On This Day: Soviets send first woman to space, Valentina Tereshkova

On this date in history:

In 1883, the New York Giants had the first Ladies’ Day baseball game.

In 1909, President William Howard Taft, in a message to Congress, recommended the adoption of a constitutional amendment giving the federal government the right to levy and collect an income tax.

In 1940, Marshal Henri-Philippe Petain becomes prime minister of the Vichy government in France.

In 1963, the Soviet Union put the first woman into space, cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova.

In 1999, police arrested Kathleen Ann Soliah, a member of the terrorist Symbionese Liberation Army, which kidnapped newspaper heiress Patty Hearst. She pleaded guilty to planting bombs and a role in killing a bank customer during a robbery. She was released from prison in 2009.

In 2005, Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester, 23, of Bowling Green, Ky., became the first female soldier to receive the Silver Star for bravery in combat in the Iraq war.

In 2009, U.S. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., acknowledged a nine-month extramarital affair with a former staff member. He resigned his chairmanship of the Republican Policy Committee but remained in the Senate until 2011.

In 2011, U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., announced he would resign after admitting he sent sexually suggestive photos on social networks Facebook and Twitter. He left office the following week.

In 2012, Saudi Arabia announced the death of Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz al-Saud eight months after he became heir to the throne. He was succeeded as crown prince by Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud.

In 2013, Justin Rose won the U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club in suburban Philadelphia. He was the first player from Britain to win the event since Tony Jacklin in 1970.

In 2014, Tony Gwynn, who was one of Major League Baseball’s greatest hitters (he won a record eight National League batting championships) died of cancer in Poway, Calif. He was 54.

In 2017, President Donald Trump reinstated restrictions on U.S. business and tourism in Cuba.

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.