- 1892] An ax job: Andrew and Abby Borden are axed to death in their Fall River (MA) home by Andrew's daughter from a previous marriage. Accused of the killings, Lizzie Borden was eventually acquitted. This horrific crime inspired this little ditty: "Lizzie Borden took an ax and gave her mother 40 whacks and when she saw what she had done, she gave her father 41"...
- 1944] Nazi raid: Nazi police raid the secret annex of a building in Amsterdam and arrest 8, including 15-year old Anne Frank...
- 1964] Body count: The bodies of Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman and James Chaney missing since June 21 are found buried in an earthen dam in Mississippi. The trio were civil rights workers...
- 1977] Giving us Energy: President Jimmy Carter signs a measure establishing the Department of Energy...
- 1985] The newest member of the 300 club: In a game I was fortunate to attend, Tom Seaver, pitching for the White Sox wins his 300th game against the Yankees on 'Phil Rizzuto Day' at Yankee Stadium. One of the Scooters' gifts was a 'Holy Cow'...
- 1987] In all fairness: The FCC rescinds the "Fairness Doctrine" requiring "balanced reporting on controversial issues and political campaigns", a.k.a. Equal time...
- 1993] Guilty cops take the fall: A federal judge sentences 2 LAPD cops to 30 months for violating Rodney King's civil rights...
- 1997] Takin' a walk: 185,000 Teamsters union UPS drivers walk...
- 2004] Guilty as charged: Staten Island ferry boat pilot Richard Smith pleads guilty to manslaughter charges in a ferry crash that kills 11 the previous October...
- 2005] Russians rescued: A mini-submarine carrying seven Russians becomes caught on an underwater antenna 600 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean. They're all rescued 3 days later thanks to a British vessel...
For more on August 4th: CLICK: http://melphillipsnowandthen.com