Today in History - History - June 19th

1936German boxer Max Schmeling World Champion KOs Joe Louis

1900In the USA, the Republican Party nominate President William McKinley for re-election, but choose a new candidate for Vice-President: Theodore Roosevelt

1940German 7th Armoured division under command of Rommel occupies Cherbourg

1985Reggie Jackson hits his 513th HR to move into 10th place

2005Michael Schumacher wins controversial Formula 1 United States Grand Prix where only 6 of 20 cars complete the race amongst ridicule

1987Geffen records sign their 1st artist (Donna Summer)

1978Ian Botham takes 8-34 v Pakistan, his best Test cricket bowling

1941US President Franklin Roosevelt signs Two Ocean Navy Expansion Act

1956Jerry Lewis & Dean Martin end partnership after 16 films

1967Paul McCartney admits on TV that he took LSD

1962Paula Julie Abdul, Van Nuys California, singer/choreographer (Straight Up)

1903Lou Gehrig [Henry Louis Gehrig], "Iron Horse", 1st baseman for NY Yankees (d. 1941)

1861Jose Protacio Rizal, Calamba City Laguna, optician/author/nationalist (Noli Me Tángere, El Filibusterismo)

1897Moe Howard, [Moses Horowitz], Brooklyn New York, American actor and comedian (The 3 Stooges)

1978Zoe Saldana, Passaic, New Jersey, American actress (Avatar, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl)

1896Wallis Simpson [Duchess of Windsor], Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania, American divorcee and wife of Edward VIII (abdicated)

1623Blaise Pascal, mathematician/physicist/religious writer (Pascal)

1945Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese politician (Nobel)

1942Actress Marilyn Monroe (16) marries first husband James Dougherty (21), a policeman

1886US President William Taft (28) weds Helen Herron (25) in Cincinnati, Ohio

1965NBA forward Bob Pettit (32) weds Carole Crowell in Alexandria, Louisiana

1999Earl of Wessex Prince Edward (35) weds Sophie Rhys-Jones (34) at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle

1953Singer James Brown (20) weds Velma Warren at Trinity CME Church in Toccoa, Georgia

1843Philosopher Karl Marx (25) weds Jenny von Westphalen in Germany

1820Joseph Banks, English natural historian (Cook/Australia), dies

1867Maximilian I of the Mexican Empire is executed by firing squad in Querétaro, Querétaro at 34

2013James Gandolfini, American actor, dies from a heart attack at 51

1993William Golding, author (Lord of the Flies, Nobel 1983), dies at 81