Wednesday, May 18, 2011

This Date in History - May 18

Put on your favorite cardigan sweater and dream a little dream with me.

332:  CONSTANTINE THE GREAT ANNOUNCED FREE DISTRIBUTIONS OF FOOD TO THE CITIZENS IN CONSTANTINOPLE.

So now you know what made him so "great."

1152:  HENRY II OF ENGLAND MARRIES ELEANOR OF AQUITAINE.

In case you thought all this royal wedding hoopla was a new thing.

1498:  VASCO DA GAMA REACHES THE PORT OF CALICUT, INDIA.

Which he then discovered the telemarketer.

1631:  IN DORCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, JOHN WINTHROP TAKES THE OATH OF OFFICE AND BECOMES THE FIRST GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS.

I guess there were no Kennedys available at the time.

1652:  RHODE ISLAND PASSES THE FIRST LAW IN NORTH AMERICA MAKING SLAVERY ILLEGAL.

A big decision from a very small state.

1756:  THE SEVEN YEARS WAR BEGINS WHEN GREAT BRITAIN DECLARES WAR ON FRANCE.

It shouldn't take seven years to push over these patsies.

1763:  FIRE DESTROYS A LARGE PART OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC.

Did this happen after a Stanley Cup celebration?

1803:  THE UNITED KINGDOM REVOKES THE TREATY OF AMIENS AND DECLARES WAR ON FRANCE.

Again?  You still can't finish this job???

1804:  NAPOLEON BONAPARTE IS PROCLAIMED EMPEROR OF THE FRENCH.

Okay, England, you see what happens when you don't close the deal.

1843:  THE DISRUPTION IN EDINBURGH OF THE FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND FROM THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.

Sounds like a whole lot of nothing from a country where men still wears skirts.

1860:  ABRAHAM LINCOLN WINS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION OVER WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

Despite the fact that exit polls from CNN had him trailing.

1863:  DURING THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR, THE SIEGE OF VICKSBURG BEGINS.

In a fight that would decide who controls the Vapo-Rub.

1896:  A MASS PANIC ON KHODYNKA FIELD IN MOSCOW DURING THE FESTIVITIES OF THE CORONATION OF RUSSIAN TSAR NICHOLAS II RESULTS IN THE DEATHS OF 1,389 PEOPLE.

Eeek!  A mouse!!!

1897:  DRACULA, A NOVEL BY IRISH AUTHOR BRAM STOKER, IS PUBLISHED.

A book you can sink your teeth into.

1897:  FILMMAKER FRANK CAPRA IS BORN.

The first day of a wonderful life.

1902:  COMPOSER MEREDITH WILLSON IS BORN.

The guy who brought us "The Music Man," my favorite musical of all time.

1910:  THE EARTH PASSES THROUGH THE TAIL OF COMET HALLEY.

Does Bill Haley know that his last name is misspelled?

1912:  SINGER PERRY COMO IS BORN.

My mother loved the way he sang "Ave Maria."  And she wasn't Catholic.  Always a little confusing to me.

1926:  EVANGELIST AIMEE SEMPLE MCPHERSON DISAPPEARS WHILE VISITING A VENICE, CALIFORNIA BEACH.

There are worse places to disappear.

1933:  PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT SIGNS AN ACT CREATING THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY.

The very first stimulus plan.

1953:  JACKIE COCHRAN BECOMES THE FIRST WOMAN TO BREAK THE SOUND BARRIER.

She did so by screaming at Mr. Cochran.

1956:  FIRST ASCENT OF LHOTSE 8,516 METRES BY A SWISS TEAM.

Not so lhot.

1969:  APOLLO 10 IS LAUNCHED.

The mission was successful and missed a golden opportunity to be a killer movie directed by Ron Howard.

1980:  MOUNT ST. HELENS ERUPTS.

That was very lhot.

1988:  VOICE ACTOR DAWS BUTLER DIES.

The voice of Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, and Elroy Jetson.  And I bet nobody knew what Daws Butler really sounded like.

1992:  ACTOR MARSHALL THOMPSON DIES.

Daktari!!!

2006:  THE POST LOKTANTRA ANDOLAN GOVERNMENT PASSES A LANDMARK BULL CURTAILING THE POWER OF THE MONARCHY AND MAKING NEPAL A SECULAR COUNTRY.

It's stupid stuff like this that explains why I really hated world history in school.

Dinner last night:  Polish sausage at the Dodger game.

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