Today in History

1689 Matsuo Basho, zen poet, leaves for 150 days journey on Honshu, Japan
1858 The joint reading of Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace’s papers on evolution to the Linnean Society
1863 Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Lee’s northward advance halted
1867 The Dominion of Canada is formed, comprising the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario & Quebec, with John A. Macdonald serving as the first Prime Minister
1916 First day of the Battle of the Somme: the British Army suffers its worst day, losing 19,240 men (WWI)
1921 The Communist Party of China is founded and Chen Duxiu elected its leader
1941 Bulova Watch Co pays $9 for 1st ever network TV commercial
1997 United Kingdom returns Hong Kong and the New Territories to the People’s Republic of China

Today in Music

1967 The Beatles’ album “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” goes #1 in the United States, where it would stay for 15 weeks

Today in Sport

1998 NBA commences a player lockout after no agreement with players about salary issues – lasts 204 days with the season shortened by 50 games