This Date in History - August 27

It's Wednesday, so let's say happy birthday to Tuesday...Weld, that is.

410:  THE SACKING OF ROME BY THE VISIGOTHS ENDS AFTER THREE DAYS.

Who knew the Visigoths had such good tackles.

1172:  HENRY THE YOUNG KING AND MARGARET OF FRANCE ARE CROWNED AS JUNIOR KING AND QUEEN OF ENGLAND.

But who got Homecoming?

1776:  IN THE BATTLE OF LONG ISLAND, IN WHAT IS NOW BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, BRITISH FORCES DEFEAT AMERICANS LED BY GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON.

And this is why Jackie Robinson didn't speak with a British accent.

1798:  WOLFE TONE'S UNITED IRISH AND FRENCH FORCES CLASH WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE BATTLE OF CASTLEBAR.  THIS RESULTS IN THE CREATION OF THE FRENCH PUPPET REPUBLIC OF CONNACHT.

I love puppets.

1813:  FRENCH EMPEROR NAPOLEON I DEFEATS A FORCE OF AUSTRIANS, RUSSIANS, AND PRUSSIANS AT THE BATTLE OF DRESDEN.

Not bad for a guy with one arm in his jacket.

1832:  BLACK HAWK, LEADER OF THE SAUK TRIBE, SURRENDERS TO US AUTHORITIES.

Black Hawk Down.

1859:  PETROLEUM IS DISCOVERED IN PENNSYLVANIA LEADING TO THE WORLD'S FIRST SUCCESSFUL OIL WELL.

Paging Jed Clampett.

1861:  DURING THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR, UNION FORCES ATTACK CAPE HATTERAS, NORTH CAROLINA.

Usually it's just hurricanes.

1896:  ANGLO-ZANZIBAR WAR - THE SHORTEST WAR IN WORLD HISTORY (45 MINUTES) IS HELD BETWEEN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND ZANZIBAR.

Fits perfectly into an hour with commercials.

1908:  PRESIDENT LYNDON B. JOHNSON IS BORN.

I ask for your help...and God's.

1916:  ACTRESS MARTHA RAYE IS BORN.

On this day, she didn't have any teeth either.

1921:  THE BRITISH INSTALL THE SON OF SHARIF HUSSEIN BIN ALI AS KING FAISAL I OF IRAQ.

Well, Faisal is shorter to write on checks.

1927:  FIVE CANADIAN WOMEN FILE A POSITION TO THE SUPREME COURT OF CANADA ASKING "DOES THE WORD PERSONS INCLUDE FEMALE PERSONS?"

These days, I'm wondering if the word persons refers to male persons.

1942:  MUSICIAN DARYL DRAGON IS BORN.

The Captain with Tennille!

1943:  DURING WORLD WAR II, JAPANESE FORCES EVACUATE NEW GEORGIA ISLAND IN THE PACIFIC THEATER.

What did they always call it a theater?   This is not a show I wanted to watch.

1943:  ACTRESS TUESDAY WELD IS BORN.

Oddly enough, August 27, 1943 was a Friday.

1964:  WALT DISNEY'S "MARY POPPINS" PREMIERES AT GRAUMAN'S CHINESE THEATER.

A great movie.

1964:  COMEDY STAR GRACIE ALLEN DIES.

I hope she didn't have tickets to see "Mary Poppins."

1971:  AN ATTEMPTED COUP D'ETAT FAILS IN THE AFRICAN NATION OF CHAD AND THEY BLAME EGYPT.

Or Jeremy.

1971:  PUBLISHER BENNETT CERF DIES.

Now his line is "Corpse."

1975:  ETHIOPIAN EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE I DIES

Highly not breathing.

1985:  THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT IS PEACEFULLY OVERTHROWN.

Er, excuse me, we're taking over now, thank you.

1996:  ACTOR GREG MORRIS DIES.

Mission:  Really Impossible Now.

2003:  MARS MAKES ITS CLOSEST APPROACH TO EARTH IN NEARLY 60,000 YEARS.

When those Martians get a good look at this place, they'll wait another 60,000 to come back.

Dinner last night:  Asian steak salad.