Today in History
2015 A 7.9-magnitude earthquake hits Nepal, causing over 2,400 deaths, fatal avalanches on Mt. Everest, and destruction of historic sites such as the Dharahara tower
2014 China updates its environmental laws, providing more legal framework for addressing violations; the laws were last changed in 1989, prior to the nation's accelerated growth and rate of environmental degradation
2014 A fossil unearthed in China has been identified as a new pterosaur species; named Kryptodrakon progenitor, the fossil is the first of its kind to show traits of pterodactyls, giant flying reptiles
2013 Unemployment in France reaches a record level of 3.22 million people
2013 All living former U.S. Presidents, including George W. Bush and current President Barack Obama, are present for the dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas
2012 In Illinois, a Cook County Circuit Court rules that the tax Amazon.com levied on Internet businesses by the U.S. state of Illinois is unconstitutional
2012 After a case of mad cow disease is reported in South Korea, retailers cease selling U.S. beef
2011 The U.S. government 'condemns' international media outlets, including 'The New York Times' for publishing confidential files
2011 On a mission to destroy Muammar Gaddafi's forces, NATO jets fly over Tripoli and knock out three television stations
2010 At least 80 schoolgirls attending different Kunduz schools are poisoned this week; an inquiry is launched and the Taliban, opposed to female education, deny any involvement
1997 Seattle Mariner Ken Griffey, Jr. hits his 250th home run
1996 "Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk," opens at Ambassador Theater New York City
1995 "Month in the Country" opens at Roundabout Theater New York City for 79 performances
1995 16th Emmy Sports Award presentation
1994 14" of snow in Southern California
1994 Bomb attack on taxi stand in Johannesburg, 10 killed
1994 Fishing boat with school children capsize at Lanaka Syria, 46 killed
1994 King Azlan Shah of Malaysia resigns
1994 Mexican businessman and billionaire Angel Losada kidnap
1994 Tsutomu Hata elected premier of Japan
1993 "Blood Brothers" opens at Music Box Theater New York City for 839 performances
1993 Russia elect Boris Yeltsin leader
1992 "Shimada" closes at Broadhurst Theater New York City after 4 performances
1992 Firestone World Bowling Tournament of Champions won by Marc McDowell
1991 "Grand Hotel" closes at Beck Theater New York City after 1018 performances
1991 Designer Mary McFadden (52) announces divorce of Kohie Yohannan (23)
1991 Lisa Olson brings suit against NFL New England Patriots for sexual harassment
1991 Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman's musical premieres in New York City
1990 25th Academy of Country Music Awards: Clint Black and Kathy Mattea win
1990 Hubble space telescope is placed into orbit by shuttle Discovery
1990 Violeta Barrios de Chamorro begins a 6 year term as Nicaragua's president
1989 Mike Tyson gets a speeding ticket for drag racing in Albany, New York
1989 Penguin Mario Lemuix ties NHL playoff record of 4 goals in 1st period
1988 "Nightline" goes on location to Jerusalem Israel
1988 John Demjanjuk (Ivan the Terrible), sentenced to death in Jerusalem
1988 NASA launches space vehicle S-211
1986 ETA bomb attacks Madrid killing 5
1985 "Big River" opens at Eugene O'Neill Theater New York City for 1005 performances
1985 Flyers 2-Isles 6-Patrick Div Finals-Flyers hold 3-1 lead
1985 For 2nd time, Wayne Gretzky, scores 7 goals in a Cup game
1985 Roger Miller's musical "Big River," premieres in New York City
1985 West German Parliament ruled it illegal to deny the holocaust
1984 Rock group Wings disbands
1984 U.S.S.R. performs nuclear test at Semipalitinsk, Eastern Kazakhstan U.S.S.R.
1983 "Nightline" expands from 1/2 hour to a full hour
1983 France performs nuclear test at Muruora Island
1983 Portugal's Soares' Partido Socialista wins parliamentary election
1983 Yuri Andropov invites U.S. schoolgirl Samantha Smith to U.S.S.R.
1982 Great Britain performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
1982 In accordance with Camp David, Israel completes Sinai withdrawal
1982 Patty Sheehan wins LPGA Orlando Lady Golf Classic
1982 U.S.S.R. performs nuclear test at Semipalitinsk, Eastern Kazakhstan U.S.S.R.
1982 Yankees fire manager Bob Lemon and replaces him with Gene Michael
1981 Maureen Reagan (40) marries 3rd husband, Dennis Revell (28)
1981 Mariners manager Maury Wills is suspended for 2 games after ordering Seattle's grounds crew to enlarge batter's boxes by one foot
1980 A's manager Billy Martin restrained by umps from attacking a fan
1980 Announcement of Jimmy Carter hostage rescue bungle in Iran
1980 Firestone World Bowling Tournament of Champions won by Wayne Webb
1980 U.S.S.R. performs nuclear test at Semipalitinsk, Eastern Kazakhstan U.S.S.R.
1979 "Rock 'n Roll High Schools" premieres
1979 Peace treaty between Israel and Egypt goes into effect
1978 Phillie Phanatic makes 1st appearance
1978 Supreme Court rules pension plans can't require women to pay more
1977 Cincinnati Reds tie record of 12 runs in 5th inning beating Braves 23-9
1977 U.S.S.R. performs nuclear test at Semipalitinsk, Eastern Kazakhstan U.S.S.R.
1976 Elections in Vietnam for a National Assembly to reunite the country
1976 India all out for 97 vs. West Indies
1976 Jan Stephenson wins LPGA Birmingham Golf Classic
1976 Portugal adopts constitution
1976 Cub centerfielder Rick Monday rescues U.S. flag from 2 fans trying to set it on fire
1975 1st Boeing Jetfoil revenue service, Hong Kong to Macao
1975 Mario Soares' Socialist Party wins Portugal's free election
1975 U.S.S.R. performs underground nuclear test
1975 West German embassy blown-up in Stockholm, Sweden
1974 Chancellor Willy Brandt sect Gunther Guillaume found to be a spy
1974 Leo Tindemans forms Belgium government
1974 Marcello Caetano overthrown in Portugal (Carnation revolution)
1974 NFL moves goal posts and adopts sudden-death playoff
1973 U.S. performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
1972 Hans-Werner Grosse glides 907.7 miles (1,461 km) in an AS-W-12
1971 About 200,000 anti-Vietnam War protesters march on Washington
1971 Sandra Haynie wins LPGA Burdine's Golf Invitational
1971 U.S. canal rights in Nicaragua and rights to Corn Islands expire
1971 U.S.S.R. performs nuclear test at Semipalitinsk, Eastern Kazakhstan U.S.S.R.
1970 "Park" closes at John Golden Theater New York City after 5 performances
1970 Freda Payne releases "Band of Gold"
1970 Melanie releases "Lay Down"
1969 BBC Radio serial "Dales" 5,400th and last episode
1969 Last radio broadcast of "Mrs Dale's Diary" on BBS
1968 "Half a Sixpence" opens at Broadhurst Theater New York City for 512 performances
1967 Britain grants internal self-government to Swaziland
1967 Jules Feiffer's "Little Murders," premieres in New York City
1966 Drunk driver kills 10 children in Asse Belgium
1965 19th NBA Championship: Boston Celtics beat Los Angeles Lakers, 4 games to 1
1965 Betsy Rawls wins LPGA Pensacola Golf Invitational
1964 Stanley Cup: Toronto Maple Leafs beat Detroit Red Wings, 4 games to 3
1962 Cleveland sends Harry Chiti to Mets for a player to be named later, on
1962 Lion and Tiger Veldt at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is dedicated
1962 U.S. Ranger spacecraft crash lands on Moon
1962 U.S. resumes above ground nuclear testing, at Christmas Island
1962 June 15 the Mets send Chiti back to Cleveland
1961 "Young Abe Lincoln" opens at Eugene O'Neill Theater New York City for 27 performances
1961 France performs nuclear test at Reggane Proving Grounds Algeria
1961 Mercury/Atlas rocket lifted off with an electronic mannequin
1961 Premier Moise Tsjombe of Katanga arrested in Congo
1961 Robert Noyce patents integrated circuit
1961 Unmanned Mercury test explodes on launch pad
1960 1st submerged circumnavigation of Earth completed by Triton
1959 St. Lawrence Seaway linking Atlantic, Great Lakes opens to shipping
1957 1st experimental sodium nuclear reactor operated
1957 Ibrahim Hashim forms Jordanian government
1957 WUHY TV channel 35 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PBS) begins broadcasting
1956 Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel" goes #1
1956 Noel Coward's musical "South Sea Bubble," premieres in London
1954 Bell labs announces 1st solar battery
1954 British raid Nairobi Kenya (25,000 Mau Mau suspects arrested)
1954 U.S. performs atmospheric nuclear test at Bikini Island atmospher
1954 WDEF TV channel 12 in Chattanooga, Tennessee (CBS) begins broadcasting
1952 6th NBA Championship: Minneapolis Lakers beat New York Knicks, 4 games to 3
1952 American Bowling Congress approves use of an automatic pinsetter
1952 German "Country" Bathe-Wurttemberg forms
1950 Ambon (proclaims RMS (Republik Maluku Selatan)
1950 Chuck Cooper becomes 1st black to play in NBA
1949 Friedrich Durrenmatt's "Romulus der Grosse," premieres in Basel
1949 Michael Brown, rocker (Left Bank-Don't Walk Away Renee)
1947 Lou Thesz beats Whipper Watson in St. Louis, to become wrestling champ
1947 Trial against WW II mayor of Amsterdam Edward Vonte begins
1946 "Exposition Flyer" rammed at Napierville Illinois, killing 48
1946 Christopher Fry's "Phoenix too Frequent," premieres in London
1945 45 countries convene United Nations Conference on International Organization in SF
1945 Allied air raid on Surabaja, Java
1945 British troops reach Grebbe line Netherlands
1945 Clandestine Radio 1212, used to hoax Nazi Germany's final transmission
1945 Last Boeing B-17 attack against Nazi Germany
1945 Red army completely surrounds Berlin
1945 U.S. and Soviet forces meet at Torgau, Germany on Elbe River
1944 United Negro College Fund incorporates
1942 Luftwaffe bombs Bath
1941 Operation Merkur: Hitler orders conquest of Kreta
1938 1st use of seeing eye dog
1933 New York Yankee Russ Van Atta shuts out Washington Senators 16-0
1933 U.S. and Canada drop Gold Standard
1932 Rose Franken's "Another Language," premieres in New York City
1928 Buddy, a German Shepherd, becomes 1st guide dog for the blind
1927 Spain routes 20,000 soldiers to Morocco (uprising Rifkabylen)
1926 Giacomo Puccini's opera "Turandot," premieres in Milan
1926 Persian cossack officer Reza Chan crowns himself Shah Palawi
1915 78,000 ANZAC troops land at Gallipoli
1905 Latest day of 1st-class cricket in an Australia season (NSW vs. Qld)
1905 Whites win right to vote in South Africa
1904 New York Yankee Jack Chesbro's 1st of 41 wins this year
1902 Erwin Harvey becomes 1st Cleveland ballplayer (Cleveland Bronchos) to have six hits in one game
1901 Erve Beck hits American League's 1st home run
1901 New York becomes 1st state requiring auto license plates ($1 fee)
1901 In last of 9th, Detroit Tigers, trailing by 13-4, score 10 runs to win one of greatest comebacks in baseball (1st game in Detroit)
1898 U.S. declares war on Spain over Cuba
1896 Fight in Central Dance Hall starts fire (Cripple Creek Colorado)
1896 Sidney Jones and Harry Greenbacks musical premieres in London
1891 President Benjamin Harrison visits San Francisco
1886 Sigmund Freud opens practice at Rathausstrasse 7, Vienna
1881 250,000 Germans petition to bar foreign Jews from entering Germany
1881 French troops occupy Algeria and Tunisia
1876 Chicago Cubs 1st NL game, beats Louisville 4-0 (1st NL shutout)
1875 Latest date for measurable snow in New York City (3")
1867 Tokyo opens for foreign trade
1864 Battle of Marks' Mill, Arkansas (Camden Expedition)
1862 Battle of New Orleans LA - U.S. Admiral Farragut occupies New Orleans
1861 7th New York arrives to reinforce Washington, D.C.
1861 Battle of Lavaca, Texas
1859 Ground broken for Suez Canal
1850 Paul Julius Reuter, use 40 pigeons to carry stock market prices
1792 Guillotine 1st used, executes highwayman Nicolas J Pelletier
1747 Prince Willem V appointed viceroy of Zealand
1719 Daniel Defoes publishes "Robinson Crusoe"
1707 Battle of Almansa-Franco-Spanish forces defeat Anglo-Portuguese
1684 Patent granted for thimble
1678 French troops conquer Ypres
1660 London Convention Parliament begins
1660 Parliament meets and votes to restore Charles II
1626 Battle at the Dessauer bridge: Monarch Albrecht von Wallenstein beats Earl of Mansfeld
1614 Amsterdam Bank of Loan forms
1607 Battle at Gibraltar: Dutch fleet beats Spanish/Portuguese fleet
1604 Count Maurits' army lands at Cadzand
1507 Geographer Martin Waldseemuller 1st used name America
1449 Anti-pope Felix V resigns
1185 Sea battle at Dan-no-ura: Minamoto Yoritomo beats Taira-family
