1831 – 1st US steam engine train run (Albany to Schenectady, NY)
1859 – Otis Tufts patents the first passenger elevator in the US.
1904 – Libanus McLouth Todd of Rochester, NY patents the check writing machine, the Protectograph designed to protect against check forgers.
1910 – Alva Fisher patents electric washing machine.
1925 – Only time Babe Ruth pinch-hit for, Bobby Veach flies out.
1936 – Jesse Owens is part of the American 4 x 100m relay team that wins gold in world record (39.8) at the Berlin Olympics; his 4th gold medal of the Games.
1944 – Smokey Bear debuts as spokesman for fire prevention.
1946 – 1st time all major-league baseball games (8) are played at night.
1956 – 1st state-wide state-supported educational TV network, Alabama.
1961 – James Benton Parsons is 1st African American to be nominated to a US Federal District Court.
1966 – The Beatles release their “Yellow Submarine” single and its album “Revolver” in the US.
1969 – Manson family commits Tate-LaBianca murders.
1971 – Satchel Paige inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame.
1974 – Richard Nixon resigns as President of the United States and Vice President Gerald Ford swears the oath of office to take his place as the 38th US President.
1987 – PGA Championship Men’s Golf, PGA National Palm Beach: Larry Nelson wins 2nd PGA Championship in a playoff with fellow American Lanny Wadkins.
1988 – Edmonton Oilers trade Wayne Gretzky to LA Kings for $15-$20 millions.
1997 – “Just to See You Smile” single released by Tim McGraw (Billboard Song of the Year 1998)
2001 – US President George W. Bush announces his support for federal funding of limited research on embryonic stem cells.
2016 – American swimmer Michael Phelps swims 1:53.36 to win the men’s 200m butterfly gold medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics; beats Japan’s Masato Sakai by 0:04 for his 20th Olympic gold medal.
2017 – Giant inflatable chicken resembling US President Donald Trump placed outside US White House as a political protest.
2017 – North Korea says it plans to fire rockets on US territory Guam in continuing escalation of tension between it and the US.