Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Spahn, Warren Edward, 1921–2003, American baseball player, b. Buffalo, N.Y. A spectacular pitcher in high-school baseball, Spahn turned professional in 1939 and played in the minor leagues. In 1942 ...

(Encyclopedia) Gera gāˈrä [key], city, Thuringia, E Germany, on the White Elster River. It is an industri...

(Encyclopedia) hallmark, mark impressed on silverwork or goldwork to signify official approval of the standard of purity of the metal, also called plate mark. The hallmark was introduced by statute in England in 130...

(Encyclopedia) Locofocos lōˌkōfōˈkōz [key], name given in derision to the members of a faction that split off from the Democratic party in New York in 1835. Tension had been growing between radical Democrats, ...

(Encyclopedia)  Staples, Mavis, 1939- , African American popular singer, b. Chicago, Il. Staples began performing at age 11 with her father, Roebuck “Pops” St...

(Encyclopedia) Richardson, Henry Hobson, 1838–86, American architect, b. St. James parish, La., grad. Harvard, 1859, studied at the École des Beaux-Arts; great-grandson of Joseph Priestley. He was a major represe...

(Encyclopedia) Paca, William pāˈkə, păkˈə [key], 1740–99, political leader in the American Revolution, signer of the Declaration of Independence, b. near Abingdon, Md. A lawyer and Maryland legislator, he se...

(Encyclopedia) Aljubarrota əlzho͞obər-rôˈtə [key], village, Leiria dist., W central Portugal, in Beira Litoral. On Aug. 14, 1385, it was the site of the momentous battle in which the Portuguese, aided by Engli...

(Encyclopedia) Dovrefjell dôˈvrəfyĕl [key], mountainous region of S Norway, c.100 mi (160 km) long and 40 mi (60 km) wide, culminating in Snøhetta (7,500 ft/2,286 m high). It is crossed by the Dovre railway and...

(Encyclopedia) Enkhuizen ĕngkˈhoiˌzən [key], town, North Holland prov., N central Netherlands, a port on the ...