Milestones

By Harriet Barovick, Clayton Neuman, Elisabeth Salemme, Carolyn Sayre

ARRESTED. Warren Jeffs, 50, fugitive leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a polygamist Mormon sect, who had been on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list since May; for allegedly arranging marriages between underage girls and older men; near Las Vegas. Jeffs, who is believed to have at least 40 wives and 60 children, is officially the church's "President and Prophet, Seer and Revelator." He was traveling in a car with a wife, a brother, several disguises and cell phones and more than $50,000 in cash. Jeffs, who vanished after being indicted in Mohave County, Ariz., last year, was extradited to Utah, where he was also wanted on a charge of acting as an accomplice to rape.

HONORED. Billie Jean King, 62, trailblazing athlete and social activist; by the United States Tennis Association, which named the National Tennis Center, home to the U.S. Open, for the champion; in New York City. In recognizing King--a loud voice for gays, women and other minorities--the USTA gave up millions it could have earned in corporate naming rights but succeeded, said USTA chief Arlen Kantarian, at making it "clear that some things are not for sale." King won 39 Grand Slam titles, successfully lobbied for equal pay at the Open, jump-started the women's tour and famously trounced chauvinist Bobby Riggs in a televised 1973 "Battle of the Sexes" match.

DIED. Robert (Bob) Mathias, 75, legendary Olympian and former U.S. Congressman; in Fresno, Calif. Having taken up the decathlon only months before the 1948 London Olympics, Mathias won the gold medal at age 17. To celebrate, he said, "I'll start shaving, I guess." He repeated the feat at the next Olympics. As a Republican, he represented California in the House from 1967 to 1974.

DIED. Glenn Ford, 90, nice-guy leading man who won consistent critical praise over a career that spanned a half-century and more than 80 films; in Los Angeles. Born in Canada to parents who insisted he learn to build and fix houses as a fallback, Ford epitomized decency and strength as the good guy in westerns, comedies and thrillers--including The Blackboard Jungle, as a teacher who inspires rebellious New York City kids; Pocketful of Miracles, with Bette Davis; and the noir classic The Big Heat, as a detective determined to track down his wife's killers. Of his genre-crossing career, he once said simply, "I like to work."

DIED. Vashti McCollum, 93, Illinois housewife and humanist (a term she preferred to atheist) whose objections to religion classes at her son's school led to a landmark 1948 Supreme Court ruling protecting separation of church and state in public education; in Champaign, Ill. After her son decided he did not want to attend the Protestant-oriented classes--Jews and Catholics went off-campus for instruction--she sued the school board. McCollum, who endured threats to her family and lost her job, later said she fought because "I knew I was right."