July 26 Today in History

Events in History

657 Battle of Siffin during the first Muslim civil war between Ali ibn Abi Talib and Muawiyah I beside Euphrates River

1519 Francisco Pizarro receives royal charter for the west coast of South America

1533 Francisco Pizarro orders the death of the last Sapa Inca EmperorAtahualpa

1803 The Surrey Iron Railway, arguably the world’s first public railway, opens in south London

1908 United States Attorney General Charles Joseph Bonaparte issues an order to immediately staff the Office of the Chief Examiner (later renamed the Federal Bureau of Investigation)

1945 Declaration of Potsdam: US, Britain and China demand the unconditional surrender of Japan during WWII

1953 Fidel Castro leads a failed attack on the Moncada Barracks, intended to spark a revolution in Cuba

Events in Flim and TV

1896 Vitascope Hall, 1st permanent for-profit movie theatre, opens in New Orleans

1938 1st radio broadcast of “Young Widder Brown” on NBC

1948 1st Black host of a network show – Bob Howard Show on CBS

1949 WCPO TV channel 9 in Cincinnati, OH (CBS) begins broadcasting

1954 WCET TV channel 48 in Cincinnati, OH (PBS) begins broadcasting

1966 WRLH TV channel 31 in Lebanon, NH (NBC) begins broadcasting

1972 Priscilla and Elvis Presley file for legal separation

1978 11th San Diego Comic-Con International opens at El Cortez Hotel

1982 Karen Dianne Baldwin, 18, of Canada, crowned 31st Miss Universe

1991 Actor Paul Reubens (Pee-wee Herman) is arrested for exposing himself at an adult movie theater in Sarasota, Florida

2007 40th San Diego Comic-Con International opens at San Diego Convention Center

Events in Music

1882 Richard Wagner‘s opera “Parsifal” premieres in Bayreuth, Germany

1973 Peter Shaffer‘s musical “Equus” premieres in London

1992 “Man of La Mancha” closes at Marquis Theater NYC after 108 performances

2018 Sir Paul McCartney performs a “secret” gig at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, where the Beatles began

Events in Sports

1914 12th Tour de France won by Philippe Thys of Belgium

1928 In only his second and final defense of his world heavyweight boxing title, Gene Tunney scores an 11-round TKO win over Tom Heeney at Yankee Stadium, NYC

1928 New York Yankees score 11 runs in 12th inning, beating Tigers 12-1 in Detroit

1931 25th Tour de France won by Antonin Magne of France

1931 International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Paris, France: Henri Cochet beats Fred Perry 6-4, 1-6, 9-7, 6-3 to give France 3-2 win over Great Britain and 5th straight title

1931 LPGA Western Open Women’s Golf, Midlothian CC: June Beebe beats Mrs. Melvin Jones, 3 & 2 for golf’s only major title

1933 Joe DiMaggio ends 61 game hitting streak in Pacific Coast League

1939 Yankee catcher Bill Dickey hits 3 consecutive HRs

1947 46th Men’s French Championships: Jozsef Asboth beats Eric Sturgess (8-6, 7-5, 6-4)

1948 “Babe Ruth Story” premieres, Babe Ruth’s last public appearance

1948 Leo Durocher returns to Ebbets Field as manager of New York Giants

Source: www.onthisday.com