Today in News History

On July 8, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1898, The death of crime boss Soapy Smith, killed in the Shootout on Juneau Wharf, releases Skagway, Alaska from his iron grip. In 1909, Ike Petersen, American football player (died 1995) was born. In 1920, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, Danish businessman (died 1995) was born. In 1923, Harrison Dillard, American sprinter and hurdler (died 2019) was born. In 1927, Maurice Hayes, Irish educator and politician (died 2017) was born. In 1935, John David Crow, American football player and coach (died 2015) was born. In 1947, Reports are broadcast that a UFO crash-landed in Roswell, New Mexico in what became known as the Roswell UFO incident. In 1982, A failed assassination attempt against Iraqi president Saddam Hussein results in the Dujail Massacre over the next several months. In 1994, Lars-Eric Lindblad, Swedish-American businessman and explorer (born 1927) passed away. In 2003, Sudan Airways Flight 139 crashes near Port Sudan Airport during an emergency landing attempt, killing 116 of the 117 people on board. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.