1787 – Constitution submitted to US states for ratification.
1855 – George F. Bristow’s “Rip Van Winkle”, 2nd American opera, opens in NYC.
1892 – Book matches are patented by Diamond Match Company.
1903 – Wreck of the Old 97, a train crash made famous by the song of the same name.
1909 – US President Taft sets aside some 3 million acres of oil-rich public land (including Teapot Dome, Wyoming) for conservation purposes.
1930 – 34th US Golf Amateur Championship won by Bobby Jones.
1941 – US launches its 1st Liberty ship, freighter SS Patrick Henry.
1947 – “Sweethearts” closes at Shubert Theater NYC for 288 performances.
1954 – Steve Allen’s “Tonight Show” premieres.
1963 – At 10:59 AM census clock, records US population at 190,000,000.
1964 – Findings of the Warren Commission into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy released, finds Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone.
1973 – “The Way We Were” single released by Barbra Streisand (Billboard Song of the Year 1974)
1979 – US Congress’ final approval to create Department of Education.
1982 – John Palmer becomes news anchor of Today Show.
1983 – Tim Raines is 1st since Ty Cobb to steal 70 bases & drive in 70 runs.
1985 – Hurricane Gloria’s 130 MPH wind hits Atlantic Coast.
1986 – Senate joins US House of Representatives voting for sweeping tax reform.
1989 – Sony purchases Columbia Pictures for $3.4 billion cash.
1991 – US President George H.W. Bush decides to end full-time B-52 bombers alert.
2001 – At its two-day meeting in Vienna, OPEC decides to keep its production quotas unchanged at 23.2 million barrels per day, despite crude oil being at its lowest price levels since 1999.