Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1796, The United States takes possession of Detroit from Great Britain under terms of the Jay Treaty. In 1864, American Civil War: Battle of Fort Stevens; Confederate forces attempt to invade Washington, D.C. In 1914, Babe Ruth makes his debut in Major League Baseball. In 1920, In the East Prussian plebiscite the local populace decides to remain with Weimar Germany. In 1960, Congo Crisis: The State of Katanga breaks away from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 1971, The nationalization of all large copper mines in Chile is completed. In 1978, Los Alfaques disaster: A truck carrying liquid gas crashes and explodes at a coastal campsite in Tarragona, Spain killing 216 tourists. In 1979, America's first space station, Skylab, is destroyed as it re-enters the Earth's atmosphere over the Indian Ocean. In 1985, Orestis Karnezis, Greek footballer was born. In 2014, Bill McGill, American basketball player (born 1939) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.