Today in 1914, Swedish-born engineer Gideon Sundback of Hoboken, New Jersey, patented the improved version of the zipper; naming it the "separable fastener."
Today in 1955, the “Guinness Book of World Records” was first published and sold more than 70-million copies, more than any other book but the Bible.
Today in 1964, the Walt Disney movie "Mary Poppins," starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, premiered in theaters nationwide.
Today in 1965, the first Subway sandwich shop opened in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Today in 1984, President Ronald Reagan announced that a schoolteacher would be the first "citizen astronaut" to fly aboard the space shuttle. The eventual choice, Christa McAuliffe, died in the Challenger disaster in January of 1986.
Today in 1988, civil rights marchers gathered in Washington DC on the eve of the 25th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech.
Today in 1997, former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy was charged with seeking and accepting more than 35-thousand dollars in trips, sports tickets and favors from companies that did business with his agency. He refused to plea bargain and on December 2nd, 1998, he was acquitted of all 30 criminal charges in the trial.
Today in 2003, Mars drew closer to the Earth than any other time in recorded history – 34,649,589 miles away. We got another “drive by” in July 2018…when Mars was 35.8-million miles away.
Today in 2007, Idaho’s Senator Larry Craig of confirmed that he pleaded guilty earlier in the month to a disorderly conduct charge stemming from a June arrest for allegedly soliciting sex in a men's room at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
Today in 2012, the first interplanetary human voice recording was broadcast from the Mars Rover Curiosity.
Today in 2017, former five-weight world boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. defeated MMA fighter Conor McGregor in his debut match in the 10th round in Las Vegas.
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