1884 – Ringling Brothers circus premieres.
1921 – Congress sharply curbs immigration, setting a national quota system.
1928 – “Firedamp” explodes in Mather coal mine, Pennsylvania, killing 195 of 273 miners.
1935 – NFL adopts an annual college draft to begin in 1936.
1942 – Braves Paul Waner is 3rd NLer to get 3,000 hits (Anson & Wagner)
1943 – Churchill pledges Britain’s full support to US against Japan.
1950 – NY Times reports of worlds smallest & dumbest mechanical brain.
1958 – “South Pacific” soundtrack album goes #1 & stays #1 for 31 weeks.
1960 – Alan Freed & eight other DJs accused of taking radio payola.
1964 – US diplomats find at least 49 secret microphones in Moscow embassy.
1975 – 27th Emmy Awards: “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”, Robert Blake & Jean Marsh win.
1976 – Senate establishes permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
1977 – Film “Smokey & the Bandit” starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field and Jackie Gleason premieres in NYC.
1987 – 1st American Comedy Award: Johnny Carson & Betty White.
1991 – Willy T. Ribbs overcomes numerous mechanical problems in qualifying to become first African-American driver to make Indianapolis 500 starting grid.
2005 – Rock for the Rainforest benefit concert held at Carnegie Hall, NYC: Performers include: Sting, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Sheryl Crow and Lenny Kravitz.
2018 – American actress Meghan Markle marries Prince Harry at a ceremony in Windsor Castle, making her a member of the royal family.
2019 – US billionaire Robert G. Smith announces he will pay off college loans of nearly 400 students of the graduating class of Morehouse College, Atlanta.
2021 – New York Yankees pitcher Cory Kluber no-hits Texas Rangers, 2-0 a Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas.
