freestyle, and 1932, where he won the gold medal for the 400 meter freestyle. Larry attended the University of
Southern California, where he was the school's first All-American swimmer
(1931) and a 1931 NCAA freestyle titlist. Time
magazine wrote on April 11, 1932: "Clarence (Buster) Crabbe, 22, of Los
Angeles, ablest distance swimmer in the United States: the 1,500-metre
race in the A.A.U. championships, at New Haven, lowering his own
American record by 20.9 seconds to 19:45.6. Later he won two other
championships: the 300 yard medley and 500 yard free style. Los Angeles
won the team championship with 45 points to New York's 37."
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Makes 4 servings
© 2011 Gordon Nary and Tyler Stokes