Wednesday, April 19, 2017

This Date in History - April 19

Happy birthday to Elinor Donahue.  This is probably the only blog in the world sporting a picture of her today.

65 AD:  THE FREEDMAN MILICHUS BETRAYS PISO'S PLOT TO KILL THE EMPEROR NERO AND ALL THE CONSPIRATORS ARE ARRESTED.

Too bad.   Would have saved a fortune on arson insurance.

797:  EMPRESS IRENE ORGANIZES A CONSPIRACY AGAINST HER SON, THE BYZANTINE EMPEROR CONSTANTINE VI.

April 19...a day to plot overthrows apparently.

1529:  THE BEGINNING OF THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION.  

My pal Martin Luther must be in the middle of this somehow.

1539:  CHARLES V AND PROTESTANTS SIGN THE TREATY OF FRANKFURT.

With mustard and relish.

1770:  MARIE ANTOINETTE MARRIES LOUIS XVI OF FRANCE IN A PROXY WEDDING.

A head of her time.

1775:  THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION BEGINS WITH AN AMERICAN VICTORY IN CONCORD.

USA!  USA!

1810:  VENEZUELA ACHIEVES HOME RULE WHEN GOVERNOR EMPARAN IS REMOVED BY THE PEOPLE OF CARACAS AND A JUNTA IS INSTALLED.

Junta...always loved that word.

1882:  THEORIST CHARLES DARWIN DIES.

Evolve this.

1892:  CHARLES DURYEA CLAIMS TO HAVE DRIVEN THE FIRST AUTOMOBILE IN THE US.

Probably a false claim because I never heard of anybody driving a new Duryea.

1927:  MAE WEST IS SENTENCED TO TEN DAYS IN JAIL FOR OBSCENITY FOR HER PLAY SEX.

That's play sex as in theatrical production, you dirty minds, you.

1930:  ACTOR DICK SARGENT IS BORN.

Darrin #2.

1935:  ACTOR DUDLEY MOORE IS BORN.

Probably stayed at the same height for the rest of his life.

1937:  ACTRESS ELINOR DONAHUE IS BORN.

A good friend of mine is a good friend of her son.   If anybody is playing Six Degrees of Elinor Donahue.

1943:  WORLD WAR II - IN POLAND, THE WARSAW GHETTO UPRISING BEGINS AS GERMAN TROOPS ROUND UP THE REMAINING JEWS.

Paying attention, President Roosevelt?

1948:  BURMA JOINS THE UNITED NATIONS.

Shave.

1956:  ACTRESS GRACE KELLY MARRIES PRINCE RAINIER OF MONACO.

Based on his looks, he did very, very well here.

1971:  CHARLES MANSON IS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR CONSPIRACY IN THE TATE-LABIANCA MURDERS.

And this guy still walks the earth.

1971:  SPORTSCASTER RUSS HODGES DIES.

Also sentenced to death today.   Sort of.

1987:  THE SIMPSONS FIRST APPEAR AS A SERIES OF SHORTS ON THE TRACEY ULLMAN SHOW.

After all these years, wow, that's a lot of yellow ink.

1995:  THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING.

Remember it like it was just 22 years ago.

2005:  CARDINAL JOSEPH RATZINGER IS ELECTED TO THE PAPACY AND BECOMES POPE BENEDICT XVI.

Later quit when he discovered he had to work Christmas Eve.

2005:  ACTRESS RUTH HUSSEY DIES.

Listed here only because the last name makes me laugh.

2011:  FIDEL CASTRO RESIGNS AS FIRST SECRETARY OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY.   

Wonder what kind of 401K plan the Communist Party has.

2013:  JOURNALIST AL NEUHARTH DIES.

Founded USA Today which nobody reads unless they're in a hotel on a business trip.

2013:  BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING SUSPECT TAMERIAN TSARNAEV IS KILLED IN A SHOOTOUT WITH POLICE.

As depicted in the movie Patriots Day, this guy was one dumb terrorist.

2016:  BASEBALL PITCHER MILT PAPPAS DIES.

Gets listed here because, frankly, April 19 isn't a particularly busy day for dead celebrities.

Dinner last night:  Leftover pasta.

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