August 31st
⌛On This Day in History⌛
1842 - American blacksmith Micah Rugg patented a nuts & bolts machine
1842 - US Naval Observatory authorized by an act of Congress
1897 - Thomas Edison patented the Kinetoscope (kinetograph camera), a device that produced moving pictures
1909 - A. J. Reach Co. patented cork-centered baseball
1911 - The "Sullivan Act" requiring New Yorkers to possess licenses for firearms small enough to be concealed went into effect
1935 - Franklin Roosevelt signed act prohibiting export of US arms to belligerents
1946 - Foghorn Leghorn debuted in "Walky Talky Hawky"
1951 - 1st 33 1/3 album introduced in Dusseldorf
1954 - Hurricane Carol hit New England as costliest ever hurricane at the time; 1st storm name to be retired.
1955 - First sun-powered automobile demonstrated in Chicago, IL
1965 - US Congress established Dept of Housing & Urban Development
1979 - Comet Howard-Koomur-Michels collided with the Sun
1987 - Michael Jackson's "Bad" video, directed by Martin Scorcese, premiered during "Michael Jackson: The Magic Returns" TV special on CBS
1987 - The Great Potato Incident: Minor league Williamsport Bills catcher Dave Bresnahan attempts to lure an opposing baserunner off third base using a potato carved to look like a baseball. Umpire calls runner safe, Bresnahan is fined $50 & released by the team
1988 - First of a 5-day power blackout of downtown Seattle
1994 - Computer running ChessGenius 2 program defeated world chess champion Garry Kasparov
1997 - Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris 😥