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On This Day: August 19

Today is Tuesday, August 19, 2008. This is the 232nd day of the year, with 134 days remaining in 2008.


Fact of the Day: black cow

The "black cow" or "root beer float" was created on August 19, 1893. Frank J. Wisner, owner of Cripple Creek Brewing in Colorado, served the first root beer float. Inspired by the moonlit view of snow-capped Cow Mountain, Mr. Wisner added a scoop of ice cream to his Myers Avenue Red root beer and began serving it as the "Black Cow Mountain." The name was later shortened to "black cow."


Holidays

Feast day of St. Mocha, Saints Agapius and Timothy, St. Sebald, St. Thecla, St. Andrew the Tribune, St. Sixtus III, St. Berulf of Bobbio, St. Louis of Anjou, St. John Eudes, and St. Credan of Evesham.

Afghanistan: Independence Day.

United States: National Aviation Day.


Events

1812 - During the War of 1812, the U.S. Navy frigate Constitution defeated the British frigate GuerriÈre in a furious engagement off the coast of Nova Scotia and earned its nickname of "Old Ironsides".

1893 - The root beer float, or "Black Cow," was invented by Frank J. Wisner, owner of Cripple Creek Brewing in Colorado.

1929 - The comedy program "Amos and Andy," starring Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll, made its network radio debut.

1934 - A plebiscite in Germany approved the vesting of sole executive power in Adolf Hitler as Fuhrer.

1950 - The American Broadcasting Company aired the first Saturday morning television shows for children.

1960 - In the USSR, captured American U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for his confessed espionage. Eighteen months later, the Soviets agreed to release him in exchange for Rudolf Abel, a senior KGB spy.

Lebanon Related Events

2006 - Israeli commandos raided a Hezbollah stronghold deep inside Lebanon, sparking a fierce clash with militants that left one Israeli soldier dead. Lebanon called the raid a "flagrant violation" of the UN-brokered cease-fire, while Israel said it was aimed at disrupting arms smuggling from Iran and Syria. A Lebanese civilian was killed when unexploded Israeli munitions from the offensive detonated in the village of Ras al-Ein, outside Tyre.
(AP, 8/19/06)

2006 - French soldiers landed in Lebanon, the first reinforcements for an expanded UN peacekeeping force tasked with keeping the truce in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict. About 50 French troops, military engineers, were to prepare for the arrival of 200 more soldiers expected next week.
(AP, 8/19/06)


Births

1631 - John Dryden, English poet.
1870 - Bernard Baruch, advisor to presidents Wilson through Kennedy.
1871 - Orville Wright, American aviator.
1883 - Coco (Gabrielle) Chanel, French fashion designer.
1902 - Ogden Nash, American humorist.
1915 - Ring Lardner, American writer, screenwriter.
1921 - Gene Roddenberry, American television writer, producer, creator of "Star Trek."
1931 - Willie Shoemaker, American jockey, author.
1946 - William Jefferson Clinton, 42nd President of the United States of America (1993-2001).


Deaths

1977 - Groucho Marx (Julius Henry Marx), American entertainer and member of the Marx Brothers comedy team.
1994 - Linus Pauling, American Nobel Prize-winner chemist.