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From: Mary Minnich< >
Subject: [FOLKLORE-L] Today in History - June 24th
Date: Thu, 24 Jun 1999 07:01:50 -0400


Today is Thursday, June 24th, the 175th day of 1999.
There are 190 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:
On June 24th, 1948, Communist forces cut off all land and water routes
between West Germany and West Berlin, prompting the western allies to
organize the massive Berlin Airlift.

On this date:
In 1314, the forces of Scotland's King Robert the First defeated the English
in the Battle of Bannockburn.

In 1497, the first recorded sighting of North America by a European took
place as explorer John Cabot spotted land, probably in present-day Canada.

In 1509, Henry the Eighth was crowned king of England.

In 1793, the first republican constitution in France was adopted.

In 1842, author-journalist Ambrose Bierce was born in Meigs County, Ohio.

In 1908, the 22nd and 24th president of the United States, Grover Cleveland,
died in Princeton, New Jersey, at age 71.

In 1940, France signed an armistice with Italy during World War Two.

In 1948, the Republican National Convention, meeting in Philadelphia,
nominated New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey for president.

In 1968, "Resurrection City," a shantytown constructed as part of the Poor
People's March on Washington DC, was closed down by authorities.

In 1987, comedian-actor Jackie Gleason died at his home in Fort Lauderdale,
Florida, at age 71.

Ten years ago: Following the crackdown on China's pro-democracy movement,
Zhao Ziyang (jah-oh zee-yahng) was deposed as Communist Party General
Secretary, and was replaced by Jiang Zemin (jahng zuh-meen).

Five years ago: President Clinton struck out at his conservative critics and
the media, bitterly complaining in a speech in St. Louis that unfair and
negative reports about him were feeding a cynical mindset in America.

One year ago: President Clinton left on a nine-day visit to China amid a
swirl of controversy over his policy toward the Beijing government. AT&T
Corporation struck a deal to buy cable TV giant Tele-Communications for
$31.7 billion.

Today's Birthdays:
Actor Al Molinaro is 80.
Comedian Jack Carter is 76.
Movie director Claude Chabrol is 69.
Actress Michele Lee is 57.
Musician Mick Fleetwood is 57.
Actor-director Georg Stanford Brown is 56.
Rock musician Jeff Beck is 55.
Singer Arthur Brown is 55.
New York Governor George Pataki is 54.
Rock singer Colin Blunstone (The Zombies) is 54.
Actor Peter Weller is 52.
Rock musician John Illsley (Dire Straits) is 50.
Actress Nancy Allen is 49.
Reggae singer Derrick Simpson (Black Uhuru) is 49.
Reggae singer Astro (UB40) is 42.
Singer-musician Andy McCluskey (Orchestral Manoevres in the Dark) is 40.
Rock singer-musician Curt Smith is 38.
Actress Danielle Spencer is 34.
Actress Sherry Stringfield is 32.
Singer Glenn Medeiros is 29.

Thought for Today:

"If a man makes a better mousetrap than his neighbor,
his neighbor wiil borrow it."
-- Anonymous.

(Copyright 1999 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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