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This week in
Husker history

The week of Feb. 19-25, looking back in five-year intervals
 
Gaffin
«1897: Sparked by the November death of Doane player Bert Serf of Hastings, an effort to outlaw football is under way in the Nebraska Legislature – and is being skewered in newspaper commentary in New York, Chicago and elsewhere. The legislation has a high-profile sponsor in James N. Gaffin, speaker of the state House. But the bill has already taken something of a beating during House debate, and it will never see the light of day in the state Senate.
 
1932: Coach Dana X. Bible prepares for 24 spring practice sessions that will begin March 7.
 
1937: Charles and Erma Osborne of St. Paul, Neb., welcome a baby son into the world and name him Thomas. Nebraska’s Hall-of-Fame coach was born Feb. 23 in Hastings.
 
1947: Tony Blazine from the University of Illinois joins Bernie Masterson's staff as line coach.
 
1952: It's the end of the line for coach Bill Glassford's harsh preseason practices at Camp Curtis as the coach decides to relocate fall camp to Lincoln.
 
1967: Nebraska athletic director Tippy Dye, the man who hired Bob Devaney as football coach, accepts the A.D. job at Northwestern after a five-year stint in Lincoln.
 
1972: Bill “Thunder” Thornton, former Husker fullback and a four-year member of Bob Devaney's coaching staff, takes a job with NFL’s St. Louis Cardinals.
 
«1992: Nebraska loses one of its biggest fans when Charlie Winkler suffers a fatal heart attack at his Grand Island home. Winkler, 69, was said to have attended every Husker football game since 1957. Winkler wrote a book titled “My Big Red Obsession” and was the subject of a 1975 Sports Illustrated article. Meanwhile, forfeits of four games and the 1991 Big Eight championship appear possible as Nebraska completes its investigation of the Omar Soto eligibility case. (The Big Eight would later decide against any forfeits.) Also, Tom Osborne dismisses two players involved in a brawl with members of the baseball team.
 
2007: Sam Keller, a transfer from Arizona State, prepares to battle for the quarterback spot with Joe Ganz. Meanwhile, fallout from the ouster of trainer Doak Ostergard starts to spill into the public arena.
 
2017: Wide receivers coach Keith Williams receives a 30-day jail sentence after pleading no contest to third-offense DUI.