This Date in History - August 8

And a happy birthday to Miss Connie Stevens.  That's a photo that has our Hawaiian eyes popping out.

1220:  SWEDEN IS DEFEATED BY ESTONIAN TRIBES AT THE BATTLE OF LIHULA.

Yeah, but how come I didn't see a big showing by Estonia in the recent Olympics???

1503:  KING JAMES IV OF SCOTLAND MARRIES MARGARET TUDOR, DAUGHTER OF KING HENRY VII OF ENGLAND AT HOLYROOD ABBEY.

Hooray for Holyrood!

1585:  JOHN DAVIS ENTERS CUMBERLAND SOUND IN SEARCH OF THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE.

I thought Spencer Tracy was looking for it.

1605:  THE CITY OF OULU, FINLAND, IS FOUNDED BY CHARLES IX OF SWEDEN.

So that loss to Estonia wasn't the nail in the coffin.

1709:  BARTOLOMEU DE GUSMAO DEMONSTRATES THE LIFTING POWER OF HOT AIR IN AN AUDIENCE BEFORE THE KING OF PORTUGAL.

I have actually so many jokes here that I can't pick just one.  You think up your own.

1786:  MONT BLANC ON THE FRENCH-ITALIAN BORDER IS CLIMBED FOR THE FIRST TIME BY JACQUES BALMAT AND DR. MICHEL-GABRIEL PACCARD.

And that's why we have fountain pens by the same name today.

1794:  JOSEPH WHIDBEY LEADS AN EXPEDITION TO SEARCH FOR THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE.

Still looking....

1844:  THE QUORUM OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES, HEADED BY BRIGHAM YOUNG, IS REAFFIRMED AS THE LEADING BODY OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS.

Is that the eighth day in the week?  Latterday?

1863:  FOLLOWING HIS DEFEAT IN THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG, GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE SENDS A LETTER OF RESIGNATION TO CONFEDERATE PRESIDENT JEFFERSON DAVIS AND IT IS REFUSED TO UPON RECEIPT.

Nobody likes a quitter.

1876:  THOMAS EDISON RECEIVES A PATENT FOR HIS MIMEOGRAPH.

I love the smell of that ink.

1879:  BOB SMITH, FOUNDER OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, IS BORN.

Let's have a toast.

1908:  WILBUR WRIGHT MAKES HIS FIRST FLIGHT AT A RACECOURSE AT LE MANS, FRANCE.

And where was Orville?   Did he have a vacation day?

1921:  PRODUCER WILLIAM ASHER IS BORN.

Director of "I Love Lucy," producer of "Bewitched," and a guy who got to sleep with Elizabeth Montgomery.  I'm impressed most by the latter.  

1921:  ACTRESS ESTHER WILLIAMS IS BORN.

Glub, glub.

1929:  THE GERMAN AIRSHIP GRAF ZEPPELIN BEGINS A ROUND-THE-WORLD FLIGHT.

When does Led Zeppelin take off?

1937:  ACTOR DUSTIN HOFFMAN IS BORN.

Plastics.

1938:  ACTRESS CONNIE STEVENS IS BORN.

"Actress Connie Stevens?"  Who the hell am I kidding???

1945:  THE SOVIET UNION DECLARES WAR ON JAPAN.

Talk about coming to the party a little late.

1952:  RADIO PERSONALITY ROBIN QUIVERS IS BORN.

The very first appearance of her private parts.

1963:  THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY --- IN ENGLAND, A GANG OF 15 TRAIN ROBBERS STEAL 2.6 MILLION POUNDS IN BANK NOTES.

I'm not impressed.  Our own politicians steal that much every week.

1974:  PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON, IN A NATIONWIDE TELEVISION ADDRESS, ANNOUNCES HIS RESIGNATION FROM THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

Unlike that of General Robert E. Lee, this one we gratefully accept.

1984:  ACTOR RICHARD DEACON DIES.

Shut up, Mel.

2001:  PERSONALITY MAUREEN REAGAN DIES.

She once lived across the street from my old apartment.   And, after that, I've got nothing.

2004:  ACTRESS FAY WRAY DIES.

Now we know what killed the beauty as well.

2005:  ACTRESS BARBARA BEL GEDDES DIES.

Miss Ellie really goes to "Big D" now.

2005:  BASEBALL MANAGER GENE MAUCH DIES.

He once punched Met catcher Jerry Grote so he finally gets what he deserved.

2007:  AN EF2 TORNADO TOUCHES DOWN IN QUEENS AND BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

Except Mr. G the weather man had called for "golden sunshine."

2007:  FILM DIRECTOR MELVILLE SHAVELSON DIES.

I actually carried on an e-mail correspondence with this guy for about a year.  Nice man.

2010:  ACTRESS PATRICIA NEAL DIES.

Forty five years after most people thought she did.

2013:  ACTRESS KAREN BLACK DIES.

"The stewardess is flying the plane!"

2017:  SINGER GLEN CAMPBELL DIES.

No joke here.   I thought the guy was a real talent.  Listen to "Wichita Linesman."

Dinner last night: Salad.