Today in history
On June 9, 1972, heavy rains triggered record flooding in the Black Hills of South Dakota; the resulting disaster left at least 238 people dead and $ 164 million in damage.
In A. D. 68, the Roman Emperor Nero committed suicide, ending a 13- year reign.
In 1870, author Charles Dickens died in Gad’s Hill Place, England.
In 1909, Alice Huyler Ramsey, 22, set out from New York in a Maxwell DA on a journey to become the first woman to drive across the United States. ( Ramsey and three female companions arrived in San Francisco on Aug. 7.)
In 1911, Carrie ( sometimes spelled “Carry”) A. Nation, the hatchet- wielding temperance crusader, died in Leavenworth, Kan., at age 64.
In 1940, during World War II, Norway decided to surrender to the Nazis, effective at midnight.
In 1949, Georgia Neese Clark was unanimously confirmed by the U. S. Senate to be the first female Treasurer of the United States.
In 1954, during the SenateArmy Hearings, Army special counsel Joseph N. Welch berated Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy for verbally attacking a member of Welch’s law firm, Fred Fisher, asking McCarthy: “Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?”
In 1969, the Senate confirmed Warren Burger to be the new chief justice of the United States, succeeding Earl Warren.
In 1973, Secretariat became horse racing’s first Triple Crown winner in 25 years by winning the Belmont Stakes.
In 1978, leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints struck down a 148- year- old policy of excluding black men from the Mormon priesthood.
In 1985, American educator Thomas Sutherland was kidnapped in Lebanon; he was released in November 1991 along with fellow hostage Terry Waite.
In 1986, the Rogers Commission released its report on the Challenger disaster, criticizing NASA and rocket- builder Morton Thiokol for management problems leading to the explosion that claimed the lives of seven astronauts.
Ten years ago: President Jacques Chirac’s mainstream right prevailed in a first round of elections for France’s 577- seat National Assembly. Thousands of Russian soccer fans rioted in Moscow after their country’s loss to Japan in the World Cup. Albert Costa won the French Open over fellow Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero, 6- 1, 6- 0, 4- 6, 6- 3. Se Ri Pak won the LPGA Championship to become the youngest woman to claim four major championships.
Five years ago: President George W. Bush, denounced by anti- American protesters on the streets of Rome, defended his humanitarian record as he met at the Vatican with Pope Benedict XVI, who expressed concern about “the worrisome situation in Iraq.” A day after being ordered back to jail, Paris Hilton said she wouldn’t appeal her sentence for a probation violation. Rags to Riches became the first filly to win the Belmont Stakes since 1905. Justine Henin claimed her third consecutive French Open title with a 6- 1, 6- 2 victory over Ana Ivanovic. Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he isn’t. A sense of humor was pro
vided to console him for what he is. – Horace Walpole, Eng
lish author ( 1717- 1797).