Americans have been known to feel superior to soccer (football) fans in the rest of the world, because of the riots in the stands that have led to occasional deaths. Well, in 1849 15,000 New Yorkers gathered outside a theatre, for which they had no tickets, to protest that an actor they viewed as a symbol of British aristocracy was on stage. There is no doubt that good American actors could have done the job, but that's no reason to rip up the street and then die there.
In addition to the national Memorial Day at the end of this month, many of the former Confederate states observe Confederate Memorial Day, including both Carolinas today. There is some controversy over the origins of Memorial Day, to the extent that in 1966 Congress passed, and Lyndon Johnson signed, a bill that gave the honor of first observing the day to Waterloo, New York. Sorry, first is a matter that can be resolved by a calendar, that legislation is absurd, and the calendar shows Columbus, Mississippi as being first.
Except for the world of Star Trek, with James T. Kirk in charge, ships undergo short maiden voyages to make sure everything is bolted down and working. The USS Triton took the most ambitious shakedown cruise in nautical history on this day, apparently Electric Boat had done their job well.
1307 - Charged by his father's dying words to conquer Scotland, England's Edward II attacked the recently crowned Robert the Bruce at Ayrshire. It was young Edward's first significant loss in a losing cause.
1849 - 15,000 American Shakespeare fans, outraged at the presence of English Shakespearean actor William Charles Macready on the stage of the Astor Place Opera House in New York City, riot and hurl paving stones on that building in protest. Unarmed policemen were unable to end the disturbance, the militia are called out, and when the smoke cleared 23 were dead and over 100 wounded.
1960 - Captain Edward L. Beach, preparing to take the USS Triton (SSRN-586) on her shakedown cruise, was instructed instead to take the 7,750-ton nuclear powered submarine around the world roughly on the course of Magellan, only Beach was ordered to stay submerged. The Triton's conning tower broke the surface of the Atlantic off Delaware on this day in 1960, 84 days after leaving Groton, Connecticut.
Confederate Memorial Day, US (North and South Carolina) - Like several other southern states, the Carolinas continue to observe a separate day to honor the Civil War heroes of both sides. The national Memorial Day is an outgrowth of southern "Decoration Day" ceremonies.
Yom Ha'Atzmaut, Israel - Independence Day, marking the end of the British Mandate over Palestine in 1948 and the creation of the current state of Israel. As with other Jewish holidays, this started at sundown last night and continues until the first three stars are visible tonight.
1755 - Robert Gray, US merchant marine, trader - Born in Rhode Island, he served on a privateer in the Revolutionary War. In 1787 he was the first US captain to circumnavigate the globe, sailing from Boston to the Pacific Coast, trading for furs, sailing to China to sell them, and return home by way of the Atlantic. Discovered the Columbia River on his next trip in 1791. Died in 1806.
1788 - Augustin Jean Fresnel, French physicist - Born in Broglie, France, educated at the Ecole Polytechnique. One of the developers of the wave theory of light, developed a theory of the diffraction of light, created a circular polarizer. Remembered for the lightweight compound lens he designed for lighthouses, also widely used in the theatre. Died at Ville-d'Avray, France on 14 July 1827.
1850 - Sir Thomas Johnstone Lipton, Scottish merchant, yachtsman - Born in Glasgow, Scotland, spent several years working in US, returned to Glasgow to open his first grocery store in 1869. Publicity genius, expanded rapidly, millionaire at 30. Bought tea and rubber plantations, factories, packing houses abroad, farms and factories in the UK, created Lipton Ltd in 1898. Knighted in 1898, a baronet in 1902. Made five runs at the America's Cup, the US public gave him a gold cup for sportsmanship after his last defeat in 1930. Died 2 October 1931.
If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please
bring be some coffee.
- Abraham Lincoln
In the eyes of the people, the general who wins a battle has made no
mistakes.
- Voltaire
A smile is the light in your window that tells others that there is a
caring, sharing person inside.
- Anonymous
There's a statistical theory that if you gave a million monkeys typewriters
and set them to work, they'd eventually come up with the complete works
of Shakespeare. Thanks to the Internet, we now know this isn't true.
- Ian Hart, British actor
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