2015 Debt rating company Moody's downgrades Greece to a Caa3 rating after the country misses its $1.6 billion payment to the IMF; Greek citizens will vote July 5th on whether to accept austerity conditions in exchange for bailout funds 2014 Japan updates its constitution to allow self-defense forces to assist in defending allied nations that come under attack. The change does not extend to assisting in other external military conflicts. 2014 Vice Admiral Michelle Janine Howard is promoted to 4-star admiral, becoming the first woman to achieve the highest rank in the U.S. Navy 2013 America commemorates the 150th of the Battle of Gettysburg, a decisive battle in the Civil War 2013 The oldest European remains of a white man are discovered in Australia; the Manning River Skull may belong to a man born in 1650, predating the country's history that Captain James Cook was the first to land on Australia's east coast in 1770 2012 Residents near Columbia's Nevado del Ruiz volcano are evacuated due to a possible eruption 2012 Soyuz, a spacecraft originally designed for the Soviet space program, lands safely in Kazakhstan, with Oleg Kononenko of Russia, Andre Kuipers of the Netherlands, and Don Pettit of the United States, onboard 2011 In Libya's capitol of Tripoli, Muammar Gaddafi calls on NATO to stop its bombing campaign or else European homes offices and families will be targeted 2011 Prince Albert II of Monaco weds Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock at the royal palace; Wittstock is now known as Her Serene Highness, Princess Charlene 2010 In volume, BP's Deepwater Horizon oil spill has overtaken Ixtoc I to become the worst oceanic oil spill in U.S. recorded history 2009 Sweden takes over the presidency of the European Union 1997 Nevada Athletic Commission suspends Mike Tyson for biting Holyfield 1997 STS-94 (Columbia 23) launches into orbit 1997 U.K. returns Hong Kong to China 1996 Kevan James scores 103 and takes 4 wkts in 4 balls, Hants vs. Ind 1996 NHL Winnipeg Jets officially become the Phoenix Coyotes 1996 Placido Domingo becomes art director of Washington Opera 1996 WBSI TV replaces WNYC on channel 31 in New York City 1995 "Kiss of the Spider Woman" closes at Broadhurst New York City after 906 performances 1995 Kiersten Rickenbach, of New Jersey, crowned America's Junior Miss 1994 Fokker's-28 crashes at Tidjikja, Mauritania (94 killed) 1994 Roman Herzog sworn in as German president 1994 Soyuz TM-19 launches 1994 Yassar Arafat returns to Gaza strip 1993 1 second is added to the clock 1993 Russian manned space craft TM-17, launches into orbit 1993 STS-57 (Endeavour) lands 1992 6.6 earthquake in Big Bear Valley of Los Angeles 1992 Ali Kafi becomes president of Algeria 1992 Fox broadcasting adds Wednesday night TV programming 1990 11th U.S. Seniors Golf Open: Lee Trevino 1990 18th du Maurier Golf Classic: Cathy Johnston 1990 1st Zen winter session in Sydney Zen Center's Gorrick's Run Zendo 1990 Despite Andy Hawkins no-hitting White Sox, Yankees lose 4-0 1990 Dordrecht '90 soccer team forms in Dordrecht 1990 FC Swells soccer team forms in Swells 1990 German Democratic Republic accepts Deutsche Mark as its currency 1990 In Victoria, Australia, helmetless bike riding becomes illegal 1990 New York Yankee Andy Hawkins throws no-hitter in Comiskey Park, losing 4-0 1989 Hugh Hefner (Playboy editor) weds playmate Kimberly Conrad 1989 NFL owners vote unanimously to form WLAF 1989 Yankees beat Milwaukee Brewers 4-1, score is changed to 5-1 after game is over. Umpire rules Roberto Kelly scored before a double-play 1987 Bork nominated to Supreme Court, rejected in October by senate 1987 New York City radio station WFAN-AM becomes 1st 24 hour all sports radio 1987 WHN-AM in New York City changes call letters to WFAN (now WEVD) replacing WHN's country music, WYNY-FM adopts country music format 1984 "Baby" closes at Barrymore Theater New York City after 241 performances 1984 Amy Alcott wins LPGA Lady Keystone Golf Open 1984 Royals pitcher Paul Splittorff, retires 1983 Arbitrator Raymond Goetz rules 43 players who are on Disabled List during 1981 players' strike not entitled to salaries for that period 1982 2,100 Unification church couples wed in New York City 1982 ABC national music radio network scheduled premiere (never happened) 1982 Cal Ripken's 1st game 1982 Challenger moves overland to Dryden 1982 General Reynaldo Bignone sworn in as president of Argentina 1982 Kosmos 1383, 1st search and rescue satellite, launched 1982 Over 2000 Unification Church couples marry at New York MSG 1982 PEC Swells '82 soccer team forms in Swells 1981 Laurel Canyon California murders (4 die, 1 wounded) 1981 NEC soccer team forms in Nijmegen 1981 Nell Dunn's "Steaming," premieres in London 1981 Prince Willem Alexander opens Willems Bridge in Rotterdam 1981 Radio Shack 3rd release of Model III TRSDOS 1.3 1980 Steve Overt runs world record 3:48.8 mile in Oslo 1979 Stampede Pass, Washington is covered with 6" of snow 1979 Vicki Fergon wins LPGA Lady Stroh's Golf Open 1978 "Act" closes at Majestic Theater New York City after 233 performances 1978 Former President Nixon makes 1st public speech since resigning in 1974 1978 Northern Territory of Australia becomes self-governing 1977 84th Wimbledon Womens Tennis: Virginia Wade beats B Stove (46 63 61) 1977 FC Volendam soccer team forms in Volendam, Netherlands 1977 Marlies Gohr runs Europen record 100m (10.88 sec) 1976 Kenneth Gibson, is 1st black president of U.S. Conference of Mayors 1975 Muhammad Ali beats Joe Bugner in 15 for heavyweight boxing title 1975 Ringo Starr and Maureen, divorce 1975 WEDway People Mover inaugurated 1974 1st Laura Ashley-store in U.S. opens in San Francisco 1974 General Pinochet becomes president of Chile 1974 Isabel Peron succeeds husband Juan as President of Argentina 1974 Monmouthshire renamed Gwent and becomes part of Wales 1973 "Jesus Christ Superstar" closes at Mark Hellinger New York City after 711 performances 1973 1st U.S. - China basketball game, U.S. collegiates beats Shanghai 96-61 1973 Mary Mills wins LPGA Lady Tara Golf Classic 1972 "Follies" closes at Winter Garden Theater New York City after 524 performances 1972 "Hair" closes at Biltmore Theater New York City after 1750 performances 1972 Ms. magazine begins publishing 1971 British and Argentina sign accord about Falkland Islands 1971 Golden Gate Bridge paid for 1971 State of Washington becomes 1st state to ban sex discrimination 1970 Denny McLain returns, (leaves trailiing) Tigers beat Yankees in 11 1970 FC Utrecht soccer team forms in Utrecht 1970 Jimi Hendrix 1st recording session (New York City) 1969 Charles Philip Arthur George invested as Prince of Wales 1969 John and Yoko are hospitalized after a car crash 1969 Shelby Singleton buys Sun Records from Sam Phillips 1968 Bob Gibson's streak of 47 2/3 inn scoreless streak ends on wild pitch 1968 Fortuna Sittard soccer team forms in Sittard 1968 John Lennon's 1st full art exhibition (You are Here) 1968 U.S., Britain, U.S.S.R. and 58 nations sign Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty 1968 U.S.S.R. performs underground nuclear test 1967 "Funny Girl" closes at Winter Garden Theater New York City after 1348 performances 1967 1st British color TV broadcast, on BBC 2 1967 BBC starts their World Radio Club 1967 Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," goes #1 for 15 weeks 1966 80th Wimbledon Mens Tennis: M Santana beats D Ralston (64 11-9 64) 1966 Construction crews begin tearing up Market St. to build BART 1966 Explorer 33 launched 1966 Medicare goes into effect 1966 VVV soccer team forms in Venlo 1965 FC Twente '65 Enschede soccer team forms in Enschede 1965 KUID TV channel 12 in Moscow, Idaho (PBS) begins broadcasting 1965 Kinderstraf trial starts 1963 Beatles record "She Loves You" and "I'll Get You" 1963 President Kennedy arrives in Rome 1963 U.S. postal service institutes zip code system, Zone Improvement Plan 1962 Algeria votes for independence 1962 Burundi and Rwanda gain independence from Belgium (National Days) 1961 16th U.S. Women's Open Golf Championship won by Mickey Wright 1961 Haleakala National Park forms in Hawaii 1961 KNDU TV channel 25 in Richland-Pasco-Kennew, WA (NBC) 1st broadcast 1960 Benjamin Britten's cantate "Carmen Baseliense," premieres in Basel 1960 British Somaliland becomes Somalia 1960 Fidel Castro nationalizes Esso, Shell and Texaco in Cuba 1960 Ghana becomes a republic 1960 Italian Somaliland gains independence, unites with Somali Republic 1960 No passports needed inside Benelux 1960 U.S.S.R. shoots down U.S. RB-47 reconnaissance plane 1959 Heinrich Lubke elected President of West-Germany 1959 Israeli Knesset agrees to weapon sales to West-Germany 1959 WVTV TV channel 18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (IND) begins broadcasting 1959 World Refugee Year begins 1957 International Geophysical Year begins, ends December 31, 1958 1957 WRLP TV channel 32 in Greenfield/Keene/Brat, MA (IND) 1st broadcast 1956 Beverly Hanson wins LPGA Western Golf Open 1956 Elvis Presley wearing a tuxedo appears on Steve Allen Show 1956 Ibrahim Hashiroe succeeds Said el-Moefti as premier of Jordan 1955 69th Wimbledon Mens Tennis: Tony Trabert beats Kurt Nielsen (63 75 61) 1955 KOTA TV channel 3 in Rapid City, SD (ABC/NBC) begins broadcasting 1954 Cards' Joe Cunningham hits 2 home runs for record 3 home runs in his 1st 2 days 1954 Test Cricket debut of Khalid Hassan, 16 years 352, then world record 1954 WDBO (now WCPX) TV channel 6 in Orlando, Florida (CBS) begins broadcasting 1953 KLAS TV channel 8 in Las Vegas, NV (CBS) begins broadcasting 1953 KTVH (now KWCH) TV channel 12 in Hutchinson-Wichita, KS (CBS) begins 1951 Beverly Hanson wins LPGA Eastern Golf Open 1951 Cleveland Indian Bob Feller, 3rd no-hitter beats Detroit Tigers, 2-1 1950 "Lost in the Stars" closes at Music Box Theater New York City after 281 performances 1950 1st 407 U.S. soldiers flown to South Korea 1950 New York City bus fare rises to 10 cents equal to subway fare, combo fare at 15 cents 1950 WHBF TV channel 4 in Rock Island, IL (CBS) begins broadcasting 1949 63rd Wimbledon Mens Tennis: Ted Schroeder beat Drobny (36 60 63 46 64) 1949 Bao Dai's Republic of Vietnam gains independence from France 1949 WBRC TV channel 6 in Birmingham, AL (ABC) begins broadcasting 1949 WCCO TV channel 4 in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN (CBS) begins broadcasting 1948 Bradman scores 128 Australia vs. Surrey, 141 minutes, 15 fours 1948 Brooklyn's Roy Campanella debuts as catcher 1948 New York City subway fare goes to 10 cents, bus fare to 7 cents and combo fare at 12 cents 1947 192m long passenger ship Willem Ruys (Achille Lauro) launched 1947 British Dominion Affairs office becomes Commonwealth Relations office 1946 Rajah cedes Sarawak to British crown 1946 U.S. drops atom bomb on Bikini atoll (4th atomic explosion) 1945 1st of the superstars returns from the WW II, Hank Greenberg homers 1945 55th Postmaster General: Robert E Hannegan of Mo takes office 1945 Allies troop land on Balikpapan 1944 2500+ killed in London and South East England by German flying bombs 1944 Bretton Woods Conference starts, establishing IMF and World Bank 1944 Earl Claus von Stauffenberg promoted to colonel 1944 General Eisenhower visits front in Normandy 1944 Von Rundstedt against Keitel: "Signs peace, idiots!" 1943 "Pay-as-you-go" - 1st withholding tax from paychecks 1942 German troops conquer Sebastopol 1941 1st coml TV licenses granted-W2XBS-WNBT (NBC) and WCBW (CBS), New York City 1941 Bulova Watch Co pays $9 for 1st ever network TV commercial 1941 Joe Dimaggio on way to 56, ties Willie Keeler's 44 game hit streak 1941 WCBW (now WCBS) TV channel 2 in NY, New York (CBS) begins broadcasting 1941 WNBT TV (W2XBS, Now WNBC) channel 4 in New York City (NBC) begins broadcasting 1940 Australia refuses entry to Dutch Jewish refugees 1938 58th Wimbledon Mens Tennis: Don Budge beats Henry Austin (61 60 63) 1937 Britian begins using an emergency phone number (999) 1937 Reverend Martin Niemoller (Bekennende Kirche) arrested in Germany 1937 Spanish bishops support Franco and fascists 1936 AVRO radio broadcast studios in Hilversum opens 1936 Watchfulness Committee forms in Amsterdam 1935 General Netherlands Persbureau (ANP) forms in Amsterdam 1934 1st x-ray photo of entire body, Rochester, New York 1933 German nazi regime decides married women shouldn't work 1933 Strauss and von Hofmannsthal's opera "Arabella," premieres in Dresden 1932 45th Wimbledon Womens Tennis: Helen Moody beats Helen Jacobs (63 61) 1932 New York Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt nominated for president at Dem Convention in Chicago 1932 New York newspaper Evening Standard goes bankrupt 1931 Cleveland Municipal Stadium is completed 1931 Ice vending machines introduced in LA 25 lbs, 15 cents 1931 Phillies Chuck Klein hits for cycle vs. Chicago Cubs 1931 Trans African Railway in use (Benguela, Angola-Jadotville, Congo) 1930 Great Britain signs accord for Independence of Iraq 1929 U.S. Immigration law of 1924 in effect 1929 U.S. cartoonist Elzie Segar creates "Popeye" 1926 Canada restores gold standard 1925 New York Giant Hack Wilson hits 2 home runs in 3rd inning beating Phillies, 16-7 1925 SDAP wins 4 chairs in Second-Parliamentary election 1925 Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs created in U.K. 1924 Light Brigade forms 1924 Through regular transcontinental airmail service forms, New York City-SF 1923 1st permanent radio network-AT&T (WEAF New York and WMAF Mass) 1920 Washington Senator Walter Johnson no-hits Boston Red Sox, 1-0 1919 1st class postage drops from 3 cents to 2 cents 1919 Scheveningen soccer team forms in Scheveningen 1917 257cm-mirror for Mount Wilson Observatory mounted 1917 Race riots in East St. Louis Illinois (40 to 200 reported killed) 1917 Reds Fred Toney pitches completes doubleheader victories over Pirates 1917 Robins (Dodgers) play their 1st Sunday game in Brooklyn 1916 Battle on the Somme: British 4th Army walks to German lines 1916 British court martial (Easter uprising) 1916 Coca-Cola brings current coke formula to the market 1916 Dwight Eisenhower marries Mary 'Mamie' Geneva Doud in Denver. Colorado 1916 Honus Wagner, 42, is oldest to hit an inside-the-park home run 1915 Australia begins Commonwealth Lighthouse Service 1915 Australian Survey Corps becomes part of Military Forces 1913 Serbia and Greece declare war on Bulgaria 1911 German boat Panther nears for Agadir Morocco 1911 Proclamation removes "Dei Gratia" from Canada's coins 1910 Chicago's Comiskey Park opens - St. Louis Browns beat White Sox 2-0 1910 Union of South Africa becomes a dominion 1910 White Sox Park (Comiskey Park) opens with 2-0 loss to Browns 1907 World's 1st air force established in the U.S. Army 1904 3rd modern Olympic games opens in St. Louis 1903 1st Tour de France bicycle race begins 1902 Ranji (230) and Newham (153) add 344 for 7th wkt, Sussex vs. Essex 1902 Start of Sherlock Holmes "Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax" 1899 Gideon Society established to place bibles in hotels 1899 San Francisco City Hall turned over to city, after 29 years of building 1898 Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders charge up San Juan Hill 1897 Bronx acquires Hutton Square 1896 Harbor of Ymuiden opens 1896 Wilfrid Laurier sworn in as 1st French speaking Prime Minister 1893 San Francisco Bay City Club opens 1st U.S. bicycle race track, made of wood 1890 Great Britain and Germany sign Zanzibar-Helgoland Treaty 1889 Frederick Douglass named Minister to Haiti 1889 U.S. Mint at Carson City, Nevada reopens 1883 ANWB forms in Utrecht 1881 1st international telephone conversation, Calais, ME-St. Stephen, NB 1881 U.S. Assay Office in St. Louis, Missouri opens 1879 Ex-khedive Ismael Pasha sails from Alexandria to Naples 1878 Treaty of Berlin divide Africa up for colonization 1877 1st edition of "Amsterdammer" published 1875 Universal Postal Union established 1874 1st Chamber accept law against child labor 1874 1st U.S. kidnapping for ransom, 4-year-old Charles Ross, $20,000 1874 1st U.S. zoo opens in Philadelphia 1873 Henry Flipper of Georgia is 2nd black to enter West Point 1873 Prince Edward Island becomes 7th Canadian province 1871 The decimal currency system is made uniform in Canada 1870 James W Smith of South Carolina is 1st black to enter West Point 1869 Dutch newspaper stamp tax repealed 1869 U.S. Mint at Carson City, Nevada opens 1867 Dominion of Canada forms (New Bruns, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec) 1863 Battle at Baltimore: Crump's Crossroads Virginia 1863 Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Lee's northward advance halted 1863 Free city delivery of mail begins in 49 U.S. cities; postage 3 cents per oz 1863 Slavery abolished in Suriname and Netherlands Antilles 1862 Battle at Booneville Mississippi: Confederate superior power driven out 1862 Battle of Malvern Hill, Virginia (Harrison's Landing, Crew's Farm) 1862 Congress outlaws polygamy (1st time); bad news for Utah 1862 Day 7 of 7 Days-Battle of Malvern Hill (Poindexter's Farm) Day 7 of Seven Days US15,249 CS17,583 1862 Emperor Alexander II grants Jews right to publish books 1862 Battle of Holly Spring, MS 1862 Internal Revenue Law imposes 1st federal taxes on inheritance, tobacco and on incomes over $600 (progressive rate) 1861 1st public schoolhouse opens at Washington and Mason St, SF 1861 War Department decrees the KA and Tennessee are to be canvassed for volunteers 1859 1st intercollegiate baseball game, Amherst beats Williams 66-32 1859 Balloon covers a record 809 miles over St. Louis 1850 At least 626 ships lie at anchor around San Francisco Bay 1847 1st U.S. postage stamps go on sale, 5 cents Franklin and 10 cents Washington, New York City 1839 Abdul-Medjid succeeds Mahmud II as Sultan of Turkey 1831 Admiral James C Ross reaches magnetic North Pole 1823 9th Postmaster General: John McLean of Ohio takes office 1823 United Provinces of Central America gain independence from Mexico 1820 1st edition of newspaper "Courrier de la Meuse" published" 1816 French frigate Medusa wrecked; basis of Gericault's "Raft of the Medusa" 1810 Louis Napoleon resigns as king of the Netherlands 1798 Napoleon's fleet reaches Alexandria Egypt 1795 John Rutledge becomes 2nd chief justice of Supreme Court 1776 1st vote on Declaration of Independence 1747 Battle at Lafeld: France beat English/Dutch army 1745 Warship Elisabeth joins Bonnie Prince Charlies frigate Doutelle 1690 Battle of Colors: French beats Spanish/Dutch army 1690 Army of England's Protestant King William III defeats Roman Catholic King James II in Battle of Boyne in Ireland 1689 Matsuo Basho, zen poet, leaves for 150 days journey on Honshu Japan 1674 Spain, France and Netherlands form Triple Alliance 1656 1st Quakers (Mary Fisher/Ann Austin) arrives in Boston (arrested) 1600 Prince Maurits' army occupies Newport Flanders, Netherlands 1569 Latvia Parliament accept Union of Lublin, incorporate into Poland 1543 England and Scotland sign Peace treaty of Greenwich 1535 Sir Thomas More goes on trial in England charged with treason 1517 1st burning of Protestants at stake in Netherlands 1517 Inquisitor Adrian Boeyens (pope Adrianus VI) becomes cardinal 1390 French and Genuese armada sails out against barbarian pirates 1347 Engagement of Count Louis of Male to Margaretha to daughter of Jan III 1253 Battle at Westkapelle-Floris the Guardian beats Gwijde van Dampierre 1252 King Alfonso X "el Sabio" of Castilie/Leon crowned 1233 Earl Otto II van Gelre grants Arnhem state justice 1200 In China, sunglasses are invented 1097 1st Crusaders defeat Sultan Kilidj Arslan of Nicea 649 Pope Martinus I elected to succeed Theodore I 70 Titus sets up batterig rams to assault the walls of Jerusalem
