TODAY IN HISTORY

1812 – “Old Ironsides” (the USS Constitution) won a battle against the British frigate Guerriere east of Nova Scotia.

1848 – The discovery of gold in California was reported by the New York Herald.

1856 – Gail Borden received a patent for his process of condensing milk by vacuum.

1909 – The first car race to be run on brick occurred at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

1917 – Team managers John McGraw and Christy Matthewson were arrested for breaking New York City’s blue laws. The crime was their teams were playing baseball on Sunday.

1919 – Afghanistan gained independence from Britain.

1929 – “Amos and Andy,” the radio comedy program, made its debut on NBC starring Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll.

1934 – Adolf Hitler was approved for sole executive power in Germany as Fuehrer.

1940 – The new Civil Aeronautics Administration awarded honorary license #1 to Orville Wright.

1960 – Two dogs were launched in a satellite into Earth’s orbit by the Soviet Union.