Remember when LBJ gave a farewell conference at the Club?

Only a week before he left the presidency in January 1969, Lyndon Johnson chose the National Press Club for his final news conference.

Although an honorary member, Johnson stopped to sign the guest register as he left. Almost immediately, some unknown person ripped the page from the book. Was it a Vietnam War protest or just the theft of a valuable autograph? To this day no one knows.

This snippet was one of many put together by the late Art Wiese, who served as Club president in 1979. In his later years, he put together a series of snippets on the Club's history. In honor of his passing this year, the Wire will run one of them each week.