August 3 Today in History

Today’s Important Historical Events

1492 Christopher Columbus sets sail on his first voyage with three ships, Santa María, Pinta and Niña from Palos de la Frontera, Spain for the “Indies”

1596 David Fabricius discovers light variation of Mira (1st variable star)

1914 Germany invades Belgium and declares war on France, beginning World War I

1934 Adolf Hitler merges the offices of German Chancellor and President, declaring himself “Führer” (leader)

1972 US Senate ratifies the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with the Soviet Union to limit the use of missile systems capable of defending against missile-delivered nuclear weapons

Today’s Historical Events

8 Roman Empire general Tiberius defeats Dalmatians on the river Bathinus

435 Deposed Patriarch of Constantinople Nestorius, considered the originator of Nestorianism, exiled by Byzantine Emperor Theodosius II to a monastery in Egypt

881 Battle at Saucourt: French King Louis III beats the Vikings

1108 Louis VI, “the Fat One,” King of France, crowned at the cathedral in Orléans after his half brother prevents him reaching Reims

1312 Power of Luik Patriarch murders over 200

1492 Christopher Columbus sets sail on his first voyage with three ships, Santa María, Pinta and Niña from Palos de la Frontera, Spain for the “Indies”

1527 First known letter sent from North America by John Rut while at St. John’s, Newfoundland

1529 “Peace of the Ladies” (Treaty of Cambrai) made between Holy Roman Empire and the French, negotiated by Louise of Savoy and Margaret of Austria

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1940 German occupiers forbid ritual slaughters & English & French movies

1989 22nd San Diego Comic-Con International opens at Omni Hotel

1992 Paramount inaugurates New York Street on TV/movie lot

1992 “Unforgiven” directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman and Morgan Freeman premieres in Los Angeles (Academy Awards Best Picture 1993)

1995 CNN en Espanol premieres

2001 “The Princess Diaries”, starring Anne Hathaway in her film debut, is released nationwide

2008 Morgan Freeman is injured in an automobile accident near Ruleville, Mississippi, when his car flipped over several times on the highway

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1829 Gioachino Rossini‘s last and greatest opera “Guillaume Tell” (William Tell) premieres at Salle Le Peletier in Paris

1897 John McNally’s musical “Good Mr Best” premieres in NYC

1963 “No Strings” closes at 84th St Theater NYC after 580 performances

1963 Beatles final performance at Cavern Club in Liverpool

1966 South African government bans Beatle records

1968 100,000 attend two-day Newport Pop Festival in Costa Mesa, California; performers included Alice Cooper, Canned Heat, The Chambers Brothers, Country Joe and the Fish, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Sonny & Cher, Steppenwolf, Tiny Tim, The Animals, Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and The Byrds

1971 Paul McCartney announces formation of his group Wings

1974 “Little Night Music” closes at Shubert Theater NYC after 601 performances

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1852 America’s first intercollegiate sporting event takes place as the Harvard heavyweight rowing crew beats Yale by 2 lengths over 2 miles on Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire

1881 US National Lawn Tennis Association removes “National” from its name

1906 Washington Nationals’ Tom Hughes becomes first MLB pitcher to win a 1-0 extra innings game off his own home run in 10th v St. Louis Browns

1909 MLB umpire Tim Hurst instigates a riot by spitting in the face of A’s 2nd baseman Eddie Collins who had questioned a call; 2 weeks later Hurst banned for life

1914 NY Yankees catcher Les Nunamaker throws out 3 Tigers’ runners to 2nd base during the 1st innings, only time in 20th Century

1921 MLB Commissioner Kenesaw Landis hands out life bans to 8 Chicago White Sox players accused in Black Sox scandal despite their acquittal by a Chicago jury

1923 Baseball games cancelled following the death of US President Warren G. Harding

1924 Dutch track cyclist Piet Moeskops wins his 4th consecutive UCI world sprint championship in Paris