Today in History

The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom takes over judicial functions of the House of Lords.

Siege of Dubrovnik begins in the Croatian War of Independence.

Denmark introduces the world’s first “civil union” law granting same-sex couples certain legal rights and responsibilities but stopping short of recognizing same-sex marriages.

First compact disc player, released by Sony.

US returns sovereignty of the Panama Canal to Panama.

Legendary boxing match: Muhammad Ali defeats Joe Frazier in the “Thrilla in Manila.”

Five Nixon aides–Kenneth Parkinson, Robert Mardian, Nixon’s Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, and U.S. Attorney General John Mitchell–go on trial for conspiring to hinder the Watergate investigation.

First CT or CAT brain scan performed, at Atkinson Morley Hospital in Wimbledon, London.

Max Matsuura (Masato Matsuura), record producer, president of Avex Group, one of Japan’s largest music labels.

Mark McGwire, “Big Mac,” pro baseball player who broke Roger Maris’ single-season home run record; admitted in 2010 to using performance-enhancing drugs throughout his career.

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson debuts; Carson will remain The Tonight Show host until 1992.

The Federal Republic of Cameroon is formed by the merger of East and West Cameroon.

Nigeria becomes independent from the UK.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) replaces the 43-year-old National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in the US.

“”In God We Trust” appears on US paper currency as an act to distinguish the US from the officially atheist USSR; the motto had appeared on coins at various times since 1864.

Jeff Reardon, pro baseball pitcher known as “The Terminator” for his intimidating pitching mound presence and 98 mph fastball.

Randy Quaid, actor (The Last Detail; won Golden Globe for his portrayal of Pres. Lyndon Johnson in LBJ: The Early Years).

Mao Zedong establishes the People’s Republic of China.

Dave Arneson, game designer; co-created Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game with Gary Gygax, establishing the roleplaying game genre.

Tim O’Brien, novelist (The Things They Carried, In the Lake of the Woods).

The U.S. First Army begins the siege Aachen, Germany.

British troops in Italy enter Naples and occupy Foggia airfield.

The German Army grinds to a complete halt within the city of Stalingrad.

Julie Andrews (Julia Elizabeth Wells), actress and singer whose films include Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music.

Albert Collins, guitarist.

Jimmy Carter, 39th president of the U.S. (1977-1981)

The Ford Model T, the first car for millions of Americans, hits the market. Over 15 million Model Ts are eventually sold, all of them black.

Vladimir Horowitz, Russian-born American virtuoso pianist.

Yosemite National Park is dedicated in California.

General Lew Wallace is sworn in as governor of New Mexico Territory. He went on to deal with the Lincoln County War, Billy the Kid and write Ben-Hur. His Civil War heroics earned him the moniker Savior of Cincinnati.

The Condor, a British blockade-runner, is grounded near Fort Fisher, North Carolina.

The first installment of Gustav Flaubert’s novel Madame Bovary appears in the Revue de Paris after the publisher refuses to print a passage in which the character Emma has a tryst in the back seat of a carriage.

Maria Mitchell, American astronomer, discovers a comet and is elected the same day to the American Academy of Arts—the first woman to be so honored. The King of Denmark awarded her a gold medal for her discovery.

The British government decides to send a punitive naval expedition to China.

Robert Gould Shaw, commander of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment during America’s Civil War.

In Paris, the National Legislative Assembly holds its first meeting.

The feeble Sultan Mohammed Shah of Persia, hands over power to his 17-year old son Abbas.

Rudolf of Hapsburg is elected emperor in Germany.

Alexander the Great decisively shatters King Darius III’s Persian army at Gaugamela (Arbela), in a tactical masterstroke that leaves him master of the Persian Empire.