1997 MIT Mystery Hunt Puzzle 34 Solution

Each of the clue answers is the common link between its three clues.

  1. TROD (hidden in each clue word)
  2. HARTFORD WHALERS
  3. INCANDESCENT (clues hidden in this word)
  4. SKITTLES
  5. GUATEMALA
  6. UPLIFT
  7. YOURSELF
  8. INHERIT THE WIND
  9. SHIP
  10. NEW MEXICO
  11. ARISTA
  12. MITSUBISHI
  13. EUPHRATES
  14. DARROW
  15. JABBERWOCKY
  16. O. HENRY
  17. SKATE
  18. ELLA FITZGERALD
  19. PHARAOH
  20. HOT HOT HOT (Buster Poindexter song)
  21. WHITNEY HOUSTON
  22. HAGAR THE HORRIBLE
  23. OBOIST

When you transfer these to the grid, at first it doesn't seem to spell anything.

OU TERIT WN OKARLI TBIF R
FRYHH LHNIAAUS TEZYE OOHE
 TTICI ORT UB NW AEAAG IL
YHXSTLDGOHST TOODBHM RSST
L I ELNRB AHEH REETENAA S
UESA UAA H OTADKIT DEPWFI
JI CDS PSILROTE RHS PH RH
 GNCETRHASL R SHR NU YTIW
NHELMROEW IHWFUEARIPO AE 
OTEAIATR SKE OC MOB TTHND

It is actually read vertically, starting by reading up the first column and alternating up and down the columns. It says "ON JULY FOURTH EIGHTEEN SIXTY THIS ACCLAIMED ETCHER ILLUSTRATOR AND LITHOGRAPHER WAS BORN. WITH HIS SKILL AS AN AUTHOR HE WROTE BOOKS THAT FOCUSED ON ARTWORK. HE MARRIED ELIZABETH ROBINS. THEY TEAMED UP TO PEN A BIOGRAPHY THAT WAS OF HIS FRIEND WHISTLER." The acrostic in the answers is THIS GUY IS NAMED JOSEPH WHO?

Wikipedia says he was born July 4, 1857, but some sources say Joseph PENNELL was born July 4, 1860. The answer is PENNELL.