ON THIS DAY

1890:

John Owens becomes the first man to run a recorded 100-yard-dash in under 10 seconds. Owens did it in 9.8 seconds.

The Boer War begins in South Africa between the British Empire and Boers of the Transvaal and Orange Free State.

Albert Einstein and other scientists inform US President Franklin Roosevelt of the possibilities of developing an atomic bomb.

Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo mission, is launched.

Space shuttle Challenger astronaut Kathy Sullivan becomes the first American woman to walk in space.

The death toll from an epidemic of the deadly Ebola virus in west Africa passes 4000.

Arthur Phillip, First Fleet commander, (1738-1814); Eleanor Roosevelt, US first lady (1884 -1962); Dawn French, English comedian (1957-).

1899: 1939: 1968: 1984: 2014: Birthdays: