Somewhere on Earth on a day not too unlike a day like today…
…in 1504, Michelangelo’s 13-foot marble statue of David is unveiled in Florence, Italy.
…in 1522, Spanish navigator Juan de Elcano returns to Spain, completes 1st circumnavigation of globe, expedition begins under Ferdinand Magellan.
…in 1944, the first V-2 Rocket Hits London. Developed by Germany during World War II, the Vergeltungswaffe 2 (V-2) rocket was the world’s first modern ballistic missile and the first known manmade object to enter outer space. Thousands were launched on Allied targets during the last year of the war, causing more than 9,000 deaths. One of the rocket’s first targets was London, which was hit just days after Hitler declared his plans to start V-2 attacks.
in 1998, Mark McGwire (St. Louis Cardinals) hit his 62nd home run of the season. He had beaten a record that had stood for 37 years by Roger Maris. McGwire would eventually reach 70 home runs on September 27. He, Barry Bonds and other Steroid Era sluggers will forever have their records asterisked.
Birthdays and Anniversaries:
King Richard I of England (1157)
Among the few kings of England remembered by reputation, not number, Richard the Lionheart reigned from 1189 to 1199. After rebelling against his father, Henry II, Richard rose to the throne upon Henry’s death. He set out on the Third Crusade shortly after his coronation. Unable to capture the strongly fortified city of Jerusalem, Richard negotiated a treaty with Saladin that allowed Christian pilgrims access to its holy sites.
A Happy Birthday to two fantastic country singers; the “Singing Brakeman” Jimmie Rodgers, born in 1897 and the beautiful Patsy Cline 1932. Both died prematurely; one from pneumonia and one in a tragic plane crash.
Daily Trivia:
If Juan de Elcano completed the first circumnavigation but Ferdinand Magellan was the captain, the question begging to be asked is, why didn’t Ferdinand Magellan finish the voyage? The short answer is he died. The daily trivia question today is to answer how. I think you will find this to be an interesting incident.
Magellan was killed in the battle of Mactan in Cebu, Philippines, by a tribal chieftain named Lapu-Lapu. He was hit by a poisoned arrow in the leg and a spear in the arm, then the other tribe members descended on him with spears.
Ferdinand Magellan was the captain of 5 ships that was suppose to land in the Spice Island, but ended up landing in the Philippines. Magellan wanting to conquer and spread Christianity to a native tribe in the Philippines–who was led by a chief named Lapu-Lapu. Lapu-Lapu did not like the way Magellan was spreading his culture and conquering his native land. Thus, the “battle of Mactan” erupted and Magellan was defeated by a poisoned arrow. Magellan died from the hands of a native tribe chief in the Philippines who Magellan thought would not resist their attempt of colonialism.
Magellan became involved in a local war in the Philippines, where he was killed in battle on April 27, 1521; he tried to force the natives to adopt Christianity.