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  3. May
  4. 31
  5. Charles Van Acker

Deaths on May 31

1998May, 31

Charles Van Acker

Charles Van Acker, Belgian-American race car driver (b. 1912)
Charles Van Acker (14 March 1912 Brussels – 31 May 1998 South Bend, Indiana) was a Belgian-American racecar driver. He first attempted to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 in 1946 but was too slow. In 1947 he made the race and finished in 29th after a crash on lap 24. He also competed in seven more races of the national trail that season and finished 4th in points. In 1948 he finished 11th in the Indy 500 and 10th in the National Championship. 1949 saw him crash 10 laps into the Indy 500 and struggle to qualify much of the rest of the season. He attempted the 1950 Indianapolis 500 but failed to qualify in what would be his last Championship Car appearance.

He owned and operated the South Bend Motor Speedway in South Bend, Indiana and once after a dirt track crash in Dayton, Ohio was declared dead. However, Van Acker claims that the reports were exaggerated and that he was not that seriously injured.

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Events on 1998

  • 4May

    Unabomber

    A federal judge in Sacramento, California, gives "Unabomber" Theodore Kaczynski four life sentences plus 30 years after Kaczynski accepts a plea agreement sparing him from the death penalty.
  • 6May

    Houston Astros

    Kerry Wood strikes out 20 Houston Astros to tie the major league record held by Roger Clemens. He threw a one-hitter and did not walk a batter in his fifth career start.
  • 26May

    Ellis Island

    The Supreme Court of the United States rules that Ellis Island, the historic gateway for millions of immigrants, is mainly in the state of New Jersey, not New York.
  • 4Jun

    Oklahoma City bombing

    Terry Nichols is sentenced to life in prison for his role in the Oklahoma City bombing.
  • 5Jun

    General Motors

    A strike begins at the General Motors parts factory in Flint, Michigan, that quickly spreads to five other assembly plants. The strike lasts seven weeks.

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