Today in History - History - May 31st

1223Mongol invasion of the Cumans: Battle of the Kalka River - Mongol armies of Genghis Khan lead by Subutai defeat Kievan Rus and Cumans.

1935Babe Ruth grounds out in his final at bat

1879Madison Square Garden opens in New York, named after 4th President James Madison

1969Stevie Wonder releases "My Cherie Amore"

194931st PGA Championship: Sam Snead at Hermitage CC Richmond VA

194225th PGA Championship: Sam Snead at Seaview CC Atlantic City NJ

2008Usain Bolt breaks the world record in the 100m sprint, with a wind-legal (+1.7m/s) 9.72 seconds.

1621Sir Francis Bacon thrown into Tower of London for 1 night

1990Seinfeld starring Jerry Seinfeld, debuts on NBC as Seinfeld Chronicles

1956Mickey Mantle HR just misses clearing Yankee Stadium's roof

1819Walt Whitman, West Hills New York, American poet (Leaves of Grass)

1976Colin Farrell, Dublin, Irish actor (In Bruges, Minority Report)

1930Clint Eastwood, SF California, actor (Dirty Harry)/mayor (Carmel, California)

1965Brooke Shields, NYC, model/actress (Blue Lagoon, Suddenly Susan)

1998Beastie Boys rapper Adam Yauch (33) weds daughter of prominent Tibetan activists Dechen Wangdu in New York

1889Pianist Ignacy Jan Paderewski (38) weds baroness Helena Maria Rosen

1910Elizabeth Blackwell, 1st woman physician, dies at 89

2010Chris Haney, creator of Trivial Pursuit, dies at 59

1983Jack Dempsey, former heavyweight boxing champ/actor, dies at 86

1970Terry Sawchuk, NHL goaltender, dies from injuries suffered during an off-ice scuffle with a teammate at 40