Today in History - History - May 18th

1933Tennessee Valley Act (TVA) Act signed by FDR, to build dams

1804Napoleon Bonaparte proclaimed Emperor of France by the French Senate

1860Republican Party nominates Abraham Lincoln for president

1977Menachem Begin becomes Prime Minister of Israel

1968AL Kaline hits his 307th HR, surpassing Hank Greenberg as a Tiger

1990Jari Kurri sets a record for scoring in a Stanley Cup Finals game, registering three goals and two assists vs the Boston Bruins

1896Khodynka Tragedy: A mass panic on Khodynka Field in Moscow during the festivities of the coronation of Russian Tsar Nicholas II results in the deaths of 1,389 people.

1897Dracula, a novel by Irish author Bram Stoker is published.

1803Britain declares war on France after Napoleon Bonaparte continues interfering in Italy & Switzerland

1997Tiger Woods wins Byron Nelson Golf Classic

1960Yannick Noah, Sedan France, tennis player (French 1983)

1920John Paul II, [Karol Wojtyla], Wadowice Poland, 264th Roman Catholic Pope (1978-2005)

1868Nicholas II Alexandrovich, last tsar of Russia (1894-1917)

1946Reggie Jackson, Wyncote Pennsylvania, "Mr October" baseball rightfielder (Yankees, A's)

1970Tina Fey, Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania, American writer/actress (Saturday Night Live)

1960Jari Kurri, Helsinki Finland, NHL right wing (Edmonton Oilers)

1996Heavyweight boxer Tommy Morrison (27) weds Dawn Freeman

1964Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore (19) weds Margrit Volkmar

1995Elizabeth Montgomery, actress (Bewitched), dies of cancer at 62

1973Jeannette Rankin, 1st Congresswoman (1917-19, 41-43) and pacifist, dies at 92