- 1775] The American Revolutionary War begins with the battles of Lexington and Concord. This day (4/19) will be commemorated as "Patriot's Day"...
- 1912] Debuted on this date: Fenway Park opens with the Red Sox beating the Highlanders (who will become the Yankees) 7-6 (4/20). Boston Mayor John "Honey Fitz" Kennedy throws out the first ball, something grandson Teddy Kennedy will do for the 100th anniversary of Fenway in 2012...1934] Shirley Temple debuts in "Stand Up and Cheer" (4/20)...1939] Ted Williams debuts, playing right field and doubles for his first hit at the age of 20. The Yankees beat the Red Sox 2-0 at Yankee Stadium (4/20)...1959] "Desilu Playhouse" debuts on CBS-TV with a two-part show titled "The Untouchables" which will become a regular series (4/20)...1961] FM Stereo is approved by the FCC (4/20)...1964] "Viva Las Vegas" starring Elvis Presley premieres (4/20)...1977] Woody Allen's "Annie Hall" premieres (4/20)...
- 1960] Paywhata?: Dick Clark tesifies before a congressional committe investigating payola. He will be forced to divest himself of record properties he has a financial interest in (4/21)...
- 1970] Famous 'firsts': The first "Earth Day" is observed (4/22). 20 years later to the day (1990), over 750,000 are treated to an 'Earth Day' concert in Central Park starring Hall & Oates, Ben E. King and the B-52s.....1976] Barbara Walters becomes the first female nightly news anchor (4/22)...1978] John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd make their first appearance as The Blues Brothers on "Saturday Night Live" (4/22)...
- 1981] Marathon game: The longest pro baseball game ever played, between Pawtucket and Rochester is suspended after 32 innings (4/19) (at the 8 hour, 7-minute mark) with the score tied 2-2 at 4:07 a.m. Two months later when play resumes, Pawtucket wins in the 33rd inning. Two future Hall of Famers played in this game: Wade Boggs (Pawtucket) and Cal Ripken Jr. (Rochester)...
- 1986] Nuke leak: The world's worst nuclear accident occurs at Chernobyl in the Ukraine. An explosion and fire in the #4 reactor sends radioactivity into the atmosphere killing at least 31 immediately (4/26)...
- 1989] 'Happy Trails': Legendary actress-comedian Lucille Ball passes away at 77 from a ruptured aorta (4/26)...1993] Labor leader Cesar Chavez dies in his sleep at 66 (4/23)...1994] Former President Richard M. Nixon dies at 81 (4/22), the results of a stroke 4 days earlier...1995] Howard Cosell dies at 77 from a heart embolism (4/23)...1998] James Earl Ray who at first confessed to killing Martin Luther King Jr. only to deny it saying he was framed, dies of kidney disease in prison at 70 (4/23)...2004] NFL player Pat Tillman who traded a career in football for life as an Army Ranger in Afghanistan, is killed by friendly fire at the age of 27 (4/22)...
- 1993] Branch Davidian leader David Koresh and dozens others are killed when fire destroys their compound near Waco (TX) as the 51-day siege ends. Attorney General Janet Reno takes responsibility for the way the siege was handled by federal agents (4/19)...
- 1995] The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City is destroyed by a bomb (4/19). It is the worst bombing and/or act of terrorism on U.S. soil until 911. 168 are killed including 19 children, 500 are injured. Timothy McVeigh is found guilty of the bombing in June, 1977 and eventually executed for it...1999] In another horrific act, a dozen students and one teacher are killed at Columbine High School in Littleton (CO) when two teenage students open fire before taking their own lives (4/20)...
- 1995] Celtic Pride: The Boston Celtics play their last game at the old Boston Garden (4/21). The Garden, home since 1946 is replaced by the Fleet Center (now TD Banknorth) using a piece of the parquet floor taken from the Garden. In 1963 (4/24) and 1964 (4/26) the Celtics won their 5th & 6th consecutive titles there...
For Music & Video Memories made April 19-26, commentary and more, click: http://melphillipsnowandthen.com
