August 12: Lenny Breau dies; Cindy Klassen born; "Fighting Billy" Code.

August 12, 1976 - Cindy Klassen is born Winnipeg.

She was a member of the Canadian Women's Lacrosse Team at the 1994 Commonwealth Games, the In-Line Speed Skating team at the 1999 Pan American Games and a member of the Women's National Junior Hockey Team in 1996 at Lake Placid. She was not selected to go with the hockey team to Nagano in 1998 so she took up speed skating at the age of 18.

In just four years she became the first Canadian woman in almost three decades to win the world speed skating championship (2003). By the end of the 2006 Olympic Games, Klassen became the most decorated Canadian Olympic athlete winning a total of 6 medals (5 in 2006 and 1 in 2002).
 August 12, 1948 - The cornerstone is laid for Weston School on Logan Ave. The school is named for Thomas Chesmer Weston, (1832 - 1911). The British born geologist came to Canada in 1859 and worked for the Canadian Geological Survey. He became one of Canada’s famous dinosaur hunters.

The original school consisted of 7 rooms and was built by Glen Walin Co. for $361,365.00.
 August 12, 1984 – Legendary guitarist Lenny Breau is found dead in Los Angeles.

Born August 5, 1941 to francophone parents in Maine, the Breau family moved to Winnipeg in 1957 where they became a popular musical act on local stage, TV and radio.

Breau covered a range of musical styles from country to jazz to flamenco. Chet Atkins called him "the greatest guitar player in the world today." Lenny gave Randy Bachman guitar lessons, Bachman calls Breau his greatest influence.

Throughout his life, Breau battled addictions to drugs and alcohol. When he was first found dead in the swimming pool of his Los Angeles apartment it was assumed that he had drowned or committed suicide. The corner later determined that he was strangled and his body dumped. The murder has never been solved.

For more, see Lenny Breau.net.

August 12, 1940 - Funeral services are held for former Winnipeg Fire Chief "Fighting Billy" Code (91). Code became a legendary figure in early Winnipeg during his 40 years on the force, retiring in 1914. (Tribune article, Winnipeg Fire Museum - scroll to bottom for Code's service record.)