Associated Press
On June 17, 1972, President Richard Nixon’s downfall began with the arrest of five burglars inside Democratic national headquarters in Washington’s Watergate complex.
1775 The Battle of Bunker Hill took place near Boston during the Revolutionary War.
1789 The Third Estate in France declared itself a national assembly and undertook to frame a constitution.
1856 The Republican Party opened its first convention, in Philadelphia.
1885 The Statue of Liberty arrived in New York City aboard the French ship Isere.
1928 Amelia Earhart embarked on the first trans-Atlantic flight by a woman.
1940 France asked Germany for terms of surrender in World War II.
1961 Soviet ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev defected to the West while his troupe was in Paris.
1963 The Supreme Court struck down rules requiring the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer or the reading of Biblical verses in public schools.
1994 After leading police on a chase through Southern California, O.J. Simpson was arrested and charged with murder in the slayings of his ex-wife, Nicole, and Ronald Goldman.
2008 Hundreds of same-sex couples got married across California on the first full day that gay marriage became legal by order of the state’s highest court. (However, California voters banned gay marriage in November.)
Today’s Birthdays:
Singer Barry Manilow turns 72 years old today.
Bud Collins, Tennis journalist, 86
Joe Piscopo, Comedian (“Saturday Night Live”), 64
Mark Linn-Baker, Actor, 61
Bobby Farrelly, Writer, director, 57
Thomas Haden Church, Actor, 54
Greg Kinnear, Actor, 52
Dan Jansen, Olympic gold-medal speed skater, 50
Jason Patric, Actor, 49
Will Forte, Actor, comedian (“Saturday Night Live”), 45
Venus Williams, Tennis player, 35
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich turns 72 years old today.