It's off down Memory Lane again with reporter Bill Marshall, as we recall the Press' sporting headlines from this week over the years...

80 YEARS AGO

IN A week when there was a 'revelatory' announcement that the bedroom of Mae West's Hollywood home was a "riot of Louis XV furniture, crystal chandeliers and quilted satin" (tell us something we didn't know), York Rugby League Club were on course to finish among the top five clubs in Yorkshire (they are 14th in the 2016 rankings).

They beat Featherstone Rovers 24-5 – their worst defeat of the season at Post Office Road – and ran their hosts off their feet in the final 20 minutes.

Tries for York came from Welsh (2), Coldrick, Moores, Rees and Sharpe, Dingsdale adding four goals, but York's Achilles heel did strike again as, for the third time in two matches, they conceded a try from a kick that was charged down.

This win followed a 13-3 home defeat to Huddersfield in a re-arranged midweek match watched by 4,000, which was low due to the fact that it rained virtually all day. Thomas got York's try, but they were without hooker Field, who was injured in a car accident en route at Sherburn-in-Elmet crossroads.

York City drew 0-0 at Carlisle United, with cup final referee H Nattrass in charge in a game that was ruined by a strong wind. Best for the Minstermen on a firm pitch were Ted Wass, Eddie Legge (against his old club), Charles Lawie and keeper George Craven.

It is difficult to imagine now how important the Boat Race was back then, but Cambridge made it 13 wins in a row, despite Oxford leading by the Stork Training Ship past Hammersmith Bridge.

50 YEARS AGO

THE lights went out on Ted Heath's bid to win the General Election for the Conservative Party as Labour, under Harold Wilson, triumphed 317-304 but there was hope that the lights would come on at Clarence Street as York Rugby League Club were considering installing floodlights.

Conditions were appalling there, with rain being followed by snow, in their match against champions Halifax, which attracted only 478 – the lowest crowd of the season – and amassed gate receipts of just £75..

It was a "travesty of justice" that York lost as Halifax took their only two chances, while five York players (Hunte, Payne, Storey, Rippon and Sheehan) got within a yard of the Fax try-line.

York Races were abandoned at a cost of £5,000, with a crowd of only 2,000 – the lowest on record – attending one day but five-foot snowdrifts didn't stop 50 members of Eboracum Motor Club from attending a trial in the Helmsley area, although a 20-mile course was reduced to just two miles.

York schoolgirl Ann Barner was named in the England swimming team to face Spain in Valencia on April 10-11 after finishing second in the 110 yards butterfly, being beaten by Judy Gregan but beating Tokyo Olympian Ann Cotterill, who was making a comeback.

Pancho Gonzales may have been 38 and in semi-retirement but he defeated 27-year-old Rod Laver 6-3, 5-7, 12-10 in three long sets in under two hours in the Wembley professional tennis final.

20 YEARS AGO

JUST when you thought that York City were building some momentum in their bid to escape the drop from Division Two, courtesy of their 3-2 win at Wrexham, they lost 2-1 at home to Shrewsbury Town, handing them their first victory in 15 matches.

With the CJD crisis making headlines across Europe, The Press had a field day when Paul Barnes' replacement Gary Bull bagged a hat-trick at the Racecourse Ground, scoring in the 12th, 16th and 58th minutes as the Minstermen moved five points above the drop zone as all their rivals all lost.

However, the euphoria only lasted a matter of days as the home defeat to the Shrews put them only two points above safety, Nigel Pepper getting the goal from a Paul Stephenson free-kick.

Things were little better at Leeds United, who lost their battle with fellow strugglers Middlesbrough 1-0.

United gave chances to 17-year-old Harry Kewell and 18-year-olds Jason Blunt and Mark Jackson, but they rebounded with a 1-0 win over Southampton, Brian Deane getting the goal in the 72nd minute.

York City Knights ushered in the summer era of rugby league with a 23-18 win over big-spending Swinton at Ryedale Stadium.

However, the hosts had to do it the hard way after trailing 10-0, tries coming from Rod Hill, Chris Hopcutt and Jason Laurence, but the spirit was shown by Andy Precious, who came back on to play the final 12 minutes despite having broken a hand.

Tomas Brolin's April Fool's Day joke, in collaboration with a Swedish TV station, that he was going to be loaned to Norrkoping – one of his former clubs – was not appreciated by Leeds United manager Howard Wilkinson.

He was asleep at home but not for long, admitting: "I received upwards of a dozen calls after 10.30 last night," and added that he would be having words with Brolin.