Epic Idiot's what happened
On This Day

May 25

1994
Black Hole: Astronomers announce that the Hubble Space Telescope has for the first time confirmed the existence of a black hole. It was found in the constellation Virgo.

1988
Rambo III premiers.

1981
Daniel Goodwin, wearing a Spider-Man costume and using rope and suction cups, climbs the Sears Tower. He was arrested for his achievement.

1979
Worst aviation disaster in U.S. history, an American Airlines DC-10 crashes on takeoff killing all 272 persons aboard and three on the ground.

1973
Skylab: The crew arrives at the U.S. space station which was launched on the 14th. They returned to Earth on the 22nd.

1969
Midnight Cowboy: It became the first X-Rated film to win an Oscar, although its rating was later changed to "R."

1968
A Soviet nuclear-powered submarine experiences a core meltdown, killing nine crewman.

1951
Willie Mays plays his first major-league game.

1935
Jesse Owens: In a span of 45 minutes, he ties the world record for the 100-yard dash (9.4 sec.) and sets the world records for the broad jump (26 feet, 8¼ inches), 220-yard dash (20.3 sec., also a 200 meter record) and the 220-yard low hurdles (22.6 sec., also a 200 meter record). (source: Guinness Book of World Records)

1935
Babe Ruth: The Sultan of Swat hits number 714, his last home run. He also hit numbers 712 and 713 in the same game.

1925
Monkey Trial: John T. Scopes is indicted in Tennessee for teaching evolution.

1955
Connie Sellecca, American actress. TV: Hotel (Christine Francis).

1947
Karen Valentine, American Emmy-winning actress. TV: Room 222 (Alice Johnson).

1944
Frank Oz, English Emmy-winning puppeteer, Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, and designed, operated, and provided the voice for Yoda in the Star Wars movies.

1943
Leslie Uggams, American Emmy-winning actress, singer.

1936
Tom T. Hall, American country singer, songwriter. Music: wrote Harper Valley PTA.

1929
Beverly Sills (Belle Silverman), opera singer, soprano.

1927
Robert Ludlum, American author. Writings: The Scarlatti Inheritance (1971) and The Osterman Weekend (1972).

1918     d. 1994
Claude Akins, American actor. TV: Lobo (The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo) (title role).

1898     d. 1971
Bennett Alfred Cerf, American publisher. He was the founder, president, and chairman of Random House publishers. He was also a panelist on the TV show What's My Line? for 16 years.

1889     d. 1972
Igor Ivanovich Sikorsky, Ukrainian-born American aviation pioneer. He developed the first practical helicopter (1939), the first multi-engine airplane (1913), and the flying boat.

1878     d. 1949
Bojangles (Luther Bill Robinson), American tap dancer, known as the Mayor of Harlem.

1866     d. 1939
Carl Emil "Bunny" Schultze, American cartoonist, creator of Foxy Grandpa (1900).

1803     d. 1882
Ralph Waldo Emerson, American poet, philosopher.

1990     b. 1929
Vic Tayback, American actor. TV: Alice (Mel).

1934     b. 1874
Gustav Holst, English composer. Music: The Planets (1919) and The Perfect Fool (1923).

1919     b. 1867
Sarah Walker, American businesswoman, the first self-made millionaire American woman. An orphaned black lady, she made her fortune selling a hair straightener she invented (1905).

1261     b. 1199
Alexander IV, Italian religious leader, 181st Pope (1254-61), established the Inquisition in France.

1085     b. ????
Saint Gregory VII, religious leader, 157th Pope (1073-85).

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