Eric Liddell, known as "The Flying Scotsman," was born on this day in history in 1902. Most of us know the story of his strong Christian faith, and his success at the 1924 Olympic Games, from the movie Chariots of Fire. The 1981 film captured the Oscar for Best Picture, beating out Atlantic City, On Golden Pond, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Reds. On Golden Pond took home the top two acting awards (Katharine Hepburn and Henry Fonda), making it one of only four films to win the Oscar for Best Actor and Best Actress but not Best Picture. (The other three films are Network, Coming Home, and As Good As It Gets, losing respectively to Rocky, The Deer Hunter, and Titanic.)
What happened to Liddell following his Olympic glory? He returned to China (his birthplace) and served as a missionary. He died from a brain tumor at the age of 43 while interned at a Japanese camp.
You can learn more about Liddell here.
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