Fun On this date in history...

If I may...

ON JUNE 10th:

In 1692, the first official execution resulting from the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts took place as Bridget Bishop was hanged.

In 1829, the first Boat Race between the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place.

In 1864, the Confederate Congress authorized military service for men between the ages of 17 and 70.

In 1895, actress Hattie McDaniel, the first African-American to win an Academy Award, was born in Wichita, KS.

In 1918, actor/director/writer Barry Morse was born in Shoreditch, London, England. He’s best-known for his roles as Lt. Gerard in the original TV series “The Fugitive”, and as Prof. Victor Bergman in the first season of “Space: 1999”.

In 1921, President Warren G. Harding signed into law the Budget and Accounting Act, which created the Bureau of the Budget and the General Accounting Office.

In 1922, actress/singer Judy Garland was born in Grand Rapids, MN.

In 1929, astronaut James McDivitt, Command Pilot of Gemini 4 and Mission Commander of Apollo 9, was born in Chicago, IL.

In 1935, Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in Akron, OH, by Dr. Robert Holbrook Smith and William Griffith Wilson.

In 1940, Italy declared war on France and Britain, while Canada declared war on Italy. Meanwhile, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, speaking at the University of Virginia, said the U.S. stance toward the conflict was shifting from one of "neutrality" to "non-belligerency."

In 1942, during World War II, German forces massacred 173 male residents of Lidice, Czechoslovakia, in retaliation for the killing of Nazi official Reinhard Heydrich.

In 1944, German forces massacred 642 residents of the French village of Oradour-sur-Glane.

Also in 1944, in Distomo, Boeotia, Greece 218 men, women and children were massacred by German troops.

In 1953, “Robot Monster”, widely regarded as one of the worst movies ever made, had its U.S. premiere.

In 1963, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, aimed at abolishing wage disparity based on sex, was signed into law by President John F. Kennedy as part of his New Frontier Program.

In 1964, United States Senate broke a 75-day filibuster against the Civil Rights Act of 1964, leading to the bill's passage.

In 1967, the Middle East War ended as Israel and Syria agreed to observe a United Nations-mediated cease-fire.

In 1971, President Richard M. Nixon lifted a two-decades-old trade embargo on China.

In 1975, Pele signed a three-year contract with the U.S.-based New York Cosmos soccer team.

Also in 1975, the Woody Allen comedy “Love and Death” premiered in New York City.

In 1977, Paramount announced that it was developing “Star Trek: Phase II”, a continuation of the original “Star Trek” TV series. (The project would later be re-tooled into the movie “Star Trek: The Motion Picture”.)

Also in 1977, the Apple II, one of the first personal computers, went on sale.

In 1985, socialite Claus von Bulow was acquitted by a jury in Providence, RI, at his retrial on charges he'd tried to murder his heiress wife, Martha "Sunny" von Bulow.

In 1991, 11-year-old Jaycee Dugard of South Lake Tahoe, CA, was abducted by Phillip and Nancy Garrido; Jaycee was held by the couple for 18 years before she was found by authorities.

In 2004, singer/songwriter/musician Ray Charles died in Beverly Hills at age 73.

In 2007, the final episode of "The Sopranos" aired on HBO. People still aren’t all that sure of what happened.

In 2008, actor David Brierley, who provided the voice of K-9 on “Doctor Who” during the original program’s 1979-1980 season, died at age 72.

In 2012, the Disney Pixar film “Brave” was shown at the Seattle International Film Festival, eight days before its Hollywood premiere.

In 2016, ice hockey player Gordie Howe died in Toledo, OH at age 88.

 

Also on the 10th:

In 1897, Princess Tatyana of Russia, daughter of Nikolai II, the last Tsar, was born. She would be executed by the Bolsheviks along with her parents, sisters, and little brother, Tsesarevich Alexey...

In 1909 was founded the city of Canberra, the modern capital of Australia.

In 1926, Brazil withdrew from the League of Nations.

In 1931, the now legendary "Red Arrow" train began regular service between Moscow and St. Petersburg (Leningrad, then)

The Arrow became the pride of Soviet and modern Russian rail fleet.

While it's once unrivaled speed, for which it received its name, can no longer compete with the "Sapsan" bullet train, which also runs between the two Russian capitals, flying at speeds up to 350 km/h


The Arrow instead attracts clients with its renowned comfort, luxury, and top notch service. The plush accommodations and dining car you can see in the video above. And the highly proficient staff, handpicked best of the best of Russian Railroads personnel, in immaculate uniforms. Serving aboard the Arrow is still considered an amazing honor, over there... To this day, many famous people ride the Arrow.

Anyway, moving on.

In 1944, after breaking the Nazi Siege of Leningrad, the Red Army began the Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Offensive against the Germans and Finns. They recaptured Karelia, which remains a part of Russia to this day.

In 1946, the Italian Republic is proclaimed.

In 1947, Saab made its first car.

In 1996, first Pentium II processor manufactured by Intel.

 

If I may...

ON JUNE 11th:

In 1509, England's King Henry VIII married his first wife, Catherine of Aragon.

In 1770, Captain James Cook, commander of the British ship Endeavour, discovered the Great Barrier Reef off Australia by running onto it.

In 1776, the Continental Congress appointed Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston to the Committee of Five to draft a declaration of independence.

In 1913, football player/coach/executive Vince Lombardi was born in Brooklyn.

In 1919, Sir Barton won the Belmont Stakes, becoming horse racing's first Triple Crown winner.

In 1927, scientist/author Kit Pedler, co-creator of the Cybermen, was born in London.

In 1932, actor Ed Bishop was born in Brooklyn. He’s best-known for his work with producers Gerry & Sylvia Anderson, particularly playing Comm. Ed Straker on “UFO”.

In 1933, actor/director/screenwriter Gene Wilder was born in Milwaukee, WI.

In 1935, inventor Edwin Armstrong gave the first public demonstration of FM broadcasting in the United States at Alpine, NJ.

In 1937, the Marx Brothers comedy “A Day at the Races” was released in the U.S.

In 1942, the United States and the Soviet Union signed a lend-lease agreement to aid the Soviet war effort in World War II.

In 1955, eighty-three spectators were killed and at least 100 were injured after an Austin-Healey and a Mercedes-Benz collided at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the deadliest ever accident in motorsports.

In 1958, Elvis Presley recorded “I Got Stung” at RCA Studios in Nashville. It was the last song Elvis recorded in the 1950’s, as he was preparing to leave for Germany during his service in the U.S. Army.

In 1959, the Saunders-Roe Nautical 1, the first operational hovercraft, was publicly demonstrated off the southern coast of England.

Also in 1959, actor/author/musician/comedian/director Hugh Laurie was born in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England. Years later, my Mom would have trouble accepting him as Greg House because he was so good at playing Bertie Wooster.

In 1962, three prisoners (Frank Morris, John Anglin and Clarence Anglin) at Alcatraz in San Francisco Bay staged an escape, leaving the island on a makeshift raft; they were never found or heard from again.

In 1963, a Buddhist monk, Thich Quang Duc, set himself afire on a Saigon street to protest the government of South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem.

Also in 1963, Alabama Governor George Wallace defiantly stood at the door of Foster Auditorium at the University of Alabama in an attempt to block two black students, Vivian Malone and James Hood, from attending that school. Later in the day, accompanied by federalized National Guard troops, they were able to register.

In 1969, the Western “True Grit”, starring John Wayne, was released in the U.S.

In 1970, after being appointed on May 15th, Anna Mae Hays and Elizabeth P. Hoisington officially received their ranks as U.S. Army Generals, becoming the first females to do so.

In 1977, Seattle Slew won the Belmont Stakes, capturing the Triple Crown.

In 1979, actor/director/producer John Wayne died in Los Angeles at age 72.

In 1982, the sci-fi movie “E.T. the Extraterrestrial”, directed by Steven Spielberg, was released in the U.S.

In 1985, Karen Ann Quinlan, the comatose patient whose case prompted a historic right-to-die court decision, died in Morris Plains, NJ at age 31.

In 1987, Diane Abbott, Paul Boateng and Bernie Grant were elected as the first black Parliamentarians in Great Britain.

In 1999, actor DeForest Kelley died outside Los Angeles at age 79.

In 2001, Timothy McVeigh, age 33, was executed by injection at the federal prison in Terre Haute, IN for the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 people.

In 2008, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper made a historic official apology to Canada's First Nations in regard to a residential school abuse in which children were isolated from their homes, families and cultures for a century.

 

I'm watching the NASCAR race today and they announce that Vic Edelbrock Jr. passed away on June 9th.

 

Result of a board dictated Double Post:

 

If I may...

ON JUNE 12th:

In 1775, British general Thomas Gage declared martial law in Massachusetts. The British offered a pardon to all colonists who laid down their arms. There were only two exceptions to the amnesty: Samuel Adams and John Hancock, if captured, were to be hanged.

In 1776, Virginia's colonial legislature became the first to adopt a Bill of Rights.

In 1806, engineer John A. Roebling, best-known as the designer of the Brooklyn Bridge, was born in Muhlhausen, Kingdom of Prussia.

In 1864, Ulysses S. Grant gave the Confederate forces under Robert E. Lee a victory when he pulled his Union troops from their positions at Cold Harbor, VA and moved south.

In 1898, Philippine nationalists declared independence from Spain.

In 1916, producer/director Irwin Allen was born in New York City.

In 1918, producer Samuel Z. Arkoff, best-known for his productions for American International Pictures, was born in Fort Dodge, IA.

In 1920, cartoonist Dave Berg, best-known for his work for MAD Magazine, was born in Brooklyn.

Also in 1920, actor/screenwriter Peter Jones was born in Wem, Shropshire, England. He’d later provide the voice of a wholly remarkable book.

In 1924, George H.W. Bush, 41st President of the U.S., was born in Milton, MA.

In 1929, memoirist Anne Frank was born in Frankfurt, Germany.

In 1939, The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum was dedicated in Cooperstown, N.Y.

In 1940, thirteen thousand British and French troops surrendered to Major General Erwin Rommel at Saint-Valery-en-Caux.

In 1943, Germany liquidated the Jewish Ghetto in in Brzeżany, Poland. Around 1,180 Jews were led to the city's old Jewish graveyard and shot.

In 1944, American paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division secured the town of Carentan.

In 1959, actor/comedian/Kid in the Hall Scott Thompson was born in North Bay, Ontario, Canada.

In 1963, civil rights activist Medgar Evers was fatally shot in front of his home in Jackson, Miss.

Also In 1963, the movie "Cleopatra", starring Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Rex Harrison, premiered in New York City.

In 1965, The Beatles were awarded the M.B.E. -- "Most Excellent Order of the British Empire."

In 1967, the U.S. Supreme Court in Loving v. Virginia declared all U.S. state laws which prohibited interracial marriage to be unconstitutional.

In addition in 1967, the James Bond movie “You Only Live Twice” premiered in London.

In 1971, President Richard M. Nixon's daughter Tricia and Edward F. Cox were married in the White House Rose Garden.

In 1978, David Berkowitz was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for each of the six "Son of Sam" .44-caliber killings in New York City.

In 1981, Major league baseball players began a 49 day strike. The issue was free-agent compensation.

Also in 1981, the adventure movie “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was released in the U.S.

In addition in 1981, the fantasy movie “Clash of the Titans”, featuring visual effects by Ray Harryhausen, was released in the U.S.

In 1983, the “Star Wars” novel Lando Calrissian and the Mindharp of Sharu by L. Neil Smith was published by Del-Rey.

In 1987, during a visit to the divided German city of Berlin, President Ronald Reagan publicly challenged Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev to "tear down this wall."

Also in 1987, the sci-fi thriller “Predator”, starring Arnold Schwarzeneggar, was released in the U.S.

In 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were slashed to death outside her Los Angeles home. (Her former husband, football Hall of Famer O.J. Simpson, was later acquitted of the killings in a criminal trial, but held liable in a civil action.)

In 2003, actor Gregory Peck died in Los Angeles at age 87.

In 2007, the comic book movie “Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer” premiered in London.

In 2011, in the U.S., the switch from analog to digital TV transmission was completed.

In 2016, 49 people were killed and 53 more were injured in an attack on a nightclub in Orlando, FL. The gunman was killed in a shootout with police.

Also in 2016, actress/voice artist Janet Waldo, best-known for her work on Hanna-Barbera cartoons, died in Encino, CA at age 96.

 

If I may...

ON JUNE 13th:

In 1777, Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette landed near Charleston, SC, in order to help the Continental Congress to train its army.

In 1892, actor Basil Rathbone was born in Johannesburg, South Africa.

In 1893, author Dorothy L. Sayers, best-known as the creator of detective Lord Peter Wimsey, was born in Oxford, England.

In 1910, teacher/conservative/pro-family activist Mary Whitehouse was born in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England. Years later, a number of British TV shows, particularly “Doctor Who”, would feel her influence to some extent.

Also in 1910, character actress Mary Wickes was born in St. Louis, MO.

In 1917, the deadliest German air raid on London during World War I was carried out by Gotha G bombers and resulted in 162 deaths, including 46 children, and 432 injuries.

In 1918, actor/stuntman Ben Johnson, best-known for his work in Westerns, was born in Foraker, OK.

In 1926, actor/comedian/Center Square Paul Lynde was born in Mount Vernon, OH.

In 1927, aviation hero Charles Lindbergh was honored with a ticker-tape parade in New York City.

In 1929, artist/illustrator Ralph McQuarrie, best-known for his conceptual art for the original “Star Wars” trilogy, was born in Gary, IN.

In 1932, actor/singer Bob McGrath was born in Ottawa, IL. Years later, he’d take up residence on Sesame Street.

In 1934, the Production Code Administration, which oversaw the enforcement of film content standards under the Motion Picture Production Code, was established.

In 1935, James Braddock claimed the title of world heavyweight boxing champion from Max Baer in a 15-round fight in Queens, New York.

In 1942, the first of two four-man Nazi sabotage teams arrived in the United States during World War II. (The eight were arrested after one of them went to U.S. authorities; six of the saboteurs were executed.)

In 1943, actor Malcolm McDowell was born in Horsforth, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. Years later, among other roles, he’d play the man who (sort of) killed James T. Kirk (depending on which cut of the movie you’re watching).

In 1944, Germany launched a V1 Flying Bomb attack on England. Only four of the eleven bombs actually hit their targets.

In 1948, The New York Yankees officially retired Babe Ruth's #3 and sent it to the Hall of Fame.

In 1962, the film “Lolita”, based on the Valdimir Nabokov novel and directed by Stanley Kubrick, was released in the U.S.

In 1966, the Supreme Court ruled in Miranda v. Arizona that criminal suspects had to be informed of their constitutional right to consult with an attorney and to remain silent.

In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson nominated Solicitor-General Thurgood Marshall to become the first African-American justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 1971, The New York Times began publishing excerpts of the Pentagon Papers, a secret study of America's involvement in Vietnam from 1945 to 1967 that had been leaked to the paper by military analyst Daniel Ellsberg.

In 1981, a scare occurred during a parade in London when a teenager fired six blank shots at Queen Elizabeth II.

In 1983, the U.S. space probe Pioneer 10, launched in 1972, became the first spacecraft to leave the solar system as it crossed the orbit of Neptune.

In 1989, the James Bond movie “Licence to Kill”, starring Timothy Dalton as 007, premiered in London.

In 1993, astronaut/pilot/engineer Donald K. “Deke” Slayton died in League City, TX. One of the Mercury Seven astronauts, he’d later fly as Docking Module Pilot for the Apollo/Soyuz Test Project.

In 1996, the 81-day-old Freemen standoff ended as 16 remaining members of the anti-government group surrendered to the FBI and left their Montana ranch.

In 1997, a jury sentenced Timothy McVeigh to death for his part in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.

In 1999, the horror movie “Track of the Moonbeast” was broadcast on “Mystery Science Theater 3000” over the Sci-Fi Channel. A new generation would thus be introduced to the Band that Played “California Lady”.

 

Lest we forget...

 

If I may...

ON JUNE 14th:

In 1775, The United States Army was founded.

In 1777, The Continental Congress in Philadelphia adopted the Stars and Stripes as the national flag.

In 1789, survivors of the mutiny on the HMS Bounty, including Captain William Bligh and 18 others, reached Timor after a nearly 7,400 km (4,600 mi) journey in an open boat.

Also in 1789, whiskey distilled from maize was first produced by American clergyman the Rev Elijah Craig. It was named bourbon because Rev Craig lived in Bourbon County, KY.

In 1846, a group of U.S. settlers in Sonoma proclaimed the Republic of California.

In 1900, Hawaii became a U.S. territory.

In 1909, actor/singer/author Burl Ives was born in Jasper County, IL. Later on, people (including my grandnephew) would listen to him tell the story of Rudolph, and then listen to him again the following year.

In 1919, John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown departed from St. John’s, Newfoundland on the first nonstop transatlantic flight.

Also in 1919, actor Gene Barry was born in New York City. Years later, the name of one of his characters would be appropriated by a cow town puppet show in Minneapolis.

In 1922, Warren G. Harding became the first president heard on radio, as Baltimore station WEAR broadcast his speech dedicating the Francis Scott Key memorial at Fort McHenry.

In 1928, The Republican National Convention nominated Herbert Hoover for president.

In 1931, singer/musician Junior Walker was born in Blytheville, AR.

In 1940, German troops entered Paris during World War II.

Also in 1940, the Nazis opened a concentration camp at Auschwitz in German-occupied Poland.

In 1943, The U.S. Supreme Court ruled schoolchildren could not be compelled to salute the flag of the United States if doing so would conflict with their religious beliefs.

In 1945, Stephen J. Sansweet was born in Philadelphia, PA. He runs Rancho Obi-Wan, which houses the world’s largest collection of “Star Wars” memorabilia.

In 1949, Albert II, a rhesus monkey, rode a V-2 rocket to an altitude of 134 km (83 mi), thereby becoming the first monkey in space.

In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed an order adding the words "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance.

In 1959, the Disneyland Monorail System, the first daily operating monorail system in the Western Hemisphere, opened to the public in Anaheim, CA.

In 1962, The European Space Research Organisation, later called the European Space Agency, was established in Paris.

In 1963, the Soviet spacecraft Vostok 5, piloted by cosmonaut Valery Bykovsky, was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

In 1965, the Beatles song “Yesterday”, sung by Paul McCartney and accompanied by a string quartet, was recorded at EMI Studios in London.

In 1967, the People’s Republic of China tested its first hydrogen bomb.

In 1982, Argentine forces surrendered to British troops on the disputed Falkland Islands.

In 1985, a 17-day hijack ordeal began when a pair of Lebanese Shiite Muslim extremists seized TWA Flight 847 shortly after takeoff from Athens, Greece.

In 1994, The New York Rangers won the Stanley Cup by defeating the Vancouver Canucks. It was the first time the Rangers had won the cup in 54 years. Afterwards, the Vancouver Stanley Cup riot occurred, causing an estimated CA$1.1 million, leading to 200 arrests and injuries.

Also in 1994, composer/conductor Henry Mancini died in Los Angeles at age 70.

In 2002, American Roman Catholic bishops adopted a policy to bar sexually abusive clergy from face-to-face contact with parishioners but keep them in the priesthood.

In 2007, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared an emergency after the Hamas militant group effectively took control of the Gaza Strip.

In 2009, Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson broke Red Auerbach's record by winning his 10th NBA title.

In 2017, at least 12 people were killed when a large fire consumed the 24-storey Grenfell Tower apartment block in North Kensington, West London.

Also in 2017, a gunman opened fire at a Congressional Baseball practice, injuring five people, including United States Congressman Steve Scalise. The gunman was later killed by Capitol Police.

 

The edits are result of board double posting:

 

If I may...

ON JUNE 15th:

In 1215, England's King John put his seal to the Magna Carta at Runnymede, granting his barons more liberty.

In 1648, Margaret Jones was hanged in Boston for witchcraft in the first such execution for the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

In 1752, Benjamin Franklin proved, via his kite experiment, that lightning is electricity. (This is the traditional date; the exact date is unknown.)

In 1775, George Washington was appointed head of the Continental Army.

In 1776, Delaware voted to suspend government under the British Crown and separate officially from Pennsylvania.

In 1785, Jean-Francois Pilatre due Rozier, co-pilot of the first-ever manned flight in 1783, and his companion, Pierre Romain, become the first-ever casualties of an air crash when their hot air balloon exploded during their attempt to cross the English Channel.

In 1804, New Hampshire approved the Twelfth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratifying the document. The amendment refined the process of electing the President and Vice-President.

In 1836, Arkansas became the 25th state.

In 1844, Charles Goodyear received a patent for a process to strengthen rubber.

In 1849, James Polk, the 11th president of the U.S., died in Nashville, TN at age 53.

In 1864, Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton signed an order establishing a military burial ground, which became Arlington National Cemetery.

In 1888, Crown Prince Wilhelm became Kaiser Wilhelm II; he would be the last Emperor of the German Empire.

In 1896, the deadliest tsunami in Japan's history killed more than 22,000 people.

In 1902, the 20th Century Limited, an express passenger train between New York and Chicago, began service.

In 1904, more than 1,000 people died when fire erupted aboard the steamboat General Slocum in New York City's East River.

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill incorporating the Boy Scouts of America, making them the only American youth organization with a federal charter.

In 1919, John Alcock and Arthur Brown completed the first nonstop transatlantic flight when they reached Clifsen, County Galway, Ireland.

In 1923, future Baseball Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig made his major league debut with the New York Yankees.

In 1940, Operation Ariel began as Allied troops started to evacuate France, following Germany’s takeover of Paris and most of the nation.

In 1944, U.S. Marines invaded Japanese-occupied Saipan.

In 1945, the Sherlock Holmes movie “The Woman in Green” premiered in New York City. It featured Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce as Holmes & Watson, and Henry Daniell as Moriarty.

In 1948, the horror comedy “Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein” was released in the U.S.

In 1954, actor/comedian/musician Jim Belushi was born in Chicago, IL.

In 1956, actress Robin Curtis, known to Trekkers for playing Saavik in “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock” and “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home”, was born in New York Mills, NY.

In 1966, the comedy movie “Munster, Go Home”, based on the TV show “The Munsters”, was released in the U.S.

In 1969, the country variety show "Hee Haw", starring Buck Owens and Roy Clark, premiered on CBS-TV.

In 1973, the movie “Battle for the Planet of the Apes” was released in the U.S. It was the last movie in the original ‘Planet of the Apes” series.

In 1977, the film “A Bridge Too Far”, based on Cornelius Ryan’s book about the ill-fated Operation Market Garden in World War II, was released in the U.S.

In 1991, Mount Pinatubo in the northern Philippines exploded in one of the biggest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century, killing about 800 people.

In 1994, Israel and the Vatican established full diplomatic relations.

In 1996, the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) detonated a powerful truck bomb in the middle of Manchester, England, devastating the city centre and injuring 200 people.

In 2005, the comic book movie “Batman Begins” opening in nine countries, including the U.S. and Canada.

In 2008, special makeup effects creator Stan Winston died in Malibu at age 62. He’s best-known for his work in the movie “Iron Man”, as well as the “Terminator” series and the first three “Jurassic Park” movies.

 

If I may...

ON JUNE 16th:

In 1567, Mary, Queen of Scots, was imprisoned in Lochleven Castle in Scotland. (She escaped almost a year later but ended up imprisoned again.)

In 1858, accepting the Illinois Republican Party's nomination for the U.S. Senate, Abraham Lincoln said the slavery issue had to be resolved, declaring, "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

In 1890, actor/writer/director/comedian Stan Laurel was born in Ulverston, Lancashire, England.

In 1903, Ford Motor Co. was incorporated.

In 1911, IBM had its beginnings as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co. was incorporated in New York State.

In 1933, the National Industrial Recovery Act became law with President Franklin D. Roosevelt's signature. (The Act was later struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.) Also, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. was founded as President Roosevelt signed the Banking Act of 1933.

In 1938, actor Michael Culver was born in Hampstead, London, England. Years later, Lord Vader would accept an apology from one of his characters.

In 1940, actress Carole Ann Ford was born. And Whovians have been arguing for a long time over whether or not one of her characters was the Doctor’s real granddaughter.

In 1944, George Stinney, a 14-year-old black youth, became the youngest person to die in the electric chair as the state of South Carolina executed him for the murders of two white girls, Betty June Binnicker, age 11, and Mary Emma Thames, age 7.

In 1954, the sci-fi/horror movie “Them!” premiered in New York City.

In 1955, members of Argentina's military bombarded the Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires in a failed attempt to assassinate President Juan Domingo Peron and his Cabinet, causing hundreds of civilian deaths, the same day Peron was excommunicated by Pope Pius XII for expelling two bishops from his country (however, the ban was effectively lifted in 1963).

Also in 1955, the Disney animated feature "Lady and the Tramp" had its world premiere in Chicago.

In 1959, actor George Reeves died in Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles at age 45.

In 1960, the Alfred Hitchcock thriller "Psycho" opened in Hollywood. And showers have never been the same.

In 1963, the world's first female space traveler, Valentina Tereshkova, age 26, was launched into orbit by the Soviet Union aboard Vostok 6; she spent 71 hours in flight, circling the Earth 48 times before returning safely.

In 1966, The Beatles made a surprise live appearance on the UK television program Top of the Pops, performing ‘Paperback Writer’ and ‘Rain’. It became The Beatles' last live musical television appearance, with the sole exception of the June 1967 worldwide transmission of ‘All You Need Is Love’.

In 1967, the Monterey International Pop Festival opened in California. More than two dozen acts, including Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin and Otis Redding, were on the bill.

In 1970, sponsors for Woodstock announced they lost more than $1.2 million dollars on the concert.

Also in 1970, football playerBrian Piccolo of the Chicago Bears died of cancer at age 26.

In 1976, the Mel Brooks comedy “Silent Movie” was released in the U.S.

In 1977, rocket engineer/designer Wernher von Braun died in Alexandria, VA at age 65.

In 1978, President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos exchanged the instruments of ratification for the Panama Canal treaties.

Also in 1978, the sequel “Jaws 2” was released in the U.S.

In 1980, the comedy/musical “The Blues Brothers” premiered in Chicago.

In 1981, President Ronald Reagan awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to Ken Taylor, Canada's former ambassador to Iran, for helping six Americans escape from Iran during the hostage crisis of 1979-81; he was the first foreign citizen bestowed the honor.

In 1987, a jury in New York acquitted Bernhard Goetz of attempted murder in the subway shooting of four youths he said were going to rob him; however, Goetz was convicted of illegal weapons possession. (In 1996, a civil jury ordered Goetz to pay $43 million to one of the persons he'd shot.)

In 1989, the sequel “Ghostbusters II” was released in the U.S.

In 1999, Vice President Al Gore formally opened his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Also in 1999, Kathleen Ann Soliah, a fugitive member of the Symbionese Liberation Army, was captured in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she had made a new life under the name Sara Jane Olson.

In addition in 1999, Thabo Mbeki took the oath as president of South Africa, succeeding Nelson Mandela.

In 2002, the Disney cartoon “Lilo & Stitch” premiered in the U.S.

In 2007, on “Doctor Who”, “Utopia” was broadcast on BBC 1. It featured the first series appearances of Derek Jacobi and John Simm, both as the Master.

In 2015, Donald Trump formally announced his candidacy for the U.S. presidency.

In 2017, politician Helmut Kohl, who served as Chancellor of Germany from 1982-1998, during the end of the Cold War, died in Oggersheim, Germany at age 87.

 

ESPN2 is airing it today, as a matter of fact at 12 noon, east coast time.

 

If I may...

ON JUNE 17th:

In 1631, Mumtaz Mahal died during childbirth. Her husband, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan I, will spend the next 17 years building her mausoleum, the Taj Mahal.

In 1673, French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet reached the Mississippi River and became the first Europeans to make a detailed account of its course.

In 1775, though they lost the battle, American colonists inflicted heavy casualties on British troops at the Battle of Bunker Hill.

In 1789, The Third Estate in France declared itself a national assembly and undertook to frame a constitution.

In 1856, The Republican Party opened its first convention, in Philadelphia, PA.

In 1882, composer/conductor/musician Igor Stravinsky was born in Oranienbaum, Russia.

In 1885, The Statue of Liberty arrived in New York City aboard the French ship Isere.

In 1904, theologian/evangelist/minister Dr. J. Vernon McGee was born in Hillsboro, TX.

In 1928, Amelia Earhart embarked on the first trans-Atlantic flight by a woman.

In 1940, France asked Germany for terms of surrender in World War II.

Also in 1940, RMS Lancastria was attacked and sunk by the Luftwaffe near Saint-Nazaire, France. At least 3,000 were killed in Britain's worst maritime disaster.

In 1941, WNBT-TV in New York City, NY, was granted the first construction permit to operate a commercial TV station in the U.S.

In 1955, the science fiction movie “King Dinosaur” was released in the U.S. It would later be memorably MSTed by Joel & the ‘bots.

In 1957, the Hammer science fiction movie “Quatermass 2”, starring Brian Donlevy as Prof. Quatermass, was released in the U.K. The film is frequently recognized as the first movie to use a number in its title to indicate its status as a sequel.

In 1961, Soviet ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev defected to the West while his troupe was in Paris.

In 1963, The Supreme Court struck down rules requiring the recitation of the Lord's Prayer or the reading of Biblical verses in public schools.

Also in 1963, the horror movie “The Terror”, starring Boris Karloff and Jack Nicholson, was released in the U.S. While credited as being directed by Roger Corman, it is known that some sequences were directed by, respectively, Francis Ford Coppola, Monte Hellman, Jack Hill and Jack Nicholson.

In 1964, the sci-fi movie “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” premiered in providence, RI.

In 1967, The People's Republic of China announced a successful test of its first thermonuclear weapon.

In 1972, five White House operatives were arrested for breaking into the offices of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate office building in Washintton, D.C., in an attempt by some members of the Republican Party to illegally wiretap the opposition. (Allegations that White House aide Greg Marmalard masterminded the operation remain unproven.)

In 1976, it was announced that the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the American Basketball Association (ABA) would merge.

In 1982, actor/musician Arthur Darvill, well-known to Whovians for playing Rory Williams, was born in Birmingham, West Midlands, England.

In 1994, after leading police on a chase through Southern California, O.J. Simpson was arrested and charged with murder in the slayings of his ex-wife, Nicole, and Ronald Goldman.

In 2006, on “Doctor Who”, the episode “Love and Monsters” was broadcast on BBC 1. A large number of Whovians (including your humble correspondent) had a somewhat unfavorable opinion of the episode.

In 2008, Hundreds of same-sex couples got married across California on the first full day that gay marriage became legal by order of the state's highest court. (However, California voters banned gay marriage in November.)

In 2015, nine people are killed in a mass shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C.

In 2017, The destroyer USS Fitzgerald collided with the merchant ship MV ACX Crystal off the coast of Japan, with seven American sailors killed.

Also in 2017, the trial against comedian Bill Cosby on a charge of sexual assault ended with a hung jury and the consequent declaration of a mistrial.

 

If I may...

ON JUNE 18th:
In 1778, American forces entered Philadelphia as the British withdrew during the Revolutionary War.

In 1812, the War of 1812 began as the United States Congress approved, and President James Madison signed, a declaration of war against Britain.

In 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte met his Waterloo as British and Prussian troops defeated the French in Belgium.

In 1873, suffragette Susan B. Anthony was found guilty by a judge in Canandaigua, NY of breaking the law by casting a vote in the 1872 presidential election. (The judge fined Anthony $100, but she never paid the penalty.)

In 1904, actor Keye Luke was born in Guangzhou, China. Arguably, his most well-known roles in his long career were as Number One Son in several “Charlie Chan” movies, Master Po on “King Fu”, and Mr. Wing in the “Gremlins” movies.

In 1908, William Howard Taft was nominated for president by the Republican National Convention in Chicago.

Also in 1908, actor/announcer/game show host Clayton “Bud” Collyer was born in New York City. He’s best-remembered for his lead role in the radio series, “The Adventures of Superman”.

Yes, Prime Minister, it’s true. In 1927, actor Paul Eddington was born in St. John’s Wood, London, England.

In 1938, actor Michael Sheard was born in Aberdeen, Scotland. Fans remember him for getting relieved of duty by Darth Vader, for playing Hitler in five different productions, and doing six guest shots on “Doctor Who” (seven, if you count Big Finish).

In 1940, during World War II, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill urged his countrymen to conduct themselves in a manner that would prompt future generations to say, "This was their finest hour."

Also in 1940, Charles de Gaulle delivered a speech on the BBC in which he rallied his countrymen after the fall of France to Nazi Germany.

In 1942, singer/songwriter/musician/Beatle Sir Paul McCartney, MBE was born in Liverpool, England.

Also in 1942, journalist/screenwriter/film critic Roger Ebert was born in Urbana, IL.

In addition in 1942, actor Nick Tate was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. On “Space: 1999”, he played Alan Carter, considered by your humble correspondent as second only to Han Solo for the title of “Coolest Space Pilot in Science Fiction”.

In 1945, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower received a tumultuous welcome in Washington D.C., where he addressed a joint session of Congress.

Also in 1945, William Joyce, known as "Lord Haw-Haw," was charged in London with high treason for his English-language wartime broadcasts on German radio. (He was hanged in January 1946.)

In 1947, actress Linda Thorson, best-known for playing Tara King on “The Avengers” (the spy-fi TV show, not the superhero movies), was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

In 1948, Columbia Records introduced the long-playing record album in a public demonstration at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.

In 1954, the Disney cartoon “Casey Bats Again”, a sequel to the poem Casey at the Bat, was released in the U.S.

In 1955, Divine services, Bible studies, and celebration of communion in East Germany were forbidden by the Communist government.

In 1957, actor Ralph Brown, known to “Star Wars” fans for playing pilot Ric Olie in “Episode I- The Phantom Menace” was born in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England.

In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson and Japanese Prime Minister Hayato Ikeda spoke to each other by telephone as they inaugurated the first trans-Pacific cable completed by AT&T between Japan and Hawaii.

In 1969, the revisionist Western “The Wild Bunch”, directed by Sam Peckinpah, was released in the U.S.

In 1971, the horror movie “Willard” premiered in New York City.

In 1973, actor Roger Delgado, best-known for playing the original Master on “Doctor Who” died in Nevsehir, Turkey at age 55.

In 1979, President Jimmy Carter and Soviet President Leonid I. Brezhnev signed the SALT II strategic arms limitation treaty in Vienna.

In 1983, astronaut Sally K. Ride became America's first woman in space as she and four colleagues blasted off aboard the space shuttle Challenger on a six-day mission.

In 1992, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Georgia v. McCollum, ruled that criminal defendants could not use race as a basis for excluding potential jurors from their trials

In 1993, the movie “The Last Action Hero”, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, was released in the U.S.

In 1994, members of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) attacked a crowded pub with assault rifles in Loughinisland, Northern Ireland. Six Catholic civilians were killed and five wounded. It was crowded with people watching the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

In 2005, on “Doctor Who”, the episode “The Parting of the Ways” was broadcast on BBC 1. It featured the last regular appearance of Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor, and introduced David Tennant in the role.

In 2006, Dan Rather's final CBS News report was aired on "CBS Sunday Morning."