ALSO TODAY IN 1836 - Alonzo D. Phillips of Springfield, Massachusetts received a patent for the phosphorous friction safety match. We thought it only appropriate to remind you to “close cover before striking” today. 1861 - Telegrams were sent coast to coast for the first time in the U.S. California Justice Stephen J. Field was the first in line to send a message. The recipient was President Abraham Lincoln. 1897 - The first regular comic strip was seen in The New York Journal American. The strip was The Yellow Kid. 1901 - Mrs. Annie Edson Taylor of Bay City, MI had nothing better to do on this, her 43rd birthday (at least that’s what she claimed), than to sail over Niagara Falls in a barrel. She was the first to live to tell about it; but only one of many people to try. Interestingly, Annie couldn’t swim. 1929 - The Rudy Vallee Show was broadcast for the first time over NBC radio. Actually, the Rudy Vallee show had several different titles over the years, all of which were referred to by the public as The Rudy Vallee Show. Megaphone-totin’ Rudy and his Connecticut Yankees band were mainstays on radio into the late 1940s. 1929 - This day became known as Black Thursday after Wall Street investors panicked and ordered their stock brokers to sell, sell, sell! Nearly 13 million shares traded hands and stock prices plummeted. Many stocks recovered late in the afternoon, but the stage had been set for the October 29th stock market crash -- and the beginning of the Great Depression. 1931 - The George Washington Bridge was opened, linking New York City with New Jersey. The bridge became a famous New York landmark and has been featured in many movies and TV shows. The toll to cross the bridge was to be temporary -- just to cover costs. But it costs and costs and costs when you have to keep repairing and painting a bridge that big -- so, the bridge toll continues. And the bridge is still being painted. 1939 - Let’s Dance was recorded on Columbia Records. It became the theme song for the band that recorded it, the Benny Goodman Band. 1939 - Women’s nylon hosiery went on sale for the first time -- at Wilmington Dry Goods in Wilmington, DE. Why Wilmington? The Dupont Company, the inventor of nylon, is based there. 1951 - Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy starred in The Fourposter, which made its Broadway debut this day. 1952 - Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower in Detroit, delivered his famous speech about Korea. He promised to go to Korea and seek “an early settlement to the war” if elected President. He was -- and he did. 1959 - Wilt ‘The Stilt’ Chamberlain launched a pro basketball record streak. Not only did he play in 799 consecutive games; he didn’t foul out in one of them. 1960 - Brenda Lee hit #1 for the second time in the year with I Want to Be Wanted. 1960 was a very good year for the young (age 15) songstress. In addition to her first #1 smash, I’m Sorry (July 18), Lee had two other songs on the charts: Sweet Nothin’s (#4, April 18) and That’s All You Gotta Do (#6, July 4). 1975 - Looking to name your own greatest hits album something other than Greatest Hits? Do what former Beatle John Lennon did, with his package of the best. Lennon called it, Shaved Fish. 1976 - Bowling announcer Chris Schenkel would remember this day on ABC’s Pro Bowlers Tournament. Mark Hill of Lawton, OK bowled a perfect 300 game. Yeah, so? Well, according to the American Bowling Congress, Hill’s dad had rolled a perfect game on February 15, 1975 and his mommy bowled a 300 game on August 4, 1975. 1977 - Gary Busey began filming The Buddy Holly Story. The star was a ringer for the rock idol. 1982 - EPCOT (experimental prototype community of tomorrow) Center was dedicated by Disney Chairman, E. Cardon Walker at Walt Disney World, Florida: “May EPCOT Center entertain, inform and inspire, and above all, may it instill a new sense of belief and pride in man’s ability to shape a world that offers hope to people everywhere.” 1992 - It was the first World Series won by a team from outside of the United States. The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Atlanta Braves in the sixth game (4-3 in 11 innings) and won the Series, four games to two. 1995 - The United Nations celebrated its 50th anniversary. The party (Oct 22-24) was the largest gathering of world leaders ever assembled in New York. 1996 - Motown Records founder Berry Gordy received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Gordy helped launch the careers Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Michael Jackson and many others. 1997 - It was first-run day in the U.S. for these flicks: Gattaca, starring Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman and Alan Arkin; A Life Less Ordinary, with Ewan Mcgregor, Cameron Diaz and Holly Hunter; and Fairytale - A True Story, starring Florence Hoath, Elizabeth Earl, Paul Mcgann, Phoebe Nicholls, Peter OToole and Harvey Keitel.
Posted on: Thu, 24 Oct 2013 10:43:31 +0000
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