- 1538: King Henry VIII, who had declared himself head of the English
                       church, was excommunicated by Pope Paul III.
                     - 1728: Congregation Shearith Isreal of New York purchased a lot on
                       Mill Street in lower Manhattan, to build New York's first synagogue.
                     - 1777: France recognized the independence of the 13 colonies in
                       America.
                     - 1791: A traffic regulation in New York City established the first
                       one-way street.
                     - 1900: The New Ellis Island Immigration station was completed,
                       costing $1.5 million.
                     - 1903: Wilbur and Orville Wright made the first successful
                       controlled flight in a powered aircraft, the Wright Flyer, on the
                       beach at Kitty Hawk, N.C.
                     - 1933: The NFL held its first playoff game in Wrigley Field with the
                       Chicago Bears defeating the New York Giants, 23-21.
                     - 1936: Ventriloquist Edgar Bergen kidded around with his pal,
                       Charlie McCarthy, for the first time on TV.
                     - 1953: The Federal Communications Commission decided to approve
                       RCA's black-and-white-compatible color television specifications.
                     - 1962: The Beatles made their first British TV appearance on "People
                       and Places" live from Manchester, England. They performed their UK
                       debut single and Top 20 hit "Love Me Do."
                     - 1965: The Astrodome opened in Houston. The first event was a
                       concert headlined by Judy Garland and The Supremes.
                     - 1969: An estimated 50 million television viewers watched as singer
                       Tiny Tim married his fiancee, Miss Vicky, on NBC's "Tonight Show."
                       They divorced a few years later.
                     - 1975: Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme was sentenced in federal court in
                       Sacramento, Calif., to life in prison for her attempt on the life
                       of President Ford on Sept. 5, 1975.
                     - 1976: Superstation WTBS in Atlanta went national.
                     - 1977: Elvis Costello & The Attractions made their U.S. TV debut on
                       "Saturday Night Live." Producer Lorne Michaels refused to allow
                       Costello to perform "Radio, Radio" because of the song's criticism
                       of the broadcasting industry, but a few measures into "Less than
                       Zero," Costello halted his group and played the forbidden song.
                     - 1986: Davina Thompson made medical history by having the first
                       heart, lung and liver transplant, which took place at Papworth
                       Hospital in Cambridge, England.
                     - 1991: The NBA's most lopsided game took place when Cleveland beat
                       Miami, 148-80.

                     *Happy Birthday*
                     ----------------
                     - Marilyn Beck, 70, newspaper columnist
                     - Bob Guccione, 68, publisher, Penthouse magazine
                     - Ernie Hudson, 53, actor, "Ghostbusters"
                     - Milla Jovovich, 23, actress/model, "The Fifth Element"
                     - Eugene Levy, 52, actor/comedian
                     - Armin Mueller-Stahl, 78, actor, "Shine"
                     - Art Neville, 61, musician/singer, The Neville Brothers
                     - Bill Pullman, 45, actor, "Independence Day"
                     - Cal Ripken Sr., 63, MLB coach
                     - William Safire, 69, columnist/journalist
                     - Wes Studi, 51, actor, "Last of the Mohicans"