ON THIS DAY IN RECENT HISTORY ~ May 19

ON THIS DAY IN RECENT HISTORY ~
MAY 19

What was happening on this day in modern history? Let's take a look at some of the big events, Birthdays, and anniversaries for May 19th....

1884 - Ringling Brothers circus premieres.

1885 - 1st mass production of shoes (Jan Matzeliger in Lynn, Massachusetts).
1892 - Charles Brady King invents pneumatic hammer.
1892 - National Society of Colonial Dames of America founded.
1898 - Post Office authorizes use of postcards.

1905 - Tom Jenkins beats Frank Gotch for heavyweight wrestling champ.
1906 - Federated Boys' Club (Boys' Club of America) organizes.
1910 - Cleve Indian Cy Young gets his 500th win, beats Wash 5-4 in 11 innings.
1928 - "Firedamp" explodes in Mather Pa coal mine killing 195 of 273 miners.
1930 - White women win voting rights in South-Africa.
1941 - Germany occupiers in Holland forbid bicycle taxis.
1941 - New nazi battleship Bismarck leaves Gdynia, Poland.

1943 - Berlin is declared "Judenrien" (free of Jews).
1943 - Churchill pledges England's full support to US against Japan.
1944 - 240 gypsies transported to Auschwitz from Westerbork Neth.
1944 - German defense line in Italy collapsed.
1945 - Peter Townshend, England, rock guitarist/vocalist/composer (The Who-Tommy) is born.
1946 - Phillip Rudd, Melbourne, rock drummer (AC/DC-Rock 'n Roll Damnation) is born.
1946 - André the Giant, French professional wrestler (d. 1993) is born.

1948 - Grace Jones, [Mendoza], Spanishtown Jamacia, singer/actress (Vamp) is born.
1951 - UN begins counter offensive in Korea.
1951 - Joey Ramone, [Jeffrey Hyman], lead singer of the punk rock band The Ramones (Baby I Love You) is born.
1954 - Postmaster General Summerfield approves CIA mail-opening project.
1958 - South Pacific soundtrack album goes to #1 & stays #1 for 31 weeks.
1958 - US & Canada form North American Air Defense Command (NORAD).
1958 - Bobby Darin’s single, "Splish Splash," is released as the first eight-track master recording pressed to a plastic 45-RPM disc.

1960 - Alan Freed & eight other DJ accused of taking radio payola.
1960 - The Drifters record "Save the Last Dance For Me."
1962 - "John Birch Society," by Chad Mitchell Trio hits #99.
1964 - US diplomats find at least 40 secret microphones in Moscow embassy.
1971 - USSR launches Mars 2, 1st spacecraft to crash land on Mars.
1973 - Paul Simon's "Kodachrome" makes it onto the Billboard Hot 100 chart and five weeks later, the song moved to number nine.

1975 - 27th Emmy Awards: Mary Tyler Moore Show, Robert Blake & Jean Marsh.
1975 - Junko Tabei is 1st woman to climb to the top of Mount Everest.
1977 - "Smokey & the Bandit," premieres.
1979 - "In The Navy" by Village People hits #3.
1979 - Eric Clapton and George Harrison's ex-wife, Patti Boyd are married.
1980 - "Blackstone" opens at Majestic Theater NYC for 104 performances.
1980 - Ringo & Barbara Bach are involved in a car crash.
1982 - Sophia Loren jailed in Naples for tax evasion.

1984 - "King Of Suede" by Weird Al Yankovic hits #62.
1987 - 1st American Comedy Award.
1991 - "Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story" closes at Shubert NYC after 225 perfs.
1991 - Willy T Ribbs becomes 1st black driver to make Indianapolis 500.
1991 - The TV movie "Knight Rider 2000" airs on NBC.
1992 - 27th Amendment ratified, prohibits Congress from raising its salary.
1992 - Amy Fisher shoots Mary Jo Buttafuoco in Massapequa LI.
1994 - Henry Morgan, TV panalist (To Tell the Truth), dies of cancer at 74.
1994 - Final Episode of LA Law after 8 year run.
1994 - Omar Sharif suffers a mild heart attack.
1994 - Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, 1st lady (1961-63), dies of cancer at 64.

1995 - World's youngest doctor, Balamurali Ambati, 17, graduates Mount Sinai.
1996 - The final episode of "Murder, She Wrote" airs on CBS.
2004 - Tony Randall, actor (Felix Unger in The Odd Couple) dies aged 84.