• Today
is Trust Your Intuition Day, a day to pay homage to "gut" feelings and
"still small voices," sponsored by Chicago cartoonist Adrienne Sioux
Koopersmith.
•
Today is International Migratory Bird Day.
•
Today is National Babysitters Day.
•
Today is World Lupus Day (lupus.org).
•
Today is Golden Spike Day, marking the driving of the golden spike to join the Union
Pacific and Central Pacific railways at Promontory Point, Utah, on this date in 1869.
•
Today is National Clean Up Your Room Day.
•
Today
is Astronomy Day.
•
Today is The Rest of the Story Day, marking Paul Harvey's spin-off as a separate radio
program on the date in 1976. The feature had been a part of Harvey's "News and
Comment" program since 1951.
•
Today
is Jamestown Landing Day in Williamsburg, Virginia.
•
Today
is Mother Ocean Day.
•
Today is Constitution Day in Micronesia, a nation of 108,000 people on 607
islands in the West Pacific Ocean. Just over 7,000 Micronesians live in the
nation's capital of Palikir.
On this date in . . .
1869: A
golden spike was driven at Promontory, Utah, marking completion of the first
transcontinental railroad in the U.S.
1908: The
first Mother's Day observance took place during a church service in Grafton, West
Virginia.
1909: In the Blue Grass League, Winchester's Fred
Toney pitched 17 no-hit innings before finally winning 1-0 over Lexington.
1953: After seven years in the minors, Frank Verdi
was inserted into the late-inning Yankee lineup. As he walked to the plate for his first
major-league at bat, the opposing coach called time to change pitchers. Yankee manager
Casey Stengel sent up a pinch-hitter for Verdi, who went back to the minors two days later
and never got to swing at a major league pitch.
1963: Decca Records signed The Rolling Stones. The
group had been recommended by Beatle George Harrison.
1969: Tricia Nixon’s "Masque Ball"
at the White House starred the Turtles and the Temptations. Turtle Mark Volman fell of the
stage — five times.
1986: Actress Heather Locklear and Motley Crue
drummer Tommy Lee were married.
1990: The world’s largest painting was
unveiled at Armidale, NSW, Australia. Students at Robb College painted a
72,437-square-foot smiley face.
1996: In Texas a Cochran County sheriff’s
deputy accidentally shot himself and a dispatcher while giving a firearm safety
demonstration. Both were hospitalized with non-life-threatening leg wounds.
1999: Police in Rapids Parish, Louisiana,
recognized a man wanted in Houston for aggravated assault when they saw him on Jerry
Springer in a televised battle between the man and his sister. Police rushed to a
local relative’s home where the family was still watching Springer and arrested the
suspect.
1999: A 23-year-old Chandler, Arizona, man called
police for help after he handcuffed himself and didn’t have the key. Police uncuffed
the man, then quickly arrested him after a computer check revealed a warrant for failing
to appear in court for driving on a suspended license.
2002: NBA owners
approved the Hornets' move to New Orleans, ending the team's 14-year stay in Charlotte.
2002: Dr.
Pepper announced it would introduce a new flavor for the first time in 117 years. They
called it Red Fusion.
2003: Old
Spice deodorant agreed to sponsor the annual Festival of the Pit in Battle Mountain,
Nevada, dubbed by Washington Post Magazine as the nation's armpit. The festival
is held in August each year when the town is at its smelliest. Highlights usually include
an armpit beauty pageant, a sweat t-shirt contest, and a "quick-draw"
antiperspirant contest.
2005:
Germany dedicated a new
national Holocaust memorial.
Birthdays:
