What Happened On
Bannister in 2009
Photo Credit: Pruneau
Bannister in 2009Photo Credit: Pruneau
Four-Minute Mile
May 6, 1954
British runner Roger Bannister becomes the first person to run a four-minute mile, completing the run in 3 minutes 59.4 seconds. According to his book, The Four-Minute Mile, his training consisted primarily of 30-minute runs consisting of hard intervals, 3-4 times a week.
Bob Hope's First USO Show
May 6, 1941
The legendary comedian Bob Hope gives his first USO performance, held at March Field in California. He would make 57 USO tours between 1941 and 1991 and was declared an honorary veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces in 1997 by an act of the U.S. Congress.
The Hindenburg Disaster - "Oh, the Humanity!"
May 6, 1937
News reporter Herbert Morrison makes his famous proclamation, "Oh, the Humanity!" as he witnesses the disaster unfolding. The giant airship Hindenburg explodes and burns killing 36 people while preparing to land at Lakehurst, New Jersey. The exact cause of the fire has never been determined, but theories range from a hydrogen leak, sabotage from either crew or passengers, static electricity, and a flammable coating on the skin of the craft. This disaster marked the end of the airship era.
Langley flies his unmanned steam-powered Aerodrome over the Potomac River
Langley flies his unmanned steam-powered Aerodrome over the Potomac River
First Flight of a Heavier-Than-Air Flying Machine
May 6, 1896
Prof. Samuel P. Langley successfully flies his unmanned steam-powered Aerodrome over the Potomac River. His later attempts at manned flight were unsuccessful.
Eurotunnel
May 6, 1994
The first tunnel to connect Britain and France holds its formal opening ceremonies. Round-trip prices ranged from $195 to $465.
Bobcat Goldthwait Sets Chair on Fire
May 6, 1994
The comedian Bobcat Goldthwait sets his chair on fire during his interview with Jay Leno on The Tonight Show. He was later fined $2,700 plus the cost of the chair ($698) and was ordered to make several public service announcements about fire safety.
Baseball - Longest Major-League Home Run During a Regular-Season Game
May 6, 1964
Dave Nicholson hits a 573-feet (175.7 m) home run for the Chicago White Sox over the left-field roof of Chicago's Comiskey Park.
Civil War
May 6, 1861
Arkansas becomes the 9th state to secede from the Union.
June 20, 1961 issue
June 20, 1961 issue
First Issue of the New York Herald
May 6, 1835
James Gordon Bennett, Sr. begins publishing the New York Herald paper from a Wall Street basement.
Birthdays
Willie Mays (Willie Howard Mays Jr)
Born May 6, 1931 d. 2024
American Baseball Hall-of-Famer. Known as "The Say Hey Kid", he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.
Rudolph Valentino (Rudolfo Guglielmi)
Born May 6, 1895 d. 1926
Italian actor. Rudolph Valentino was a sex symbol of the 1920s during the silent film era and was known in Hollywood as the "Latin Lover".
He was arrested for blackmail in 1916 and again for marrying his second wife before his divorce became final. Film: The Sheik (1921), The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921), and Blood and Sand (1922).
He died at the age of 31 after developing peritonitis and pleuritis after surgery for gastric ulcers and suspected appendicitis. His young death caused mass hysteria by his fans.
Sigmund Freud
Born May 6, 1856 d. 1939
Austrian psychiatrist, founder of psychoanalysis. Freud defined the "Oedipus complex." Once, when asked about his cigar smoking he replied, "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."
Peary (left) and Peary Party at North Pole
Peary (left) and Peary Party at North Pole
Robert Edwin Peary
Born May 6, 1856 d. 1920
American Arctic explorer. He is credited with being the first person to reach the North Pole (1909). However, his claim is disputed and Frederick A. Cook claims to have reached the North Pole the previous year, although his claim is also disputed.
Tony Blair
Born May 6, 1953
British Labour Party politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1997-2007).
Bob Seger (Robert Clark Seger)
Born May 6, 1945
American rock singer.
Adriana Caselotti
Born May 6, 1916 d. 1997
Italian-American singer, actress. She was the voice of Snow White in the 1937 Walt Disney classic, for which she was paid $970.
Theodore H. White
Born May 6, 1915 d. 1986
American Pulitzer-Emmy winning author. Writings: The Making of the President 1960 (1961, Pulitzer), The Making of the President 1964, The Making of the President 1968, and The Making of the President 1972.
White's books started a trend of more personality-driven political reporting. White would in later years express regret about this change.
Orson Welles
Born May 6, 1915 d. 1985
American actor, director, producer, panicked the nation with his radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds (October 30, 1938). He was also the voice of radio's The Shadow and directed the film classic Citizen Kane (1941).
Stewart Granger (James Leblanche Stewart)
Born May 6, 1913 d. 1993
British-born American actor. Film: King Solomon's Mines (1950), The Prisoner of Zenda (1952), and The Last Safari (1967).
Raymond Bailey
Born May 6, 1904 d. 1980
American actor. TV: The Beverly Hillbillies (1962-71, Milburn Drysdale).
A. P. Giannini (Amadeo Pietro Giannini)
Born May 6, 1870 d. 1949
American businessman, founder of Bank of America.
Innocent X
Born May 6, 1574 d. 1655
Italian religious leader, 236th Pope (1644-55). He formally condemned Jansenism (1653).
Marcellus II
Born May 6, 1501 d. 1555
religious leader, 222nd Pope (April - May 1555).
Deaths
Four-Legged Girl from Texas
Myrtle Corbin (Josephine Myrtle Corbin)
Died May 6, 1928 b. 1868
American sideshow performer. She was born with two separate pelvises side by side from the waist down, as a result of her body axis splitting as it developed. Even though each inner leg was paired with an outer leg, the inner legs were smaller and weaker than her outer legs. She could move her inner legs, but they were too weak to walk on. She began performing in sideshows at the age of 13, billed as "The Four-Legged Girl from Texas." She married at age 19 and gave birth to four daughters and a son.
The Wizard of Oz
L. Frank Baum
Died May 6, 1919 b. 1856
American author. Writings: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), which was adapted into a play in 1902 and the classic movie in 1939.
In the book version, the wicked witch sends a pack of wolves to kill Dorothy and her traveling companions, but the Tin Woodsman kills them with his axe. She then sends a flock of crows to peck out their eyes. The crows are killed by the Scarecrow who wrings their necks. After The Cowardly Lion fends off her Winkie slaves, the Wicked Witch sends her flying monkeys who capture Dorothy and make her the witch's personal slave.
Vida Rochelle Blue
Died May 6, 2023 b. 1949
American left-handed baseball pitcher, MVP (1971). He was the only pitcher to start in an All Star game in both the National League (1971) and the American League (1978). He was a member of the Oakland Athletics dynasty that won three consecutive World Series championships from 1972 to 1974.
Marlene Dietrich (Maria Magdalene Dietrich)
Died May 6, 1992 b. 1901
German-born American actress, singer. Film: The Blue Angel (1930). She was awarded the Medal of Freedom for her efforts during World War II.
William Joseph Casey
Died May 6, 1987 b. 1913
CIA director (1981-87).
Milton Ager
Died May 6, 1979 b. 1893
American composer. Music: Ain't She Sweet and Happy Days Are Here Again.
Maria Montessori
Died May 6, 1952 b. 1870
Italian educator. She created the world-famous Montessori system of teaching children. She was also the first woman in Italy to obtain a medical degree (1894).
Edward VII (Albert Edward)
Died May 6, 1910 b. 1841
King of England and Ireland (1901-10).
Sir James Young Simpson
Died May 6, 1870 b. 1811
Scottish obstetrician. He developed the use of anesthesia.
The word anesthesia is from the Greek for "without sensation".
Henry David Thoreau
Died May 6, 1862 b. 1817
American poet, philosopher. Known for his book Walden. He also wrote the essay Civil Disobedience after being arrested for refusing to pay his poll tax.