This Date in History - April 28

 

It's Ann-Margret's birthday.  As if I needed an excuse to look at that photo.

1503:  THE BATTLE OF CERIGNOLA IS FOUGHT.  IT IS BELIEVED TO BE THE FIRST FIGHT WON BY USING GUNPOWDER.

You can put your spears down, fellers.

1788:  MARYLAND BECOMES THE SEVENTH STATE TO RATIFY THE US CONSTITUTION.

The US Constitution? What is that?

1789:  THE REAL MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY OCCURS.  

And, no, Clark Gable wasn't that old.

1874:  ACTOR SIDNEY TOLER IS BORN.

The best Charlie Chan.

1878:  ACTOR LIONEL BARRYMORE IS BORN.

Must have been hard getting that wheelchair down the birth canal.

1881:  BILLY THE KID ESCAPES FROM JAIL IN NEW MEXICO.

Surprised?

1908:  BUSINESSMAN OSKAR SCHINDLER IS BORN.

Are you keeping a list?

1923:  WEMBLEY STADIUM IS OPENED.

Tennis anyone?

1926:  AUTHOR HARPER LEE IS BORN.

Scout?

1930:  ACTRESS CAROLYN JONES IS BORN.

Da-da-da-da...snap, snap.

1941:  ACTRESS ANN-MARGRET IS BORN.

God bless her parents.  Oh, shit, that makes her 80!!!

1945:  BENITO MUSSOLINI AND HIS MISTRESS ARE SHOT DEAD.

Wonder where he'll be hanging around next.

1950:  COMIC JAY LENO IS BORN.

Another one who is older than I thought.

1952:  DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER RESIGNS AS COMMANDER OF NATO.

Hmmmm, maybe he should run for President.

1967:  BOXER MUHAMMAD ALI REFUSES HIS INDUCTION INTO THE US ARMY AND IS SUBSEQUENTLY STRIPPED OF HIS TITLE.

Float like a butterfly....whatever.

1969:  CHARLES DE GAULLE RESIGNS AS PRESIDENT OF FRANCE.

Adieu.

1970:  PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON FORMALLY AUTHORIZES AMERICAN TROOPS TO TAKE PART IN THE CAMBODIAN CAMPAIGN.

Spoiler alert...good luck with that.

1970:  ACTOR ED BEGLEY DIES.

Ed Jr.'s dad.  Duh.

1973:  "THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON" BY PINK FLOYD GOES TO NUMBER ONE IN THE US BILLBOARD CHART.

How many acid trips did this provoke?

1986:  HIGH LEVELS OF RADIATION ARE FOUND IN SWEDEN AS A RESULT OF THE CHERNOBYL DISASTER.

Why, you're all aglow.

1988:  NEAR MAUI,  A FLIGHT ATTENDANT IS BLOWN OUT OF AN ALOHA AIRLINES FLIGHT WHEN THE PLANE'S FUSELAGE RIPS OPEN IN MID-FLIGHT.

Talk about your exit row.

1993:  BASKETBALL COACH JIM VALVANO DIES.

That's his fifth personal foul.

1996:  WHITEWATER - PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON GIVES A 4 1/2 HOUR TESTIMONY FOR THE DEFENSE.

And he did date that girl, either.

2007:  MUSICIAN TOMMY NEWSOM DIES.

So who will sit in for Doc?

2019:  FILM DIRECTOR JOHN SINGLETON DIES.

Corpse in The Hood.

Dinner last night:  Teriyaki noodles.