285 (or 286): EXECUTION OF SAINTS CRISPIN AND CRISPINIAN, NOW THE PATRON SAINTS OF LEATHER WORKS, CURRIERS, AND SHOEMAKERS.
Yeah, yeah, I get it. But what's with the indecision on the year??
1147: RECONQUISTA - AFTER A SIEGE OF FOUR MONTHS, CRUSADER KNIGHTS LED BY AFONSO HENRIQUES RECONQUERED LISBON.
Didn't Afonso Henriques once pitch for the San Francisco Giants?
1616: DUTCH SEA CAPTAIN DIRK HARTOG MAKES SECOND RECORDED LANDFALL BY A EUROPEAN ON AUSTRALIAN SOIL AT THE LATER NAMED DIRK HARTOG ISLAND.
Talk about ego.
1760: GEORGE III BECOMES KING OF GREAT BRITAIN.
Is it my imagination or is every British king named either George or Henry?
1812: WAR OF 1812 - THE USS UNITED STATES, AN AMERICAN FRIGATE, CAPTURES THE BRITISH FRIGATE HMS MACEDONIAN.
When I was a kid, I would have laughed at the word "frigate."
1828: ST KATHARINE DOCKS OPEN IN LONDON.
That's either a pier or an urgent care office.
1861: THE TORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE IS CREATED.
For those who think they only care about hockey...
1881: PAINTER PABLO PICASSO IS BORN.
Look at what a dirty guy he was.
Cosmo Topper!
1912: COUNTRY STAR MINNIE PEARL IS BORN.
Howdy!
1920: AFTER 74 DAYS ON A HUNGER STRIKE IN ENGLAND, THE MAYOR OF CORK, TERENCE MACSWINEY, DIES.
British food kills. So does not eating British food.
1921: LAWMAN BAT MASTERSON DIES.
The real guy, not Gene Barry.
1923: BASEBALL PLAYER BOBBY THOMSON IS BORN.
The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! Phooey.
1924: MIDGET ACTOR BILLY BARTY IS BORN.
Don't you wonder how tall he was at birth?
1928: ACTOR TONY FRANCIOSA IS BORN.
And so the name dropping begins. He used to come to my church every Christmas Eve. One year, I gave him holy communion. Three weeks later, he was dead.
1928: ACTRESS MARION ROSS IS BORN.
Two actors born on the same day and year. I've met both of them. Nice lady.
1940: BENJAMIN DAVIS SR. IS NAMED THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN GENERAL IN THE US ARMY.
Another great stride in this, a supposedly racist country.
1941: SINGER HELEN REDDY IS BORN.
Hearing her roar.
1944: HEINRICH HIMMLER ORDERS A CRACKDOWN ON YOUTH CULTURE IN NAZI GERMANY AS SOME YOUTH WERE HIDING PEOPLE FROM THE THIRD REICH.
Not to be confused with the Heimlich Maneuver which makes you cough up bits of food.
1944: WORLD WAR II - THE BATTLE OF LEYTE GULF, WHICH IS THE LARGEST NAVAL BATTLE IN HISTORY.
Japan vs. US. Be there.
1962: CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS - ADLAI STEVENSON SHOWS PHOTOS AT A UNITED NATION SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING PROVING THAT SOVIET MISSILES ARE INSTALLED IN CUBA.
And this time they really were there.
1971: THE UNITED NATIONS SEATS THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND EXPELS THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA.
Like a baseball manager doing a double switch.
1983: OPERATION URGENT FURY - THE US AND ITS CARIBBEAN ALLIES INVADE GRENADA.
I remember this and I still have no idea what it was all about.
1986: ACTOR FORREST TUCKER DIES.
I never liked F Troop. Just sayin'.
1992: SINGER ROGER MILLER DIES.
No longer king of the road.
1993: ACTOR VINCENT PRICE DIES.
I never met him, but friends have.
1995: TENNIS PLAYER BOBBY RIGGS DIES.
Women applaud.
2002: ACTOR RICHARD HARRIS DIES.
Melting in the dark.
2005: NY FOOTBALL GIANTS OWNER WELLINGTON MARA DIES.
Punt!
2009: THE OCTOBER 2009 BAGHDAD BOMBINGS KILL 155 AND WOUNDS AT LEAST 721.
One of those days where Heaven gets a line at the front gate.
2013: ACTRESS MARCIA WALLACE DIES.
Met her once at a super market. Except for Bill Daily, I had contact at some point with everybody else from the Bob Newhart Show.
Dinner last night: A late post-World Series game meal at Cafe 50's. BLT on rye toast.
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