This Day in History – July 31, 2011

1498 Christopher Columbus discovers island of Trinidad 1777 Marquis de Lafayette, 19, made major-general of Continental Army 1809 1st practical US railroad track (wooden, for horse-drawn cars), Phila 1912 US government prohibits movies & photos of prize fights (censorship) 1948 Pres Truman dedicates Idlewild Field (Kennedy Airport), NY 1953 Dept of Health, Education & Welfare created 1964 US Ranger 7 takes 4,316 pictures before crashing on Moon 1970 Chet Huntley retires from NBC, ends “Huntley-Brinkley Report” 1973 Delta Airlines DC-9 crashes in fog at Logan Airport, Boston, killing all but one of 89 aboard. Lone survivor dies 6 months later 1978 Gunman shoots his way into the Iraqi Embassy in Paris 1981 42 day old, 2nd major league baseball strike ends 1981 Arnette Hubbard installed as 1st woman president of the Natl Bar Assn 1984 US men’s gymnastics team won team gold medal at LA Summer Olympics 1988 Willie Stargell became 200th man inducted in Baseball’s Hall of Fame 1990 Nolan Ryan becomes the 20th major league pitcher to win 300 games]]]]> ]]>