TODAY IN HISTORY
TODAY IS TUESDAY, JULY 9, the 190th day of 2019. There are 175 days left in the year. TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT IN HISTORY: On this date in 1850, the 12th president of the United States, Zachary Taylor, died after serving only 16 months of his term. (He was succeeded by Millard Fillmore.)
In 1755, British General Edward Braddock was mortally wounded as his troops suffered a massive defeat during the French and Indian War (he died four days later).
In 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read aloud to Gen. George Washington’s troops in New York.
In 1816, Argentina declared independence from Spain.
In 1918, 101 people were killed in a train collision in Nashville, Tennessee. The Distinguished Service Cross was established by an Act of Congress.
In 1962, pop artist Andy Warhol’s exhibit of 32 paintings of Campbell’s soup cans opened at the Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles.
In 1974, former U.S. Chief Justice Earl Warren died in Washington at age 83.
In 1982, Pan Am Flight 759, a Boeing 727, crashed in Kenner, Louisiana, shortly after takeoff from New Orleans International Airport, killing all 145 people aboard and eight people on the ground.
In 1992, Democrat Bill Clinton tapped Tennessee Sen. Al Gore to be his running mate. Former CBS News commentator Eric Sevareid died in Washington at age 79.
In 1995, Jerry Garcia performed for the final time as frontman of the Grateful Dead during a concert at Chicago’s Soldier Field (Garcia died a month later).
In 2001, a divided court in Chile ruled that Gen. Augusto Pinochet could not be tried on human rights charges because of his deteriorating health and mental condition, a ruling that effectively brought the 85-year-old former dictator’s legal troubles to an end.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS: Actor-singer Ed Ames is 92. Former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld is 87. Actor James Hampton is 83. Actor Brian Dennehy is 81. Actor Richard Roundtree is 77. Singer Dee Dee Kenniebrew (The Crystals) and author Dean Koontz are 74. Football Hall-of-Famer O.J. Simpson is 72. Actor Chris Cooper is 68. TV personality John Tesh is 67. Country singer David Ball is 66. Business executive/TV personality Kevin O’Leary (TV: “Shark Tank”) and rhythm-andblues singer Debbie Sledge (Sister Sledge) are 65. Actor Jimmy Smits and actress Lisa Banes are 64. Actor Tom Hanks is 63. Singer Marc Almond and actress Kelly McGillis are 62. Rock singer Jim Kerr (Simple Minds) is 60. Actress-rock singer Courtney Love is 55. Rock musician Frank Bello (Anthrax) and actor David O’Hara are 54. Actress Pamela Adlon is 53. Rock musician Xavier Muriel is 51. Actor Scott Grimes is 48. Actor Enrique Murciano is 46. Rock singer-musician Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse) and musician/producer Jack White are 44. Rock musician Dan Estrin (Hoobastank) and actor-director Fred Savage are 43.