Wednesday, June 15, 2011

This Date in History - June 15


And you wonder why his hair looked the way it did.

763 BC:  ASSYRIANS RECORD A SOLAR ECLIPSE THAT IS LATER USED TO FIX THE CHRONOLOGY OF MESPOTAMIAN HISTORY.

So then why isn't the date shown as AE?  After Eclipse.

923:  KING ROBERT I OF FRANCE IS KILLED AND KING CHARLES THE SIMPLE IS ARRESTED BY THE SUPPORTERS OF DUKE RUDOLPH OF BURGUNDY.

The trial, despite his name, was quite complicated.

1215:  KING JOHN OF ENGLAND PUTS HIS SEAL TO THE MAGNA CARTA.

Which is why that important document was wet and full of flipper stains.

1520:  POPE LEO X THREATENS TO EXCOMMUNICATE MARTIN LUTHER IN PAPER BULL EXSURGE DOMINE.

Hey, Pope, that's my guy you're screwing with.  Knock it off.

1580:  PHILIP II OF SPAIN DECLARES WILLIAM THE SILENT TO BE AN OUTLAW.

Who knew that pantomine was a crime?

1667:  THE FIRST HUMAN BLOOD TRANSFUSION IS ADMINISTERED BY DR. JEAN-BAPTISTE DENYS.

So when was the first documented case of hepatitis?  I'm just sayin'.

1752:  BENJAMIN FRANKLIN PROVES THAT LIGHTNING IS ELECTRICITY.

And a very stupid stunt to pull in your backyard.

1775:  GEORGE WASHINGTON IS APPOINTED COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE CONTINENTAL ARMY.

Just proving that not lying about some broken cherry tree had its career perks.

1776:  DELAWARE VOTES TO SUSPEND GOVERNMENT UNDER THE BRITISH CROWN AND SEPARATE OFFICIALLY FROM PENNSYLVANIA.

The long term downside of this?  Three words.  Senator Joe Biden.

1836:  ARKANSAS IS ADMITTED AS THE 25TH U.S. STATE.

Where's the reset button?

1844:  CHARLES GOODYEAR RECEIVES A PATENT FOR VULCANIZATION, A PROCESS TO STRENGTHEN RUBBER.

Teen age boys salute you from the back seat of their '72 Chevy Impala.

1864:  ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY IS ESTABLISHED WHEN 200 ACRES ARE SET ASIDE AS A MILITARY CEMETERY BY U.S SECRETARY OF WAR EDWIN M. STANTON.

With a sign out front.  "Future Home of Most of the Kennedys."

1877:  HENRY OSSIAN FLIPPER BECOMES THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN CADET TO GRADUATE FROM THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY.

"They call him Flipper, Flipper, faster than lightning..."

1888:  CROWN PRINCE WILHELM BECOMES KAISER WILHELM II, THE LAST EMPEROR OF THE GERMAN EMPIRE.

And the first to be named after a roll.

1896:  THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI IN JAPAN'S HISTORY KILLS MORE THAN 22,000 PEOPLE.

That's like the entire attendance of a single Met game this season.

1904:  A FIRE ABOARD THE STEAMBOAT SS GENERAL SLOCUM IN NEW YORK CITY'S EAST RIVER KILLS 1,000.

That's like the entire attendance of a single Met game this September.

1916:  U.S. PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON SIGNS A BILL INCORPORATING THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA.

All because Mrs. Wilson needed to cross the street.

1917:  ACTOR LASH LA RUE IS BORN.

Just so you know...that's a guy.

1944:  DURING WORLD WAR II, THE UNITED STATES INVADE SAIPAN.

Where are all the Saipanese immigrants these days?

1946:  PALEONTOLOGIST JACK HORNER IS BORN.

Just to be clear, this is not the dude who sat in a corner.

1955:  THE EISENHOWER ADMINISTRATION STAGES THE FIRST ANNUAL "OPERATION ALERT" EXERCISE, AN ATTEMPT TO ASSESS THE USA'S PREPARATIONS FOR A NUCLEAR ATTACK.

Duck and cover!!!

1963:  ACTRESS HELEN HUNT IS BORN.

Helen, we're all mad about you.

1964:  ACTRESS COURTNEY COX IS BORN.

Thank God.  The show wouldn't have worked with just five people.

1978:  KING HUSSEIN OF JORDAN MARRIES AMERICAN LISA HALABY, WHO TAKES THE NAME QUEEN NOOR.

Queen Latifah was a close second.

1984:  "MUSIC MAN" COMPOSER MEREDITH WILLSON DIES.

I shed a tear.

1985:  REMBRANDT'S "DANAE" IS ATTACKED BY A MAN WHO THROWS SULFURIC ACID ON THE CANVAS AND CUTS IT TWICE WITH A KNIFE.

Thank God they stopped him before he did any real damage.

1993:  POLITICIAN JOHN CONNALLY DIES.

Thirty years after he was shot.  That must have been some hospital bill.

1996:  SINGER ELLA FITZGERALD DIES.

At this point, she didn't have a leg to stand on.

2003:  ACTOR HUME CRONYN DIES.

Thank goodness there was no mystery about this death.  I'd hate to think his body would need to be ex-humed.

Dinner last night:  Polish sausage at the Dodger game.


No comments: