



Top of the Morning, Sept. 2, 2017
"When I was living in C-U, I clipped 'em every Sunday," said Pearson, the former UI sports information director who now lives in Oxford, Ohio.
Pearson, 66, will return to town Sept. 28-30 in conjunction with the release of the third edition of his book, "Illini Legends, Lists & Lore." Last updated in 2002, its 472 pages include more than 1,000 photos, names of every Illini letter winner — "between 10,000 and 12,000," he said — and, of course, birthdays. Lots of birthdays.
"I get requests all the time," Pearson said. "People love to see their name in print."
There are 15 new chapters in the latest "Illini Legends, Lists & Lore" (University of Illinois Press) and a noticeable spotlight on women's athletics (two pages per school year starting in 1974-75).
Pearson said there will be a fourth edition. I asked to predict the lead story:
DATELINE: St. Louis. April 2021
Led by his senior class of Mark Smith, Trent Frazier, Matic Vesel, D'Monte Williams and Greg Eboigbodin, coach Brad Underwood's Fighting Illini buried an NCAA championship-game-record 25 three-pointers, each scored within a seven-second possession, to defeat North Carolina, 75-58. Illinois' first-ever national title came against a Tar Heel team that was playing in its first Final Four since coming off a lengthy NCAA probation. Throughout the game, an ear-deafening war chant from Illini fans spurred on the Orange and Blue.
Sign here
Sept. 28: Quarterback Club, 11:30 a.m.
Sept. 29: Illini Union Bookstore, TBA
Sept. 30: State Farm Center, 10:30 a.m.
Sept. 30: Champaign's Barnes & Noble, 7 p.m.