Associated Press
On June 9, 1954, Army counsel Joseph N. Welch confronted Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy during the Senate-Army hearings over McCarthy’s attack on a member of Welch’s law firm, asking “Have you no sense of decency?”
1870 Author Charles Dickens died at age 58.
1891 Composer Cole Porter was born in Peru, Ind.
1911 Carrie Nation, the hatchet-wielding temperance crusader, died at age 64.
1940 Norway surrendered to the Nazis during World War II.
1969 The Senate confirmed Warren Burger to be chief justice of the United States, succeeding Earl Warren.
1973 Secretariat won horse racing’s Triple Crown with a victory at the Belmont Stakes.
1980 Comedian Richard Pryor suffered near-fatal burns at his home when a mixture of free-base cocaine exploded.
1986 The Rogers Commission released its report on the Challenger disaster, criticizing NASA and rocket-builder Morton Thiokol for management problems leading to the explosion that claimed the lives of seven astronauts.
2008 Ken Griffey Jr. of the Cincinnati Reds became the sixth player in baseball history to hit 600 home runs.
2012 Maria Sharapova of Russia beat Sara Errani of Italy 6-3, 6-2 in the French Open final to complete a career Grand Slam.
Today’s Birthdays:
Actor Johnny Depp turns 52 years old today.
Jackie Mason, Comedian, 87
Marvin Kalb, Broadcast journalist, 85
Dick Vitale, Sportscaster, 76
Patricia Cornwell, Mystery author, 59
Aaron Sorkin, Writer, producer (“The West Wing”), 54
Gloria Reuben, Actress (“ER”), 51
Tedy Bruschi, Football player, 42
Natalie Portman, Actress, 34
Actor Michael J. Fox turns 54 years old