753 BC — Romulus founds Rome. Romulus was the legendary founder and first king of Rome. Various traditions attribute the establishment of many of Rome’s oldest legal, political, religious, and social institutions to Romulus and his contemporaries. While many of these traditions incorporate elements of folklore, and it’s uncertain to what extent a historical figure inspired the mythical Romulus, the events and institutions attributed to him were central to the myths surrounding Rome’s origins and cultural traditions.
1836 — General Sam Houston led 800 Texans to victory over a Mexican army of 1,500 under General Antonio López de Santa Anna in the Battle of San Jacinto, ensuring Texas’s independence from Mexico.
1962 — The Seattle World’s Fair (Century 21 Exposition) opens. It is the first World’s Fair in the United States since World War II. As planned, the exposition left behind a fairground and numerous public buildings and public works. Some credit it with revitalizing Seattle’s economic and cultural life. The fair saw the construction of the Space Needle and Alweg monorail, as well as several sports venues (Washington State Coliseum, now Climate Pledge Arena) and performing arts buildings (the Playhouse, now the Cornish Playhouse). Most of these buildings have since been replaced or heavily remodeled. Unlike some other world’s fairs of its era, Century 21 made a profit.
1989 — Field of Dreams opens in theaters today. An American sports fantasy drama film, written and directed by Phil Alden Robinson, is based on Canadian novelist W. P. Kinsella’s 1982 novel, Shoeless Joe. The film stars Kevin Costner as a farmer who constructs a baseball field in his cornfield, which draws the spirits of baseball legends, including Shoeless Joe Jackson (played by Ray Liotta) and the Chicago Black Sox. Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones, and Burt Lancaster (in his final film role before his passing in 1994) also feature in the film.
Leave a Reply