This Date in History - September 4

Happy birthday, Mitzi Gaynor.  And she's still kicking.  Literally.

476: ROMULUS AUGUSTULUS, LAST EMPEROR OF THE WESTERN ROMAN EMPIRE, IS DEPOSED WHEN ODOACER PROCLAIMS HIMSELF "KING OF ITALY."

I thought the "king of Italy" was Marcello Mastroianni.

626:  LI SHIMIN, POSTHUMOUSLY KNOWN AS EMPEROR TAIZONG OF TANG, ASSUMES THE THRONE OVER THE TANG DYNASTY.

The Tang Dynasty, meh!  They should drink some real orange juice.

1666:  IN LONDON, ENGLAND, THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE DAMAGE FROM THE GREAT FIRE OCCURS.

Now that really is a great fire.

1781:  NEW CALEDONIA IS FIRST SIGHTED BY CAPTAIN JAMES COOK.  

Not to be mistaken with Old Caledonia.

1791:  LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA IS FOUNDED AS EL PUEBLO DE NUESTRA SENORA LA REINA DE LOS ANGELES DE PORCIUNCULA.

Which would be way too much to print on the front of the Dodgers' road jerseys.

1812:  DURING THE WAR OF 1812, THE SIEGE OF FORT HARRISON BEGINS WHEN THE FORT IS SET ON FIRE.

Well, that's how most sieges get started.

1862:  DURING THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR, GENERAL ROBERT E' LEE TAKES THE ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA INTO THE NORTH.

Yeah, that's going to work out just fine for you, Lee.

1886:  AFTER ALMOST 30 YEARS OF FIGHTING, APACHE LEADER GERONIMO SURRENDERS IN ARIZONA.

Heap big tired.

1888:  GEORGE EASTMAN REGISTERS THE TRADEMARK KODAK AND RECEIVES A PATENT FOR A CAMERA THAT USES ROLL FILM.

Remember those??

1918:  RADIO HOST PAUL HARVEY IS BORN.

And this will be the rest of the story.

1928:  ACTOR DICK YORK IS BORN.

The first and only legitimate Darren on "Bewitched."

1931:  ACTRESS MITZI GAYNOR IS BORN.

Younger than springtime.

1939:  A BRISTOL BLENHEIM IS THE FIRST BRITISH AIRCRAFT TO CROSS THE GERMAN COAST FOLLOWING THE DECLARATION OF WAR AND GERMAN SHIPS ARE BOMBED.

Cheerio and take that, you Nazi bastard.

1941:  A GERMAN SUBMARINE MAKES THE FIRST ATTACK AGAINST A US SHIP, THE USS GREER.

Come on, Yanks!  You just read what the English can do.

1949: THE PEEKSKILL, NY RACE RIOTS BEGIN AFTER A PAUL ROBESON CONCERT.

What happened?  Did he forget to sing "Ole Man River?"

1957:  DURING THE LITTLE ROCK CRISIS, ORVAL FAUBUS, GOVERNOR OF ARKANSAS, CALLS OUT THE NATIONAL GUARD TO PREVENT AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS FROM ENROLLING IN A HIGH SCHOOL.

Did he not see what happened in Peekskill eight years prior??

1957:  THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY INTRODUCES THE EDSEL.

Let me know how this works out.

1968:  BASEBALL STAR MIKE PIAZZA IS BORN.

I had a lot of respect for him until he made those nasty comments about Vin Scully.

1972:  MARK SPITZ BECOMES THE FIRST COMPETITOR TO WIN SEVEN MEDALS AT A SINGLE OLYMPIC GAMES.

Nice record, Spitz.  But, wait.....did someone say Michael Phelps??

1986: BASEBALL STAR HANK GREENBERG DIES.

Just so you know, there was a Jewish baseball star before Sandy Koufax.

1991:  ACTOR/AUTHOR TOM TRYON DIES.

Also starred in a bunch of Disney crap during the early 60s.

1991:  COUNTRY SINGER DOTTIE WEST DIES.

Dottie goes South.

1993:  ACTOR HERVE VILLECHAIZE DIES.

Anybody got a cigar box we can use?

1998:  GOOGLE IS FOUNDED BY TWO STUDENTS AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY.

And I found that out...on Google.

2001:  RADIO PERSONALITY HANK THE ANGRY DWARF DIES.

Two midgets die on the same date.  Fascinating!

2006:  ANIMAL TV HOST STEVE IRWIN DIES.

Oh, look at the cool stingray.  Ouch.......

Dinner last night:  French dip sandwich and chopped salad.