Today in 776 BC, the first Olympic Games were held in Greece.
Today in 1904, Charles Menches invented the ice cream cone in St. Louis (though others have taken credit as well).
Today in 1962, Jackie Robinson became the first African American to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Today in 1967, the Detroit riots began. Before they were contained by national guardsmen seven days later, 43 people were killed and over 1400 buildings were burned.
Today in 1982, actor Vic Morrow and two child actors were killed when a helicopter crashed on top of them while they were filming a war scene for "Twilight Zone: The Movie."
Today in 1984, Vanessa Williams became the first Miss America to resign her title, because of nude photographs of her that turned up in "Penthouse" magazine.
Today in 1996, at the Atlanta Olympics, Kerri Strug made a heroic final vault despite torn ligaments in her left ankle as the US women gymnasts clinched their first-ever Olympic team Gold medal.
Today in 1998, scientists at the University of Hawaii revealed more than 50 "carbon-copy" mice, with a cloning technique.
Today in 1999, Space shuttle Columbia blasted off with the world's most powerful X-ray telescope and Eileen Collins, the first woman to command a U.S. space flight.
Today in 1999, members of the Kennedy family gathered in New York City for a private memorial Mass a week after John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife, Carolyn, and her sister, Lauren Bessette, died in a plane crash off Martha's Vineyard. They later looked on as the ashes of their loved ones were cast into the sea off Martha's Vineyard, consigned to the depths where they died.
Today in 2000, Tiger Woods, at the age of 24, became the youngest player to win the career Grand Slam with a record-breaking performance in the British Open.
Today in 2000, Lance Armstrong clinched his second straight victory in the Tour de France. And while that made history…so did what happened in August 2012 when United States Anti-Doping Agency announced in that they had disqualified Armstrong from all his results since 1998 over his doping.
Today in 2011,singer Amy Winehouse died of alcohol poisoning at the age of 27.
Today in 2013, with a high-stakes showdown vote looming in the House, the White House and congressional backers of the National Security Agency’s surveillance program warned that ending the massive collection of phone records from millions of Americans would put the nation at risk from another terrorist attack. The next day? The House narrowly voted accordingly – and against halting the NSA program.
Today in 2015, the Supreme Court rejected Bill Cosby's petition to kill a civil case of his alleged sexual of 15-year-old girl at the Playboy Mansion in 1974.
Today in 2017, President Donald Trump tweeted that he has “complete power” to issue pardons.