1774 – With the meeting of the Continental Congress, Philadelphia becomes the 1st capital of the United States.
1836 – Sam Houston elected President of the Republic of Texas.
1885 – 1st gasoline pump is delivered to a gasoline dealer (Ft. Wayne, Ind)
1910 – Jack Combs begins a record streak of 53 shutout innings.
1914 – US President Woodrow Wilson orders US Navy to make its wireless stations accessible for any transatlantic communications – even to German diplomats sending coded messages; leads to interception of the Zimmermann telegram, helping bring the US into the war.
1925 – 29th US Golf Amateur Championship won by Bobby Jones.
1939 – FDR declares US neutrality at start of WW II in Europe.
1948 – David Cup, Forest Hills, NY: 3 straight titles for US as Gardnar Mulloy & Bill Trabert beat Australians Colin Long & Bill Sidwell 8-6, 9-7, 2-6, 7-5 for unassailable
3-0 lead; ends 5-0.
1953 – 1st privately operated atomic reactor-Raleigh, NC.
1960 – A.J. Foyt wins the first of 67 Indy car victories at Du Quoin, Illinois, State Fairgrounds.
1961 – JFK begins underground nuclear testing.
1971 – Astros pitcher J.R. Richard debut, strikes out 15 Giants in a 5-3 win.
1975 – First assassination attempt on US President Gerald Ford by Lynette Fromme in Sacramento.
1984 – 12th Space Shuttle Mission (41-D) – Discovery 1-lands at Edwards AFB.
1989 – Deborah Norville becomes news anchor of Today Show.
1993 – Musical “Will Rogers Follies” closes at Palace Theater NYC after 983 performances with 6 Tony Awards.
1996 – Following US cruise missile strikes on Iraq, crude oil prices rise as the market speculates when Iraq will begin exporting oil under UN Resolution 986.
2007 – Three terrorists suspected to be a part of Al-Qaeda are arrested in Germany after allegedly planning attacks on both the Frankfurt International airport and US military installations.
2017 – Hurricane Irma becomes the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic Basin region with winds of 185mph.
2020 – More than 50 arrested as Portland, Oregon marks 100 days of protests against racism and police brutality.
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