Today in History - Historical Events - May 20th

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Notable Historical Events on May 20th

1985Larry Holmes beats Carl Williams in 15 for heavyweight boxing title

1984Boston's Roger Clemens beats Twins, 5-4, for his 1st victory

1979Nancy Lopez wins LPGA Coca-Cola Golf Classic

1609Shakespeare's Sonnets are first published in London, perhaps illicitly, by the publisher Thomas Thorpe.

1922Babe Ruth & Bob Meusel, suspended on October 16, 1921, by Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis, return to the NY lineup & go hitless

1927At 7:40 AM, pilot Charles Lindbergh takes off from NY to cross Atlantic for Paris

1991Chic Bull Michael Jordan, named NBA's MVP

1988Mike Schmidt hits his 535th HR, moving into 8th place

1973Donna Caponi Young wins LPGA Bluegrass Golf Invitational

19791st western pop star to tour USSR-Elton John

1873Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis patent first blue jeans with copper rivets

197325th Emmy Awards: Waltons, All in the Family & Mary Tyler Moore win

2003The reality series "America's Next Top Model", created by Tyra Banks, debuts on UPN

1983Michael Dokes & Mike Weaver fight to a draw in 15 for hw boxing title

1926Thomas Edison says Americans prefer silent movies over talkies

1983Larry Holmes beats Tim Witherspoon in 12 for heavyweight boxing title

1927Charles Lindbergh begins NY flight (Spirit of St Louis)

1997US President Clinton signs an executive order barring new US investment in Burma (also known as Myanmar), effective May 21 and renewable annually

1932Amelia Earhart leaves Newfoundland 1st woman fly solo across Atlantic

201220th Billboard Music Awards: Adele, 21 win

May 20th Historical Events
Date Event
325
1st Christian ecumenical council opens at Nicaea, Asia Minor 
1217
The Second Battle of Lincoln is fought near Lincoln, England, resulting in the defeat of Prince Louis of France by William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke. 
1293
Earthquake strikes Kamakura Japan, 30,000 killed 
1293
King Sancho IV of Castile creates the Study of General Schools of Alcalá. 
1303
Treaty of Paris restores Gascony to the English and arranges for marriage of English Prince Edward to French Princess Isabella 
1310
Shoes were made for both right & left feet 
1347
Rienzo calls Rome for people's tribunal 
1495
French King Charles VIII leaves Naples 
1498
Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrives at Calicut, India - first European to reach India by sea 
1501
Joao da Nova Castell discovers Ascension Islands 
1521
Ignatius Loyola seriously wounded by a cannon ball 
1524
Duke of Albany leaves Scotland 
1571
Venice, Spain & Pope Pius form anti-Turkish Saint League 
1591
Spanish troops in Zutphen surrenders to Willem Louis/Mauritius 
1609
Shakespeare's Sonnets are first published in London, perhaps illicitly, by the publisher Thomas Thorpe. 
1631
Magdeburg in Germany seized by forces of the Holy Roman Empire under earl Johann Tilly, most inhabitants massacred, one of the bloodiest incidents of the Thirty Years' War. 
1639
Dorchester Mass, forms 1st school funded by local taxes 
1690
England passes Act of Grace, forgiving followers of James II 
1704
Elias Neau forms school for slaves in NY 
1734
1st Jockey Club forms in SC 
1774
Britain gives Quebec, Labrador & territory north of Ohio 
1775
Citizens of Mecklenburg County, NC declare independence from Britain 
1784
Britain & Netherlands sign peace treaty (Peace of Paris) 
1825
Charles X becomes King of France 
1830
1st railroad timetable published in newspaper (Baltimore American) 
1830
D Hyde patents fountain pen 
1835
Otto is named the first modern king of Greece. 
1840
York Minster badly damaged by fire 
1845
1st legislative assembly convenes in Hawaii 
1845
HMS Erebus and HMS Terror with 134 men under John Franklin sail from the River Thames in England, beginning a disastrous expedition to find the Northwest Passage. All hands are lost. 
1861
Cornerstone of University of Washington laid in Seattle 
1861
Kentucky proclaims its neutrality in Civil War 
1861
North Carolina becomes 11th & last state to secede from Union 
1861
US marshals appropriate previous year's telegraph dispatches, to reveal prosecessionist evidence 
1862
Homestead Act provides cheap land for settlement of West 
1864
Battle at Ware Bottom Church, Virginia, 1,400 killed or injured 
1864
Spotsylvania campaign ends after 10,920 killed/injured 
1867
British parliament rejects John Stuart Mills' proposals on women's suffrage 
1867
Royal Albert Hall of Arts & Sciences foundation laid by Queen Victoria 
1868
Republican National Convention, meets in Chicago, nominates Grant 
1870
Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament abolishes capital punishment in The Netherlands 
1873
Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis patent first blue jeans with copper rivets 
1875
International Bureau of Weights & Measures forms by treaty 
1879
5th Kentucky Derby: Charlie Shauer aboard Lord Murphy wins in 2:37 
1882
Germany/Austria-Hungary/France sign Triple Alliance 
1882
Henrik Ibsen's "Ghosts" (Gengangere) premieres in Chicago 
1882
St Gotthard rail tunnel between Switzerland & Italy opens 
1891
History of cinema: The first public display of Thomas Edison's prototype kinetoscope. 
1892
George Sampson patents clothes dryer 
1892
Triple Alliance between Germany, Italy & Austria forms 
1895
1st commercial movie performance (153 Broadway, NYC) 
1896
The six ton chandelier of the Palais Garnier opera house in Paris falls on the crowd resulting in the death of one and the injury of many others. 
1900
2nd modern Olympic games opens in Paris (lasted 5 months) 
1902
Cuba gains independence from Spain 
1902
US military occupation of Cuba (since Jan 1, 1899) ends 
1902
The United States withdraw its troops from Cuba as its first president, Tomas Estrada Palma, is installed 
1903
Britain's House of Commons begins a debate on the charges of poor administration and ill treatment of natives in Belgium's colony in the Congo Free State 
1910
Funeral for Britain's King Edward VII 
1911
Edwin Boaler Alletson hits 189 in 90 mins Notts v Sussex 
1913
38th Preakness: James Butwell aboard Buskin wins in 1:53.4 
1915
Bataafsche Petroleum Me begins oil extraction of Maracaibo 
1916
Codell, Kansas hit by tornado (also on same date in 1917 & 1918) 
1916
Saturday Evening Post cover features Norman Rockwell painting 
1917
Turkish government authorizes Jews to return to Tel Aviv & Jaffa 
1918
1st electrically propelled warship (New Mexico) 
1919
Volcano Keluit on Java, erupts killing 550 
1920
Policemen raid the Cubs' bleachers & arrest 24 fans for gambling 
1922
"Egypt" sinks off Ushant after colliding with "Seine" killing 90 
1922
Babe Ruth & Bob Meusel, suspended on October 16, 1921, by Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis, return to the NY lineup & go hitless 
1923
Stanley Baldwin, becomes PM of UK 
1926
Belgian government of Jaspar takes power 
1926
Congress passes Air Commerce Act, licensing of pilots & planes 
1926
Railway Labor Act became law in USA 
1926
Thomas Edison says Americans prefer silent movies over talkies 
1927
At 7:40 AM, pilot Charles Lindbergh takes off from NY to cross Atlantic for Paris 
1927
Saudi Arabia becomes independent of Great Britain (Treaty of Jedda) 
1927
Charles Lindbergh begins NY flight (Spirit of St Louis) 
1930
1st airplane catapulted from a dirigible, Charles Nicholson, pilot 
1930
University of California dedicates $1,500 to research on prevention & cure of athlete's foot 
1932
Amelia Earhart leaves Newfoundland 1st woman fly solo across Atlantic 
1932
Engelbert Dollfuss becomes chancellor of Austria 
1939
"3 Little Fishies" by Kay Kyser swam to #1 
1939
1st regular transatlantic airmail (Pan Am: NY to Marsseille France) 
1940
German General Guderian's tanks reach the English Channel (British expeditionary army) 
1940
Soccer team HZVV forms in Hoogeveen 
1940
Trailing 7-1 in 9th to Pitts, Phils win 8-7 
1941
Archer's "Christian Calendar & Gregorian Reform" published 
1941
Former Dutch PM Colijn says Neth Indies not ready for independence 
1941
Germany invades Crete 
1941
White Sox Taft Wright sets AL record of RBIs in 13 consecutive games 
1942
US Navy 1st permitted black recruits to serve 
1943
French, British & US victory parade in Tunis Tunisia 
1944
US Communist Party dissolves 
1945
Keith Miller scores 105 in the 1st Victory Test Cricket at Lord's 
1946
Cubs Claude Passeau makes his 1st error since September 21, 1941, ending pitcher's fielding record of 273 consecutive errorless chances 
1948
1st use of Israeli Air Force & 1st war victory, defeating Syrian army 
1948
Cleve Indians tie AL record of 18 walks (beat Red Sox 13-4) 
1950
76th Preakness: Eddie Arcaro aboard Hill Prince wins in 1:59.2 
1954
Chiang Kai-shek becomes president of Nationalist China 
1955
Argentine parliament accepts separation of church & state 
1956
Atomic fusion (thermonuclear) bomb dropped from plane-Bikini Atoll 
1956
Jordan government of Samir resigns 
1958
US performs nuclear test at Enwetak (atmospheric tests) 
1959
Ford wins battle with Chrysler to call its new car "Falcon" 
1959
Japanese-Americans regain their citizenship 
1959
Shah of Persia visits Netherlands 
1959
Yanks sink to last place, 1st time since May 25, 1940 
1960
Baseball game in Milwaukee postponed due to dense fog 
1961
87th Preakness: Johnny Sellers aboard Carry Back wins in 1:57.6 
1961
Henzes opera "Elegy for Young Lovers," premieres in Schwetzingen 
1961
Mauritania adopts constitution 
1961
White mob attacks "Freedom Riders" in Montgomery, Alabama 
1962
Patty Berg wins LPGA Muskogee Civitan Golf Open 
1963
Sukarno appointed president of Indonesia 
1964
Buster Mathis defeats Joe Fraizer to qualify for US Olympic team 
1965
Pakistani Boeing 720-B crashes at Cairo Egypt, killing 121 
1965
Yorkshire all out for 23 v Hampshire at Middlesbrough 
1967
10,000 demonstrate against war in Vietnam 
1967
93rd Preakness: Bill Shoemaker aboard Damascus wins in 1:55.2 
1967
BBC bans the Beatles' "A Day in the Life" because of drug references 
1968
Terence O'Neill, then Northern Ireland Prime Minister, is showered with eggs, flour and stones after a meeting of the Woodvale Unionist Association, a loyalist vigilante group 
1969
US troop capture Hill 937/Hamburger Hill Vietnam 
1970
100,000 march in NY supporting US policies in Vietnam 
1970
2 die in a NYC subway accident 
1970
Beatles' "Let it Be" movie premieres in UK 
1971
Pentagon reports blacks constitute 11% of US soldiers in SE Asia 
1972
"Different Times" closes at ANTA Theater NYC after 24 performances 
1972
"Hard Job Being God" closes at Edison Theater NYC after 6 performances 
1972
5th ABA Championship: Indiana Pacers beat NY Nets, 4 games to 2 
1972
98th Preakness: Eldon Nelson aboard Bee Bee Bee wins in 1:55.6 
1972
Cameroon adopts its constitution 
1972
Republic of Cameroon declared as constitution is ratified 
1973
"2 Gentlemen of Verona" closes at St James Theater NYC after 613 perfs 
1973
25th Emmy Awards: Waltons, All in the Family & Mary Tyler Moore win 
1973
Donna Caponi Young wins LPGA Bluegrass Golf Invitational 
1974
Soyuz 14 returns to Earth 
1976
USSR performs nuclear test at Sary Shagan USSR 
1978
104th Preakness: Steve Cauthen aboard Affirmed wins in 1:54.4 
1978
3 PFLP members kill a police officer near El Al airlines in Orly Airport, Paris 
1978
US launches Pioneer Venus 1; produces 1st global radar map of Venus 
1979
"I Love My Wife" closes at Barrymore Theater NYC after 864 perfs 
1979
1st western pop star to tour USSR-Elton John 
1979
Nancy Lopez wins LPGA Coca-Cola Golf Classic 
1980
710 families in Love Canal area (Niagara Falls NY) are evacuated 
1980
Drummer Peter Criss quits Kiss 
1980
Fire in nursing home in Kingston Jamaica, kills 157 
1980
In a referendum, 59.5% of Quebec voters reject separatism 
1981
Ipswich Town wins 10th UEFA Cup at Amsterdam 
1983
Larry Holmes beats Tim Witherspoon in 12 for heavyweight boxing title 
1983
Michael Dokes & Mike Weaver fight to a draw in 15 for hw boxing title 
1983
Phillies Steve Carlton passes W Johnson with 2nd most strike outs 
1984
"On Your Toes" closes at Virginia Theater NYC after 505 performances 
1984
Barb Bunkowsky wins LPGA Chrysler-Plymouth Charity Golf Classic 
1984
Boston's Roger Clemens beats Twins, 5-4, for his 1st victory 
1985
1150 Lebanese/Palestinian prisoners exchanged for 3 Israelis 
1985
Dow Jones industrial avg closes above 1300 for 1st time 
1985
FBI arrests John A Walker Jr, convicted of spying for USSR 
1985
Indians-Brewers game at Cleve Stadium is 1st rain-out of 1985, ends record string of 458 ML games since Opening Day without a rain-out 
1985
Israel exchanges 1,100+ Arab prisoners for 3 Israeli soldiers 
1985
Larry Holmes beats Carl Williams in 15 for heavyweight boxing title 
1985
US began broadcasts to Cuba on Radio Marti 
1986
Christy Fichtner, 23, (Texas), crowned 35th Miss USA 
1986
Flintstones 25th Anniversary Celebration airs on CBS-tv 
1987
Gutenborg wins 16th UEFA Cup at Dundee 
1987
Wrestler Jerry Lawler sues WWF & Harley Race for trademark name "king" 
1988
Howard Stern fans disrupt WMMR's & John DeBella's "Louie Louie" parade 
1988
Mike Schmidt hits his 535th HR, moving into 8th place 
1989
115th Preakness: Pat Valenzuela aboard Sunday Silence wins in 1:53.8 
1989
China declares martial law in Beijing 
1989
Toonces The Cat takes the wheel on Saturday Night Live 
1989
Walter McConnel, 57, is oldest to reach 27,000' Mt Everest top 
1990
"Truly Blessed" closes at Longacre Theater NYC after 33 performances 
1990
Cindy Rarick wins LPGA Planters Pat Bradley Golf International 
1990
Hubble Space Telescope sends 1st photograph's from space 
1991
Chic Bull Michael Jordan, named NBA's MVP 
1991
Jeff Reardon gains his 300th career save 
1991
Soviet parliament approves law allowing citizens to travel abroad 
1992
FC Barcelona wins 373 Europe Cup 1 at London 
1992
India launches its 1st satellite independently 
1992
Rap singer raps 597 syllables in under 60 seconds 
1993
10m meteor comes within 150,000 km of Earth (1993KA) 
1993
274th & final "Cheers" on NBC 
1993
Ukraine Premier Leonid Koetsjma (Kuchma) resigns 
1994
Bobcat Goldthwait charged with misdemeanors for fire on Tonight Show 
1994
Sushmita Sen from India is crowned the 43rd Miss Universe at 18 years old 
1994
Sony Theaters & Cineplex (NYC) hike movie ticket prices to $8.00 
1995
121st Preakness: Pat Day aboard Timber Coutry wins in 1:54.4 
1995
CBS News fires co-anchor Connie Chung 
1995
Twins Marty Cordova ties rookie record of HRs in 5 consecutive games 
1996
UN and Iraq agree to Resolution 986, which provides Iraq with the opportunity to sell $1 billion of oil for 90 days for a 180-day trial period; proceeds from the sale would be used for humanitarian purposes 
1997
Cosmos Zenit-2 Launch (Russia), Failed 
1997
Thor-2A Delta 2 Launch (Norway/USA), Successful 
1997
White Sox Frank Thomas reaches base safely for 15th straight time 
1997
US President Clinton signs an executive order barring new US investment in Burma (also known as Myanmar), effective May 21 and renewable annually 
2002
The independence of East Timor is recognized by Portugal, formally ending 23 years of Indonesian rule and 3 years of provisional UN administration (Portugal itself was the former colonizer of East Timor until 1976). 
2003
The reality series "America's Next Top Model", created by Tyra Banks, debuts on UPN 
2009
Mexico is the first Latin American country to officially enter recession 
2012
Tomislav Nikolić elected president of Serbia 
2012
6.0 magnitude earthquake kills 6 and injures dozens in northern Italy 
2012
20th Billboard Music Awards: Adele, 21 win 
2013
133 people are killed and 283 are injured in a continued wave of insurgency in Iraq 
2013
2 people are killed and 20 are injured after a hot air balloon crashes in Cappadocia, Turkey 
2013
The Church of Scotland votes to allow openly gay men and women to be ministers 
2013
Yahoo purchases Tumbler for $1.1 Billion 
2016
New Taiwan President Omits One-China Policy in First Speech 
2016
Asia Pacific|Taiwan Installs 1st Woman President Amid Tension With China 
2016
New Taiwan president pledges peace, urges China to drop historical baggage 
2016
Egypt's Sisi orders civil aviation ministry, military, to locate EgyptAir plane debris 
2016
Muirfield Golf Club ban on female members upheld 
2016
Golfer Mickleson to return insider trading profit 
2017
Cavs set NBA record with 41-point halftime lead 
2018
Cuba confirms 110 killed in country's deadliest plane crash since 1989 
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