The gloves didn’t fit O.J. Simpson. (1995) In what would be major evidence used to acquit Simpson of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman, gloves found at the scene of the crime didn’t fit the defendant, O.J. Simpson. The leather gloves had been soaked by the blood of the victims. They had also been frozen and unfrozen several times. O.J. tried on the gloves over a pair of rubber gloves and the fit seemed rather snug. His attorneys used this in addressing the jury during closing arguments, saying “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”
The world’s first blood transfusion occurred. (1667) After being bled with leeches, a 15-year-old boy received a blood transfusion of sheep’s blood from Dr. Jean-Baptiste Denys. The boy survived.
Lou Gehrig played his first major league baseball game. (1923) Gehrig debuted with the New York Yankees and set many records during his baseball career. He still holds the record for career grand slams at a whopping 23. Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939, he famously died at the age of 38 from a neurological disease that would later be named after him — Gehrig’s Disease.
Charles Goodyear got a patent for a rubber strengthening process. (1844) Goodyear is often credited with inventing the strengthening process called vulcanization, but evidence shows that such stabilized rubber was used in balls as early as 1600 B.C. The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company was named after him in 1898 by founder Frank Seiberling.
George Washington was appointed the head of the Continental Army. (1775) The Second Continental Congress appointed Washington to lead America’s first military branch. He’d later become the first U.S. president in 1789, serving until 1797.
Arkansas became the 25th state. (1836) The pronunciation of Arkansas was debated by two U.S. Senators from Arkansas in the early 1880s — one wanted ar-kansas, the other ar-kan-saw. A legislative act settled the matter in 1881 — ar-kan-saw became the official pronunciation.
Vice President Dan Quayle misspelled potato. (1992) Chiding an elementary student at a spelling bee, he told her the correct spelling is “potatoe.”
Japan’s worst tsunami in history struck. (1896) The tsunami was the worst tidal wave in its history of almost 200 to have hit the island. It took the lives of about 22,000 people.
Ella Fitzgerald died. (1996) Fitzgerald was a famous American jazz vocalist. Also called the “First Lady of Song” and “Lady Ella,” she won 14 Grammy Awards during her career and was awarded the National Medal of Art and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated. (1916). U.S. President Woodrow Wilson incorporated the group, making it the first American youth organization to have a federal charter.
Arlington National Cemetery was established. (1864) Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton established the military burial ground that would become Arlington National Cemetery.
Rembrandt’s painting Danae was attacked. (1985) The man who threw sulfuric acid on the painting and stabbed it twice was found to be insane.
President James Polk died. (1849) President Polk was the 11th president of the United States. He is perhaps most well known for leading the U.S. into the Mexican–American War. Polk died when he was just 53 — 103 days after he left office, the shortest retirement period of any U.S. president.