Wednesday, June 19, 2024

This Date in History - June 19

 

Happy birthday, Kathleen Turner.  You were really hot back in the day.  Meanwhile, somebody explain to me why today is a national holiday.

1269:  KING LUIS IX OF FRANCE ORDERS ALL JEWS FOUND IN PUBLIC WITHOUT AN IDENTIFYING YELLOW BADGE TO BE FINED TEN LIVRES OF SILVER.

That fine was a lot easier to take than the one Hitler invented centuries later.

1586:  ENGLISH COLONISTS LEAVE ROANOKE ISLAND, AFTER FAILING TO ESTABLISH ENGLAND'S FIRST PERMANENT SETTLEMENT IN NORTH AMERICA.

You snooze, you lose.  Here comes the Mayflower.

1770:  EMANUEL SWEDENBORG REPORTS THE COMPLETION OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST IN HIS WORK TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION.

Still waiting.

1816:  BATTLE OF SEVEN OAKS BETWEEN NORTH WEST COMPANY AND HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY.

One of those historical facts that means absolutely nothing to me.

1846:  THE FIRST OFFICIALLY RECORDED, ORGANIZED BASEBALL GAME IS PLAYED IN HOBOKEN.  THE NEW YORK BASEBALL CLUB BEATS THE KNICKERBOCKERS, 23-1.  

Should have taken the Knickerbockers with 23 points.

1862:  THE US CONGRESS PROHIBITS SLAVERY IN UNITED STATES TERRITORIES, NULLIFYING DRED SCOTT VS. SANDFORD.

And Son?

1865:  OVER TWO YEARS AFTER THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION, SLAVES IN GALVESTON, TEXAS ARE FINALLY INFORMED OF THEIR FREEDOM.

Good news travels slowly.

1896:  SOCIALITE WALLIS SIMPSON IS BORN.

Wife of Edward VIII, grandmother of Homer I.

1897:  ACTOR MOE HOWARD IS BORN.

Why, I oughta.....

1902:  BAND LEADER GUY LOMBARDO IS BORN.

Happy New Birth.

1903:  BASEBALL STAR LOU GEHRIG IS BORN.

Guten tag.

1910:  THE FIRST FATHER'S DAY IS CELEBRATED IN SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

Who knew that Spokane was such a trendsetter?

1914:  MUSICIAN LESTER FLATT IS BORN.

Come and listen to a story...

1915:  ACTOR PAT BUTTRAM IS BORN.

Mr. Haney from "Green Acres."!!

1919:  FILM CRITIC PAULINE KAEL IS BORN.

I wonder if she liked this.

1921:  ACTOR LOUIS JOURDAN IS BORN.

And he subsequently died.  This is not a new phenomenon, folks.

1928:  ACTRESS NANCY MARCHAND IS BORN.

What an acting range.  The stately Mrs. Pynchon on "Lou Grant" and then the grizzled Livia on "The Sopranos."

1932:  ACTRESS PIER ANGELI IS BORN.

Later screwed by James Dean....and then really screwed by Vic Damone.

1934:  THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION IS STARTED.

And those seven dirty words are?

1937:  AUTHOR J.M. BARRIE DIES.

From Never Never Land to Really Never Never Land.

1953:  JULIUS AND ETHEL ROSENBERG ARE EXECUTED AT SING SING.

Bye, spy.

1954:  ACTRESS KATHLEEN TURNER IS BORN.

Now she's ice cold.  And just plain fat.

1961:  KUWAIT DECLARES  INDEPENDENCE FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM.

Yet another historical fact that means absolutely nothing to me.

1964:  THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 IS APPROVED AFTER SURVIVING AN 83-DAY SENATE FILIBUSTER.

Why do I think the filibuster was started by some Southern Democrat?

1966:  ACTOR ED WYNN DIES.

Not laughing any more.

1975:  MOBSTER SAM GIANCANA DIES.

Dies?  Ha.

1978:  GARFIELD THE COMIC STRIP MAKES ITS DEBUT.

The only thing on the funny pages that I'm allergic to.

1982:  THE BODY OF GOD'S BANKER, ROBERTO CALVI, IS FOUND HANGING IN LONDON.

Forcing God to go to the ATM himself.

1986:  BASKETBALL PLAYER LEN BIAS DIES.

Fifth technical.

1990:  THE COMMUNIST PART OF THE RUSSIAN SOVIET FEDERATIVE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC IS FOUND IN MOSCOW.

Calling the Marketing department for suggestions on a shorter name.

1991:  ACTRESS JEAN ARTHUR DIES.

Shane didn't come back.   Neither will she.

1998:  ACTOR ATTICUS SHAFFER IS BORN.

The wonderful young actor who played Brick on "The Middle."

2009:  MASS RIOTS INVOLVING 10,000 PEOPLE AND 10,000 POLICE OFFICERS BREAK OUT IN SHISHOU, CHINA.

Well, at least, the sides are even.

2010:  BASKETBALL PLAYER MANUTE BOL DIES.

A tough day to be tall.

2016:  ACTOR ANTON YELCHIN OF "STAR TREK"  DIES.

He ran himself over with his own car.  I kid you not.

2017:  AMERICAN STUDENT OTTO WARMBIER DIES AFTER BEING HELD CAPTIVE BY NORTH KOREA.

Why would anybody want to go there in the first place??

2018:  GORILLA AND USER OF AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE KOKO DIES.

Leaving a bunch of deaf gorillas shit out of luck.

Dinner last night:  Steak salad.

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