2015 Event Puerto Rico fails to make a $58 billion debt payment on bonds issued by the Public Finance Corporation; Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla warned creditors in June that debt restructuring will be needed to keep the government afloat 2014 Event The coast of Puerto Rico is hit by a 6.5-magnitude earthquake 2011 Event Tropical Storm Irene forms with warnings in place for the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, The British Virgin Islands, Antigua and Barbuda 2010 Event A 5.8 magnitude earthquake is felt on Puerto Rico 2007 Death Jaime Fuster, Representative-D-Puerto Rico 1985 - 1992, died from a heart attack 1997 Death Roberto Sanchez Vilella, governor of Puerto Rico in (1965-69), dies 1993 Event Puerto Rico votes against becoming the 51st U.S. state 1993 Event Dayanara Torres, 18, of Puerto Rico, crowned 42nd Miss Universe 1993 Event Puerto Rico adds English as its 2nd official language 1991 Event Rico Lieder/Jens Carlowitz/Karsten Just/Thomas Schonlebe walk 4x400m indoor world record (3:03.05) 1989 Event Hurricane Hugo causes extensive damage in Puerto Rico 1988 Event Rafael Fernandez Colon elected if President of Puerto Rico 1987 Event 60 bodies recovered in Dupont Plaza Hotel fire in Puerto Rico 1986 Event Dupont Plaza Hotel fire in San Juan, Puerto Rico kills 97 1985 Event Deborah Carthy-Deu, of Puerto Rico, crowned 34th Miss Universe 1982 Event FALN (Puerto Rico Nationalist Group) bombs Wall Street 1978 Death Karl Wallenda, falls to death walking high-wire in Puerto Rico at 73 1976 Birthday Sarybel Velila, Miss Universe-Puerto Rico 1996 1976 Birthday Nancy Feber, Antwerp Belgium, tennis star, 1995 Puerto Rico 1973 Birthday Jerry Rivera, Puerto Rico, spanish singer 1972 Birthday Rafael Carmona, Rio Piedras Puerto Rico, pitcher for the Seattle Mariners 1972 Birthday Carlos Delgado, born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, infielder for the Toronto Blue Jays 1972 Birthday Ricky Otero, born in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies 1972 Event 30,000 attend Mar Y Sol rock concert, Vega Baja, Puerto Rico 1971 Birthday Melvin Nieves, San Juan Puerto Rico, outfielder for the Detroit Tigers 1971 Birthday Ivan Rodriguez, Vega Baja Puerto Rico, catcher for the Texas Rangers 1971 Birthday Ricky Martin, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, singer, famous member of Menudo, Latin boy band, albums include 'Sound Loaded', 'Life' 1971 Birthday Rico Mack, WLAF linebacker for the Amsterdam Admirals 1970 Birthday Javier Lopez, Ponce Puerto Rico, catcher, Atlanta Braves 1970 Birthday Ana Rosa Brito, Miss Puerto Rico Universe 1997 1970 Event WMGZ TV channel 16 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, begins broadcasting 1970 Event WPSJ TV channel 14 in Ponce, Puerto Rico, begins broadcasting 1969 Birthday Angel Miranda, Arecieo Puerto Rico, pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers 1969 Birthday Damon Mashore, Ponce Puerto Rico, outfielder for the Oakland A's 1969 Birthday Juan Gonzalez, Vega Baja Puerto Rico, outfielder for the Texas Rangers 1969 Birthday Jose Valentin, Manati Puerto Rico, infielder for the Milwaukee Brewers 1969 Event Red Sox Rico Petrocelli hits shortstop record 40th home run of season 1969 Birthday Jose Hernandez, born in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, infielder for the Chicago Cubs 1969 Birthday Ricky Bones, born in Salinas, Puerto Rico, pitcher, Mil Brewers, New York Yankees 1969 Birthday Rico Smith, NFL wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns 1968 Birthday Carlos Baerga, Puerto Rico, infielder, Cleveland Indians 1968 Birthday Julio Valera, San Sebastian Puerto Rico, pitcher for the Kansas City Royals 1968 Birthday Bernie Williams, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, outfielder, New York Yankees 1968 Birthday Roberto Alomar, Salinas Puerto Rico, infielder for the Baltimore Orioles 1967 Event Puerto Rico placed on Atlantic Standard Time 1967 Event World Series record 3 consecutive home runs (Carl Yastremski, Reggie Smith, and Rico Petrocelli) by Red Sox 1967 Birthday Omar Olivares, born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers 1967 Birthday Jaime Navarro, born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, pitcher for the Chicago Cubs 1967 Birthday Leo Gomez, born in Canovanas, Puerto Rico, infielder for the Chicago Cubs 1967 Birthday Benicio Del Toro, born in Puerto Rico, actor, Licence to Kill, Usual Suspects 1966 Birthday Orlando Merced, Hato Rey Puerto Rico, outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates 1966 Birthday Sandy Alomar, born in Salinas, Puerto Rico, catcher, Cleveland Indians 1965 Birthday Ruben Sierra, Rio Piedras Puerto Rico, outfielder, New York Yankees 1965 Birthday Luis Alicea, born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, infielder for the St. Louis Cardinals 1965 Birthday Joey Cora, Caguas Puerto Rico, infielder for the Seattle Mariners 1965 Birthday Benito Santiago, born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies 1964 Birthday Roberto Hernandez, Santurce Puerto Rico, pitcher, Chicago White Sox 1964 Event WSJU TV channel 18 in Carolina, Puerto Rico begins broadcasting 1964 Event WTSJ TV channel 18 in San Juan, Puerto Rico (NBC) begins broadcasting 1963 Birthday Jose Oquendo, born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, Jose Manuel Roberto Guillermo Contreras Oquendo, baseball player, infielder, coach, signed with New York Mets at age fifteen, member, St. Louis Cardinals, played 1987 World Series, record for fewest second baseman errors, 1990 1961 Event John F. Kennedy visits Puerto Rico 1960 Event WKBM TV (now WLII) channel 11 in Caguas/San Juan, Puerto Rico 1st broadcast 1960 Event WIPM TV channel 3 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico (PBS) begins broadcasting 1959 Death A Cecil Snyder, Chief Justice of Puerto Rico, dies at 51 1958 Birthday Deborah Vidal, born in Ponce Puerto, Rico, LPGA golfer, 1994 Oldsmobile-19th 1958 Event WRIK (now WLUZ) TV channel 7 in Ponce, Puerto Rico (PTC) begins broadcasting 1958 Event WIPR TV channel 6 in San Juan, Puerto Rico (PBS) begins broadcasting 1956 Birthday Liana Vicens, Puerto Rico, 100m breaststroke, Olympics 1968 1956 Birthday Luis Guzman, born in Cayey, Puerto Rico, actor, voice-over actor, cast in "Boogie Nights", "Magnolia", Punch-Drunk Love" 1955 Event WORA TV channel 5 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico (TCI) begins broadcasting 1954 Event WAPA TV channel 4 in San Juan, Puerto Rico (NBC/SFN) begins broadcasting 1954 Event WKAQ TV channel 2 in San Juan, Puerto Rico (TM) begins broadcasting 1953 Birthday Sixto Lezcano, born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, professional baseball player, outfielder, played for Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres 1953 Birthday Nydia M. Velazquez, born in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, Representative-D-New York 1993 - 1952 Event Puerto Rico becomes a U.S. commonwealth 1952 Event Commonwealth of Puerto Rico created (Constitution Day) 1952 Event Puerto Rico becomes a self-governing U.S. commonwealth 1952 Event Puerto Rico's constitution approved by U.S. Congress 1952 Event Puerto Rico approves their 1st self written constitution 1951 Birthday Benny Ayala, born in Yauco, Puerto Rico, Benigno Ayala Felix, Major League Baseball player, played outfield, first base, designated hitter for New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals 1945 Birthday Jose Feliciano, born in Lares, Puerto Rico, singer, blind due to congenital glaucoma, guitarist, composer, wrote international hits 1943 Birthday Jose Serrano, born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Representative-D-New York 1990 - 1941 Birthday Jaime Fuster, born in Guayama, Puerto Rico, Representative-D-Puerto Rico 1985 - 1992 1939 Birthday James Victor, born in Puerto Rico, actor, Boulevard Night, Streets of LA 1932 Birthday Carlos Romero Barcelo, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Representative-D-Puerto Rico 1977 - 1985 1932 Event Congress changes name "Porto Rico" to "Puerto Rico" 1923 Birthday Tito Puente, born in Puerto Rico, bandleader, Dance Mania 1917 Event Jones Act: Puerto Rico territory created, U.S. citizenship granted 1914 Death George A Pogson, British consul in Puerto Rico, dies 1914 Birthday Jack Delano, born in Kiev, Ukraine, attended Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, photographer for the Farm Security Administration, composer for Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra 1907 Birthday A Cecil Snyder, Chief Justice of Puerto Rico 1906 Event T. Roosevelt is 1st President to visit other countries (P Rico and Panama) 1899 Event Treaty of Paris ratifies ends war; Spain cedes Puerto Rico to US 1899 Event U.S.-Spain peace treaty signed by President McKinley. U.S. gets Puerto Rico and Guam 1898 Event Spanish-American War ends; U.S. acquires Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam 1898 Event American flag raised in Puerto Rico 1898 Event Spanish troops in Ponce, Puerto Rico, surrender 1897 Event Spain grants Puerto Rico autonomy 1873 Event Slavery abolished in Puerto Rico 1873 Event Slavery is abolished in Puerto Rico 1868 Event Grito de Lares proclaims Puerto Rico's independence (crushed by Spain) 1867 Birthday Jose de Diego, Puerto Rico, patriot and Puerto Rico Secretary of Justice 1859 Birthday Luis Munoz Rivera, Puerto Rico, journalist, founded Federalist Party 1857 Birthday Jose Celso Barbosa, born in Puerto Rico, found Federalist Party in 1900 1839 Birthday Eugenio Maria de Hostos, Puerto Rico, patriot/scholar 1625 Event Dutch attack San Juan, Puerto Rico 1508 Event Juan Ponce de Leon arrives in Puerto Rico 1493 Event Christopher Columbus discovers Puerto Rico, on his 2nd voyage 1492 Event Columbus' fleet about 400 sea miles from Puerto Rico
