Today in News History

On July 4, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In -362 BC, Battle of Mantinea: The Thebans, led by Epaminondas, defeated the Spartans. In 1541, Pedro de Alvarado, Spanish general and explorer (born 1495) passed away. In 1744, The Treaty of Lancaster, in which the Iroquois cede lands between the Allegheny Mountains and the Ohio River to the British colonies, was signed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 1929, Al Davis, American football player, coach, and manager (died 2011) 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 1963, José Oquendo, Puerto Rican-American baseball player and coach was born. In 1967, Vinny Castilla, Mexican baseball player and manager was born. In 1969, Al Golden, American football player and coach was born. In 2004, The cornerstone of the Freedom Tower is laid on the World Trade Center site in New York City. 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.