Welcome to Today In History for Saturday, April 19, 2025.

On this day in history ..

• 0607 - Comet 1P/607 H1 (Halley) approaches within 0.0898 AUs of Earth
• 1451 - Alam Shah of Delhi resigns throne
• 1524 - Pope Clemens VII fires Neth inquisitor-general French Van de Holly
• 1529 - 2nd Parliament of Spiers bans Lutheranism
• 1539 - Charles, protestant German monarch, signs Treaty of Frankrfurt
• 1552 - Mauritius of Saksen captures Karel
• 1587 - Sir Frances Drake sails into Cadiz Spain & sinks Spanish fleet
• 1591 - Chartres surrenders to king Henri IV in France
• 1619 - Theatrum Anatomicum opens in Amsterdam
• 1713 - Emperor Karel VI ends Pragmatic Sanctions
• 1770 - Amsterdam buys Van Aerssens family 1/3 part of Suriname
• 1770 - Capt James Cook 1st sees Australia
• 1774 - CW Glucks opera "Iphigenia in Aulis," premieres in Paris
• 1775 - Minutemen Capt John Parker orders not to fire unless fired upon
• 1775 - Revolution begins-Lexington Common, shot "heard round the world"
• 1782 - Netherlands recognizes US
• 1825 - 33 patriotic exiles return to Uruguay
• 1836 - Nikolai Gogol's "Revisor," premieres in St Petersburg
• 1837 - Cheyney University forms as the Institute for Colored Youth
• 1839 - Treaty of London constitutes Belgium an independent kingdom & Luxembourg a Grand Duchy
• 1852 - Calif Historical Society forms
• 1853 - Netherlands Van Hall govt forms
• 1861 - Baltimore riots-4 soldiers, 9 civilians killed
• 1861 - Lincoln orders blockade of Confederate ports (Civil War)
• 1863 - Union troops/fleet occupy For Huger, Virginia
• 1864 - Naval Engagement at Cherbourg, FR: USS Kearsage vs CSS Alabama
• 1874 - Barracks on Alcatraz Island destroyed in fire
• 1877 - Opera "Les Cloches de Cornerville" is produced (Paris)
• 1890 - Henry Morton Stanley inaugurated in Brussels
• 1892 - Charles Duryea takes 1st American-made auto out for a spin (Mass)
• 1894 - Jules Massenet's opera "Werther," premieres in NYC
• 1896 - Herzl's "The Jewish State" is published
• 1897 - 1st American marathon ran, John J McDermott wins in 2:55:10 (Boston)
• 1897 - 1st Boston Marathon won by John McDermott of NY in 2:55:10
• 1897 - 1st performance of Debussy's "Pell�as et M�lisande"
• 1898 - 2nd Boston Marathon won by Ron McDonald of Mass in 2:42:00
• 1899 - 3rd Boston Marathon won by Lawrence Brignolia of Mass in 2:54:38
• 1900 - 4th Boston Marathon won by Jim Caffrey of Canada in 2:39:44.4
• 1900 - Highest scoring opening game, Phils beat Braves 19-17 in 10
• 1901 - 5th Boston Marathon won by Jim Caffrey of Canada in 2:29:23.6
• 1901 - James J Caffrey wins Boston marathon (2:29:23.6)
• 1902 - 6th Boston Marathon won by Sam Mellor of NY in 2:43:12
• 1904 - 8th Boston Marathon won by Michael Spring of NY in 2:38:04.4
• 1904 - Much of Toronto destroyed by fire
• 1905 - 9th Boston Marathon won by Fred Lorz of NY in 2:38:25.4
• 1906 - 10th Boston Marathon won by Tim Ford of Mass in 2:45:45
• 1906 - Belgian naval education ship Comte The Stain de Naeyer sets sail
• 1906 - SF Earthquake ends killing 452
• 1907 - 11th Boston Marathon won by Tom Longboat of Canada in 2:24:24
• 1909 - 13th Boston Marathon won by Henri Renaud of NH in 2:53:36.8
• 1909 - Joan of Arc, declared a saint
• 1910 - 14th Boston Marathon won by Fred Cameron of Canada in 2:28:52.4
• 1910 - Halley's comet seen by naked eye 1st time this trip (Curacao)
• 1911 - 15th Boston Marathon won by Clarence DeMar of Mass in 2:21:39.6
• 1911 - George Bernard Shaw's "Fanny's First Play," premieres in London
• 1912 - 16th Boston Marathon won by Mike Ryan of NY in 2:21:18.2
• 1913 - 17th Boston Marathon won by Fritz Carlson of Minn in 2:25:14.8
• 1915 - 19th Boston Marathon won by Edouard Fabre of Canada in 2:31:41.2
• 1916 - "Bing Boys are Here" opens in London
• 1916 - 20th Boston Marathon won by Arthur Roth of Mass in 2:27:16.4
• 1916 - Italians troops conquer Col di Lana at Merano
• 1917 - 21st Boston Marathon won by Bill Kennedy of NY in 2:28:37.2
• 1919 - 23rd Boston Marathon won by Carl Linder of Mass in 2:29:13.4
• 1919 - French assembly decides on 8 hour work day
• 1919 - Leslie Irvin of US makes 1st parachute jump & free fall
• 1919 - Opera "Monsieur Beaucaire" is produced (London)
• 1920 - 24th Boston Marathon won by Peter Trivoulidas of Greece in 2:29:31
• 1921 - 25th Boston Marathon won by Frank Zuna of NJ in 2:18:57.6
• 1921 - Funeral of last German Emperoress, Augusta Victoria
• 1922 - 26th Boston Marathon won by Clarence DeMar of Mass in 2:18:10
• 1923 - 27th Boston Marathon won by Clarence DeMar of Mass in 2:23:37.4
• 1923 - New Egyptian law allows suffrage for men, except soldiers
• 1924 - "National Barn Dance" premieres on WLS Chicago
• 1924 - 28th Boston Marathon won by Clarence DeMar of Mass in 2:29:40.2
• 1926 - 30th Boston Marathon won by Johnny Miles of Canada in 2:25:40.4
• 1927 - "Vagabond King" opens in London
• 1927 - 31st Boston Marathon won by Clarence DeMar of Mass in 2:40:22.2
• 1928 - 32nd Boston Marathon won by Clarence DeMar of Mass in 2:37:07.8
• 1928 - Japanese troops occupies Sjantung-schiereiland
• 1928 - Yanks are out of 1st place for 1st time since May 1926
• 1929 - 33rd Boston Marathon won by Johnny Miles of Canada in 2:33:08.6
• 1930 - 34th Boston Marathon won by Clarence DeMar of Mass in 2:34:48.2
• 1932 - 36th Boston Marathon won by Paul de Bruyn of Germany in 2:33:36.4
• 1932 - Pres Herbert Hoover suggests 5 day work week
• 1933 - 37th Boston Marathon won by Leslie Pawson of RI in 2:31:01.6
• 1933 - FDR announces US will leave gold standard
• 1934 - 38th Boston Marathon won by Dave Komonen of Canada in 2:32:53.8
• 1934 - Shirley Temple appears in her 1st movie, "Stand Up & Cheer"
• 1935 - 39th Boston Marathon won by John A Kelley of Mass in 2:32:07.4
• 1936 - Anti-Jewish riots break out in Palestine
• 1937 - 41st Boston Marathon won by Walter Young of Canada in 2:33:20
• 1937 - USSR performs underground nuclear test
• 1938 - 42nd Boston Marathon won by Leslie Pawson of RI in 2:35:34.8
• 1938 - Phil Emmett Mueller & Dodger Ernie Koy both homer in their 1st at bat
• 1939 - 43rd Boston Marathon won by Ellison Brown of RI in 2:28:51.8
• 1939 - Connecticut finally approves Bill of Rights (148 years late)
• 1940 - "Lake Shore Ltd" derails speed killing 34 near Little Falls NY
• 1940 - 44th Boston Marathon won by Gerard Cot� of Canada in 2:28:28.6
• 1940 - Dutch prime minister De Geer declares state of siege
• 1941 - 45th Boston Marathon won by Leslie Pawson of RI in 2:30:38
• 1941 - B Brecht's "Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder," premieres in Z�rich
• 1941 - Bulgarian troops invade Macedonia
• 1941 - Milk rationed in Holland
• 1942 - 46th Boston Marathon won by Joe Smith of Mass in 2:26:51.2
• 1943 - -May 16] Revolt in Warsaw Ghetto under Mordechai Anielewicz
• 1943 - 47th Boston Marathon won by Gerard Cot� of Canada in 2:28:25.8
• 1943 - Jews attack Nazi occupation forces at Warsaw Ghetto
• 1943 - SS-lt-gen J�rgen Stoop leads destruction of ghetto of Warsaw
• 1944 - Allied fleet attack Sabang Sumatra
• 1945 - 49th Boston Marathon won by John A Kelley of Mass in 2:30:40.2
• 1945 - Rodgers & Hammerstein musical "Carousel" opens on Broadway
• 1945 - US aircraft carrier Franklin heavy damaged in Japanese air raid
• 1945 - US offensive against Shuri-barrier on Okinawa
• 1946 - Yankees switch from 3rd base to 1st base dug out
• 1947 - 51st Boston Marathon won by Yun Bok Soh of Korea in 2:25:39
• 1947 - AAU record for a 25' rope climb is set in 4.7 seconds
• 1947 - French ship explodes in Texas City harbor, kills about 522
• 1947 - Stanley Cup: Toronto Maple Leafs beat Montreal Canadiens, 4 games to 2
• 1947 - Suh Yun Buck wins world record marathon (2:25:39)
• 1948 - 52nd Boston Marathon won by Gerard Cot� of Canada in 2:31:02
• 1948 - ABC-TV network begins
• 1948 - Chiang Kai-shek elected president of Nationalist China
• 1949 - 53rd Boston Marathon won by Gosta Leandersson of Sweden in 2:31:50.8
• 1949 - Yankees dedicate a plaque for Babe Ruth
• 1950 - 54th Boston Marathon won by Kee Yong Ham of Korea in 2:32:39
• 1951 - "Tree Grows in Brooklyn" opens at Alvin Theater NYC for 267 perfs
• 1951 - 55th Boston Marathon won by Shigeki Tanaka of Japan in 2:27:45
• 1951 - Gen Douglas MacArthur ends his military career
• 1952 - 56th Boston Marathon won by Doroteo Flores of Guatemala in 2:31:53
• 1953 - Louise Suggs wins LPGA San Diego Golf Open
• 1953 - WAFB TV channel 9 in Baton Rouge, LA (CBS) begins broadcasting
• 1954 - 58th Boston Marathon won by Veikko Karvonen of Finland in 2:20:39
• 1954 - 7-time winner of Boston Marathon, 65-year-old Clarence Demar, runs his last race at Boston finishing 78th
• 1955 - 59th Boston Marathon won by Hideo Hamamura of Japan in 2:18:22
• 1956 - 1st ML baseball game in NJ, Dodgers beat Phils in Roosevelt Stadium
• 1956 - 60th Boston Marathon won by Antti Viskari of Finland in 2:14:14
• 1956 - US actress Grace Kelly marries Monaco's Prince Rainier III (in Church)
• 1958 - 62nd Boston Marathon won by Franjo Mihalic of Yugoslavia in 2:25:54
• 1959 - Louise Suggs wins LPGA Dallas Civitan Golf Open
• 1959 - Uprising in La Paz Bolivia, fails
• 1960 - 64th Boston Marathon won by Paavo Kotila of Finland in 2:20:54
• 1960 - Baseball uniforms begin displaying player's names on their backs
• 1960 - Comiskey Park's famed "exploding" scoreboard begins operating
• 1961 - 65th Boston Marathon won by Eino Oksanen of Finland in 2:23:39
• 1962 - 66th Boston Marathon won by Eino Oksanen of Finland in 2:23:48
• 1962 - NASA civilian pilot Joseph A Walker takes X-15 to 46,900m
• 1963 - "Hot Spot" opens at Majestic Theater NYC for 43 performances
• 1963 - 67th Boston Marathon won by Aurele Vandendriessche of Belg in 2:18:58
• 1964 - Mickey Wright wins LPGA Peach Blossom Golf Invitational
• 1964 - Rightist coup in Laos, Suvanna Phuma remains premier
• 1964 - Roger Sessions' opera "Montezuma," premieres in West-Berlin
• 1965 - 1st all news radio station (WINS 1010 AM in NYC) begins operating
• 1965 - 69th Boston Marathon won by Morio Shigematsu of Japan in 2:16:33
• 1965 - T.A.M.I. Show premieres in London
• 1965 - At a cost of $20,000, the outer Astrodome ceiling is painted because of sun's glare, this causes the grass to die
• 1966 - In 1st regular season game at Anaheim Stadium, Angels lose 3-1 to Chic
• 1966 - 70th Boston Marathon won by Kenji Kimihara of Japan in 2:17:11
• 1966 - Roberta Bignay becomes 1st woman to run in the Boston Marathon
• 1967 - "Casino Royale" premieres
• 1967 - 71st Boston Marathon won by Dave McKenzie of New Zealand in 2:15:45
• 1967 - Beatles sign a contract to stay together for 10 years (they don't)
• 1967 - US Surveyor III lands on Moon
• 1967 - Yugoslav author Mihaljo Mihaljov sentenced 4� years
• 1968 - 72nd Boston Marathon won by Amby Burfoot of Conn in 2:22:17
• 1968 - Belgian construction workers strike
• 1968 - NL owners approve expansion for 2 new teams
• 1970 - "Look to the Lilies" closes at Lunt-Fontanne NYC after 25 perfs
• 1970 - 24th Tony Awards: Borstal Boy & Applause win
• 1970 - Sandra Haynie wins LPGA Raleigh Ladies Golf Invitational
• 1971 - 75th Boston Marathon won by Alvaro Mejia of Colombia in 2:18:45
• 1971 - Charles Manson sentenced to life (Sharon Tate murder)
• 1971 - Sierra Leone becomes a republic (Natl Day)
• 1971 - USSR Salyut 1 launched; 1st manned lab in orbit
• 1972 - "Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope" opens at Playhouse NYC for 1,065 perfs
• 1972 - Bangladesh becomes a member of British Commonwealth
• 1972 - Hungary revises constitution
• 1972 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
• 1973 - Barbra Streisand records "Between Yesterday & Tomorrow"
• 1973 - Steinbrenner replaces Mike Burke with Gabe Paul as Yankee president
• 1973 - USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR
• 1974 - Oriole Al Bumbry hits an inside-the-park HR against NY Yankees
• 1975 - India launches 1st satellite with help of USSR
• 1976 - 5th Boston Women's Marathon won by Kim Merritt of Wis in 2:47:10
• 1976 - 80th Boston Marathon won by Jack Fultz of Wash, DC in 2:20:19
• 1978 - Yitzhak Navron elected 5th president of Israel
• 1979 - FCC raids & shuts down pirate radio station WFAT (Bkln NY)
• 1979 - Following a 6-3 loss to the Orioles, Yanks Goose Gossage & Cliff
• 1979 - Johnson brawl, Gossage sustains a sprained ligament in his left thumb
• 1981 - Beth Daniel wins LPGA Florida Lady Citrus Golf
• 1981 - Oakland A's runs record to 11-0
• 1981 - William Finn's musical "March of Falsettos," premieres in NYC
• 1981 - Rochester Red Wings & Pawtucket Red Sox play to 2-2 tie in 32 innings, game suspended at 4:07 AM (Pawtucket later wins in 33rd)
• 1982 - 11th Boston Women's Marathon won by Charlotte Teske of Ger in 2:29:33
• 1982 - 86th Boston Marathon won by Alberto Salazar of Oreg in 2:08:51
• 1982 - Guinon Bluford announced as 1st black astronaut
• 1982 - Rosie Ruiz, marathon race cheater, arrested for forgery
• 1982 - Sally Ride announced as 1st woman astronaut
• 1982 - USSR Salyut 7 space station put into orbit
• 1983 - France performs nuclear test
• 1984 - Nemesis, death star of dinosaurs 1st appears in print (Nature mag)
• 1985 - 16th Space Shuttle Mission (51-D)-Discovery 4 returns to Earth
• 1985 - USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR
• 1986 - Michael Spinks beats Larry Holmes in 15 for heavyweight boxing title
• 1987 - Brendon Kuruppu scores 201* on Test Cricket debut (Sri Lanka v NZ)
• 1987 - Brewers score 5 runs in 9th to win 6-4 & record 12th straight AL win
• 1987 - Gregory Robertson does 200-mph free fall to save unconscious skydiver
• 1987 - Jacqueline Blanc, sets women's downhill ski speed rec (124.902 mph)
• 1987 - Jan Stephenson wins LPGA Santa Barbara Golf Open
• 1987 - LA Clippers end season with a terrible 12-70 record
• 1987 - Last wild condor captured on California wildlife reserve
• 1987 - USSR performs underground nuclear test
• 1989 - Gun turret explodes on USS Iowa, killing 47 sailors
• 1989 - Kevin Elster (NY Mets), sets errorless shortstop mark at 73
• 1989 - Republic Day in Sierra Leone
• 1990 - Contra guerrillas, leftist Sandinistas & incoming govt agree to truce
• 1990 - Marla Maples appears on ABC's Prime-Time
• 1990 - Pistons & 76'ers get into a fight accruing $162,500 fines (NBA record)
• 1990 - Truce in Nicaragua's civil war
• 1991 - Evander Holyfield beats George Foreman in 12 for heavywgt boxing title
• 1991 - Greyhound Bus posts $195 million loss for 1990
• 1992 - "4 Baboons Adoring the Sun" closes at Beaumont NYC after 38 perf
• 1992 - Balki & Mary Ann wed on "Perfect Strangers"
• 1992 - Dottie Mochrie wins LPGA Sega Women's Golf Championship
• 1993 - 22nd Boston Women's Marathon won by Olga Markova of Russia in 2:25:27
• 1993 - 97th Boston Marathon won by Cosmas N'deti of Kenya in 2:09:33
• 1993 - Branch Davidians in Waco Texas commit suicide after 51 day siege
• 1993 - Fire in psychiatric institute in South Korea, kills 40
• 1994 - 15th Emmy Sports Award presentation
• 1994 - Graeme Obree bicycles world record 10km (11:25.88)
• 1994 - Inkatha ends boycott of South African multi-racial election
• 1994 - Rodney King award $3,800,000 in compensation of police beating
• 1994 - Supreme Court outlaws excluding people from juries because of gender
• 1995 - Chopper 4 1st used on WNBC TV (NYC) news
• 1995 - Truck bomb at Federal Building in Okla City, kills 168 & injures 500
• 1996 - Rangers scores 16 in 8th vs Orioles
• 1996 - South Africa defeat Pakistan to win the Pepsi Cup in Sharjah
• 1997 - Renee Slaughter, crowned 14th Miss Hawaiian Tropic Intl
• 1997 - SD Padres & St Louis Cards play at Aloha Stadium Hawaii
• 1998 - 59th PGA Seniors Golf Championship:
• 1998 - wins City of Hope Golf Classic