This day in history

Some notable historical events include:

 

1858- Cyrus W. Field's idea to lay a telegraph cable across the Atlantic Ocean came to fruition. On this day, the final section of cable was laid

 

1861- Congress enacted the Revenue Act signed by President Abraham Lincoln. It allowed the collection of income tax for the first time in the US

 

1914- Cleveland, OH installed the first electric traffic light at Doan's Corner. Today the intersection is East 105th St and Euclid Ave.

 

1921- MLB broadcasts it's first game over the radio. The Pittsburgh Pirates shut out the Philadelphia Phillies

 

1924- Cartoonist Harold Gray published "Little Orphan Annie" in the New York Daily News

 

1926- Harry Houdini attempted his most challenging escape. After spending 91 minutes in a casket underwater, he signaled his assistant to release him

 

1954- From here to Eternity won Best Picture at the 27th Academy Awards

 

1957- American Bandstand broadcasted nationally for the first time. Hosted by Dick Clark, bands would lip-sync their music to a dancing crowd of teenagers.

 

1962- South African police arrested Nelson Mandela on charges of conspiracy to overthrow the government 

 

1962- Marilyn Monroe died (suicide by overdose)

 

1974- Joan Jett formed the first all-girl hard rock band, the Runaways

 

1984- Marathon runner Joan Benoit won gold in Los Angeles at the first Olympic marathon for women

 

1998- the US version of "Whose line is it Anyways?" debut on ABC

 

Some notable birthdays include:

 

Deodoro Da Fonseca (1827) - first President of Brazil

Neil Armstrong (1930) - first human to step on the moon

Herb Brooks (1937) - lead the US Olympic hockey team to gold upsetting the Soviets during the 1980 Winter Olympics 

Loni Anderson (1945) - actress on WKRP in Cincinnati and married to Burt Reynolds 

Patrick Ewing (1962) - a member of the 1992 basketball US Olympic Dream Team

Reid Hoffman (1967) - launched LinkedIn