A knockout felt across the nation, a glossy Sting Ray, a five-and-dime bell, and a coach’s good advice.

Evening, friends, Jack Reynolds checking in. Febuary 25th always makes me think of the years when dethroning a champion shook the nation to it's core. And wait till you see the corner store scene in #3, it smells like penny candy and floor wax in my mind. Brings it all back, does it not?

I remember hearing the old-timers talk about this one like it was yesterday. On February 25, 1964, a 22-year-old Cassius Clay walked into Miami Beach as an underdog and walked out with the heavyweight crown—after champion Sonny Liston didn’t answer the seventh-round bell. It wasn’t just a title change; it felt like the moment swagger, speed, and a brand-new kind of confidence took over the sport. Click through for the blow-by-blow of the night Clay stunned the world—and began the path to becoming Muhammad Ali. Learn more

This 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray started around $4,240 new yet today clean examples often trade well into five figures at auction. With up to a 435 horsepower big block V8 it was the dream ride in any small town. My cousin always swore he would own one. Click for specs, options, and current listings. See the details

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Glass jars of penny candy lined the counter and the floor creaked under saddle shoes. A soda here ran a nickel, and the storefront rent was under $100 a month. Today the same corner holds a cell phone shop. My mom stretched dollars in places like this. Click for more photos and the street map now. See the full gallery.

“I’d like to buy the world a Coke” was a soft little tune that stuck like glue. They spent over $250,000 to finish that 1971 “Hilltop” spot, and Coca-Cola got more than 100,000 letters praising it. I can still hear it in my head on a quiet drive. Click to watch the full original and see why everybody started humming along.

Rubik’s Cube hit big in 1980, and folks couldn’t put it down. They say about 200 million cubes sold from 1980 to 1983, and around 500 million by 2024, which still makes my head spin. Spin Master even paid $50 million for the brand in 2020. Click for the full story of how a little puzzle became a forever toy.

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Tonight’s ‘Your Memory’ comes from Stan in Indiana, thinking back to a summer evening in 1972. He saved up for a stiff new baseball glove and rubbed it down with saddle soap at the kitchen table. At the first game, he took a hard grounder and felt ten feet tall. My dad always said you earn pride one small step at a time.

Tonight’s Quote comes from Vince Lombardi, who reminded us that “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.” I heard that sort of talk in locker rooms and living rooms alike. My dad always said you stand up, dust off, and do the next right thing. You can learn more about him here. Click in and see what shaped that steady backbone.

See you tomorrow. Same time, same station.

– Jack

Images are AI-generated or sourced from public-domain archives. Reader photos used with permission.