Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1302, Battle of the Golden Spurs (Guldensporenslag in Dutch): A coalition around the Flemish cities defeats the king of France's royal army. In 1796, The United States takes possession of Detroit from Great Britain under terms of the Jay Treaty. In 1916, Alexander Prokhorov, Australian-Russian physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 2002) was born. In 1924, Eric Liddell won the gold medal in 400m at the 1924 Paris Olympics, after refusing to run in the heats for 100m, his favoured distance, on a Sunday. In 1974, Pär Lagerkvist, Swedish novelist, playwright, and poet Nobel Prize laureate (born 1891) passed away. In 1977, Martin Luther King Jr., assassinated in 1968, is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1978, Los Alfaques disaster: A truck carrying liquid gas crashes and explodes at a coastal campsite in Tarragona, Spain killing 216 tourists. In 1990, Caroline Wozniacki, Danish tennis player was born. In 1993, Rebecca Bross, American gymnast was born. In 2010, Spain defeats the Netherlands to win the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Johannesburg. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.