Today’s Important Historical Events

1789 Bastille Day – the French Revolution begins with the storming of the Bastille Prison in Paris (now celebrated as France’s national day)

1798 US Sedition Act prohibits “false, scandalous & malicious” writing against government

1850 1st public demonstration of ice made by refrigeration by Florida physician John Gorrie

1933 All non-Nazi parties are banned in Germany

1941 6,000 Lithuanian Jews are exterminated at Viszalsyan Camp

1992 386BSD is released by Lynne Jolitz and William Jolitz, starting the open source operating system revolution. Linus Torvalds release “Linux” soon afterwards

Today’s Historical Events

982 King Otto II and his Frankish army defeated in pitched battle with Muslim army of al-Qasim at Cape Colonna, Southern Italy

1077 Bayeux Tapestry likely first goes on display to decorate the nave during the consecration of Notre-Dame of Bayeux Cathedral, Bayeux, Normandy [1]

1223 Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father, Philip II

1420 Battle at Vitkov Zizka’s hill (Prague): Taboriets beat Bohemia

1535 Emperor Charles V conquers Tunis

1570 Pope Pius V introduces a standardised Roman Missal (text of the Latin mass), a reform of the Council of Trent. Will remain unchanged for 400 years.

1581 English Jesuit priest Edmund Campion arrested for sedition in Anglican England (later hung, drawn and quartered)

1698 The Darien scheme begins with five ships, bearing about 1,200 people, departing Leith for the Isthmus of Panama

Today’s Historical Events in Film and TV

1951 1st color telecast of a sporting event (CBS-horse race)

1968 WSWO TV channel 26 in Springfield, OH (ABC) begins broadcasting

1969 “Easy Rider”, directed by Dennis Hopper, starring himself, Peter Fonda and Jack Nicholson, is released

1969 WMUL (now WPBY) TV channel 33 in Huntington, WV (PBS) 1st broadcast

1987 Steve Miller’s star is unveiled on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame

1989 Film “When Harry Met Sally” is released starring Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, directed by Rob Reiner and written by Nora Ephron

1992 Actress Nell Carter undergoes brain surgery

2005 38th San Diego Comic-Con International opens at San Diego Convention Center

Today’s Historical Events in Music

1682 Composer Henry Purcell appointed organist of Chapel Royal, London

1795 The French National Convention decrees “La Marseillaise” by Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisle France’s national anthem

1951 “Courtin’ Time” closes at National Theater NYC after 37 performances

1951 “Make a Wish” closes at Winter Garden Theater NYC after 102 performances

1967 The Who begin a US tour opening for Herman’s Hermits

1973 Phil Everly storms off stage at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California and declares an end to “The Everly Brothers”; the show was planned as their last, his exit improvised

1986 Paul McCartney releases single “Press”, from the album “Press To Play”

1989 Jessye Norman sings French national anthem, La Marseillaise at the Place de la Concorde, Paris, to celebrate 200th anniversary of the French Revolution

Today’s Historical Events in Sports

1912 Kenneth McArthur runs Olympic record marathon (2:36:54.8)

1914 NL’s Boston Braves start climb from last place to world series sweep

1916 St Louis Brown Ernie Koob pitches all 17 innings for 14 hits in a 0-0 tie vs Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park

1934 NY Times erroneously declares Babe Ruth 700 HR record to stand for all time

1934 Philadelphia Phillies score 11 runs in an inning, beating Cincinnati 18-0

1946 Cleveland’s Lou Boudreau hits 4 doubles & HR, but Red Sox win 11-10 on Ted Williams 3 HR with 8 RBIs

1949 Czech tennis stars Jaroslav Drobný and Vladimir Černík defect while playing in a tournament in Gstaad, Switzerland; Drobny accepts Egyptian citizenship

1951 1st color telecast of a sporting event (CBS-horse race)