Fun On this date in history...

If I (belatedly) may...

ON APRIL 11th:

In 1689, William III and Mary II were crowned as joint sovereigns of Britain.

In 1727, Johann Sebastian Bach’s oratorio “St. Matthew Passion” premiered at the St. Thomas Church in Leipzig.

In 1814, Napoleon Bonaparte abdicated as Emperor of the French and was banished to the island of Elba. (Napoleon later escaped from Elba and returned to power in March 1815, until his downfall in the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815.)

In 1865, following the surrender of Confederate Gen. Lee’s troops, President Abraham Lincoln spoke to a crowd outside the White House, saying, "We meet this evening, not in sorrow, but in gladness of heart." (It was the last public address Lincoln would deliver.)

In 1876, The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks was organized.

In 1899, the treaty ending the Spanish-American War was declared in effect.

In 1909, the city of Tel Aviv was founded.

In 1921, Iowa became the first state to impose a cigarette tax, at 2¢ a package.

Also in 1921, the first live sports event on radio took place over station KDKA, Pittsburgh. The event was a boxing match between Johnny Ray and Johnny Dundee.

In 1945, during World War II, American soldiers liberated the notorious Nazi concentration camp Buchenwald in Germany.

In 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first African-American player in major league baseball history. He played in an exhibition game for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

In 1951, President Harry S. Truman relieved Gen. Douglas MacArthur of overall command in the Far East.

In 1955, the movie version of the drama “Marty”, starring Ernest Borgnine, premiered in New York City.

In 1961, the trial of Adolf Eichmann began in Jerusalem.

In 1963, Pope John XXIII issued his Pacem in Terris encyclical regarding the establishment of universal peace.

In 1965, dozens of tornadoes raked six Midwestern states on Palm Sunday, killing 271 people.

In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968, prohibiting discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing.

In 1970, Apollo 13, with astronauts James A. Lovell, Fred W. Haise and Jack Swigert, blasted off on its ill-fated mission to the Moon.

In 1979, Idi Amin was deposed as president of Uganda as rebels and exiles backed by Tanzanian forces seized control.

In 1999, on “Mystery Science Theater 3000”, the episode featuring the movie “Soultaker” was broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel. It was the premiere episode of the tenth season, and featured return appearances by Joel Hodgson as Joel Robinson, and Frank Conniff as TV’s Frank.

In 2002, over 200,000 people marched in Caracas towards the Presidential Palace of Miraflores, to demand the resignation of president Hugo Chavez. 19 of the protesters were killed, and the Minister of Defense Gral. Lucas Rincon announced Chávez’ resignation on national TV.

In 2006, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that Iran had successfully enriched uranium.

In 2012, an 8.2 magnitude earthquake hit Indonesia, off northern Sumatra at a depth of 16.4 km. Later, a tsunami hit the island of Nias at Indonesia.

Also in 2012, the Marvel comic book movie “The Avengers” premiered in Los Angeles.

In 2021, twenty year old Daunte Wright was shot and killed in Brooklyn Center, MN by officer Kimberly Potter, sparking protests in the city. Potter testified that she mistook her service pistol for her taser. (Potter was convicted of first and second degree manslaughter the following December.)

In 2024, President Joe Biden warned that Iran was threatening to launch a significant attack against Israel and promised "ironclad U.S. support" for Israel in the event of an attack. At that time, Russia warned its citizens not to travel to the area in the light of international tensions.

 

If I may...

ON APRIL 12th:

In 1606, England's King James I decreed the design of the original Union Flag, which combined the flags of England and Scotland.

In 1776, North Carolina's Fourth Provincial Congress authorized the colony's delegates to the Continental Congress to support independence from Britain.

In 1861, the American Civil War began as Confederate forces opened fire on Fort Sumter in South Carolina.

In 1864, at the conclusion of The Battle of Fort Pillow, Confederate forces killed most of the African American soldiers that surrendered at Fort Pillow, TN.

In 1909, Irving A. Feinberg, property master for the original series “Star Trek”, was born in Los Angeles. He helped develop the look of many props on the series, and it’s unclear how many of them are still referred to as “feinbergers”.

In 1914, cinematographer Gilbert Taylor was born was born in Bushey Heath, Hertfordshire, England. He was an Oscar-winner for “Star Wars” and worked on many other classic films, including “The Omen”, “Dr. Strangelove” and “A Hard Day’s Night”.

In 1932, musician Tiny Tim was born in Manhattan.

In 1945, Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the U.S., died of a cerebral hemorrhage in Warm Springs, Georgia, at age 63. Later that day, Vice-President Harry S. Truman was sworn in as the 33rd President of the U.S.

In 1947, writer/actor/comedian/TV host David Letterman was born in Indianapolis, IN.

Also in 1947, author Tom Clancy was born in Baltimore, MD.

In 1954, Bill Haley and His Comets recorded "Rock Around The Clock" at Pythian Temple Studios in New York City for Decca Records.

In 1955, the Salk vaccine against polio was declared safe and effective.

In 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man to fly in space, orbiting the earth once before making a safe landing.

In 1963, civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. was arrested and jailed in Birmingham, Alabama, charged with contempt of court and parading without a permit. (During his time behind bars, King wrote his "Letter from Birmingham Jail.")

In 1966, Jan Berry of the duo Jan and Dean crashed his Corvette into a parked truck in Los Angeles. He suffered extensive brain damage and paralysis and needed several years of rehabilitation.

Also in 1966, Emmett Ashford became the first African-American major league umpire, making his debut at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.

In 1972, the comedy series “The Marty Feldman Comedy Machine” had its American premiere on ABC-TV. A British/American co-production, it had premiered on ITV the previous October.

In 1979, the post-apocalypse thriller “Mad Max”, starring Mel Gibson, was released in Australia, where it was made.

In 1980, the novelization of “Star Wars: Episode V- The Empire Strikes Back” was published by Del-Rey. Readers were, thus, not as surprised as others were about Vader when the movie itself was released the following month.

In 1981, the space shuttle Columbia, manned by Mission Commander John Young and Pilot Robert L. Crippen, blasted off from Cape Canaveral on its first test flight.

Also in 1981, former world heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis died in Las Vegas, NV, at age 66.

In 1985, Sen. Jake Garn, R-Utah, became the first sitting member of Congress to fly in space as the shuttle Discovery lifted off.

In 1990, in its first meeting, East Germany's first democratically elected parliament acknowledged responsibility for the Nazi Holocaust, and asked the forgiveness of Jews and others who had suffered.

In 1992, The Euro Disney Resort officially opens with its theme park Euro Disneyland, later changed to Disneyland Paris.

In 1996, commercials for the “Doctor Who” TV-movie starring Paul McGann started airing on the FOX network.

In 1999, US President Bill Clinton was cited for contempt of court for giving "intentionally false statements" in a sexual harassment civil lawsuit.

In 2008, on “Doctor Who”, the episode “The Fires of Pompeii” was broadcast on BBC 1. The supporting cast included Karen Gillian (later to play Companion Amy Pond) and Peter Capaldi (later to play the Eleventh Doctor). The in-universe reason for the latter was explained, to an extent; the explanation for the former is still being debated.

In 2014, a huge fire heavily damaged the Chilean city of Valparaiso, killing 16, displacing nearly 10,000, and destroying over 2,000 homes.

In 2019, the title of “Star Wars: Episode IX”, “The Rise of Skywalker”, was announced, and the first trailer for the film was released. There was a fair amount of interest.

In 2022, ten people were shot and nineteen injured in an attack on a subway car at New York City’s 36th Street Station. A masked gunman ignited two smoke grenades, then opened fire, firing 33 shots before his weapon jammed.

Also in 2022, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a law criminalizing abortion in the state, with the exception of cases when the mother's health is in danger.

In 2024, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom either advised citizens not to travel to Israel and the surrounding areas, or advised them to leave immediately, citing rising international tensions.

 

Sorry, I was dealing with the Ides of April yesterday...

ON APRIL 13th:

In 1742, George Frideric Handel's oratorio “Messiah” had its world-premiere in Dublin, Ireland.

In 1743, Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd President of the United States, was born in Shadwell in the Virginia Colony.

In 1777, during the Revolutionary War, American forces were ambushed and defeated in the Battle of Bound Brook in NJ.

In 1829, The Roman Catholic Relief Act gave Roman Catholics in the United Kingdom the right to vote and to sit in Parliament.

In 1912, the Royal Flying Corps, a predecessor of Britain's Royal Air Force, was created.

In 1919, the Jallianwala Bagh massacre occurred, when British troops gunned down at least 379 unarmed demonstrators in Amritsar, India; at least 1200 were wounded.

Would you believe in 1923, actor/director Don Adams was born in New York City? Would you believe Chicago? How about Frostbite Falls, Minnesota?

In 1942, composer/conductor Bill Conti was born in Providence, RI.

In 1943, The Jefferson Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C., on the 200th anniversary of President Thomas Jefferson's birth.

In 1945, actor/director/producer Tony Dow was born in Hollywood, CA. Best-known for playing Wally on “Leave it to Beaver”, he also supervised the VFX for the McGann movie.

In 1946, singer/songwriter/pastor Rev. Al Green was born in Forrest City, AR.

In 1948, in an ambush, 78 Jewish doctors, nurses and medical students from Hadassah Hospital, and a British soldier, were massacred by Arabs in Sheikh Jarrah.

In 1951, actor Peter Davison was born in Streatham, London, England. His Doctorates (both of them) would come along later.

In 1962, the Western “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” premiered in Los Angeles. Directed by John Ford, it starred James Stewart and John Wayne.

In 1963, The New York Mets played their first home game. The game was played at the Polo Grounds in Upper Manhattan.

In 1964, at the Academy Awards, Sidney Poitier became the first African-American man to receive a competitive Best Actor award for his work in the 1963 film “Lilies of the Field”.

In 1965, at the Grammy Awards, The Beatles captured the best new artist award and won the best group performance award for "A Hard Day's Night."

Also in 1965, The Beatles recorded the song 'Help!' during an evening recording session at Abbey Road in London.

In 1967, The Rolling Stones played their first concert behind the Iron Curtain, in Warsaw, Poland. Riot police had to step in to deal with 2,000 people who weren't able to get tickets.

Also in 1967, “Operation – Annihilate!”, the last episode of the first season of the original series “Star Trek” was broadcast on NBC-TV. It was the only episode of the series to feature members of the family of Capt. Kirk (William Shatner), including Kirk’s brother Sam (also played by William Shatner, if briefly).

In 1967, the James Bond spoof “Casino Royale” premiered in London.

In 1970, an oxygen tank aboard the Apollo 13 Service Module exploded, putting the crew in great danger and causing major damage to the spacecraft while en route to the Moon.

In 1971, The Rolling Stones released "Brown Sugar," the first record on their own label, Rolling Stone Records.

In 1976, the U.S. Treasury Dept. reintroduced the two-dollar bill as a Federal Reserve Note on Thomas Jefferson’s 233rd birthday as part of the U.S. Bicentennial celebration.

In 1979, the spoof “Love at First Bite”, starring George Hamilton as Count Dracula, premiered in New York City.

In 1984, actor Richard Hurndall, who played the First Doctor in “The Five Doctors”, died in London at age 73.

In 1986, Pope John Paul II visited the Great Synagogue of Rome in the first recorded papal visit of its kind to a Jewish house of worship.

In 1997, Tiger Woods became the youngest golfer to win the Masters Tournament.

In 2017, in an anti-terrorist action, the U.S. dropped a Massive Ordinance Air Blast (MOAB) weapon, one of the largest ever nonnuclear bombs, on Nangarhar, Afghanistan. It was the first battlefield use of the device.

In 2024, Iran, in cooperation with forces in Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen, launched hundreds of airstrikes, including drones and cruise missiles, against Israel and the Golan Heights. The Israeli Defense Force reported that, with the assistance of allied nations, 99% of the weapons were intercepted before entering Israeli airspace.

Also in 2024, an assailant, reportedly with mental health problems, stabbed and killed six people and injured twelve others in the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping center in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The assailant was shot and killed by a police officer at the scene.

In 2025, PA Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family were evacuated from the Governor’s Residence after being targeted in an arson attack. (A suspect was later arrested on multiple charges.)

Also in 2025, Rory McIlroy won the Masters Tournament, becoming just the sixth person to complete the Grand Slam in golf.

In addition in 2025, actress/writer Jean Marsh, OBE, died in London at age 90.

 

If I may...

ON APRIL 14th:

In 1775, the first American society for the abolition of slavery was formed in Philadelphia, PA.

In 1828, the first edition of Noah Webster's "American Dictionary of the English Language" was published.

In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was shot and mortally wounded by John Wilkes Booth during a performance of "Our American Cousin" at Ford's Theater in Washington.

Also in 1865, Secretary of State William H. Seward and his family were attacked in his home by Lewis Powell, one of Booth’s co-conspirators.

In 1890, the First International Conference of American States, meeting in Washington D.C., agreed to form the International Union of American Republics, a forerunner of the Organization of American States.

In 1909, a massacre was organized by the Ottoman Empire against the Armenian population of Cilicia.

In 1912, the British liner RMS Titanic collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic at 11:40 p.m. ship's time and began sinking. (The ship went under two hours and 40 minutes later with the loss of 1,514 lives.)

In 1929, producer/director/screenwriter Gerry Anderson was born in Bloomsbury, London, England. His days of pulling the strings (literally) would come later.

In 1935, the "Black Sunday" dust storm descended upon the central Plains, turning a sunny afternoon into total darkness.

In 1935, screenwriter/novelist/script editor Terrance Dicks, best-known for his work on the “Doctor Who” series and its connected novelizations, was born in East Ham, Essex, England.

In 1939, the John Steinbeck novel The Grapes of Wrath was first published by Viking Press.

In 1949, the "Wilhelmstrasse Trial" in Nuremberg ended with 19 former Nazi Foreign Office officials sentenced by an American tribunal to prison terms ranging from four to 25 years.

In 1956, Ampex Corp. demonstrated the first practical videotape recorder at the National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters Convention in Chicago.

In 1958, actor/director/screenwriter Peter Capaldi was born in Glasgow, Scotland. His roles as an ill-tempered spin doctor, and an ill-tempered Gallifreyan doctor, would come later.

In 1965, the state of Kansas hanged Richard Hickock and Perry Smith for the 1959 murders of Herbert Clutter, his wife, Bonnie, and two of their children, Nancy and Kenyon. (The crime would later be recounted in Truman Capote’s book In Cold Blood.)

Also in 1965, the suspense movie “The Satan Bug” had its U.S. premiere in New York City.

In 1968, at the Academy Awards, there was a tie for the Best Actress award between Katherine Hepburn (for “The Lion in Winter”) and Barbra Streisand (for “Funny Girl”).

In 1981, the first test flight of America's first operational space shuttle, the Columbia, ended successfully with a landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

In 1986, in retaliation for the April 5th bombing in a West Berlin discotheque in which three people were killed and 230 injured, U.S. President Ronald Reagan ordered major bombing raids against Libya, killing 60 people.

In 1988, in a United Nations ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland, the Soviet Union signed an agreement pledging to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan.

In 2003, U.S. troops in Bagdad captured Abu Abbas, leader of the Palestinian terrorist group that killed American passenger Leon Klinghoffer on the hijacked cruise liner the MS Achille Lauro in 1985.

In 2005, The Oregon Supreme Court nullified marriage licenses issued to gay couples a year earlier by Multnomah County.

In 2008, animator Ollie Johnston, the last of the “Nine Old Men” at Walt Disney Productions, died in Sequim, WA at age 95.

Also in 2008, the Marvel superhero movie “Iron Man”, starring Robert Downey, Jr., premiered in Sydney, Australia. It was not shown IN A CAVE! WITH A BOX OF SCRAPS!

In 2014, two hundred seventy-six schoolgirls were abducted by Boko Haram terrorists in Chibok, Northeastern Nigeria, sparking global outrage.

In 2016, at least nine people were killed and 761 injured by a magnitude-6.5 earthquake in the Kumamoto Prefecture in southern Japan.

In 2017, the teaser trailer and poster art for “Star Wars: Episode VIII- The Last Jedi” were released on-line and at the Star Wars Celebration in Orlando, FL.

Also in 2017, the 11th season (dubbed “The Relaunch”) of “Mystery Science Theater 3000” was released on Netflix.

In 2019, Tiger Woods won the Masters Tournament in Augusta, GA. It was his first major golf win in eleven years and his first win at the Masters since 2005.

 

ADDENDUM TO APRIL 14th:

In 2025, a Blue Origin New Shepard spacecraft made a brief sub-orbital spaceflight, carrying six female space tourists space tourists, including singer Katy Perry and journalists Gayle King and Lauren Sanchez. It was the first spaceflight with an all-female spacecraft since 1963's Vostock 6 mission, with cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova as the sole pilot.

 

If I may...

ON APRIL 15th:

In 1715, the Yamasee War began as members of the Yamasee tribe attacked English settlers in colonial South Carolina.

In 1783, preliminary articles of peace ending the American Revolution (or the American War of Independence) were ratified.

In 1817, Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc founded the American School for the Deaf, the first American school for deaf students, in Hartford, CT.

In 1850, the city of San Francisco was incorporated.

In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln died nine hours after being shot the night before by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theater in Washington; Andrew Johnson became the 17th President of the U.S.

In 1889, Belgian missionary Fr. Joseph Damien, who ministered to lepers on Molokai, Hawaii, died there of leprosy at age 49.

In 1892, author Corrie ten Boom was born in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. She’s best-known for The Hiding Place, about her experiences, along with other family members, aiding Jews escaping the Holocaust.

In 1894, Nikita Khrushchev, who’d later lead the Soviet Union from the late 1950s to early 1960s, was born in Kalinovka, Kursk Governorate, Russian Empire.

In 1912, the British luxury liner RMS Titanic foundered in the North Atlantic off Newfoundland more than 2 1/2 hours after hitting an iceberg; 1,514 people died, while less than half as many survived.

In 1917, actor Hans Conreid was born in Baltimore, MD. Among his many roles, he’s well-known for doing the voice of Snideley Whiplash on “Dudley Do-Right of the Mounties”.

In 1933, singer/musician Roy Clark was born in Meherrin, GA.

Also in 1933, actress Elizabeth Montgomery was born in Los Angeles. Feel free to twitch your nose in her honor.

In 1934, Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theatre, the oldest still-operating drive-in in the U.S., opened in Orefield, PA. Nice place, by the way.

In 1938, the Disney cartoon “Donald’s Nephews” was released. It featured the first screen appearance of Huey, Dewey and Louie.

In 1941, in the Belfast Blitz, two-hundred bombers of the German Luftwaffe attacked Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom killing one thousand people.

In 1945, during World War II, British and Canadian troops liberated the Nazi concentration camp Bergen-Belsen.

In 1947, at Ebbets Field, Jackie Robinson played his first major league baseball game for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Previously he had only appeared in exhibition games.

In 1955, Ray Kroc opened the first franchised McDonald's restaurant in Des Plaines, IL.

In 1960, a three-day conference to form the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) began at Shaw University in Raleigh, NC. (The group's first chairman was Marion Barry.)

Hikeeba! In 1966, the misleadingly-titled sci-fi movie “Women of the Prehistoric Planet” was released in the U.S. It’d later be memorably MSTed.

In 1974, members of the Symbionese Liberation Army held up a branch of the Hibernia Bank in San Francisco; a member of the group was SLA kidnap victim Patricia Hearst, who by this time was going by the name "Tania" (Hearst later said she'd been forced to participate).

In 1983, author Corrie ten Boom died in Placentia, CA on her 91st birthday.

In 1985, South Africa said it would repeal laws prohibiting sex and marriage between whites and non-whites.

In 1989, 96 people died in a crush of soccer fans at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, England.

Also in 1989, Students in Beijing launched a series of pro-democracy protests; the demonstrations culminated in a government crackdown at Tiananmen Square.

In 2013, two bombs packed with nails and other metal shards exploded at the Boston Marathon finish line, killing two women and an 8-year-old boy and injuring more than 260. (Convicted bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was sentenced to death; his brother and alleged accomplice, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, died in a shootout with police.)

Also in 2013, actor/screenwriter Richard LeParmentier, known to “Star Wars” fans for playing Adm. Motti in “Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope”, died in Austin, TX at age 66.

In 2017, actor/voice artist/soldier R. Lee Ermey died at age 74.

In 2019, the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris in France was seriously damaged by a large fire. The cathedral's wood-and-lead spire and roof collapsed, and considerable damage was caused to the interior, upper walls, and windows, as well as to numerous works of art.

In 2021, a mass shooting occurred at a FedEx Ground facility in Indianapolis, IN. Nine people were killed (including the gunman who committed suicide), and seven others were injured.

In 2015, DJ/TV host/producer Wink Martindale died in Rancho Mirage, CA at age 91.

 

If I may...

ON APRIL 16th:

In 73 A.D., Masada, a Jewish fortress, fell to the Romans after several months of siege, ending the Great Jewish Revolt.

In 1521, Martin Luther made his first appearance before the Diet of Worms to be examined by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and the other estates of the empire.

In 1746, the Battle of Culloden was fought between the French-supported Jacobites and the British Hanoverian forces commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, in Scotland. After the battle, many highland traditions were banned and the Highlands of Scotland were cleared of inhabitants. (There are conflicting reports regarding the disappearance of one James Robert MacCrimmon following the battle.)

In 1789, President-elect George Washington left Mount Vernon, Virginia, for his inauguration in New York.

In 1889, comedian/filmmaker Charlie Chaplin was born in London.

In 1917, actor Barry Nelson, the first actor to play James Bond on-screen, was born in San Francisco.

In 1918, highly-influential comedian Spike Milligan was born in Ahmednagar, British India.

In 1924, composer/conductor/arranger Henry Mancini was born in Cleveland, OH.

In 1935, the radio comedy program "Fibber McGee and Molly" premiered on NBC's Blue Network.

In 1940, Major League Baseball's first (and, to date, only) opening day no-hitter took place as Bob Feller of the Cleveland Indians pitched a no-no against the Chicago White Sox, 1-0, at Comiskey Park.

In 1945, during World War II, several events occurred: a Soviet submarine in the Baltic Sea torpedoed and sank the MV Goya, which Germany was using to transport civilian refugees and wounded soldiers; it's estimated that up to 7,000 people died. The Red Army began the final assault on German forces around Berlin, with nearly one million troops fighting in the Battle of the Seelow Heights. U.S. troops reached Nuremberg, while U.S. forces also invaded the Japanese island of Ie Shima. And the U.S. Army liberated Nazi Sonderlager (high security) P.O.W. camp Oflag IV-C, better known as Colditz.

Also in 1945, in his first speech to Congress, President Harry S. Truman pledged to carry out the war and peace policies of his late predecessor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

In 1947, the French ship Grandcamp blew up at the harbor in Texas City, TX; another ship, the High Flyer, exploded the following day. (The blasts and fires killed nearly 600 people.)

Also in 1947, financier Bernard M. Baruch said in a speech at the South Carolina statehouse, "Let us not be deceived — we are today in the midst of a cold war."

In 1952, voice actor Billy West was born in Detroit, MI. Space limitations prevent a full listing of his characters.

In 1960, the horror movie “Ein Toter hing im Netz” (better-known as “Horrors of Spider Island”) was released in West Germany. It would later be one of the last movies featured during the original run of “Mystery Science Theater 3000”.

In 1962, Walter Cronkite made his debut as anchorman of "The CBS Evening News."

In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his "Letter from Birmingham Jail" in which he said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

In 1972, Apollo 16 blasted off on a voyage to the Moon with Mission Commander John W. Young, LM Pilot Charles M. Duke Jr. and CM Pilot Ken Mattingly on board.

In 1979, the Western “Heaven’s Gate” started filming in Glacier National Park in Montana. Filming would be completed nearly a year later.

In 1986, dispelling rumors he was dead, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi appeared on television to condemn the U.S. raid on his country and to say that Libyans were "ready to die" defending their nation.

In 1991, principal photography began on “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country”.

In 2005, the BBC announced that David Tennant would succeed Christopher Eccleston in the role of the Doctor on “Doctor Who”.

In 2007, a mentally disturbed student killed 32 people on the campus of Virginia Tech before taking his own life.

In 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the Baze v. Rees decision that execution by lethal injection did not violate the Eighth Amendment ban against cruel and unusual punishment.

In 2014, more than 300 people, mostly students, died when a South Korean ferry, the Sewol, sank while en route from Incheon to the resort island of Jeju; 172 people survived.

In 2015, the second trailer for "Star Wars: Episode VII- The Force Awakens" was released, following its premiere at the 2015 Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, CA. The fan reaction was somewhat emotional.

In 2016, Kumamoto on the island of Kyushu, Japan suffered a second earthquake in two days. The second had a magnitude of 7.0. Both events resulted in an initial combined death toll of 42, with approximately 3,000 injured.

In 2018, actor/comedian/magician Harry Anderson died in Asheville, NC at age 65.

 

If I may...

ON APRIL 17th:

In 1492, a contract was signed by Christopher Columbus and a representative of Spain's King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, giving Columbus a commission to seek a westward ocean passage to Asia.

In 1861, the Virginia State Convention voted to secede from the Union.

In 1924, the motion picture studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was founded, the result of a merger of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures, and the Louis B. Mayer Co.

In 1937, Daffy Duck made his debut in the Warner Bros. animated cartoon "Porky's Duck Hunt," directed by Tex Avery.

In 1938, director Richard Marquand, best-known for directing “Star Wars: Episode VI- Return of the Jedi”, was born in Llanishen, Cardiff, Wales.

In 1941, Yugoslavia surrendered to Germany during World War II.

In 1949, at midnight 26 Irish counties officially left the British Commonwealth, ushering in the Republic of Ireland.

In 1960, singer Eddie Cochran died after suffering severe head injuries in a car crash in Bath, Somerset, England at age 21. Musician Gene Vincent and Cochran's girlfriend were injured.

In 1961, some 1,500 CIA-trained Cuban exiles launched the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in an attempt to topple Fidel Castro, whose forces crushed the incursion by the third day. (Reports that the invasion was the idea of CIA agent Vince Ricardo have not been confirmed.)

In 1964, Geraldine "Jerrie" Mock became the first woman to complete a solo airplane trip around the world as she returned to Columbus, Ohio, after 29 1/2 days in her Cessna 180.

Also in 1964, The Rolling Stones' self-titled debut album was released in Britain.

In 1966, the monster movie “Daikaiju ketto: Gamera tai Barugon” was released in Japan. Retitled “Gamera vs. Barugon”, it would be featured twice on “Mystery Science Theater 3000”.

In 1970, Apollo 13 astronauts James A. Lovell, Fred W. Haise and Jack Swigert splashed down safely in the Pacific, four days after a ruptured oxygen tank crippled their spacecraft while en route to the moon.

In 1973, director George Lucas began writing a story treatment titled “The Star Wars”. It was later made into a somewhat successful movie.

In 1975, Cambodia's five-year war ended as the capital Phnom Penh fell to the Khmer Rouge, which instituted brutal, radical policies that claimed an estimated 1.7 million lives until the regime was overthrown in 1979.

In 1984, an 11-day police siege began at Libya's embassy in London when an unidentified shooter inside the building fired on a crowd of protesters, killing police officer Yvonne Fletcher. (The Libyans in the embassy were eventually allowed to leave the country as Britain and Libya severed relations.)

In 1990, the Rev. Ralph D. Abernathy, the civil rights activist and top aide to Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., died in Atlanta, GA at age 64.

In 1993, a federal jury in Los Angeles convicted two former police officers of violating the civil rights of beaten motorist Rodney King; two other officers were acquitted.

In 1998, musician/photographer/activist Linda McCartney died in Tuscon, AZ at age 56.

In 2004, actor Bruce Boa, known to “Star Wars” fans for playing Gen. Rieeken in “The Empire Strikes Back”, died in Surrey, England at age 73.

In 2006, a Palestinian suicide bomber detonated an explosive device in a Tel Aviv restaurant, killing 11 people and injuring 70.

In 2013, an explosion at a fertilizer plant in the city of West, TX, killed 15 people and injured 160 others.

In 2014, NASA’s Kepler space observatory confirmed the discovery of the first Earth-size planet in the habitable zone of another star, the red dwarf Kepler-186.

In 2018, Barbara Bush, First Lady to President George H.W. Bush, died in Houston, TX at age 92.

In 2021, the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, took place at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.

In 2025, at least two people were killed and six others hospitalized following a mass shooting at Florida State University in Tallahassee. (The suspect was arrested by local police.)

 

If I may...

ON APRIL 18th:

In 1506, the cornerstone of the current St. Peter’s Basilica was laid.

In 1775, Paul Revere and William Dawes began their famous ride from Charlestown to Lexington, MA, warning American colonists that the British were coming. They were later joined by Dr. Samuel Prescott as they attempted to continue on to Concord.

In 1831, The University of Alabama was founded in Tuscaloosa, AL.

In 1865, Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston surrendered to Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman near Durham Station in North Carolina.

In 1882, conductor Leopold Stokowski was born in London. One of the most famous conductors of the 20th century, he’s best-known today for appearing in “Fantasia” and being imitated by Bugs Bunny.

In 1899, The St. Andrew’s Ambulance Association was granted a Royal Charter by Queen Victoria.

In 1906, a devastating earthquake struck San Francisco, followed by raging fires; estimates of the final death toll range between 3,000 and 6,000.

In 1907, Oscar-winning composer/conductor Miklos Rosza was born in Budapest, Austria-Hungary.

In 1923, the original Yankee Stadium, the House that Ruth Built, opened in the Bronx.

In 1930, actor Clive Revill, the original voice of the Emperor, was born in Wellington, New Zealand.

In 1936, singing cowboy Gene Autry recorded his signature song, "Back in the Saddle Again."

In 1942, during World War II, an air squadron from the USS Hornet led by Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle raided Tokyo and other Japanese cities.

Also in 1942, the first World War II edition of “The Stars and Stripes” was published as a weekly newspaper.

In 1943, during World War II, Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto was killed when his aircraft is shot down by U.S. fighters over Bougainville Island.

In 1945, during World War II, famed American war correspondent Ernie Pyle, age 44, was killed by Japanese gunfire on the Pacific island of Ie Shima, off Okinawa.

In 1949, Ireland left the British Commonwealth and became the Republic of Ireland.

In 1953, actor/comedian/screenwriter Rick Moranis was born in Toronto. You still have time to wish him a good day, eh?

In 1954, Gamal Abdel Nasser seized power in Egypt.

In 1955, physicist Albert Einstein died in Princeton, New Jersey, at age 76.

In 1956, actor Eric Roberts was born in Biloxi, MO. Years later, he played the role that earned him his Masters.

In 1965, actress Camille Coduri was born in Wandsworth, London. Whovians know her for playing Jackie Tyler (both of her).

Also in 1965, the adventure/fantasy movie “She” was released in the UK. Produced by Hammer Films, it starred Ursula Andress, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, and was based on H. Rider Haggard’s novel.

In 1971, actor David Tennant was born in Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland. He’d later play a Scottish detective (and the detective’s American doppelganger) in a hit British series (and its American doppelganger). Oh, and I hear he played a doctor in some BBC show.

In 1978, the Senate approved the Panama Canal Treaty, providing for the complete turnover of control of the waterway to Panama on the last day of 1999.

In 1981, the, to date, longest professional baseball game ever played, was begun in Pawtucket, R.I. The game, a Triple-A International league game between the Pawtucket Red Sox and the Rochester Red Wings, was suspended at 4:00 the next morning after 32 innings, and finally completed with the 33rd inning on June 23rd. (The Red Sox won 3-2.)

In 1983, 63 people, including 17 Americans, were killed at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, by a suicide bomber.

In 1985, Tulane University abolished its 72-year-old basketball program. The reason was charges of fixed games, drug abuse, and payments to players.

In 1996, “Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie”, based on the cult favorite TV series, premiered at the State Theater in Minneapolis, MN.

In 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act in a 5–4 decision.

Also in 2007, a series of bombings, two of them being suicides, occurred in Baghdad, killing 198 and injuring 251.

In 2012, the book Darth Vader and Son was published by Chronicle Books. At that year’s Star Wars Celebration, author Jeffrey Brown would autograph a copy for your humble correspondent, who then donated it to the South Plainfield Free Public Library.

Also in 2012, radio & TV host/producer Dick Clark died in Santa Monica at age 82.

In 2013, a suicide bombing in a Baghdad cafe killed 27 people and injured another 65.

In 2019, the redacted version of the report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election was released by Attorney General William Barr.

In 2023, Dominion Voting Systems and the Fox News Network reached a settlement in Dominion’s defamation lawsuit over claims regarding the company’s service during the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. Following pre-trial findings that Fox News’ claims of fraud on Dominion’s part were false, the suit was settled for $787.5 million.

Also in 2023, pastor/author/broadcaster Charles Stanley passed away in Atlanta, GA at age 90.

 

If I may...

ON APRIL 19th:

In 1775, the American Revolutionary War began with the battles of Lexington and Concord.

Also in 1775, post rider Israel Bissell began a trip to spread word to the Colonists about the battles. The ride started from Watertown, MA and reportedly lasted four ¼ days, though accounts differ on whether he reached Connecticut or Philadelphia, PA. (And I freely admit that I’d never heard of this man before I saw Robert Wuhl’s “Assume the Position” live show.)

In 1782, John Adams secured the Dutch Republic’s recognition of the United States as an independent government. The house which he had purchased in The Hague, Netherlands became the first American embassy.

In 1839, The Treaty of London established Belgium as a kingdom and guaranteed its neutrality.

In 1861, the Baltimore riot of 1861 began when a pro-Secession mob attacked U.S. Army troops marching through the city.

In 1865, a funeral was held at the White House for President Abraham Lincoln, assassinated five days earlier; his coffin was then taken to the U.S. Capitol for a private memorial service in the Rotunda.

In 1897, the first annual Boston Marathon was held. It was the first of its type in the U.S.

In 1912, a special subcommittee of the Senate Commerce Committee opened hearings in New York into the Titanic disaster.

In 1930, actor Dick Sargent, best-known as Darrin 2.0, was born in Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA.

In 1935, the Universal Pictures horror film "Bride of Frankenstein," starring Boris Karloff with Elsa Lanchester in the title role, had its world premiere in San Francisco.

Also in 1935, actor/comedian/musician/composer Dudley Moore was born in Hammersmith, London.

In 1943, during World War II, tens of thousands of Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto began a valiant but ultimately futile battle against Nazi forces.

In 1945, the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Carousel" opened on Broadway at the Majestic Theater.

In 1951, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, relieved of his Far East command by President Harry S. Truman, bade farewell in an address to Congress in which he quoted a line from a ballad: "Old soldiers never die; they just fade away."

In 1956, actress Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier of Monaco.

In 1958, The San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers played the first major league baseball game on the West Coast. This was the Dodgers’ first official game in the Los Angeles Coliseum.

In 1960, South Korean students began an uprising that toppled the government of President Syngman Rhee a week later.

In 1965, New York City radio station WINS-AM launched its all-news format, which continues to this day, making it America's oldest all-news broadcaster.

In 1968, George Harrison, John Lennon and their wives left the religious retreat run by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi before their studies were completed. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr had left earlier. Later, all four renounced their association with the Maharishi.

In 1971, the Soviet Union launched Salyut 1, the first space station.

Also in 1971, Charles Manson was sentenced to death for conspiracy in the Tate-LaBianca murders. (The sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment.)

In 1973, the dark western “High Plains Drifter”, starring & directed by Clint Eastwood, premiered in New York City.

In 1975, India launched its first satellite atop a Soviet rocket.

In 1981, actor/producer Hayden Christensen was born in Vancouver, British Colombia. Years later, one of his characters would have some rather extreme views on how to deal with political differences among colleagues.

In 1984, “Advance Australia Fair” was proclaimed as Australia's national anthem, and green and gold as the national colors.

In 1987, “The Simpsons” premiered as a short cartoon on “The Tracey Ullman Show” on the Fox Network.

In 1989, 47 sailors were killed when a gun turret exploded aboard the USS Iowa in the Caribbean. (The Navy initially suspected that a dead crew member had deliberately sparked the blast, but later said there was no proof of that.)

In 1993, the 51-day FBI siege of the Branch Davidian complex outside Waco, TX ended when a fire broke out during an attempted assault by FBI agents. Seventy-six people, including group leader David Koresh, died.

In 1995, a truck bomb destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people. (Bomber Timothy McVeigh was later convicted of federal murder charges and executed.)

In 1996, “Mystery Science Theater 3000” went into general release from Grammercy Pictures in the U.S. Unfortunately for many MSTies, Grammercy booked it into a very limited number of theaters, preferring to back “Barb Wire”, instead.

In 2005, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany was elected pope in the first conclave of the new millennium; he took the name Benedict XVI.

Also in 2005, a Spanish court convicted a former Argentine naval officer, Adolfo Scilingo, of crimes against humanity and sentenced him to 640 years in prison for throwing 30 prisoners from planes during his country's "dirty war."

In 2011, actress Elisabeth Sladen died in Southall, London at age 65.

Also in 2011, Fidel Castro resigned as First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba after holding the title since July 1961.

In 2013, Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed in a shootout with police. His brother Dzhokhar was later captured hiding in a boat inside a backyard in the suburb of Watertown.

In 2017, 21st Century Fox announced that Fox News commentator Bill O’Reilly had been fired, following allegations of sexual misconduct.

In 2018, following a parliamentary election, Miguel Diaz-Canel was named the new President of Cuba, the first time in six decades that a Castro family member was not leading the country.

In 2021, Walter Mondale, 42nd Vice-President of the U.S., died in Minneapolis at age 93.

 

If I may...

ON APRIL 20th:

In 1775, the Siege of Boston began, following the battles at Lexington and Concord.

In 1792, France declared war on Austria, marking the start of the French Revolutionary Wars.

In 1861, Col. Robert E. Lee resigned his commission in the United States Army. (Lee went on to command the Army of Northern Virginia, and eventually became general-in-chief of the Confederate forces.)

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed a proclamation admitting West Virginia to the Union, effective in 60 days (on June 20, 1863).

In 1893, actor/comedian/filmmaker Harold Lloyd was born in Burchard, NE.

In 1898, President William McKinley signed a joint resolution to Congress for declaration of War against Spain, beginning the Spanish-American War.

In 1912, Boston's Fenway Park hosted its first professional baseball game while Navin Field (Tiger Stadium) opened in Detroit. (The Red Sox defeated the New York Highlanders 7-6 in 11 innings; the Tigers beat the Cleveland Naps 6-5 in 11 innings.)

In 1914, the Ludlow Massacre took place when the Colorado National Guard opened fire on a tent colony of striking miners; about 20 (accounts vary) strikers, women and children died.

In 1916, the Chicago Cubs played their first game at Weeghman Park, later known as Wrigley Field.

In 1937, actor/author/activist George Takei was born in Los Angeles. He’s well-known for his role as Hikaru Sulu on the original series “Star Trek”, and for his ongoing dispute with his co-star William Shatner.

In 1945, during World War II, allied forces took control of the German cities of Nuremberg and Stuttgart.

In 1945, the fantasy movie “The Horn Blows at Midnight”, starring Jack Benny, premiered in New York City. It was not financially successful, but Benny got years of movie-related jokes out of it.

In 1946, The League of Nations officially dissolved, giving most of its power to the United Nations.

In 1951, actress Louise Jameson was born. Years later, one of her characters would prefer to solve problems with a knife, a zap gun or a Janus thorn.

In 1955, the science fiction movie “Conquest of Space”, produced by George Pal, was released in the U.S.

In 1959, "Desilu Playhouse" on CBS-TV presented a two-part show titled "The Untouchables", based on the book by Eliot Ness, played onscreen by Robert Stack. It was the basis for a weekly TV series, again starring Robert Stack.

In 1960, Elvis Presley returned to Hollywood following his Army duty. He began work on the film "G.I. Blues."

In 1964, actor/director/author/voice artist Andy Serkis was born in Ruislip, Middlesex, England. Among other roles, he played the Supreme Leader of the First Order, and I still don’t really buy the truth behind that character.

In 1967, “OK Connery”, a James Bond spoof starring Neil Connery (Sean’s brother) was released in Italy, where it was made. Later retitled “Operation Double 007”, it would be memorably MSTed.

In 1968, on “Doctor Who” part six of “Fury from the Deep” was broadcast on BBC 1. It featured the last regular appearance of Deborah Watling as Victoria Waterfield.

In 1972, during the Apollo 16 mission, the LM Orion, crewed by John Young and Charles Duke, landed on the Moon at the Descartes Highlands.

In 1977, the Woody Allen comedy “Annie Hall” was released in the U.S. And there are “Star Wars” fans who still haven’t forgiven the MPAAS for giving Allen’s movie the Best Picture Oscar, rather than George Lucas’ movie.

In 1979, the horror movie “Dawn of the Dead” directed by George A. Romero, had its U.S. premiere in New York City.

In 1988, gunmen who'd hijacked a Kuwait Airways jumbo jet were allowed safe passage out of Algeria under an agreement that freed the remaining 31 hostages and ended a 15-day siege in which two passengers were slain.

In 1999, the Columbine High School massacre took place in Colorado as two students shot and killed 12 classmates and one teacher before taking their own lives.

Also in 1999, filming was completed on “What You Leave Behind”, the final episode of “Star Trek: Deep Space 9”.

In 2005, the movie version of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” premiered in London.

In 2006, “Daily Variety” first reported that a new “Star Trek” movie was being developed by writer/producer/director J.J. Abrams. The result would be the “Star Trek” reboot movie, released in 2009.

In 2008, Danica Patrick won the Indy Japan 300, becoming the first female driver in history to win an Indy car race.

In 2010, an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil platform, leased by BP, killed 11 workers and caused a blow-out that began spewing an estimated 200 million gallons of crude into the Gulf of Mexico. (The well was finally capped nearly three months later, on July 15.)

In 2013, a 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck Lushan County, Ya’an, in China's Sichuan province, killing more than 150 people and injuring thousands more.

In 2021, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of all charges, including second-degree unintentional murder, third degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, for his role in the death of George Floyd.

In 2023, SpaceX launched the first test flight of Starship, the largest and most powerful launch vehicle to ever fly, from Starbase in South Texas. The rocket was successfully launched, but was destroyed remotely approximately four minutes after liftoff, following a loss of control.

 

If I (belatedly) may...

ON APRIL 21st:

In 1509, Henry VIII ascended the throne of England on the death of his father, Henry VII.

In 1649, the Maryland Toleration Act, providing for freedom of worship for all Christians, was passed by the Maryland assembly.

In 1789, John Adams was sworn in as the first Vice-President of the United States, a job he utterly hated.

In 1836, an army of Texans led by Sam Houston defeated the Mexican troops under Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna at San Jacinto, assuring Texas independence.

In 1898, the United States Navy began a blockade of Cuban ports. When the U.S. Congress issued a declaration of war on April 25, it declared that a state of war had existed from this date.

In 1918, during World War I, Baron Manfred von Richthofen, the German ace known as the "Red Baron," was killed in action near Vaux-sur-Sommes, France.

In 1923, author/lawyer John Mortimer, creator of Rumpole of the Bailey, was born in Hampstead, London.

In 1926, H.M. Elizabeth II, the longest-serving Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the British Commonwealth of Nations, was born in London.

In 1930, a fire broke out inside the overcrowded Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus, killing 332 inmates.

In 1930, the film “All Quiet on the Western Front”, starring Lew Ayres and directed by Lewis Milestone, premiered in Los Angeles.

In 1936, psychologist/author Dr. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, was born in Shreveport, LA. Your humble correspondent, during his radio announcing days, put a whole bunch of his programs on the air.

In 1940, the quiz show that asked the "$64 question," ''Take It or Leave It," premiered on CBS Radio.

In 1955, the Jerome Lawrence-Robert Lee play "Inherit the Wind," inspired by the Scopes trial of 1925, opened at the National Theatre in New York.

In 1960, Brazil inaugurated its new capital, Brasilia, transferring the seat of national government from Rio de Janeiro.

In 1962, the Seattle World’s Fair (Century 21 Exposition) opened. It was the first World’s Fair in the United States since World War II.

In 1967, at EMI Studios in London, the Beatles completed the last recording session for “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”.

In 1971, actress Michelle Gomez, well-known to Whovians for playing Missy, was born in Ayr, Scotland.

In 1975, with Communist forces closing in, South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu resigned after nearly ten years in office and fled the country.

In 1977, the musical play "Annie" opened on Broadway at the Alvin Theater with Andrea McArdle in the title role. The show ran for more than 2,300 performances.

In 1980, Rosie Ruiz won the Boston Marathon when she crossed the finish line in a record time of 2 hours, 31 minutes and 56 seconds. After an investigation, she was stripped of the honor when evidence showed that she had not run the entire race.

In 1985, in a highly-publicized TV special, Geraldo Rivera opened up Al Capone’s vault, speculating about what sort of treasures it would contain. It was pretty much empty.

In 1992, Robert Alton Harris became the first person executed by the state of California in 25 years as he was put to death in the gas chamber for the 1978 murders of two teen-age boys, John Mayeski and Michael Baker.

In 1999, the novelization of “Star Wars: Episode I- The Phantom Menace”, written by Terry Brooks, was published by Del-Rey.

In 2005, “Star Wars Celebration III” began in Indianapolis, IN. Your humble correspondent was there to experience the huge crowd, the improved lines at the Celebration store, and the lousy weather.

Also in 2005, David Tennant filmed his first scenes as the Tenth Doctor, which would later be added to the episode “The Parting of the Ways”.

In 2016, singer/songwriter/musician/producer Prince (born Prince Rogers Nelson) died in Chanhassen, MN at age 57.

In 2019, eight bombs exploded at churches, hotels, and other locations in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday. Nearly 300 people were killed, with at least 500 injured.

In 2022, the sale of recreational marijuana in New Jersey, declared legal by the state legislature in 2021, began at a dozen dispensaries throughout the state. Business was reportedly brisk. It is not currently known if there was a corresponding increase in junk food sales.

In 2025, Pope Francis passed away in Vatican City at age 88. He was the first Pope from the Jesuit Order, and the first Latin American Pope.

 

If I may...

ON APRIL 22nd:

In 1864, Congress authorized the use of the phrase "In God We Trust" on U.S. coins.

In 1876, eight baseball teams began the inaugural season of the National League. In the first game Boston beat Philadelphia 6-5.

In 1889, the Oklahoma Land Rush began at noon as thousands of homesteaders staked claims.

In 1906, the 1906 Summer Olympics, not currently recognized as part of the official Olympic Games, opened in Athens.

Also in 1906, actor/singer Eddie Albert was born in Rock Island, IL. He’d later find himself living in the weird state of reality that was Hooterville, U.S.A.

In 1915, the first full-scale use of deadly chemicals in warfare took place as German forces unleashed chlorine gas against Allied troops at the start of the Second Battle of Ypres in Belgium during World War I; thousands of soldiers are believed to have died.

In 1930, the United States, Britain and Japan signed the London Naval Treaty, which regulated submarine warfare and limited shipbuilding.

In 1936, actor/singer/musician/songwriter Glen Campbell was born in Billstown, AR.

In 1939, actor/playwright Jason Miller was born in Queens, NY. He’d later write the play “That Championship Season”, set in Scranton, PA, and later partially filmed in my Dad’s hometown of Taylor, PA.

In 1944, during World War II, U.S. forces began invading Japanese-held New Guinea with amphibious landings at Hollandia and Aitape.

In 1945, prisoners at the Jasenovac concentration camp revolted. Five hundred twenty were killed and 80 escaped.

In 1950, singer/songwriter/musician/producer Peter Frampton was born in Bromley, South London.

In 1952, an atomic test in Nevada became the first nuclear explosion shown on live network television as a 31-kiloton bomb was dropped from a B-50 Superfortress.

In 1954, the publicly televised sessions of the Senate Army-McCarthy hearings began.

In 1957, the sci-fi movie “The Incredible Shrinking Man” premiered in New York City.

In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson opened the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair at Flushing Meadows.

In 1970, millions of Americans concerned about the environment observed the first "Earth Day."

In 1974, the Amicus horror/mystery movie “The Beast Must Die”, starring Calvin Lockhart and Peter Cushing, was released in the UK.

In 1976, actress/writer Rebecca Hanson was born in Iowa. She’d later play Synthia and provide the voice of GPC on some cow town puppet show that was on Netflix.

In 1977, filming for “Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope” concluded at ILM with a shot of a Star Destroyer.

In 1978, the Blues Brothers -- John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd -- made their network debut on "Saturday Night Live." On the same show, host Steve Martin performed his novelty hit "King Tut."

In 1983, the West German news magazine “Stern” announced the discovery of 60 volumes of personal diaries purportedly written by Adolf Hitler; however, the diaries turned out to be a hoax.

In 1990, pro-Iranian kidnappers in Lebanon freed American hostage Robert Polhill after nearly 39 months of captivity.

In 1994, Richard M. Nixon, the 37th president of the U.S., died at a New York hospital four days after suffering a stroke at age 81.

In 2000, in a dramatic pre-dawn raid, armed immigration agents seized Elian Gonzalez, the Cuban boy at the center of a custody dispute, from his relatives' home in Miami; Elian was reunited with his father at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington.

In 2005, Zacarias Moussaoui pleaded guilty in a federal courtroom outside Washington D.C. to conspiring with the September 11 hijackers to kill Americans. (Moussaoui is serving a life prison sentence.)

In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil platform, operated by BP, sank into the Gulf of Mexico two days after a massive explosion that killed 11 workers.

In 2018, a gunman killed four people at a Waffle House restaurant in Antioch, TN.

In 2019, the Marvel Comics movie “Avengers: Endgame” premiered in Los Angeles.

 

If I may...

ON APRIL 23rd:

In 1616, English poet and dramatist William Shakespeare, age 52, died on what has been traditionally regarded as the anniversary of his birth in 1564.

In 1661, King Charles II of England, Scotland and Ireland was crowned in Westminster Abbey.

In 1789, President-elect George Washington and his wife, Martha, moved into the first executive mansion, the Franklin House, in New York.

In 1791, James Buchanan, 15th President of the U.S., was born in Lancaster, PA.

In 1813, politician Stephen A. Douglas, best-known for his 1858 debates with fellow Illinois senatorial candidate Abraham Lincoln, was born in Brandon, VT.

In 1910, former President Theodore Roosevelt delivered his famous "Man in the Arena" speech at the Sorbonne in Paris.

In 1914, Chicago's Wrigley Field, then called Weeghman Park, hosted its first major league game as the Chicago Federals defeated the Kansas City Packers 9-1.

In 1927, Cardiff City defeated Arsenal in the FA Cup Final, the only time (to date) it has been won by a team not based in England.

In 1928, actress/singer/diplomat Shirley Temple was born in Santa Monica, CA.

In 1931, the gangster movie “The Public Enemy”, starring James Cagney and Jean Harlow, was released in the U.S.

In 1936, singer/songwriter Roy Orbison was born in Vernon, TX.

In 1939, actor Lee Majors was born in Wyandotte, MI. The bionics would come later.

In 1953, the western “Shane”, starring Alan Ladd, premiered in New York City.

In 1954, Hank Aaron of the Milwaukee Braves hit the first of his 755 major-league home runs in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals. (The Braves won, 7-5.)

In 1956, Elvis Presley made his Las Vegas debut, opening for comedian Shecky Greene. Presley's engagement was canceled after a week because of poor ticket sales, and he didn't return to Vegas for 13 years.

In 1958, the crime drama “Touch of Evil”, starring Charlton Heston and Janet Leigh, and co-starring and directed by Orson Welles, premiered in Los Angeles.

In 1967, the Soviet Union launched the spacecraft Soyuz 1, manned by Col. Vladimir Komarov, into orbit.

In 1968, student protesters at Columbia University in New York City took over administration buildings and shut down the university.

In 1975, actor William Hartnell, well-known as the First Doctor on “Doctor Who”, died in Marden, Kent, England.

In 1976, the horror movie “Rattlers” was released in the U.S. Years later, Cinematic Titanic would memorably riff on the movie, and DVDs of their version would be, at first, very tough to come by.

In 1985, the Coca-Cola Co. announced it was changing the secret flavor formula for Coke. (Negative public reaction forced the company to resume selling the original version).

In 2002, the novelization of “Star Wars: Episode II- Attack of the Clones”, written by R.A. Salvatore, was published by Ballantine Books.

In 2005, the recently created video-sharing website YouTube uploaded its first clip, titled "Me at the Zoo”.

In 2013, the book “Vader’s Little Princess” by Jeffrey Brown was published by Chronicle Books.

In 2018, a driver rammed a moving van onto Yonge Street in Toronto, killing 10 pedestrians and injuring 15 others.

Also in 2018, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, gave birth to her and Prince William’s third child, Prince Louis of Cambridge. The boy is fifth in line to the British throne.

In addition in 2018, singer/songwriter/musician Bob Dorough, best-known for his work for the "Schoolhouse Rock" series, died in Mt. Bethel, PA at age 94.

In 2022, politician Orrin Hatch died in Salt Lake City, UT at age 88. He served as U.S. Senator from Utah from 1977 to 2019, the longest-serving Republican senator in U.S. history.

 

If I (belatedly) may...

ON APRIL 24th:

In 1704, the first regular newspaper in British Colonial America, “The Boston News-Letter”, was published.

In 1800, Congress approved a bill establishing the Library of Congress.

In 1898, Spain declared war on the United States. (The United States responded in kind the next day.)

In 1914, producer/director/screenwriter/showman William Castle was born in New York City.

In 1915, what's regarded as the start of the Armenian genocide occurred as the Ottoman Empire rounded up Armenian political and cultural leaders in Constantinople.

In 1916, some 1,600 Irish nationalists launched the Easter Rising by seizing several key sites in Dublin. (The rising was put down by British forces almost a week later.)

In 1932, in the Free State of Prussia, the Nazi Party gained a plurality of seats in parliamentary elections.

In 1944, the film noir “Double Indemnity”, starring Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G. Robinson, was released in the U.S.

In 1947, the radio series “Johnny Madero, Pier 23” premiered over the Mutual Broadcasting Network. It starred Jack Webb in the title role, and was pretty much a remake of his 1946 “Pat Novak, For Hire” series.

In 1953, British statesman Winston Churchill was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.

In 1955, the science fiction radio series “X Minus One” premiered over NBC.

Also in 1955, the kaiju movie “Gojira no gyakushu” (a.k.a. “Godzilla Raids Again”) was released by Toho in Japan. It was the first of many sequels to the original “Godzilla”. (Re-edited and retitled “Gigantis, the Fire Monster”, it would be released in the U.S. in 1959.)

In 1962, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology achieved the first satellite relay of a television signal, using NASA's Echo 1 balloon satellite to bounce a video image from Camp Parks, California, to Westford, Massachusetts.

In 1964, principal photography for “A Hard Day’s Night” was completed in West Ealing, London.

In 1967, Cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov was killed at age 40 when Soyuz 1, following an aborted mission plagued by malfunctions, crashed in Orenburg Oblast, Russia due to parachute failure. He was the first human to die during a space mission.

In 1970, the People's Republic of China launched its first satellite, which kept transmitting a song, "The East Is Red."

In 1974, actor/comedian Bud Abbott died in Woodland Hills, CA at age 78.

In 1980, the United States launched an unsuccessful attempt to free the American hostages in Iran, a mission that resulted in the deaths of eight U.S. servicemen.

In 1984, the mystery series “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” premiered on ITV. It starred Jeremy Brett as Holmes, and David Burke as Dr. Watson.

In 1986, Wallis, Duchess of Windsor, for whom King Edward VIII had given up the British throne, died in Paris at age 89.

In 1990, the space shuttle Discovery blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying the $1.5 billion Hubble Space Telescope. (Reports that the telescope was later damaged by a hapless temp worker are under review.)

In 1993, an IRA bomb caused heavy damage to the Bishopsgate area of London.

In 1995, the final bomb linked to the Unabomber exploded inside the Sacramento, California, offices of a lobbying group for the wood products industry, killing chief lobbyist Gilbert B. Murray. (Theodore Kaczynski was later sentenced to four lifetimes in prison for a series of bombings that killed three men and injured 29 others.)

In 2004, The U.S. lifted economic sanctions imposed on Libya 18 years previously, as a reward for its cooperation in eliminating weapons of mass destruction.

In 2005, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was inaugurated as the 265th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church taking the name Pope Benedict XVI.

In 2007, the book “The Making of ‘Star Wars’”, written by J.W. Rinzler, was published by LucasBooks. At that year’s Star Wars Celebration, your humble correspondent bought a copy of the book, had it autographed by the author, and later donated the book to the South Plainfield Public Library.

In 2018, in Washington, D.C., President Donald Trump met with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, along with economics and trading.

Also in 2018, it was announced that scientists using infrared spectroscopy data from the Gemini North telescope had established the presence of hydrogen sulfide, a gaseous chemical compound that smells like rotten eggs, in the clouds of the planet Uranus. The jokes followed soon after.

In 2023, Fox News announced that program host Tucker Carlson was leaving the network immediately. Shortly thereafter, CNN announced that its lead anchor/host Don Lemon had been fired.

 

If I may...

ON APRIL 25th:

In 1507, a world map produced by German cartographer Martin Waldseemueller contained the first recorded use of the term "America," in honor of Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci.

In 1599, Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England from 1653-1658, was born in Huntingdon, Huntingdonshire, England.

In 1792, the national anthem of France, "La Marseillaise", was composed by Captain Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle.

Also in 1792, highwayman Nicolas Jacques Pelletier became the first person under French law to be executed by the guillotine.

In 1859, British and French engineers broke ground for the Suez Canal.

In 1862, during the Civil War, a Union fleet commanded by Flag Officer David G. Farragut captured the city of New Orleans.

In 1908, journalist Edward R. Murrow was born in Guilford County, NC.

In 1915, during World War I, Allied soldiers invaded the Gallipoli Peninsula in an unsuccessful attempt to take the Ottoman Empire out of the war.

In 1916, Anzac Day was commemorated in Australia and New Zealand for the first time on the first anniversary of the landing at Anzac Cove.

In 1917, singer Ella Fitzgerald was born in Newport News, WV.

In 1944, the United Negro College Fund was founded.

In 1945, during World War II, U.S. and Soviet forces linked up on the Elbe River, a meeting that dramatized the collapse of Nazi Germany's defenses.

Also in 1945, delegates from some 50 countries gathered in San Francisco to organize the United Nations.

In addition in 1945, the Nazi occupation army surrendered and left Northern Italy after a general partisan insurrection by the Italian resistance movement; the puppet fascist regime dissolved and Benito Mussolini was captured after trying to escape.

In 1950, actor Peter Jurasik, well-known for playing Londo Mollari on “Babylon 5”, was born in Queens, NY.

In 1953, Francis Crick and James D. Watson published “Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids: A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid”, describing the double helix structure of DNA.

In 1954, the first practical solar cell was publicly demonstrated by Bell Telephone Laboratories.

In 1956, Rocky Marciano retired as the undefeated heavyweight champion of the world. He had 43 knockouts and 3 decisions to his credit.

In 1959, the St. Lawrence Seaway opened to shipping.

In 1968, The Beatles refused to perform for H.M. Queen Elizabeth II, saying regardless of the cause, they didn't do benefits.

In 1974, the "Carnation Revolution" took place in Portugal as a bloodless military coup toppled the Estado Novo regime.

In 1977, Elvis Presley made what would be the last recordings of his life, at a concert in Saginaw, MI. Three songs appeared in the posthumously released album "Moody Blue."

In 1983, 10-year-old Samantha Smith of Manchester, ME, received a reply from Soviet leader Yuri V. Andropov to a letter she'd written expressing concern about possible nuclear war; Andropov reassured Samantha that the Soviet Union did not want war, and he invited her to visit his country, a trip Samantha made in July.

Also in 1983, Pioneer 10 traveled beyond the orbit of the PLANET Pluto.

In 1988, in Israel, John Demjanjuk was sentenced to death for war crimes committed in World War II.

In 1988, on “Star Trek: The Next Generation”, the episode “Skin of Evil” was broadcast in syndication. It featured the last regular appearance of Denise Crosby as Tasha Yar.

In 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope was deployed in orbit from the space shuttle Discovery. (It was discovered that the telescope's primary mirror was flawed, requiring the installation of corrective components to achieve optimal focus.)

In 2014, it was announced that the Lucasfilm Story Group was effectively discontinuing the Star Wars Expanded Universe, in preparation for new stories inspired by the upcoming film, “Star Wars: Episode VII- The Force Awakens”. However, elements of the EU would be included in future works, and stories would remain available under the new “Legends” banner. There has been some controversy over this decision.

In 2015, riots broke out in Baltimore, MD following the death in police custody of suspect Freddie Gray.

In 2023, singer/actor/activist Harry Belafonte died in New York City at age 96.

Also in 2023, U.S. President Joe Biden formally announced that he would seek reelection in 2024. (He would drop out if the race that year, and was replaced on the ticket by Vice-President Kamala Harris.)