Vintage News · Odd history for May 17

What Happened On May 17

Q: What happened on May 17?

1939: The Columbia Lions and the Princeton Tigers play in the United States' first televised sporting event, a collegiate baseball game in New York City. 1875: Aristides wins the first Kentucky Derby with the jockey Oliver Lewis (2:37.75). 1863: Rosalía de Castro publishes Cantares Gallegos, the first book in the Galician language. 1859: Members of the Melbourne Football Club codify the first rules of Australian rules football. 2004: Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage. 2000: Following the killing of two English football fans by Galatasaray supporters in the previous month, British and Turkish hooligans rioted on the day of the UEFA Cup Final in Copenhagen, Denmark. 1997: The First Congo War came to an end when Laurent-Désiré Kabila proclaimed himself president of Zaire, which was also renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 1900: The first copies of the children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum were printed. 2007: Trains from North and South Korea cross the 38th Parallel in a test-run agreed by both governments. This is the first time that trains have crossed the Demilitarized Zone since 1953. 2004: The first legal same-sex marriages in the U.S. are performed in the state of Massachusetts.

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10 odd things that happened on May 17

1939 First ever
The Columbia Lions and the Princeton Tigers play in the United States' first televised sporting event, a collegiate baseball game in New York City.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1875 First ever
Aristides wins the first Kentucky Derby with the jockey Oliver Lewis (2:37.75).
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1863 First ever
Rosalía de Castro publishes Cantares Gallegos, the first book in the Galician language.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1859 First ever
Members of the Melbourne Football Club codify the first rules of Australian rules football.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
2004 First ever
Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
2000 Oddly true
Following the killing of two English football fans by Galatasaray supporters in the previous month, British and Turkish hooligans rioted on the day of the UEFA Cup Final in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1997 First ever
The First Congo War came to an end when Laurent-Désiré Kabila proclaimed himself president of Zaire, which was also renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
1900 First ever
The first copies of the children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum were printed.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
2007 First ever
Trains from North and South Korea cross the 38th Parallel in a test-run agreed by both governments. This is the first time that trains have crossed the Demilitarized Zone since 1953.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
2004 First ever
The first legal same-sex marriages in the U.S. are performed in the state of Massachusetts.
Read more →
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Observed today

2014A military plane crash in northern Laos kills 17 people. Wikipedia →
2010Pamir Airways Flight 112 crashes in Afghanistan's Shakardara District, killing 44. Wikipedia →
2007Trains from North and South Korea cross the 38th Parallel in a test-run agreed by both governments. This is the first time that trains have crossed the Demilitarized Zone since 1953. Wikipedia →
2006The aircraft carrier USS Oriskany is sunk in the Gulf of Mexico as an artificial reef. Wikipedia →
2004The first legal same-sex marriages in the U.S. are performed in the state of Massachusetts. Wikipedia →
2000Arsenal and Galatasaray fans clash in the 2000 UEFA Cup Final riots in Copenhagen. Wikipedia →
1997Troops of Laurent-Désiré Kabila march into Kinshasa. Zaire is officially renamed Democratic Republic of the Congo. Wikipedia →
1995Shawn Nelson steals an M60 tank from the California Army National Guard Armory in San Diego and proceeds to go on a rampage. Wikipedia →
1994Malawi holds its first multi-party elections. Wikipedia →
1992Three days of popular protests against the government of Prime Minister of Thailand Suchinda Kraprayoon begin in Bangkok, leading to a military crackdown that results in 52 officially confirmed deaths, hundreds of injuries, many disappearances, and more than 3,500 arrests. Wikipedia →
1990The General Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) eliminates homosexuality from the list of psychiatric diseases. Wikipedia →
1987Iran–Iraq War: An Iraqi Dassault Mirage F1 fighter jet fires two missiles into the U.S. Navy warship USS Stark, killing 37 and injuring 21 of her crew. Wikipedia →
1984Prince Charles calls a proposed addition to the National Gallery, London, a "monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend", sparking controversies on the proper role of the Royal Family and the course of modern architecture. Wikipedia →
1983The U.S. Department of Energy declassifies documents showing world's largest mercury pollution event in Oak Ridge, Tennessee (ultimately found to be 4.2 million pounds [1.9 kt]), in response to the Appalachian Observer's Freedom of Information Act request. Wikipedia →
1983Lebanon, Israel, and the United States sign an agreement on Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. Wikipedia →
1980General Chun Doo-hwan of South Korea seizes control of the government and declares martial law in order to suppress student demonstrations. Wikipedia →
1980On the eve of presidential elections, Maoist guerrilla group Shining Path attacks a polling location in Chuschi (a town in Ayacucho), starting the Internal conflict in Peru. Wikipedia →
1980Rioting breaks out in downtown Miami, following the acquittal of four white police officers in the killing of Arthur McDuffie, a black insurance salesman. Wikipedia →
1977Nolan Bushnell opens the first Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre (later renamed Chuck E. Cheese) in San Jose, California. Wikipedia →
1974The Troubles: Thirty-three civilians are killed and 300 injured when the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) detonates four car bombs in Dublin and Monaghan, Ireland. Wikipedia →
1974Police in Los Angeles raid the Symbionese Liberation Army's headquarters, killing six members, including Camilla Hall. Wikipedia →
1973Watergate scandal: Televised hearings begin in the United States Senate. Wikipedia →
1969Venera program: Soviet Venera 6 begins its descent into the atmosphere of Venus, sending back atmospheric data before being crushed by pressure. Wikipedia →
1967Six-Day War: President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt demands dismantling of the peace-keeping UN Emergency Force in Egypt. Wikipedia →
1959In Cuba, the First Agrarian Reform Law – a cornerstone of the Cuban Revolution – is signed by Fidel Castro, aiming to eliminate large foreign-owned estates and redistribute land to over 100,000 peasants. Wikipedia →
1954The United States Supreme Court hands down a unanimous decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, outlawing racial segregation in public schools. Wikipedia →
1953Delta Air Lines Flight 318 crashes near Marshall, Texas, killing 19. Wikipedia →
1943World War II: Dambuster Raids commence by No. 617 Squadron RAF. Wikipedia →
1940World War II: Germany occupies Brussels, Belgium. Wikipedia →
1939The Columbia Lions and the Princeton Tigers play in the United States' first televised sporting event, a collegiate baseball game in New York City. Wikipedia →
1937Spanish Civil War: The Largo Caballero government resigns in the wake of the Barcelona May Days, leading Juan Negrín to form a government, without the anarcho-syndicalist CNT, in its stead. Wikipedia →
1933Vidkun Quisling and Johan Bernhard Hjort form Nasjonal Samling — the national-socialist party of Norway. Wikipedia →
1915The last British Liberal Party government (led by H. H. Asquith) falls. Wikipedia →
1914The Protocol of Corfu is signed, recognising full autonomy to Northern Epirus under nominal Albanian sovereignty. Wikipedia →
1902Greek archaeologist Valerios Stais discovers the Antikythera mechanism, an ancient mechanical analog computer. Wikipedia →
1900The children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum, is first published in the United States. The first copy is given to the author's sister. Wikipedia →
1875Aristides wins the first Kentucky Derby with the jockey Oliver Lewis (2:37.75). Wikipedia →
1865The International Telegraph Union (later the International Telecommunication Union) is established in Paris. Wikipedia →
1863Rosalía de Castro publishes Cantares Gallegos, the first book in the Galician language. Wikipedia →
1863American Civil War: During the Vicksburg campaign, Union forces under John A. McClernand defeat a Confederate rearguard and capture around 1,700 men at the Battle of Big Black River Bridge. Wikipedia →
1859Members of the Melbourne Football Club codify the first rules of Australian rules football. Wikipedia →
1814Occupation of Monaco changes from French to Austrian. Wikipedia →
1814The Constitution of Norway is signed and Crown Prince Christian Frederick of Denmark is elected King of Norway by the Norwegian Constituent Assembly. Wikipedia →
1809Emperor Napoleon I orders the annexation of the Papal States to the French Empire. Wikipedia →
1805Muhammad Ali becomes Wāli of Egypt. Wikipedia →
1792The New York Stock Exchange is formed under the Buttonwood Agreement. Wikipedia →
1760French forces besieging Quebec retreat after the Royal Navy arrives to relieve the British garrison. Wikipedia →
1756Seven Years' War formally begins when Great Britain declares war on France. Wikipedia →
1673Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette begin exploring the Mississippi River. Wikipedia →
1648An allied French and Swedish army defeats Imperial and Bavarian forces in the Battle of Zusmarshausen. Wikipedia →
1642Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve founds the Ville Marie de Montréal. Wikipedia →
1639The treaty of Zuhab ends the fifteen-year-long war between the Ottomans and the Safavids. Wikipedia →
1590Anne of Denmark is crowned Queen of Scotland. Wikipedia →
1536George Boleyn, 2nd Viscount Rochford and four other men are executed for treason. Wikipedia →
1536Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn's marriage is annulled. Wikipedia →
1527Pánfilo de Narváez departs Spain to explore Florida with 600 men – by 1536 only four survive. Wikipedia →
1521Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for treason. Wikipedia →
1395Battle of Rovine: The Wallachians defeat an invading Ottoman army. Wikipedia →
884Election of Pope Hadrian III following the death of Pope Marinus I earlier that month. Wikipedia →
352Election of Pope Liberius following the death of Pope Julius I in the previous month. Wikipedia →

Facts from Wikipedia On This Day API (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Wikimedia. Thumbnails CC BY-SA. Headlines via The Guardian Open Platform. Historic pages via Library of Congress Chronicling America. Curated by OddlyTrue.