In 1999 – A severe hailstorm strikes Sydney, Australia causing $1.7 billion in insured damages.
In 1989 – 1,100,000,000th Chinese born
In 1981 – the first space-shuttle, Columbia, returns to earth.
In 1912 – the Titanic (largest ship at the time) hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage.
In 1894 – the 1st public showing of Thomas Edison’s Kinetoscope (moving pictures).
In 1865 – US President, Abraham Lincoln, is shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford’s Theatre in Washington.
Basically, don’t go to the theatre or go sailing today – but you’ll land safely if you’re travelling in a space-shuttle.
