Today in News History

On July 4, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1892, Western Samoa changes the International Date Line, causing Monday (July 4) to occur twice, resulting in a leap year with 367 days. In 1910, The Johnson-Jeffries riots occur after African-American boxer Jack Johnson knocks out white boxer Jim Jeffries in the 15th round. Between 11 and 26 people are killed and hundreds more injured. In 1918, World War I: The Battle of Hamel, a successful attack by the Australian Corps against German positions near the town of Le Hamel on the Western Front. In 1918, Eric Bedser, English cricketer (died 2006) was born. In 1939, Lou Gehrig, recently diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, informs a crowd at Yankee Stadium that he considers himself "The luckiest man on the face of the earth", then announces his retirement from major league baseball. In 1942, World War II: The 250-day Siege of Sevastopol in the Crimea ends when the city falls to Axis forces. In 1967, Vinny Castilla, Mexican baseball player and manager was born. In 2009, The first of four days of bombings begins on the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao. In 2013, Onllwyn Brace, Welsh rugby player and sportscaster (born 1932) passed away. In 2015, Chile claims its first title in international football by defeating Argentina in the 2015 Copa América Final. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.