Epic Idiot's what happened
On This Day

July 10

1985
Coca-Cola announces it is bringing back its original formula and calling it "Coca-Cola Classic."

1929
The new smaller sized U.S. currency begins use. (Source: Famous First Facts)

1925
Monkey Trial: John Scopes goes on trial for teaching evolution in Tennessee. He was found guilty and fined $100, but his conviction was overturned by the state supreme court.

1913
Weather:Hottest day recorded in the U.S., 134º F (57º C) in Death Valley, California. (source: Guinness Book of World Records)

1890
Wyoming becomes the 44th state. Wyoming is Algonquin for "large prairie place."

1947
Arlo Guthrie, American folk singer. Music: Alice's Restaurant (1967).

1943     d. 1993
Arthur Ashe, American tennis player, first black male to win a major tennis title (1968, U.S. Open) and the first black to win at Wimbledon (1975). Died of AIDS acquired during heart bypass surgery in 1983.

1931     d. 1968
Nick Adams (Nicholas Aloysius Adamshock), American actor. Film: Twilight of Honor (1963, Oscar nomination). TV: The Rebel (Johnny Yuma).

1926     d. 1993
Fred Gwynne, American actor. TV: Car 54, Where Are You (officer Francis Muldoon) and The Munsters (Herman).

1921
Jake LaMotta (Giacobbe La Motta), American Hall of Fame boxer, known as "The Bronx Bull." His life is portrayed in the 1980 film Raging Bull.

1920
David Brinkley, American TV news correspondent.

1917
Don Herbert, American TV personality. TV: Watch Mr. Wizard (Mr. Wizard).

1867     d. 1936
Finley Peter Dunne, American humorist, creator of Mr. Dooley.

1856     d. 1943
Nikola Tesla, Serbian-American inventor, considered America's greatest electrical engineer, credited with inventing radio, and for whom the tesla (unit of magnetic flux density) is named. He invented the first AC induction motor (1883). Noted for making incredible claims, Tesla claimed that he invented a death ray that could send concentrated beams of particles through air with the capability of bringing down a fleet of 10,000 enemy airplanes at a distance of 250 miles. Biography: Wizard: The Life and Times of Nikola Tesla : Biography of a Genius

1792     d. 1864
George Mifflin Dallas, 11th U.S. Vice-President (1845-49).

1989     b. 1908
Mel Blanc (Melvin Jerome Blanc), American cartoon voice, man of a thousand voices, Bugs Bunny, Woody Woodpecker, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and Barney Rubble to name just a few.

1979     b. 1894
Arthur Fiedler, American conductor, with the Boston Pops Orchestra. He is the world's best-selling classical artist (50,000,000 records) and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1977).

1951     b. 1890
Dudley Fisher, American cartoonist, created Right Around Home (1937) and Myrtle (1941).

1941     b. 1885
Jelly Roll Morton (Ferdinand Joseph Morton), American jazz musician, the first great composer in jazz.

1910     b. 1812
Johann Gottfried Galle, German astronomer. He discovered the planet Neptune (1846).

1884     b. 1837
Paul Charles Morphy, American chess player, won the first American Masters tournament (1857). He went on to defeat every European master who would play him.

1863     b. 1779
Clement Clarke Moore, American theology professor. He is best known for his poem A Visit From St. Nicholas (1822, which begins "Twas the night before christmas").

1851     b. 1789
Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre, French photographer, inventor of the Daguerreotype photographic process (1839).

1480     b. 1409
René I, titular King of Naples (1435-80).

983     b. ????
Benedict VII, Italian religious leader, 135th Pope (974-983).

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