Elbert Scott McCuskey (1915–1997) was a World War II US Navy fighter ace. He participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway, for which he was awarded two Navy Crosses, one for each battle. By the end of the war, he was credited with 13+1⁄2 aerial victories.
Kurt Stöpel (12 March 1908 – 11 June 1997) was a German professional road bicycle racer. In the 1932 Tour de France, Stöpel won the second stage and was leading the general classification for one day, and finished in second place in the final general classification. He was the first German to wear the yellow jersey, and the first German to finish on the podium in Paris. He won the German National Road Race in 1934.
Ronald Eugene Andersen (May 26, 1941 – July 3, 1997) was an American bridge player. He won 11 "national"-rated events at North American Bridge Championships, thrice-annual 10-day meets organized by the American Contract Bridge League, where he became known best as a superior live commentator in the vugraph room.
Andersen was born in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and studied at the University of Iowa before beginning a professional bridge career. Eventually he owned a seat on the Chicago Board Options Exchange and he died in a Chicago hospital at age 56.Andersen finally became a favorite commentator for European Bridge League and World Bridge Federation championships, as well as major ACBL tournaments. In the month before his death, June 1997, he worked the European Championships in Italy, from which he was flown home to Chicago after suffering two strokes in consequence of kidney failure.Andersen co-wrote seven books related to the Precision Club bidding system with C. C. Wei, inventor of the system, or Kathie Wei.Andersen and Sabine Zenkel traveled the world as a partnership during 1991–1992, based in Chicago. They also wrote a book, Preempts from A to Z (1993; 2nd, 1996).
John Joseph Dwyer (January 15, 1927 – October 15, 1997) was an American football defensive back in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and the Los Angeles Rams. He played college football at Loyola Marymount University and was drafted in the fifth round of the 1951 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Robert Henrion (23 July 1915 – 19 June 1997) was a Belgian politician. He was Minister of Finance from 1966 to 1968, and in 1980. He was also a fencer, and competed in the individual and team épée events at the 1952 Summer Olympics.
Burley Lewis Bearden (August 28, 1917 – January 18, 1997) was an American football coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Texas at Arlington from 1966 until 1970, compiling record of 27–24. In 1967, he led his team to victory in the Pecan Bowl, beating North Dakota State 13–0. The school discontinued its football team after completion of the 1985 season.Bearden was born on August 28, 1917.
Tomás Herrera Jr. (June 9, 1933 in Laredo, Texas – September 19, 1997 in Houston, Texas) had a long career as a professional baseball player and manager, beginning his professional career in 1953.
Herrera played in the minor leagues for at least six seasons, never reaching the major leagues - though he did spend parts of four seasons at the Open designation, which was created to help build the Pacific Coast League into a major league, and in the Mexican League, the highest-level professional league in Mexico. A pitcher, Herrera won as many as 10 games in a season, per the records available.
From 1963 to 1969, Herrera managed the Mexico City Reds, leading them to first place finishes and de facto league championships in 1964 and 1968. He managed the Seraperos de Saltillo from 1970 to 1972, the Pericos de Puebla in 1973 and the Mineros de Coahuila in 1974 and 1975.
Thomas Howard Carr (July 4, 1907 - April 23, 1997) was an American actor and film director of Hollywood movies and television programs. Often billed as "Tommy Carr", he later adopted his more formal "Thomas Carr" birth name as his billing name.
Abraham "Abe" Bluestein (1909–1997) was an American anarchist who participated in the Spanish Civil War.
Lou Kimzey (Sr.) (1928-1997) was the creator and publisher of the biker magazines Easyriders and Iron Horse.
Lou Kimzey was inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame in August 2009.