# Today in History **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [July 10, 2016, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530 "2016-07-10T04:53:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 31
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2017, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/602 "2017-04-30T08:58:50Z")
**April 30, 1789:** On the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall Street in New York City, George Washington takes the oath of office to become the first elected President of the United States. The crowd in attendance is, IN FACT, the largest crowd at any presidential inauguration to date. Unfortunately there are no photographs to prove it. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2017, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/603 "2017-05-01T05:12:35Z")
**May 1, 1900** : [The Scofield Mine Disaster](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/2/21/839307/-&ved=0ahUKEwj2mcau883TAhWCeSYKHdObAmkQFgi6ATAZ&usg=AFQjCNGXNN3K4BS_-J-BSNxx_VSt_tPckA&sig2=iRLerGGD_KAkoQ5nYr6XSw)kills at least 200 in Utah. At the time, this was the deadliest mine accident in US history. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2017, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/604 "2017-05-01T13:17:14Z")
**May 1, 1956:** The polio vaccine developed by Jonas Salk is made available to the public. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/605 "2017-05-02T04:45:07Z")
**May 2, 1845** : [The Great Yarmouth Bridge Disaster.](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-norfolk-24240357&ved=0ahUKEwi_z_LirtDTAhVG5yYKHXMQAecQFggcMAA&usg=AFQjCNHnJN4DjmxE53hg8EAZeDzXUX0m9g&sig2=_JJs8ek6OanwEZ_F___qVw) Hundreds of people were on a suspension bridge over the river Bure in Great Yarmouth, England. They were waiting to see a floating clown in a barrel being pulled by four geese. When the clown finally came into view, people rushed to one side of the bridge to get a look. Their weight collapsed the bridge into the water and 79 people died. Many more were injured. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2017, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/606 "2017-05-02T10:48:09Z")
**May 2, 1920:** The first game of the Negro National League baseball is played in Indianapolis. The eight initial teams were the Chicago American Giants, Detroit Stars, Kansas City Monarchs, Indianapolis ABCs, St. Louis Giants, Cuban Stars, Dayton Marcos and Chicago Giants. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2017, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/607 "2017-05-03T04:18:05Z")
\*\*May 3, 1999 \*\*: The highest wind speed ever recorded was measured at 301 miles per hour during the [Bridge Creek - Moore tornado](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_Bridge_Creek%25E2%2580%2593Moore_tornado&ved=0ahUKEwjOmZTa7NLTAhUDZCYKHSuUBK8QFgjDATAh&usg=AFQjCNEWnIGEww0raxWhHIdoyTrOx3dpzw&sig2=72YXxkEeD9BkTDHtBOE_Ow)in Oklahoma. The tornado kills 36 and causes a billion dollars in damage. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2017, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/608 "2017-05-03T08:51:17Z")
**May 3, 1978:** The first unsolicited bulk commercial email (which would later become known as “spam”) is sent by a Digital Equipment Corporation marketing representative to every ARPANET address on the west coast of the United States. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/609 "2017-05-04T04:36:18Z")
**May 4, 1970** : [The Kent State Shootings.](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1961.html&ved=0ahUKEwjptNXRs9XTAhUCSiYKHdhxB6M4ChAWCE4wDg&usg=AFQjCNHH6uYCHNoTh9-zaJl2epbRNzlHOg&sig2=bmRi-4bMwzwy2H84SqIXtg) Four dead in Ohio. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/610 "2017-05-04T12:11:00Z")
**May 4, 1959:** The first annual Grammy Awards are held. Henry Mancini won Best Album, for _The Music from Peter Gunn,_ and Domenico Modugno won Best Song, for “Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu (Volare)” ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/611 "2017-05-05T03:57:15Z")
**May 4, 1626:** American Indians sell Manhattan Island for $24 in cloth and buttons. Can we return it this weekend (when Trump is there)? ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/612 "2017-05-05T04:13:16Z")
**May 5, 2002:** Spider-Man is first movie to top $100 million in opening weekend. 🆒😃 ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/613 "2017-05-05T04:46:13Z")
**May 5, 1945** : [Sunday school teacher Elyse Mitchell and five young members of her class go on a picnic in Southeast Oregon, near the town of Bly](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=/amp/www.oregonlive.com/articles/15904576/past_tense_oregon_70_years_ago.amp&ved=0ahUKEwjygffa89fTAhWJ7SYKHRXnB24QFghUMAQ&usg=AFQjCNFI8pSj0M0CMPWpkcIh2IlhiZ272g&sig2=2VaYTsbSzHL4z8dNmZzsJw). They discover something strange in the woods: remnants of a balloon made of rice paper. While examining their find, suddenly there is an explosion and all 6 are killed. What these picnickers had found was a Japanese balloon bomb. The bomb was one of several thousand released by the Japanese military that were designed to float across the Pacific and start fires and cause harm in the United States. While other balloon bombs made it across the ocean, this was the only one to kill. Elyse Mitchell and her students were the only combat deaths that occurred in the continental United States during World War II. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2017, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/614 "2017-05-06T01:12:17Z")
**May 5, 1961:** Alan Shepard becomes the first American to travel into outer space, on a sub-orbital flight. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2017, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/615 "2017-05-06T05:36:38Z")
**May 6, 1937** : [The \*Hindenburg \*Disaster.](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindenburg_disaster&ved=0ahUKEwiBn7LuxNrTAhXHKyYKHcLPDcsQmhMIezAX&usg=AFQjCNEgbK70ntHmtqqfu8HFttSwpyBsvA&sig2=-mXJVCeHBfqipxuhPHzJLQ) 36 people died. But what is amazing to me is that 62 people somehow survived. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2017, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/616 "2017-05-06T07:54:37Z")
**May 6, 2013:** Three women missing for more than a decade are found alive in the home of Ariel Castro, in Cleveland, Ohio. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2017, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/617 "2017-05-06T17:27:28Z")
**May 6, 1954:** Roger Banister becomes the first person to run a mile under 4 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/618 "2017-05-07T04:37:28Z")
\*\*May 7, 1824: \*\*World premiere of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in Vienna, Austria. The performance is conducted by Michael Umlauf under the composer’s supervision. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/619 "2017-05-07T04:39:28Z")
**May 7, 1915** : The luxury ocean liner [RMS _Lusitania_](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinking_of_the_RMS_Lusitania&ved=0ahUKEwjpm6vX-dzTAhWESiYKHV_AApkQFgi-ATAk&usg=AFQjCNEiJoAuZuzx1iJKFG0RwbpBly_dSg&sig2=BtAUCjGsVxIDLkQy74zXtA) is torpedoed by a German submarine. 1198 die. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/620 "2017-05-08T04:02:16Z")
**May 8, 1902** : In one of the deadliest volcanic disasters in history, [Mt. Pelee](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2002/apr/28/physicalsciences.highereducation&ved=0ahUKEwiaxffTsN_TAhXC1CYKHYYeAUcQFgiSAjAk&usg=AFQjCNGfgdlb56qJi_Udzj-BD-zbLxgxnw&sig2=RKYvH4G1ZgBYm6iJVBEGJA)erupts killing over 30,000 people. The one survivor in the entire city of St. Pierre was a prisoner who had been confined in an underground cell. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/621 "2017-05-08T05:19:57Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > **May 8, 1902** : In one of the deadliest volcanic disasters in history, [Mt. Pelee](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2002/apr/28/physicalsciences.highereducation&ved=0ahUKEwiaxffTsN_TAhXC1CYKHYYeAUcQFgiSAjAk&usg=AFQjCNGfgdlb56qJi_Udzj-BD-zbLxgxnw&sig2=RKYvH4G1ZgBYm6iJVBEGJA)erupts killing over 30,000 people. The one survivor in the entire city of St. Pierre was a prisoner who had been confined in an underground cell. I have climbed Mt. Pelee. Very wet and muddy. **May 8, 1976:** The roller coaster “The New Revolution”, the first steel coaster with a vertical loop, opens at Six Flags Magic Mountain. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530.md?page=30) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530.md?page=32)