TODAY IN HISTORY AUGUST 20

WORLD EVENTS

Today is National Lemonade Day and National Chocolate Pecan Day

1741  Alaska was founded by Vitus Jonas Bering

1833  The 23^rd President, Benjamin Harrison, was born

1866  It was formally declared by President Jackson that the Civil War was over – fighting had stopped months earlier

1896  The dial telephone was patented

1920  The first commercial radio station began operating – Detroit, Michigan

1931  Boxing promoter Don King was born

1940  Leon Trotsky, Russian revolutionary leader, was assassinated in Mexico City where he lived in exile by a Soviet agent

1946  TV Newswoman Connie Chung was born

1953  The Soviet Union announced they had detonated a hydrogen bomb

1954  TV host Al Roker was born

1964  President Johnson announced a $1 billion anti-poverty program

1968  The Soviet Union began the invasion of Czechoslovakia to crush an anti-Soviet uprising with 650,000 troops

1977  “Voyager 2” was launched by the U.S. – contained a phonograph record containing greetings in dozens of languages and sounds of music

1988  Over 150,000 acres of Yellowstone National Park were destroyed by fire

1989  Jose Menendez and his wife Kitty were killed by their sons Eric and Lyle

1991  A crowd of over 100,000 protested outside the Russian Parliament over the coup that removed Gorbachev from power

1998  The U. S. military attacked a camp in Afghanistan and a chemical plant in Sudan in response to the embassy bombings in Africa

2009  The Lockerbie bomber was released from a Scottish prison and allowed to return to Libya – had been sentenced to life in prison for the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am plane that killed 270 people

SPORTS HISTORY on AUGUST 20

2005  KC Royals win – snap a 19 game losing streak

2004  For the 200^th time, Randy Johnson strikes out 10 or more

2000  Tiger Woods wins the PGA Championship – 1^st player since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win 3 majors in a year

2000  For the 7^th game in a row Seattle gives up at least 9 runs – ties MLB record set in 1901

1997  Cincinnati records no assists in a win over Colorado

1986  NYY Dave Winfield hits his 300^th HR – ends with 465

1985  Mets Dwight Gooden wins his 11^th straight game – 1^st NL pitcher to have 200 strikeouts in each of his 1^st 2 seasons

1980  Pirates Omar Moreno steals his 70^th base – 1^st player this century to have three 70 steal seasons

1978  Jerry Remy hits a HR – last of his career – will have an additional 2,321 at bats without a HR – career 7 HRs with 4,455 at bats                         

1965  Eddie Mathews hits a HR for the Braves – he and Aaron have now combined for 773 HRs passing Ruth and Gehrig

1963  Mets pitcher Grover Powell wins his MLB debut – will be injured in next start and never win again

1961  Phillies set then record with their 23^rd straight loss – will win 2^nd game of the doubleheader to end the streak

1960  Ted Williams gets his 2,000^th walk – joins Ruth as the only other one – ends with 2,021

1948  78,382 watch the White Sox play the Indians in Cleveland – Satchel Paige gets the 1-0 win for Cleveland

1945  Tommy Brown (Brooklyn Dodgers) becomes the youngest player to hit a HR – was 17 years, 8 months, and 14 days old

1938  Lou Gehrig hits his 23^rd and last grand slam – still MLB record

#1 SONGS on AUGUST 20

1960  It’s Now or Never – Elvis Presley

1965  I Got You Babe – Sonny & Cher

1966  Summer in the City – The Lovin’ Spoonful

1967  Ode to Billie Joe – Bobbie Gentry

1968  People Got to Be Free – The Rascals

1969  Honky Tonk Woman – The Rolling Stones

1970  Make It With You - Bread

1971  How Can You Mend a Broken Heart – The Bee Gees

1973  Brother Love - Stories

1974  Having My Baby – Paul Anka with Odia Coates

1976  Don’t Go Breaking My Heart – Elton John & Kiki Dee

1979  My Sharona – The Knack

1981  Endless Love – Diana Ross & Lionel Richie

1982  Eye of the Tiger - Survivor

1983  Every Breathe You Take – The Police

1984  Ghostbusters – Ray Parker Jr.

1985  The Power of Love – Huey Lewis & the News

1986  Papa Don’t Preach - Madonna

1990  Vision of Love – Mariah Carey

1991  Every Thing I Do – Bryan Adams

1992  End of the Road – Boyz II Men

1995  Kiss From a Rose - Seal

1996  Macarena – Los Del Rio

1999  Genie in a Bottle – Christina Aguilera