The Brighter Side of History


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0565 St Columba reported seeing monster in Loch Ness More ...
1762 First female (Ann Franklin) US newspaper editor, Newport RI, Mercury More ...
1770 Captain James Cook, having landed at Australia, claimed it for the British Crown More ...
1787 John Fitch's steamboat completes its tests, years before Fulton More ...
1846 US annexes New Mexico More ...
1851 Gold fields discovered in Australia More ...
1851 The schooner America outraced the Aurora winning the first America's Cup More ...
1864 Geneva Convention signed, by 12 nations More ...
1865 William Sheppard of New York City patented liquid soap
1902 Teddy Roosevelt became first US President to ride in a car More ...
1906 The Victor Talking Machine Company began manufacturing the Victrola More ...
1911 Mona Lisa stolen from Louvre More ...
1932 BBS begins experimental regular TV broadcasts
1938 Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers appeared on the cover of "LIFE" magazine More ...
1938 Count Basie recorded the classic swing tune, "Jumpin’ at the Woodside" More ...
1947 "Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy", was heard for the first time on ABC radio More ...
1947 First college team to beat an NFL team More ...
1950 Althea Gibson becomes first Black competetor in national tennis competition More ...
1952 The Television Show, Adventures of Superman was registered More ...
1953 "No Other Love" by Perry Como topped the charts More ...
1954 Native Dancer, with career earnings of $785,240, was retired from horse racing More ...
1959 "Big Hunk o' Love" by Elvis Presley topped the charts More ...
1960 Gil Hodges set NL righty HR record with #352 More ...
1963 NASA civilian test pilot Joe Walker in X-15 reaches 67 miles (106 km) More ...
1964 "Where Did Our Love Go?" by the Supremes topped the charts More ...
1965 A beaning & brawl at Candlestick More ...
1970 "Make It with You" by Bread topped the charts More ...
1981 "Endless Love" by Diana Ross & Lionel Richie topped the charts More ...
1983 State record high temperature of 110° in Fayetteville, NC
1984 The last Volkswagen Rabbit rolled off the assembly line in Westmoreland, PA. Over 11 million of the economical cars had been produced.
1984 Met pitcher Dwight Gooden becomes the 11th rookie to strikeout 200 More ...
1987 Madonna's "Who's "That Girl," single goes #1 More ...
1988 Australia unveils first platinum coin (Koala) More ...
1989 First complete ring around Neptune discovered More ...
1989 Nolan Ryan strikes out his 5,000th batter More ...
1992 "End of the Road (From Boomerang)" by Boyz II Men topped the charts More ...

The regatta's origins date back to August 22, 1851 when the 30.86 m schooner-yacht America owned by a syndicate that represented the New York Yacht Club, raced 15 yachts representing the Royal Yacht Squadron around the Isle of Wight. America won by 20 minutes. Watching the race, Queen Victoria asked who was second. The answer famously was: "There is no second, your Majesty."
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Until the Fall of 1906, all talking machines had exposed horns. Those made by Victor were known as "Victors." The first instrument with an enclosed floating horn was announced on August 9, 1906, and was known as a Victor Victrola (VV-XVI). The new, hand-cranked unit instrument listed at $200. Its development had been completed and sealed away two years before. Considering the importance of the enclosed horn type talking machine to Victor's subsequent operation and growth, it is interesting to note that it was not received with any great initial enthusiasm. The transition from the exposed type of horn to the concealed type took several years.

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The Count Basie Orchestra, as it had become known, was one of the leading big bands of the swing era. By the end of the 1930s, the band had acquired international fame with such pieces as One o'clock Jump (1937), Jumpin' at the Woodside (1938), and Taxi War Dance (1939).
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Jack Armstrong the All American Boy was a popular 15 minute radio serial broadcast from 1933 to 1951 on CBS then NBC and finally ABC radio (30 minutes). The show centered around the globe-trotting adventures of Armstrong, a popular athlete at the fictitious Hudson High School, his friends Billy Fairfield and his sister Betty, and his Uncle Jim. The show was sponsored throughout its long run by Wheaties, and was renamed Armstrong of the SBI when Jack graduated high school and became a government agent in the final season.

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