This Day in History – September 28, 2011

1542 Navigator João Rodrigues Cabrilho of Portugal arrives at what is now San Diego, California, United States. 1779 American Revolution: Samuel Huntington is elected President of the Continental Congress, succeeding John Jay. 1781 Siege of Yorktown begins, last battle of the Revolutionary War 1791 France becomes the first European country to emancipate its Jewish population. 1858 Donati’s comet becomes the 1st to be photographed 1867 The United States takes control of Midway Island. 1889 The first General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) defines the length of a meter as the distance between two lines on a standard bar of an alloy of platinum with ten percent iridium, measured at the melting point of ice. 1922 Mussolini marches on Rome 1928 The U.K. Parliament passes the Dangerous Drugs Act outlawing cannabis. 1928 Sir Alexander Fleming notices a bacteria-killing mold growing in his laboratory, discovering what later became known as penicillin. 1940 Michigan’s Tom Harmon runs 72, 86 & 94 yard touchdowns 1941 Phillies lose club record 111th game 1941 Ted Williams assures his .400 avg on last day with 6 hits 1950 Indonesia joins the United Nations. 1951 CBS makes the first color televisions available for sale to the general public, but the product is discontinued less than month later. 1960 Mali and Senegal join the United Nations. 1960 Ted Williams hits his final homer #521 1969 Joe Kapp (Minn Vikings) passes for 7 touchdowns vs Balt Colts (52-14) 1971 The Parliament of the United Kingdom passes the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 banning the medicinal use of cannabis. 1973 The ITT Building in New York City is bombed in protest at ITT’s alleged involvement in the September 11 1973 coup d’état in Chile. 1975 The Spaghetti House siege, in which nine people are taken hostage, takes place in London. 1976 Muhammad Ali retains heavyweight boxing championship in a close 15-round decision over Ken Norton at Yankee Stadium 1980 Jaromir Wagner is 1st to fly the Atlantic standing on the wing 1982 1st reports appear of death from cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules]]]]> ]]>