100 years ago in Spokane: Area toddler sets swimming records at California contest

Mickey McBan, a Spokane native, caused a sensation by setting new swimming records at a meet in Los Angeles.

He swam the Australian crawl 100 feet, backstroked 150 feet, and gave “fancy dives from six and 10 foot platforms.”

The reason this was so special? Mickey was only 3-and-a-half years old.

He also had the distinction of being the youngest member of the Amateur Athletic Association.

Mickey was born in Spokane, but recently moved to Los Angeles with his family.

The Spokane Daily Chronicle ran a photo of him, posing proudly in his swimsuit with his medals.

From the Prohibition beat: Albert Magnuson was found guilty and sentenced to prison on charges of being a “jointist” – that is, running a booze joint.

Two detectives, imported from Seattle to do undercover work, said they met Magnuson at the Ridpath Hotel and he sold them a bottle.

Apparently, it was not difficult in the least for undercover detectives to find willing liquor sellers. Magnuson was one of 35 people arrested during a liquor dragnet involving those detectives and other dry squad agents.

Magnuson was the first to go to trial and be convicted. He had already been arrested once before for selling liquor during the big Elks’ Lodge convention.

So on this day

(From onthisday.com)

1931: Gangster Al Capone is convicted on five of the 23 counts of tax evasion against him. He is later fined $50,000 and sentenced to 11 years in jail.