Today in History for July 24, 2014

1914 Nebraska Indians

July 24, 1802 – French novelist Alexandre Dumas was born in Villers-Cotterêts, France (1802). His novels include “The Three Musketeers” and “The Count of Monte Cristo.”

July 24, 1864 – At the Battle of Kernstown, Va., Confederate General Jubal Early defeated Union troops under General George Crook to keep the Shenandoah Valley clear of Yankees.

July 24, 1897 – Amelia Earhart was born in Atchison, Kansas. She would gain worldwide acclaim in 1932, when she became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Of course, it was her mysterious disappearance in 1937, during an attempted solo flight around the world, which resulted in her having a place in esoteric lore. The ultimate resting place of Earhart and her plane remains a hotly debated topic to this day.

July 24, 1900 – Zelda Sayre was born in Montgomery and should would go on to marry writer F. Scott Fitzgerald on April 3, 1920.

July 24, 1911 - American archeologist Hiram Bingham discovered Machu Picchu, an ancient Inca settlement in Peru that is now one of the world's top tourist destinations.

July 24, 1914 – Evergreen beat the Nebraska Indians traveling baseball team, 7-6, before “the largest crowd that ever witnessed a game” in Evergreen.

July 24, 1947 – Conecuh County Sheriff W.D. Lewis accidentally shot himself with a .22 caliber target pistol while fishing with Fred Oswald at the “Evergreen Club.” He was trying to shoot a grindle when the pistol misfired, and the bullet passed through his right leg and hit his left big toe. He was treated by Dr. Robert Stallworth.

July 24, 1947 – The Evergreen Greenies baseball team beat Monroeville in Monroeville, 5-4.

July 24, 1948 – Capt. Clarence Chiles and copilot John Whitted were flying an Eastern Airlines DC-3 from Houston to Atlanta. Over Montgomery, Ala. they saw a “dull red glowing object” appear out of nowhere. The object was headed right for the plane, but before the pilots could react, the object zipped by their starboard side, nearly colliding with the plane. The object then climbed quickly and disappeared from sight.

July 24, 1998 - Director Steven Spielberg’s World War II epic, “Saving Private Ryan,” was released in theaters across the United States.