Epic Idiot's what happened
On This Day

July 7

1993
Obsessed David Letterman fan: Margaret Ray is arrested for the 8th time after trespassing on his property. She had previously been arrested for breaking into his home, sleeping in his bedroom, and stealing his Porsche.

1986
Gramm-Rudman: The law is ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court.

1981
First woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court: Sandra Day O'Connor is nominated by Pres. Reagan. She was sworn in the following September.

1981
First solar-powered flight across the English Channel, by Stephen R. Ptacek flying the Solar Challenger designed by Paul MacCready.

1947
Roswell UFO Incident: Major Jesse Marcel and head of the Roswell Army Counterintelligence Corps, Sheridan Cavitt, go to William "Mack" Brazel's ranch and retrieve what they believe is debris from a UFO crash.

1936
First win of the National League over the American League in the annual All-Star baseball game (4-1 in the 4th annual game).

1898
Hawaii: A joint congressional resolution is passed providing for the annexation of the island territory.

1865
Lincoln assassination: Four conspirators in the president's assassination are hanged in Washington D.C.

1959
Jessica Hahn, American secretary. She claimed that televangelist Jim Bakker and preacher John Wesley Fletcher had drugged and raped her.

1949
Shelley Duvall, American actress. Film: The Shining (1979). TV: Faerie Tale Theater (producer).

1940
Ringo Starr (Richard Starkey), British singer, one of the Beatles.

1927
Doc Severinsen (Carl Severinsen), American orchestra leader, for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show.

1922
Pierre Cardin, French fashion designer, who founded his fashion company in 1949.

1907     d. 1988
Robert Anson Heinlein, American science fiction author, Stranger in a Strange Land (1961). He won an unprecedented four Hugo awards.

1906     d. 1982
Satchel Paige (Leroy Robert Paige), American baseball player, the greatest baseball pitcher of the Negro Leagues. He became the oldest rookie ever in the major-leagues when he joined the Cleveland Indians in 1948. They went on to win both the pennant and the World Series.

1752     d. 1834
Joseph Marie Jacquard, French inventor. He invented the first programmable loom capable of weaving figured patterns (1801).

2006     b. 1966
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Jordanian-born leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq. He was killed when U.S. forces bombed his safehouse.

1973     b. 1919
Veronica Lake (Constance Ockelman), American actress, known for her trademark long blonde hair covering one eye. Film: This Gun for Hire (1942) and Hold That Blonde (1945).

1970     b. 1902
Sir Allen Lane, British publisher. He founded Penguin Books (1935), which introduced low-priced paperbacks to the world.

1930     b. 1859
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, English physician, author, creator of Sherlock Holmes (1887).

1865     b. 1820
Mary E. Surratt, American boarding-house keeper, was hanged as a conspirator in the Lincoln assassination, making her the first woman executed for a crime in the U.S.

1854     b. 1787
Georg Simon Ohm, German physicist, creator of "Ohm's Law," and for whom the electrical measurements ohm and mho (Ohm spelled backwards) are named.

1307     b. 1239
Edward I, King of England (1272-1307).

1304     b. 1240
Benedict XI, Italian religious leader, 194th Pope (1303-04).

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