On this day in...

On this day in...
1827 – John Walker, an English chemist, sells the first friction match that he had invented the previous year.
1829 – Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commences translation of the Book of Mormon, with Oliver Cowdery as his scribe.
1862 – American Civil War: Battle of Shiloh ends – the Union Army under General Ulysses S. Grant defeats the Confederates near Shiloh, Tennessee.
1906 – Mount Vesuvius erupts and devastates Naples.
1922– Teapot Dome scandal: United States Secretary of the Interior leases Teapot Dome petroleum reserves in Wyoming.
1927 – First distance public television broadcast (from Washington, D.C. to New York City, displaying the image of Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover).
1940 – Booker T. Washington becomes the first African American to be depicted on a United States postage stamp.
1948 – The World Health Organization is established by the United Nations.
1954 – U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower gives his "domino theory" speech during a news conference.
1969 – The Internet's symbolic birth date: publication of RFC 1.
1978 – Development of the neutron bomb is canceled by U.S. President Jimmy Carter.
2003 – U.S. troops capture Baghdad; Saddam Hussein's regime falls two days later.

Births
1859 – Walter Camp, known as the "Father of American Football" (d. 1925)
1915 – Billie Holiday, American singer (d. 1959)
1939 – Francis Ford Coppola, American film director
1939 – Sir David Frost, English broadcaster and TV host
1949 – John Oates, American rock guitarist and lyricst (Hall & Oates)
1954 – Jackie Chan, Chinese actor, director, producer, and martial artist.
1954 – Tony Dorsett, American football player
1960 – James "Buster" Douglas, American boxer, Heavyweight Champion of the World
1964 – Russell Crowe, New Zealand actor
1965 – Bill Bellamy, American actor and comedian
1969 – Ricky Watters, American football player
1975 – Ronde Barber, American football player
1975 – Tiki Barber, American football player

Big list of birthdays today with lots of football players, the director of 'The Godfather,' a TV host turned journalist, an asian movie star and the star of 'How To Be A Player.' But I'm going with Buster Douglas and his knockout of Mike Tyson which was one of the biggest stories during my childhood.