- 1852] A rivalry is born: America's first intercollegiate athletic event takes place on Lake Winnipesaukee (NH) when Yale meets Harvard for a crew race...
- 1933] M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E: Walt Disney takes up a manufacturer's suggestion for a Mickey Mouse watch and the timepiece is introduced in Chicago. Sale price was $2.75 and thousands of watches were sold in the 30s. This provided Disney the dividends needed to stay in business until the release of "Snow White", toward the end of the decade...
- 1949] Wedding Bells: The Basketball Association of America (BAA) merges with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form the NBA. The '49-'50 standings show the following franchises divided into 3 divisions: (Eastern) Syracuse, New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Boston. (Central) Rochester, Minneapolis, Chicago, Ft. Wayne, St. Louis. (Western) Indianapolis, Anderson, Tri-Cities, Sheboygan, Waterloo and Denver...
- 1966] "Happy Trails": Controversial but brilliant comic Lenny Bruce is found dead at 40 in the bathroom of his Hollywood Hills home. Official cause of death: "acute morphine poisoning caused by accidental overdose"...
- 1975] When you wish upon a star: After seeing the Astrodome in Houston when that facility opened, Louisiana Governor John J. McKeithen says "I want one of those, only bigger." On August 3, 1975, the Superdome opens in New Orleans...
- 1981] See ya, see ya -- wouldn't wanna be ya: The PATCO traffic controllers union pulls its traffic controllers out on strike. After being warned they would be replaced, they are. Thank you President Reagan...
- 1987] Ronnie gets a pass: The Iran-Contra hearings end with none of the 29 witnesses trying the president directly to the diversion of arms-sales profits to Nicaraguan rebels...
- 1993] Supes on: The Senate votes 96-3 to confirm Ruth Bader Ginsburg...One year later to the day -- Stephen G. Breyer is sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice...
- 2001] Life immitates art: A grand jury indicts "Soprano's" actor Robert Iler (AJ) on charges that he and two teen-aged buds robbed 2 other teenagers of $40 in this, Upper East Side neighborhood...
- 2004] Reunited and it feels so good: The Statue of Liberty pedestal reopens to the public for the first time since 911...For more on August 3rd:
http://melphillipsnowandthen.com
