Today in History

240 BC 1st recorded perihelion passage of Halley’s Comet
1856 Russia signs the Treaty of Paris, ending the Crimean War
1867 Alaska Purchase: US buys Alaska from Russia for $7,200,000 ($109 million in 2018), roughly 2 cents an acre
1870 15th Amendment to the US constitution is adopted, guarantees right to vote regardless of race
1959 Dalai Lama flees China and is granted political asylum in India
1972 Northern Ireland’s Government and Parliament dissolved by the British Government and ‘direct rule’ from Westminster is introduced

Today in Movies

1981 “Chariots of Fire” directed by Hugh Hudson and starring Ben Cross and Ian Charleson premieres at a Royal Command Film Performance (Best Picture 1982)

Today in Music

1970 Miles Davis’s influential double album “Bitches Brew” released

Today in Sports

1990 Jack Nicklaus makes his debut on the Senior PGA Tour with a 71 (-1) in the first round of The Tradition at Desert Mountain; wins the event by 4 strokes from Gary Player