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What happened in history on this day: April 4?
Since 1995, I have been collecting information on a variety of topics,
creating several timelines of history.
Here you will find specific events from those databases
for this day, on the topics of personal computers, video games, the Walt Disney Company,
Chevrolet Corvettes, A&W Root Beer, Sweden, and Canadian coins.
On April 4 in ...
- 1979 - The International Computer Programs awards Microsoft the Million Dollar Award for its 8080 BASIC. This is Microsoft's first corporate recognition from the industry, and the first microprocessor product to win this award.
- 1989 - IBM announces that it began manufacturing a version of the 80386 processor several months ago.
- 1989 - IBM announces a new version of the PS/2 Model 30 computer.
- 1994 - Jim Clark and Marc Andreesson incorporate Mosaic Communications. Original choice of company name was Electric Media.
- 1997 - Apple Computer introduces new Power Macintosh 6500 systems, with 225 to 300 MHz PowerPC 603e processors. Prices range from US$1999 to US$2999.
- 1927 - Film Booking Offices releases the Alice Comedy film Alice's Auto Race to theaters. This is the last Alice Comedy with actor Margie Gay as Alice.
- 1941 - Disney publishes the last issue of The Bulletin, the studio's employee newsletter.
- 1944 - RKO Pictures re-releases the film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in theaters in New York.
- 1952 - The Goofy film Man's Best Friend is released.
- 1956 - The ABC TV network airs the Disneyland TV show, entitled Where do the Stories Come From?.
- 1960 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awards an Oscar (Scientific or Technical, Class III) to Ub Iwerks for the design of an optical printer for special effects.
- 1965 - The NBC TV network airs the Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color show, featuring Kilroy, part four.
- 1994 - Michael Eisner temporarily assumes the titles of president and chief operating officer at Disney.
- 1995 - Disney releases the animated film compilation Ariel's Songs and Stories on laserdisc in the US, for US$30. It includes Wish Upon a Starfish, Metal Fish, Giggles, Against the Tide.
- 1995 - Disney releases the laserdisc Jasmine's Enchanted Tales (Disney Princess Collection) for US$30. It contains several episodes of the Aladdin TV series: Do the Rat Thing, Bad Mood Rising, Garden of Evil, Elemental My Dear Jasmine.
- 1995 - Disney hires Stephen Bollenbach as chief financial officer.
- 1997 - Knight-Ridder announces it is buying four newspapers from the Walt Disney Company for US$1.65 billion. The newspapers are The Kansas Star in Missouri, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, The Belleville News-Democrat in Illinois, and The Times Leader in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The newspapers were acquired by Disney in its acquisition of Capital Cities/ABC. This is the largest single purchase ever of newspapers.
- 1999 - The Fox Broadcasting Company airs the Futurama TV show in the US.
- An amusement park on the Moon makes several references to Disney theme parks:
- it is referred to as "The Happiest Place Orbiting the Earth";
- inside the main park gate is "Moon Street U.S.A." (Main Street U.S.A.);
- the attraction "Whalers of the Sea of Tranquility" is a parody of Pirates of the Caribbean;
- the attraction "Monsanto presents The Goofy Gopher Revue" is a parody of Country Bear Jamboree;
- the attraction "Destination Moon" may be a parody of Flight to the Moon, with mechanically animated characters and singing similar to It's a Small World;
- employees who create the attractions are called Fungineers (Imagineers).
- 1999 - The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. A devil-like character rises from a castle like the scene in Fantasia where the Chernabog rises from the mountain. Part of the same music also plays.
- 1960 - At General Motor's Design Studio, Larry Shinoda completes a second full-size clay model of project XP-720, for the 1963 Corvette. The model is shown to General Motors' management, and compared to a production 1960 model. The new design is approved.
- 1940 - The Danish envoy in Berlin passes on to the Danish government information about a German plan for a surprise attack on Denmark. The government considers the report a rumor, or a test of Danish reactions.
- 1941 - Quote by Adolf Hitler to Japanese Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka: "... Germany would... prompty take part in case of a conflict between Japan and America...".
- 1941 - The Canadian federal cabinet introduces Order In Council PC 2385, The Merchant Seamen Order, giving authorities power to detain disobedient seamen from ships of any registry in Canadian ports.
- 1941 - Adolf Hitler issues Directive No. 27, ordering the destruction of the remaining Yugoslav forces, and the launching of a decisive attack against Anglo-Greek forces in northern Greece.
- 1941 - General Olof Thörnell, commander of Swedish forces, issues a report to government, stating that Sweden should prepare to participate in a war against the Soviet Union, for the sake of Finland, Sweden's future position, and prestige in northern Europe.
- 1941 - Benghazi falls to the Germans.
- 1942 - In a PBY-5 Catalina flying boat, Canadian Squadron Leader Leonard Birchall radios a warning to Ceylon that the Japanese fleet is closing in on the island. The warning helps Allied forces prepare for the coming attack. Ships in harbor scatter, and Admiral James Somerville move five battleships and three aircraft carriers 600 miles southwest to Addu Atoll. Birchall's plane is shot down, killing three of his crew.
- 1945 - Soviet forces clear the last Germany forces out of Hungary.
- 1950 - Hungary issues four postage stamps marking the 5th anniversary of the liberation.
- 1955 - Hungary issues four postage stamps marking the 10th anniversary of the liberation.
- 1960 - Hungary issues two postage stamps marking the 15th anniversary of the liberation.
- 1960 - The USSR issues a postage stamp marking the 15th anniversary of the liberation of Hungary.
- 1970 - The USSR issues a postage stamp marking the 25th anniversary of the liberation of Hungary.
- 1985 - The USSR issues a postage stamp marking the 40th anniversary of the liberation of Hungary.
- 1999 - The Fox Broadcasting Company airs the Futurama TV show in the US. Several references to actual arcade video games are shown: Gender Neutral Pac Person (Pac Man), Mortal Kooperation (Mortal Kombat); security patrols at the arcade are called Moon Patrol, the same name as an arcade video game.
- 1611 - Copenhagen issues a declaration of war on Sweden.
- 1632 - (evening) King Gustav Adolf's forces cross the river Lech at Rain.
- 1930 - Queen Viktoria dies, in Rome.
- 1941 - General Olof Thörnell, commander of Swedish forces, issues a report to government, stating that Sweden should prepare to participate in a war against the Soviet Union, for the sake of Finland, Sweden's future position, and prestige in northern Europe.
- 1935 - Finance Minister Edgar N. Rhodes strikes the second silver dollar minted in Canada.
- 1995 - Environomics Research Group completes its survey to canvas public opinion on the design theme for a circulating $2 coin. 44 percent indicated wildlife as their first choice, of which 5 percent said they favored a bear, of which 2 percent specified a polar bear.
- 2003 - The Royal Canadian Mint introduces the Golden Daffodil 50c sterling silver coin, with 22-karat gold-plated motif. Price is $34.95 each.
- 2005 - The Royal Canadian Mint releases a $1 coin commemorating Terry Fox's run to raise money for cancer research. The design was created by Stan Witten.
- 1899 - South Africa all out 35 versus England (Trott 4-19, Haigh 6-11).
- 1911 - Hugh Chalmers, automaker, suggests idea of baseball Most Valuable Player.
- 1921 - Stanley Cup: Ottawa Senators (NHL) beat Vancouver Millionaires (PCHA), three games to 2.
- 1929 - First AAU Greco-Roman wrestling championships held.
- 1930 - Andrew Sandham makes Test Cricket first triple century.
- 1930 - Les Ames makes the first Test Cricket century by a wicketkeeper (149).
- 1937 - 4th Golf Masters Championship: Byron Nelson wins, shooting a 283.
- 1938 - 5th Golf Masters Championship: Henry Picard wins, shooting a 285.
- 1948 - 84-year-old Connie Mack challenges 78-year-old Clark Griffith to a race from home to first base; it ends in a tie.
- 1954 - Louise Suggs wins LPGA Carrollton Georgia Golf Open.
- 1965 - Mickey Wright wins LPGA Baton Rouge Golf Invitational.
- 1970 - Firestone World Tournament of Champions won by Don Johnson.
- 1974 - Hank Aaron ties Babe Ruth's home-run record by hitting his 714th.
- 1976 - 5th Colgate Dinah Shore Golf Championship won by Judy Rankin.
- 1982 - 11th Nabisco Dinah Shore Golf Championship won by Sally Little.
- 1983 - 45th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: North Carolina State beats Houston 54-52.
- 1985 - Tulane University cancels its basketball season amidst scandal.
- 1986 - Wayne Gretzky sets NHL record with 213th point of season.
- 1988 - 50th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Kansas beats Oklahoma 83-79.
- 1988 - Eddie Hill becomes first to drag race a quarter mile in under 5 seconds.
- 1988 - Largest crowd (55,438) at a season game at Riverfront (Cincinnati Reds vs Saint Louis Cardinals).
- 1988 - New York Mets set Opening Day record with six homeruns.
- 1989 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's last NBA game in Seattle.
- 1989 - New York Yankees' Tommy John ties record of playing 26 seasons; his 287th win puts him 19th overall as New York Yankees beat Minnesota Twins on opening day 4-2.
- 1992 - Game 1 of Mayor Challenge - New York Yankees beat New York Mets 6-4 at Yankee Stadium.
- 1993 - 12th NCAA Women's Basketball Champion: Texas Tech beats Ohio State 84-82.
- 1993 - 5th Seniors Golf Tradition: Tom Shaw.
- 1993 - At Camden Yards, Bill Clinton becomes the first U.S. president to throw the first pitch of the baseball season from the pitcher's mound.
- 1993 - Trish Johnson wins Las Vegas LPGA at Canyon Gate Golf Tournament.
- 1994 - First game played at Jacobs Field; Cleveland Indians beat Seattle Mariners 4-3 in 11 innings.
- 1994 - 56th NCAA Men's Basketball Champion: Arkansas Razorbacks beats Duke 76-72.
- 1994 - Largest opening day crowd at Yankee Stadium, 56,706.
- 1997 - Anaheim Ducks clinch their first-ever playoff berth.
- 1997 - Atlanta Braves officially open Turner Field against Chicago Cubs.
- 1998 - NFL Europe (formerly WLAF), kicks off season.
- 2005 - North Carolina defeats Illinois 75-70 to win the 2005 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship at the Edward Jones Dome in Saint Louis, Missouri.
- 1960 - Project Ozma begins at Green Bank radio astronomy center.
- 1968 - Apollo 6 launched atop Saturn V rocket; unmanned.
- 1983 - 6th space shuttle mission, Challenger 1 launched.
- 1996 - Comet Hyakutake is imaged by the USA Asteroid Orbiter Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous.
- 1997 - DMSP Titan 2 launched.
- 1997 - STS 83 (Columbia 22), launches.
- 1905 - Earthquake in Kangra India, kills 370,000.
- 2010 - A magnitude 7.2 earthquake shakes the Mexico-Californian border area, killing two people and injuring more than 200.
Other history:
- 1581 - Francis Drake completes circumnavigation of the world and is knighted.
- 1905 - Earthquake in Kangra India, kills 370,000.
- 1949 - North Atlantic Treaty (NATO), pact signed by USA, Great Britain, France, and Canada.
You can pick a particular day to view that day's events in history.
Bookmark this URL: http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/today/ and revisit each day.
(this URL will automatically re-direct to the file containing the current day's events)
Or, visit my Timelines of History page.
Other web pages of interest:
Chronology of World History
What's Notable About this Year?
Ken P's Coin/Stamp/Bill Novelties
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