Wednesday, November 15, 2023

This Date in History - November 15

 

Happy birthday to Petula Clark, the singer most likely to be found on my mother's record player.

565:  JUSTIN II SUCCEEDS HIS UNCLE JUSTINIAN I AS EMPEROR OF THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE.

Justin time.

1532:  COMMANDED BY FRANCISCO PIZARRO, SPANISH CONQUISTADORS UNDER HERNANDO DE SOTO MEET INCA EMPIRE LEADER ATAHUALPA FOR THE FIRST TIME.

Inca dinka doo.

1533:  FRANCISCO PIZARRO ARRIVES IN CUZCO, THE CAPITAL OF THE INCA EMPIRE.

Hog gets in his name in here twice.

1777:  AMERICAN REVOLUTION - AFTER 16 MONTHS OF DEBATE, THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS APPROVES THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION.

Typical government.  Nothing gets done quickly.

1791:  THE FIRST US CATHOLIC COLLEGE, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, OPENS ITS DOORS.

Hoya doin'?

1806:  LIEUTENANT ZEBULON PIKE SEES A DISTANT MOUNTAIN PEAK IN COLORADO AND IT IS LATER NAMED PIKES PEAK.

Duh.

1864:  AMERICAN CIVIL WAR - UNION GENERAL WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN BEGINS SHERMAN'S MARCH TO THE SEA.

Duh, the sequel.

1882:  LAWYER FELIX FRANKFURTER IS BORN.

Hot dog!

1905:  CONDUCTOR MANTOVANI IS BORN.

Also likely to be found on my mom's record player.   As well as most elevators.

1914:  HARRY TURNER BECOMES THE FIRST PLAYER TO DIE FROM GAME-RELATED INJURIES IN THE "OHIO LEAGUE," WHICH IS THE DIRECT PREDECESSOR TO THE NFL.

Concussion, I am guessing.

1926:  THE NBC RADIO NETWORK OPENS WITH 24 STATIONS.

Bum bom bum.

1929:  ACTOR EDWARD ASNER IS BORN.

Oh, Mr. Grant...

1932:  SINGER PETULA CLARK IS BORN.

Seriously, my mom had every one of her records.

1939:  IN WASHINGTON DC, US PRESIDENT FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT LAYS THE CORNERSTONE OF THE JEFFERSON MEMORIAL.

Something he hadn't done with his own wife for some time by now.

1942:  WORLD WAR II - THE BATTLE OF GUADALCANAL ENDS IN A DECISIVE ALLIED VICTORY.

And results in probably three John Wayne movies.

1943:  THE HOLOCAUST - GERMAN SS LEADER HEINRICH HIMMLER ORDERS THAT GYPSIES ARE TO PUT ON THE SAME LEVEL AS JEWS IN CONCENTRATION CAMPS.

Oh, no, not the gypsies, too???

1954:  ACTOR LIONEL BARRYMORE DIES.

It was a wonderful life.

1958:  ACTOR TYRONE POWER DIES.

Powerless.

1959:  THE MURDERS OF THE CLUTTER FAMILY IN KANSAS, WHICH INSPIRED TRUMAN CAPOTE'S BOOK "IN COLD BLOOD."

Now uncluttered.

1966:  PROJECT GEMINI - GEMINI 12 COMPLETES THE PROGRAM'S FINAL SPACE MISSION.

Paging Apollo....

1969:  VIETNAM WAR - IN WASHINGTON DC, ALMOST 500,000 PROTESTERS STAGE A PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION AGAINST THE WAR.

With probably only two Port-0-sans available.

1971:  INTEL RELEASES THE WORLD'S FIRST COMMERCIAL SINGLE-SHIP MICROPROCESSOR.

So all IT people get today off.

1976:  ACTOR JEAN GABIN DIES.

Pepe LeMoko!!

1978:  ANTHROPOLOGIST MARGARET MEAD DIES.

I know I did a book report about her once.

1979:  A PACKAGE FROM UNABOMBER TED KACZYNSKI BEGINS SMOKING IN THE CARGO HOLD OF A FLIGHT FROM CHICAGO TO WASHINGTON, DC.

And as you know, there is no smoking on airplanes.

2006:  AL JAZEERA ENGLISH LAUNCHES WORLDWIDE.

And closed about ten years later with approximately six viewers.

2007:  BASEBALL PITCHER JOE NUXHALL DIES.

Was once the youngest player ever to play baseball.  And he still died.

Dinner last night:  Hamburger.

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