• Happy Birthday on Saturday to former Illinois Volleyball star Beth Vrdsky. She finished her career in 2007 ranked fourth all-time on Illinois' digs list. DGS DGS Athletics

Resting places for your favorite beverages. tinyurl.com/246yjwu3

• Illinois football's 1925 promotional poster featured the GOAT. tinyurl.com/3ur8atvh

Here's the perfect computer mouse pad for your favorite University of Illinois graduate. tinyurl.com/4k674tp4

• Turning 38 on Saturday is Illinois Football grad Antonio Steele. In 2007, UI's senior linebacker tied for 10th in the Big Ten in tackles. St Peter Chanel HS LBCC FOOTBALL

• Happy 97th Birthday to former Illinois Men’s Golf letter winner Pete Fletcher. His father, Ralph, and brother, Rod, also competed for the Orange & Blue. Champaign Maroons Central High School

• Big Ten basketball's last NCAA basketball champ. tinyurl.com/23t9j8zy

• Happy Birthday on Friday to Illinois Women's Basketball alum Lori Bjork. A third team All-Big Ten selection in 2008, she concluded her collegiate career at Maryland. Johnston High School Johnston Athletics Johnston Athletics

• Turning 28 today is former Illinois Football quarterback Jeff George Jr. Jeff George Jr concluded his collegiate career at Pitt. Warren Central HS WCHS Athletic Dept WC Football🏈

• Show your loyalty to Illinois. (NOW ON SALE!) tinyurl.com/4jwfufed

• Happy Birthday to Illinois Swimming & Diving grad Athena Salafatinos. She was a member of the school record 200 medley relay & 400 medley relay teams that swam at the 2023 Big Ten Championships. VS65 Neuqua Valley High School Neuqua Athletics Lance Fuhrer

• Celebrating his 30th birthday today is former Illinois Football running back KendrickFoster . Since last October, he has been the HISRA Program Coordinator for the Peoria Park District . Richwoods High School

• The Golden Voices of Football takes readers (and listeners) back to their childhood and beyond, bringing to life the voices they listened to on the radio decades before. tinyurl.com/y9e65j7p

• Ninety-four years ago today—April 19, 1930—Illinois Track & Field and Cross Country 's Lee Sentman set one world record and a quartet of other Fighting Illini athletes matched another at the Kansas Relays in Lawrence, Kan. tinyurl.com/mpacrwp7

• Happy 30th Birthday to Illinois Baseball alum Tyler Jay. Tyler Jay pitched the final two innings of the New York Mets’ 16-4 win over the Braves, allowing one earned run on five hits and one walk in his MLB debut on Apr. 10. Lemont High School Lemont Baseball

• A major portion of the proceeds generated by sales at IlliniPosters.com are donated back to UI's Division of Intercollegiate Athletics for the digital preservation of its historical archives. tinyurl.com/ykmmwwhb

One hundred years ago, this was Illini football's promotional poster. tinyurl.com/4vy4e4v6

In Saturday's The News-Gazette ILLINI LEGENDS, LISTS & LORE, we'll tell the story of former University of Illinois track and field captain and 1927 Big Ten Conference Medal of Honor winner Doran Rue. IlliniHQ

Happy 69th Birthday on Sunday to former Illinois Football defensive lineman John DiFeliciantonio. He's a longtime owner of the North American Produce Company in Philadelphia. Ss. Neumann Goretti Catholic High School Neumann Goretti Football

First basemen of the '30s and '40s preferred the Reach 258T 'Trapper Model'. tinyurl.com/3m635p5c