World Events Today
- The Pendle Witch Trials started today in 1612 in England, 10 of the 12 accused were found guilty and executed by hanging
- The Scottish aviator Jim Mollison, MBE, was the first man to fly an East-to-West solo trans-Atlantic flight today in 1932, he flew from Portmarnock in Ireland to New Brunswick in Canada
- South Africa was banned from taking part in the Olympic Games today in 1964, it was because of their continuing policy of apartheid
Entertainment Events Today
- The original Woodstock, a music festival held on a farm in Bethel, New York, ended today in 1969, Jimi Hendrix was the closing act
- Slippery When Wet, the 3rd studio album by the American rock band Bon Jovi, was released today in 1986, it included the hit singles Livin’ on a Prayer and Wanted Dead or Alive
- The English football club Manchester United was sold for 20 million pounds today in 1989, the buyer, an Isle of Man-based property tycoon named Michael Knighton
Family Events Today
- The American automotive industry executive Walter Percy Chrysler, founder of the Chrysler Corporation, died today in 1875
- Raymond Thierry Liebling, better known as the movie director Roman Polanski, was born today in 1933, his father was Polish and his mother was Russian
- The American actor Charles Robert Redford Jr., who starred in many movies, including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting, was born today in 1936 in Santa Monica, California
Main Event Today
- “The Hardest Day”, an air battle during the Battle of Britain, occurred today in 1940, the combined loss of planes was more than any other day during the campaign, the Royal Air Force and the Luftwaffe lost almost 70 planes each
National Day Today
- Today, it’s National Fajita Day