• Today is Canada Day, commemorating the confederation of Upper and Lower Canada on this date in 1867. The federal government was formed by the British North American Act. John A. Macdonald was sworn as first Prime Minister.

      • Today is Hug A Cowboy Day in Canada, always on Canada Day.

      • Today is Second Half of the New Year Day, a checkpoint for those who made New Year's resolutions.

      • Today is National Ginger Snap Day.

      • Today is Build a Scarecrow Day.

      • Today is National Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day.

      • Today is International Joke Day.

     • July is Cell Phone Courtesy Month, a time to remind the 180-million U.S. cell phone users to hush once in a while.

      • This is National Dog House Repairs Month.

      • July is National Hot Dog Month, National Grilling Month, National Ice Cream Month, Family Reunion Month, National Baked Bean Month, National Blueberries Month, Women's Motorcycle Month, Make a Difference to Children Month, and National Purposeful Parenting Month.

      • Today is Independence Day in Burundi and Rwanda, Half-Year Day in China, Republic Day in Ghana, and Liberation Day in Suriname.

On this date in . . .

1890: Billy Sunday stole four bases as Pittsburgh embarrassed New York 16 to 2. Sunday swiped 84 bases that year, then retired from baseball at age 28 to answer the call of evangelism.

1910: Duncan Black and Alonzo Decker opened a machine shop in downtown Baltimore, making milk bottle cap machines. Six years later they hit it big with the first portable electric drill.

1915: Australian actress Annette Kellerman appeared in the first movie nude scene in the film "Daughter of the Gods."

1916: Coca-Cola adopted its distinctive contoured bottle to set itself apart from competitors.

1922: The self-lighting cigarette was patented. The tip had a built-in match which could be struck on any rough surface.

1941: NBC broadcast the first FCC-sanctioned TV commercial, an ad for Bulova watches shown during a Dodges-Phillies game. Bulova paid $9.00 for the spot.

1942: Andre Crouch was born. His most enduring gospel songs are "Soon and Very Soon," "My Tribute." and "Through It All."

1955: Singer Keith Whitley was born in Sandy Hook, Kentucky. His biggest hit was "When You Say Nothing At All" in 1988. He died from alcoholism a year later at age 33.

1963: The U.S. Postal Service introduced the 5-digit zip code.

1979: Sony introduced the Soundabout, a Walkman that sold for $200..

1980: McGruff, the crime-fighting dog, debuted as an advertising symbol to take a bite out of crime.

1983: After 120 hours, the Rev. Ronald Gallagher finally stopped preaching at the Baptist Temple in Appomattox, Virginia. It was history's longest sermon.

1984: "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" became the first PG-13 rated movie.

1990: Singer Hank Williams Jr. married Hawaiian model Mary Jane Thomas. They met in 1984 at a Beach Boys concert in Washington, D.C.

1992: "A League of Their Own" starring Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, Lori Petty, and Madonna opened in the U.S. Madonna's "This Used To Be My Playground" from the soundtrack reached number one.

1998: Singer Barbra Streisand married actor James Brolin at Barbra's home in Malibu, California.

2004: Legendary actor Marlon Brando died of lung failure at age 80.

2005: Justice Sandra Day O'Connor announced her retirement from the U.S. Supreme Court.