Today in 1547, Ivan the Terrible was crowned Czar of Russia. He was just 16.
Today in 1572, Thomas Howard/the Fourth Duke of Norfolk was tried for treason for complicity in the Ridolfi plot to restore Catholicism in England. He was then executed on June 2nd.
Today in 1866, Everett Barney patented the metal screw, clamp skate.
Today in 1883, the United States Civil Service Commission established as the Pendleton Act went into effect. What’s that mean? That civil servants would be chosen based on merit, as opposed to political affiliation.
Today in 1896, the first five-player college basketball game was played in Iowa City, Iowa.
Today in 1920, prohibition went into effect in the U.S. It was in effect for 13 years.
Today in 1955, the film, "The Man with the Golden Arm," starring Frank Sinatra, Eleanor Parker and Kim Novak,opened in theaters nationwide.
Today in 1961, Mickey Mantle signed a contract that made him the highest paid baseball player in the American League for the 1961 season, ranking at $75,000 ($628,814 in today’s money). To compare, Ted Williams (who had just retired) had been paid over $100,000 in a season, and Ruth had a peak salary of $80,000.
Today in 1970, the designer of the geodesic dome, Buckminster Fuller,was awarded the Gold Medalof the American Institute of Architects.
Today in 1973, NBC presented the series finale of “Bonanza.”
Today in 1980, Paul McCartney was jailed for 10 days in Tokyo on marijuana possession.
Today in 1985, Leonard Nimoy received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Today in 1985, “Playboy” magazine announced its 30-year tradition of stapling centerfold models in the bellybutton and elsewhere would come to an immediate end.
Today in 1991, the White House announced the start of Operation Desert Storm, which was designed to drive Iraqi forces out of Kuwait.
Today in 1998, Kenneth Starr was granted authority to probe whether U.S. President Clinton or Vernon Jordan urged Monica Lewinsky to lie about her relationship with Clinton.
Today in 2001, President Bill Clinton posthumously awarded former President Theodore Roosevelt a Medal of Honor for his service in the Spanish-American War.
Today in 2002, the U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted sanctions against Osama bin Laden, his terror network and the remnants of the Taliban. The sanction required that all nations impose arms embargoes and freeze their finances.
Today in 2005, Romanian university lecturer Adriana Illiescubecame the oldest birth mother in the world…at 66-years-old.
Today in 2006,Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was sworn in as Liberia’s new president, as Africa’s first female elected head of state.
Today in 2013, 25 people were killed after an apartment block collapsed in Alexandria, Egypt.
Today in 2016, the first-ever flower grown in space – a zinnia –bloomed aboard the International Space Station using the NASA Veggie system.
Today in 2019, an explosion by a suicide bomber aimed at US-led coalition forces at a market in Manjib, Syria, killed 19...including four Americans.
Today in 2019, Houston guard James Harden became the first player to score 55+ points in back-to-back NBA games since Wilt Chamberlain (1962); scores 58 in 145-142 OT loss to Brooklyn; 18 straight games with 30+ points
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