Today in History for June 26, 2018

James W. Darby

June 26, 1284 - It is said that the Pied Piper of Hamelin in Germany lured 130 children out of town, and they were never seen again.

June 26, 1541 - Spanish explorer and politician Francisco Pizarro, who was between 65 and 70 years old, was assassinated while eating dinner at his palace in Lima by the son of his former companion and later antagonist, Diego Almagro the younger. Almagro is later caught and executed. Pizarro was the governor of Peru and conqueror of the Inca civilization.

June 26, 1776 - John Adams, who would go on to become the second President of the United States of America, wrote a letter to his wife Abigail in which he complained that the Congress was giving him "more business than I am qualified for, and more than, I fear, that I can go through, with safety to my health."

June 26, 1784 - Delaware Patriot Caesar Rodney passed away at the age of 55 in Kent County, Delaware. Rodney is best remembered for his overnight ride from Dover, Delaware to Philadelphia, Pa. to cast the deciding vote for the Declaration of Independence in the Continental Congress on July 2, 1776. The image of Rodney on horseback riding for Philadelphia appears on the Delaware quarter, issued in 1999.

June 26, 1804 - The Lewis and Clark Expedition reached the mouth of the Kansas River after completing a westward trek of nearly 400 river miles.

June 26, 1819 – Union General Abner Doubleday was born in Ballston Spa, N.Y. He fired the first shot in defense of Fort Sumter, the opening battle of the war, and had a pivotal role in the early fighting at the Battle of Gettysburg. Doubleday has been historically credited with inventing baseball, although this appears to be untrue.

June 26, 1861 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Frankfort and Patterson's Creek, West Virginia.

June 26, 1862 - At the Battle of Mechanicsville, Va., Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia struck Union General George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac, beginning the Seven Days' Battles. This was Lee’s first battle as commander of the army. McClellan eventually withdrew back toward Washington after both sides suffered heavy losses. Lee lost 1,475 men; Union losses were only 361.

June 26, 1862 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought at Cherry Grove, Mo.; and at Meadow Bridge, Hanover Court House, and Atlee's Station in Virginia.

June 26, 1863 – HILLIARD’S LEGION: The Second and Fourth Battalions of Gracie’s Brigade were sent to Knoxville again, a trip that took three days from the Gap. Gracie’s men met Bragg in Knoxville as his troops were falling back from middle Tennessee, having been outflanked by Gen. William S. Rosecrans’s troops. They stayed and brought up the rear of Bragg’s retreat.

June 26, 1863 – During the Civil War, Jubal Early and his Confederate forces moved through Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on the way toward York.

June 26, 1863 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; at Beech Grove, Tennessee; and at Messinger's Ferry, Mississippi.

June 26, 1863 – During the Civil War, the siege at Vicksburg, Miss. entered Day 39.

June 26, 1864 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought near Clarendon, Arkansas; and at Smithfield and Springfield, West Virginia. An affair also occurred near Sedina, Missouri.

June 26, 1876 - Following Lieutenant Colonel George Custer’s death the previous day in the Battle of the Little Big Horn, Major Marcus Reno took command of the surviving soldiers of the 7th Cavalry.

June 26, 1879 – The Evergreen Star newspaper reported that the Conecuh Guards, Co. E, participated in the following named battles and skirmishes: First Battle Manassas, Va.; York Town, Elthems Landing, Seven Pines, Gaines Farm, Malvern Hill, Second Battle Manassas, Leesburg or Chantilla, Va.; South South Mountain, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Suffolk, Gettysburg, Hagerstown, Falling Waters, Manassas Gap, Thornton Creek, Chickamauga, Raccoon Mountain, Lookout Mountain, Knoxville, Dandridge, Strawberry Plains, Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, Crutchfield Farm, North Ann Bridge, Charles City Road, Williamsburg Road, Second Battle Cold Harbor, Deep Bottom, Fuzzles Mill, skirmish near Bermuda Hundred, Petersburg, Fort Gilmore, Fort Harrison, battle Darbytown, Darbytown Road, Williamsburg Road, McKinzie House, Petersburg, Amelia Court House, Burkville Junction, Farmville and Appomattox. (The list was furnished to the newspaper by Col. P.D. Bowles.)

June 26, 1891 - Alabama author Octavus Roy Cohen was born in Charleston, S.C.

June 26, 1892 – Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Pearl Buck was born in Hillsboro, W.V. Her most famous novel, “The Good Earth,” was published in 1931.

June 26, 1896 - Elder Irving L. Pratt and his colleagues, two Mormon missionaries of Provo, Utah, held services in the Monroe County Courthouse on this Friday night.

June 26, 1896 - The Board of Trustees of the Perdue Hill High School held a meeting on this Friday and unanimously elected Mr. R.E. Gordon of Camden as principal for the ensuing term. Gordon had been, for two years past, principal of the Ackerville Academy in Wilcox County and came highly recommended.

June 26, 1898 – Blues musician Big Bill Broonzy was born in Scott, Miss. (Some sources say he was born in Lake Dick, Ark. and in 1893.)

June 26, 1900 - A commission that included Dr. Walter Reed began the fight against the deadly disease yellow fever.

June 26, 1905 – The cases against the boys who were indicted by the grand jury for playing ball in Camden on Sunday came before the Wilcox County Court, and the cases were nol prossed on the promise that they would no longer play ball on Sunday.

June 26, 1912 – Confederate soldier Capt. James W. Darby of Garland, Ala. passed away. He was about 73 years old. Born on Jan. 25, 1840, he is buried in the Garland Cemetery in Butler County, Ala.

June 26, 1912 – The Evergreen Courant reported that W.W. Pridgen and Walter Lee had attended the Republican Convention in Chicago the week before and that week they were at the Democratic Convention in Baltimore. The Courant also reported that Judge Dean, C.P. Deming, W.M. Newton and J.F. Irwin were in Baltimore “looking on” at the Democratic National Convention.

June 26, 1912 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Wm. Bragg, a prominent banker of Ft. Deposit, was a guest of his brother, John Bragg, several days during the previous week.

June 26, 1914 – The Evergreen Courant reported that the thermometer topped 106 degrees in Evergreen, Ala., making it “the hottest day known in Evergreen for many years. The temperature for four days previous ranged from 102 to 105. The weather bureau states it a fact that this has been the hottest June since 1881.”

June 26, 1915 – On this Saturday afternoon John Salter and Robert Watkins made a full confession to the brutal murder of Martha Lassiter, the attempted murder of Wiley House and the robbery and burning of House’s residence near Burnt Corn on June 23, 2015. Also on this afternoon, Sheriff Williams and several deputies, as a precaution, transferred Salter and Watkins to the Montgomery County Jail by automobile.

June 26, 1915 – During a baseball game on this Saturday afternoon at Jeddo, J.C. Kyle was “hit on the side of his face by a pitched ball,” resulting in a fractured jawbone. He was taken to Dr. G.H. Harper at Uriah for treatment.

June 26, 1916 - The Chicago White Sox and the Cleveland Indians appeared in a game with numbers on their sleeves. The event marked the first time that players were identified by numbers that corresponded to the scoreboard.

June 26, 1916 – Children’s book author Walter Farley was born in Syracuse, N.Y. He is best known for his 1941 book, “The Black Stallion.”

June 26, 1917 – The first 14,000 U.S. infantry troops begin arriving in France at the port of Saint Nazaire during World War I.

June 26, 1918 – The Evergreen Courant reported that D.L. Long left Castleberry the first of that week to go on a fishing trip on the Yellow River in Florida.

June 26, 1918 – The Evergreen Courant reported that the many friends of Mrs. L.D. King sympathized sincerely with her in the death of her father, the Hon. W.S. Watson, who passed away at his home in Greenville several days before. He had for several years past been clerk of the circuit court of Butler County and had previously served one term as sheriff.

June 26, 1918 – The Evergreen Courant reported that the local freight trains were again making their night stop-over in Castleberry.

June 26, 1923 - Alabama author Alfred Maund was born in Jennings, La.

June 26, 1928 - Alabama author Amelie Rives's play “Say When” opened on Broadway.

June 26, 1928 - Fire broke out in the walls of the Electrick Maid Bakery in Evergreen about 9:30 o’clock on this Tuesday morning but quick work on the part of the fire department checked it before much damage was done.

June 26, 1930 – The Monroe Journal reported that the following officers had been elected to serve the Alabama Lodge No. 3 for the ensuring Masonic year: A.B. Coxwell, Worshipful Master; H.A. Baggett, Senior Warden; W.L. Holloway, Junior Warden; J.M. Sowell, Senior Deacon; Fred Sheffield, Junior Deacon; L.L. Dees, Secretary; L.L. Hendrix, Treasurer; J.F. Davis, Tyler.

June 26, 1932 – Camden native Tom “Sut” Jenkins appeared in his final Major League game, pinching hitting for the St. Louis Browns in a 10-5 road loss to the Cleveland Indians in which Jenkins went 1-for-1 at the plate.

June 26, 1934 - Alabama author Carl Carmer's book “Stars Fell on Alabama” was published.

June 26, 1938 - Lonney Frey of the Cincinnati Reds had eight hits in a doubleheader split with the Philadelphia Phillies.

June 26, 1939 - M.E. Skinner brought the first open cotton boll of the season to The Monroe Journal office on this Monday from his farm north of Monroe Station.

June 26, 1944 - The New York Giants, Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees played against each other in a six-inning contest in a war bonds fund-raiser. Over 50,000 people watched the game. The final score was Dodgers 5, Yankees 1 and the Giants 0.

June 26, 1944 – The Battle of Osuchy in Osuchy, Poland, one of the largest battles between Nazi Germany and Polish resistance forces, ended with the defeat of the latter.

June 26, 1946 - A movie version of Alabama author Lillian Hellman's play “The Searching Wind” was released.

June 26, 1946 – German SS officer Max Kögel committed suicide by hanging in his prison cell in Schwabach, West Germany.

June 26, 1948 – Shirley Jackson's short story “The Lottery” was published in The New Yorker magazine.

June 26, 1948 - Funeral services were held at the Oak Grove Church near Repton on this Saturday afternoon for Grady H. Johnson who was killed in action in North Africa in March 1943. He was buried with military honors under the direction of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the National Guard.

June 26, 1952 – Evergreen’s Junior American Legion baseball team was scheduled to play a rematch against Andalusia at Brooks Stadium in Evergreen, Ala. on this Thursday afternoon. Two days before, Andalusia beat Evergreen, 8-7, in Andalusia.

June 26, 1952 – The Evergreen Courant reported that the “sweltering weather” that had gripped Conecuh County, Ala. for the previous two weeks looked to continue with little relief in sight. Conecuh County had received scattered showers during this time, but there had been no “general rains” thus far in June. Virtually every day during this time, the temperature had “soared into the upper nineties” with the high reaching 100 degrees on June 15.

June 26-27, 1952 – “A Streetcar Named Desire,” starring Marlon Brando and Vivien Lee, was scheduled to be shown at The Pix Theater in Evergreen, Ala.

June 26, 1959 – Swedish boxer Ingemar Johansson became world champion of heavy weight boxing, by defeating American Floyd Patterson on technical knockout after two minutes and three seconds in the third round at Yankee Stadium.

June 26, 1961 - A Kuwaiti vote opposed Iraq's annexation plans.

June 26, 1962 - Earl Wilson of the Boston Red Sox pitched a 2-0 no-hitter against the Los Angeles Angels. Wilson also hit a home run.

June 26, 1965 - Gen. William Westmoreland, senior U.S. military commander in Vietnam, was given formal authority to commit American troops to battle when he decided they were necessary “to strengthen the relative position of the GVN [Government of Vietnam] forces.” This authorization permitted Westmoreland to put his forces on the offensive. Heretofore, U.S. combat forces had been restricted to protecting U.S. airbases and other facilities.

June 26, 1968 – Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe was born in Chicago, Ill. He went on to play for Savannah State, the Denver Broncos and the Baltimore Ravens. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.

June 26, 1969 – The Monroe Journal reported that Mr. and Mrs. Bill Stewart and son, David, visited Steve Stewart in Augusta, Ga. over the previous weekend.

June 26-July 6, 1969 - The 26th Annual Beulah Camp Meeting was scheduled to be held at the camp grounds near Excel.

June 26, 1969 – The Monroe Journal reported that Marine Private First Class Earnest R. Talbert, son of Mr. and Mrs. Elbert Talbert of Route 1, Beatrice, was serving with the Third Battalion, Fourth Marine Regiment, Third Marine Division, Vietnam. The battalion had been conducting sweep and clear operations just south of the Demilitarized Zone.

June 26, 1970 - Frank Robinson of the Baltimore Orioles hit two grand slams against the Washington Senators in a 12-2 win.

June 26, 1971 - The U.S. Justice Department issued a warrant for Daniel Ellsberg, accusing him of giving away the “Pentagon Papers.”

June 26, 1971 - Larry O’Hara, editor of The Monroe Journal, received the third place National Newspaper Association award for General Excellence at the NNA convention in Rochester, N.Y. on this Saturday. Presenting the award was Dick Westerfield, NNA President.

June 26, 1972 - The shift of fighter-bomber squadrons, involving up to 150 U.S. planes and more than 2,000 pilots from Da Nang, to bases in Thailand was completed. The shift was necessitated by the pending withdrawal of the U.S. infantry brigade that provided security for flyers at Da Nang. The departure of the U.S. unit was part of President Richard Nixon’s Vietnamization program that he had instituted in June 1969. Under this program, the responsibility for the war was to be gradually transferred to the South Vietnamese so U.S. forces could be withdrawn.

June 26, 1974 - Supermarket scanning of UPC codes began with a pack of chewing gum in Troy, Ohio. The first scan was made at a Marsh’s Supermarket in Troy, Ohio, which had agreed to serve as a test facility for the new technology, and the first item scanned was a pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit Gum. That pack of gum is on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.

June 26, 1976 - Shortstop Toby Harrah of the Texas Rangers played an entire doubleheader without handling a batted ball from the Chicago White Sox.

June 26, 1976 – NFL quarterback Chad Pennington was born in Knoxville, Tenn. He went on to play for Marshall, the New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins.

June 26, 1981 - At this Friday’s Monroe County Board of Education meeting, board president Edgar Melton presented a plaque and a resolution to former schools superintendent James R. Allen, who became president of Patrick Henry State Junior College on April 1, 1981 after serving as superintendent since Nov. 15, 1972. The resolution cited Allen for initiating “innovative and progressive programs while supporting established and proved programs to improve the overall educational processes” and handling funds allocated to the board “wisely and with skill to benefit all facets of the educational areas of the county.”

June 26, 1982 – The Lyeffion Saddle Club was scheduled to hold a horseshow on this Saturday starting at 5 p.m.

June 26, 1982 – A ladies slow pitch softball tournament, sponsored by the China Ladies Softball Club, was scheduled to be held on this Saturday at Evergreen Municipal Park in Evergreen, Ala.

June 26, 1984 - Kerney Windham, who was Chief of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Natural Resources Branch in Mobile, announced on this Tuesday that the Corps would begin accepting bids for construction of a proposed boat ramp to be built near the Claiborne Lock and Dam in August of this year. The ramp was to be built about a mile below the dam on the east bank, according to Windham.

June 26, 1985 - Wilbur Snapp was ejected after playing "Three Blind Mice" during a baseball game. The incident followed a call made by umpire Keith O'Connor.

June 26, 1987 – “Full Metal Jacket,” a movie version of Alabama author Gustav Hasford's book “The Short-Timers,” was released.

June 26, 1993 – National Baseball Hall of Fame catcher Roy Campanella passed away at the age of 71 in Woodland Hills, Calif. He played his entire career (1948-1957) for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1969.

June 26, 1993 – In retaliation for an Iraqi plot to assassinate former U.S. President George Bush during his April visit to Kuwait, President Bill Clinton ordered U.S. warships to fire Tomahawk cruise missiles at Iraqi intelligence headquarters in downtown Baghdad.

June 26, 1997 – Hillcrest High School’s band boosters were scheduled to hold a reception in the school cafetorium in Evergreen, Ala. on this Thursday at 6 p.m. to introduce and welcome the school’s new band director, Christal Carter.

June 26, 1997 – The first book in the Harry Potter series, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” was published in Britain.

June 26, 1997 – Pro Football Hall of Fame and former University of Alabama split end Don Hutson passed away at the age of 84 in Rancho Mirage, Calif. After college, he played his entire pro career (1933-1945) for the Green Bay Pakers and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1963.

June 26, 1998 – The Oak Hill Historic District in Oak Hill in Wilcox County, Ala. was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The district is roughly centered on the intersection of State Highway 10 and State Highway 21. It contains 6,750 acres, 56 buildings and seven structures.

June 26, 1998 – The classic Civil War-era blockbuster “Gone with the Wind,” originally released in 1939, is re-released in U.S. theaters by New Line Pictures.

June 26, 1999 - Sammy Sosa of the Chicago White Sox hit his 300th career home run.

June 26, 1999 - Cal Ripken of the Baltimore Orioles got his 995th extra base hit.

June 26, 2000 - Alex Cabrera of the Arizona Diamondbacks hit a two-run home run in his first major league at-bat.

June 26, 2000 – Pope John Paul II revealed the third secret of Fátima.

June 26, 2003 – Indian Springs Baptist Church at McWilliams, near Beatrice, in Monroe County, Ala. was listed on Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.

June 26, 2003 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Cody Lowery, the son of John and Linda Blackmon, had recently represented Conecuh County at the 66^th annual American Legion Alabama Boys State. While attending Boys State, Lowery was elected to the House of Representatives. He was an upcoming senior at Sparta Academy.

June 26, 2005 - Paulus van der Sloot and Steve Gregory Croes were ordered to be released from jail after their arrests in connection with the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, 18, of Mountain Brook, Ala.

June 26, 2008 – A suicide bomber dressed as an Iraqi policeman detonated an explosive vest, killing 25 people.

June 26, 2008 - Out-going Conecuh County Junior High School principal Patsy Smith was recognized by the state legislature for her outstanding career during a special ceremony on this Thursday afternoon at the Castleberry school.