This Day in History – August 22, 2011

565 St Columba reported seeing monster in Loch Ness 1654 Jacob Barsimson arrives in New Amsterdam. He is the first known Jewish immigrant to America. 1717 Spanish troops land on Sardinia. 1770 James Cook’s expedition lands on the east coast of Australia.1775 King George III proclaims colonies to be in open rebellion 1780 James Cook’s ship HMS Resolution returns to England (Cook having been killed on Hawaii during the voyage). 1787 John Fitch’s steamboat completes its tests, years before Fulton 1846 US annexes New Mexico 1849 The first air raid in history. Austria launches pilot-less balloons against the city of Venice. 1851 Gold fields discovered in Australia 1864 Geneva Convention signed, by 12 nations 1902 Cadillac Motor Company is founded. 1902 Pres Teddy Roosevelt became 1st US chief executive to ride in a car 1906 1st Victor Victrola manufactured 1911 Mona Lisa stolen from Louvre 1926 Gold is discovered in Johannesburg, South Africa. 1932 The BBC first experiments with television broadcasting. 1947 1st college team to beat an NFL team (All Stars-16, Bears-0) 1950 Althea Gibson becomes 1st black competitor in national tennis competition 1951 Harlem Globetrotters play in Olympic Stadium, Berlin before 75,052 1952 The penal colony on Devil’s Island is permanently closed. 1956 Pres Eisenhower & VP Nixon re-nominated by Rep convention in SF 1962 The NS Savannah, the world’s first nuclear-powered cargo ship, completes its maiden voyage. 1965 SF Giant pitcher Juan Marachal hits LA Dodger catcher John Roseboro on the head with his bat causing a 14 minute brawl 1966 Labor movements NFWA and AWOC merge to become the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee (UFWOC), predecessor of the United Farm Workers. 1968 1st papal visit to Latin America (Pope Paul VI arrives in Bogota) 1984 GOP convention in Dallas re-nominates Pres Reagan & VP Bush 1986 NASA announces tests designed to verify ignition pressure dynamics 1988 Australia unveils 1st platinum coin (Koala) 1988 NBC premieres “Later” with Bob Costas (1st guest Linda Ellerbee) 1989 1st complete ring around Neptune discovered 1989 Nolan Ryan strikes out Rickey Henderson to become the first Major League Baseball pitcher to record 5,000 strikeouts. 1990 Pres Bush calls up military reserves 2003 Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore is suspended after refusing to comply with a federal court order to remove a rock inscribed with the Ten Commandments from the lobby of the Alabama Supreme Court building. 2004 A version of The Scream and Madonna, two paintings by Edvard Munch, are stolen at gunpoint from a museum in Oslo, Norway. 2007 The Texas Rangers rout the Baltimore Orioles 30-3, the most runs scored by a team in modern MLB history. 2007 The Storm botnet, a botnet created by the Storm Worm, sends out a record 57 million e-mails in one day]]]]> ]]>