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What happened in history on this day: August 17?
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 August 17 in ...
- 1925 - Bard's Hollywood Theater in Los Angeles previews the Alice Comedy film Alice Chops the Suey.
- 1941 - Walt Disney, Lillian, and a team of animators take a trip to South America as a "goodwill tour", and as inspiration for new films.
- 1954 - Disney releases the animated short film Willie the Operatic Whale to theaters. It was originally released as The Whale Who Wanted to Sing at the Met, part of the film Make Mine Music.
- 1954 - Buena Vista releases Disney's True-Life Adventure feature film The Vanishing Prairie to theaters in the US. The film cost US$400,000 to make.
- 1981 - A WEDWay PeopleMover opens at the Houston International Airport in Houston, Texas. The system was sold and constructed by Disney's Community Transportation Services division. This is the first use of a Disney system outside of Disney's entertainment parks.
- 1984 - Irwin Jacobs announces that he now owns 6.9 percent of Disney stock.
- 1984 - Disney's board of directors meets for the fourth time to vote on the Gibson Greetings deal. The board votes 13-to-1 to pay US$7.5 million to Gibson to cancel the deal.
- 1984 - The Disney board of directors names a committee of outside directors to review the company's current management.
- 1984 - Ron Miller learns that the board of directors would likely ask for his resignation.
- 1990 - Buena Vista releases the Hollywood Pictures live-action feature film Taking Care of Business, to theaters. The film cost US$15 million to make.
- 1990 - The Disney Channel airs the Disney Channel Premiere Film The Little Kidnappers.
- 1991 - The CBS TV network airs the pilot Acting Sheriff.
- 1998 - The Cinémagique theater in Discoveryland in Disneyland Paris ceases playing the Captain EO film.
- 1999 - The video title Belle's Takes of Friendship is released on video in the USA.
- 2001 - The Disney Channel airs the Disney Channel Original Movie Jumping Ship.
- 2004 - Disney releases Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers on videocassette and DVD in the USA.
- 2007 - Disney film High School Musical 2 is shown on TV in the USA, becoming the single most-watched basic cable telecast, with about 17.2 million viewers.
- 2013 - Cap'n Jack's Restaurant at Downtown Disney Marketplace at Walt Disney World closes.
- 1958 - At Montgomery, SCCA holds National car races.
- Finishing 1st overall is Jim Jeffords in a Corvette.
- Finishing 3rd overall is Moore in a Corvette.
- 1990 - In Monterey, California, the Monterey Historic Auto Races are held, over three days. Rich Mason races the #56 1956 Corvette SR-2 originally owned by Jerry Earl.
- 2003 - At the Mosport International Raceway in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, the Toronto Grand Prix of Mosport race is held, round five of the American Le Mans Series.
- Finishing 2nd in GTS class and 4th overall is the Corvette Racing #3 Corvette C5-R, driven by Ron Fellows and Johnny O'Connell.
- Placing 7th in GTS class and 31st overall but not finishing the race is the Corvette Racing #4 Corvette C5-R, driven by Kelly Collins, Oliver Gavin.
- 1940 - Canada's Prime Minister William King and American President Franklin Roosevelt meet at Ogdensburg, New York, and sign a formal document establishing a Canadian- U.S. permanent joint defence board.
- 1940 - Adolf Hitler declares a total blockade of the British Isles.
- 1941 - Russian army abandons Black Sea ports.
- 1942 - In the Mediterranean Sea, north-west of Egypt, German submarine U-83 torpedoes and sinks passenger liner Princess Marguerite. Most of the 1,000 on board are rescued by the Royal Navy destroyer Hero.
- 1942 - The US 8th Air Force makes its first bombing raid over Europe, with 18 B-17 bombers attacking Rouen, France. All planes return safely.
- 1942 - (evening) 31 British Pathfinder Force bombers make their first operational flight. They lead over 100 bombers to attack the submarine construction center at Flensburg, south of the Danish border. No bombs hit the target, as they all strike several miles north.
- 1943 - The last Germans evacuate Sicily.
- 1943 - American and British forces arrive in Messina on Sicily. The town is basicly empty of Axis forces.
- 1943 - British Bomber Command headquarters gives final orders for a massive raid on Peenemünde that night.
- 1943 - 146 American air force bombers make an attack on an airplane assembly plant in Regensburg, Germany.
- 1943 - American Flying Fortress aircraft bomb German ball-bearing plants at Schweinfurt.
- 1943 - (to August 24) In Quebec, Canada, the Quadrant conference is held by representatives of Great Britain and the USA. British and American Chiefs of Staff approve outline plans for operation Overlord, an invasion of France across the English Channel. Target date is set for May 1, 1944. Discussions are held on atomic research and use of an atomic bomb, and measures by each country against Japan on the defeat of Germany.
- 1943 - Canadian Chief of General Staff Lieutenant-General Kenneth Stuart gives formal approval for Canadians to take part in Operation Baytown.
- 1943 - Portuguese leader António de Oliveira Salazar signs an accord with Britain, allowing British airbases on Azores in return for US$30 million, the promise of modern fighter planes, anti-aircraft guns, and British protection in the event of Axis or Spanish attack.
- 1944 - Canadian army forces in France capture Falaise. A pocket of 100,000 German forces is nearly surrounded, with only a gap 40 miles long, 11-15 miles wide.
- 1944 - (morning) German forces seize the ridge at Le Bourg, to protect retreating Germans from the Falaise pocket.
- 1944 - (early) German Field Marshal Walther Model arrives in Normandy to replace Günther von Kluge.
- 1944 - German Field Marshal Gunther Hans von Kluge is removed from command, and instructed to return to Berlin.
- 1944 - General Bernard Montgomery proposes to General Omar Bradley that 40 divisions advance quickly to Belgium, the Ruhr, and ultimately Berlin. Both Bradley and General Dwight Eisenhower do not favor the idea.
- 1944 - In Germany, Lieutenant Fabian von Schlabrendorff is arrested.
- 1944 - (afternoon) Canadian General Harry Crerar directs his two armored divisions to take Trun, France.
- 1944 - (night) Germans in the Falaise pocket withdraw across the Orne River.
- 1945 - Poland and Russia sign a treaty establishing the Russian-Polish border, basicly the Curzon Line established after the First World War, with a few deviations in Poland's favor.
- 1987 - Rudolf Hess dies at age 93 in Spandau Prison, appears to be suicide by self-asphyxiation. Hess joined the Nazi Party in 1920 and ultimately became the deputy Führer. Hess flew alone to England in a small plane in 1941 during World War II.
- 1992 - The United States issues ten postage stamps marking World War II in 1942.
- 1993 - Marshall Islands issues a postage stamp marking the 50th anniversary of the Allied bomber raid on Schweinfurt, Germany.
- 1990 - Warner Bros. Pictures releases the film My Blue Heaven to theaters in the USA. The game The Goonies II is played on a Nintendo Entertainment System, with the sound of Pac Man on the Atari 2600.
- 1999 - Eidos releases the Soul Reaver video game for the PlayStation in the US.
- 2001 - Microsoft Canada announces it will launch the Xbox in Canada on November 8, for CDN$459.99 (about US$298).
- 2003 - Microsoft adds thirteen Xbox software titles to its Platinum Hits line, each US$19.99.
- 2004 - Sega releases the Astro Boy: Omega Factor video game for the Game Boy Advance in the USA.
- 2005 - At the Hot Chips conference, Microsoft unveils details of the Xbox 360 processor and graphics chip designs. Microsoft also announces pricing for the system in the USA: US$399.99 for the Xbox 360, and US$299.99 for the Xbox 360 core system. Prices in Great Britain are expected to be 279/209 pounds, and 399/299 euros in the rest of Europe.
- 2011 - DC Comics releases the Resident Evil graphic novel comic book.
- 1963 - The Canadian Numismatic Research Society holds its first meeting, in Vancouver, BC.
- 1967 - The Royal Canadian Mint stops minting 0.800 fine silver 10c and 25c coins for circulation.
- 1977 - Yvon Gariepy, Master of the Royal Canadian Mint, announces that the 1c coin will be replaced with a new 16mm diameter bronze 1c coin. The 1.8-gram coin is to be issued beginning in January 1978.
- 1798 - The Philadelphia Mint shuts for yellow fever outbreak.
- 1801 - Treasurer of the Mint delivers 1000 cents to the Bank of the United States.
- 1916 - US Senate confirms Johannes Hugo von Engelken as Mint director.
- 2007 - Heritage Auction Galleries sells a USA 1907 Saint-Gaudens gold $20 coin, Ultra High Relief, Lettered Edge, Roman Numerals, graded PR-69 by NGC and PCGS, for over $3 million to Certified Assets Management.
- 2011 - The US Mint launches the 2011 Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential dollar coin in Fremont, Ohio, and releases the coin to circulation.
- 1869 - First international boat race (Thames River) (Oxford beats Harvard).
- 1894 - Philadelphia Phillies get 36 hits, Sam Thompson hits for cycle beating Louisville 29-4.
- 1904 - Boston Red Sox' pitcher Jesse Tannehell no-hits Chicago White Sox, 6-0.
- 1918 - Samuel Riddle buys Man O' War race horse for $5,000.
- 1920 - Ray Chapman, hit in the head by New York Yankees' Carl Mays' pitch, dies.
- 1933 - Lou Gehrig breaks record by playing in his 1,308th straight baseball game.
- 1938 - Henry Armstrong won his third concurrent boxing championship.
- 1944 - New York Yankees' Johnny Lindell ties record with four consecutive doubles in a game.
- 1948 - Philadelphia Phillies commit 8 errors in a game.
- 1963 - Jim Hickman becomes the first New York Mets player to hit for the cycle.
- 1963 - Baltimore Orioles' Dick Hall retires his 28th consecutive player in relief.
- 1969 - New York Jets beat New York Giants 37-14 in their first meeting (pre season).
- 1972 - Philadelphia Phillies' Steve Carlton wins his 15th straight game.
- 1973 - At Shea Stadium, 42-year old New York Mets' outfielder, Willie Mays, hits his 660th and final home run of his career.
- 1984 - Pete Rose returns to Cincinnati Reds as player-manager (gets two hits).
- 1985 - Dave Kingman hits his 400th home run.
- 1988 - Butch Reynolds of USA sets the 400m record (43.29) in Zurich, Switzerland.
- 1999 - Baltimore Orioles' pitcher Jesse Orosco sets a major league mark pitching in his 1,072nd game.
- 2008 - Michael Phelps wins his record eighth gold medal of the Beijing Games, in the 4x100 medley relay, in record time of 3:29.34. Phelps now holds the record for most gold medals at an Olympics event.
- 2022 - At Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, USA, Major League Baseball regular season game: Arizona Diamondbacks beats San Francisco Giants by score 3-2.
- 2022 - At American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, Major League Baseball regular season game: Los Angeles Dodgers beats Milwaukee Brewers by score 2-1.
- 2022 - At Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois, USA, Major League Baseball regular season game: Houston Astros beats Chicago White Sox by score 3-2.
- 2022 - At Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, USA, Major League Baseball regular season game: Oakland Athletics beats Texas Rangers by score 7-2.
- 2022 - At Busch Stadium in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA, Major League Baseball regular season game: Saint Louis Cardinals beats Colorado Rockies by score 5-1.
- 2022 - At Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, Major League Baseball regular season game: New York Mets beats Atlanta Braves by score 9-7.
- 2022 - At Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, Major League Baseball regular season game: Cleveland Guardians beats Detroit Tigers by score 8-4.
- 2022 - At Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York, USA, Major League Baseball regular season game: New York Yankees beats Tampa Bay Rays by score 8-7.
- 2022 - At PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, Major League Baseball regular season game: Boston Red Sox beats Pittsburgh Pirates by score 8-3.
- 2022 - At LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, USA , Major League Baseball regular season game: San Diego Padres beats Miami Marlins by score 10-3.
- 2022 - At Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, USA, Major League Baseball regular season game: Seattle Mariners beats Los Angeles Angels by score 11-7.
- 2022 - At Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Major League Baseball regular season game: Toronto Blue Jays beats Baltimore Orioles by score 6-1.
- 2022 - At Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, Major League Baseball regular season game: Minnesota Twins beats Kansas City Royals by score 4-0.
- 2022 - At Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., USA, Major League Baseball regular season game: Chicago Cubs beats Washington Nationals by score 3-2.
- 2022 - At Great America Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, Major League Baseball regular season game: Cincinnati Reds beats Philadelphia Phillies by score 1-0.
- 1877 - Asaph Hall discovers Mars' moon Phobos.
- 1958 - World's first Moon probe, USA's Thor-Able, explodes 77 seconds after launch.
- 1966 - Pioneer 7 launched into solar orbit.
- 1970 - Venera 7 is launched by USSR.
- 2011 - Russian space agency launches Turkey's first self-designed and built satellite, the RASAT.
- 2017 - The first observation of a collision of two neutron stars (GW170817) is hailed as a breakthrough in multi-messenger astronomy when both gravitational and electromagnetic waves from the event are detected. Data from the event provide confirmatory evidence for the r-process theory of the origin of heavy elements like gold.
- 1915 - Hurricane kills 275 in Galveston, Texas with $50 million damage.
- 1951 - Hurricane winds drive six ships ashore, at Kingston, Jamaica.
- 1955 - Hurricane Diane, following hurricane Connie floods Connecticut River killing 190 and doing $1.8 billion damage.
- 1807 - Robert Fulton's American steamboat Clermont leaves New York City, inaugurating the world's first commercial steamboat service.
- 1846 - US takes Los Angeles.
- 1863 - Federal batteries and ships bombard Fort Sumter, Charleston.
- 1865 - Near Memphis, Tennessee, USA, a magnitude 5.0 earthquake occurs. Felt from St. Louis, Missouri, to Jackson, Mississippi.
- 1869 - First international boat race (Thames River) (Oxford beats Harvard).
- 1870 - First ascent of Mount Rainier, Washington.
- 1915 - Mob lynches Jewish businessman Leo Frank in Cobb County, Georgia, USA after death sentence for murder of 13-year-old girl commuted to life.
- 1915 - Hurricane kills 275 in Galveston, Texas with $50 million damage.
- 1916 - US Senate confirms Johannes Hugo von Engelken as Mint director.
- 1925 - The Fort Vancouver Exposition opens, in Vancouver, Washington, USA.
- 1939 - The Wizard of Oz movie opens at Loew's Capitol Theater in New York.
- 1940 - US President Franklin Roosevelt and Canadian Prime Minister William King meet at Ogdensburg, New York for a conference on hemispheric defence. They announce a joint defence commission on North American defence.
- 1942 - US bombers stage first independent raid on Europe, attacking Rouen, France.
- 1948 - Alger Hiss denies ever being a Communist agent.
- 1955 - Hurricane Diane, following hurricane Connie floods Connecticut River killing 190 and doing $1.8 billion damage.
- 1958 - World's first Moon probe, USA's Thor-Able, explodes 77 seconds after launch.
- 1959 - Quake Lake is formed in Yellowstone National Park in Montana by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake.
- 1960 - CIA pilot Francis Gary Powers is found guilty of espionage by the Soviet Union, sentenced to ten years in prison.
- 1961 - US Government establishes Alliance for Progress.
- 1966 - Pioneer 7 launched into solar orbit.
- 1978 - Double Eagle II becomes the first balloon to successfully cross the Atlantic Ocean, flying from Presque Isle, Maine, USA to Miserey, France.
- 1982 - South Bend, Indiana jury acquits self-avowed racist Joseph Paul Franklin.
- 1986 - Bronze pig statue unveiled at Seattle's Pike Place Market.
- 1987 - Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 2,700 for first time (2,700.57).
- 1988 - The Pakistani president, Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, and the U.S. ambassador to Pakistan, Arnold Raphel, are killed when the president's air force plane crashes on takeoff from Bhawalpur.
- 1988 - New York City first case of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (9-year-old Bronx boy).
- 1991 - West of Crescent City, California, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurs.
- 1998 - US President Bill Clinton testifies before a grand jury, acknowledging that he had had an extramarital affair with Monica Lewinsky.
- 2007 - Disney film High School Musical 2 is shown on TV in the USA, becoming the single most-watched basic cable telecast, with about 17.2 million viewers.
- 2007 - The US Federal Reserve reduces the discount rate from 6.25 to 5.75 percent.
- 2008 - Michael Phelps wins his record eighth gold medal of the Beijing Games, in the 4x100 medley relay, in record time of 3:29.34. Phelps now holds the record for most gold medals at an Olympics event.
- 2009 - Reader's Digest Association of New York announces it will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for its U.S. businesses as part of a plan to cut debt by 75 percent.
Other history:
- 1896 - Gold is discovered on Klondike River.
- 1955 - Hurricane Diane, following hurricane Connie floods Connecticut River killing 190 and doing $1.8 billion damage.
- 2008 - Michael Phelps wins his record eighth gold medal of the Beijing Games, in the 4x100 medley relay, in record time of 3:29.34. Phelps now holds the record for most gold medals at an Olympics event.
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