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1904

Pitching for the Boston Americans, Cy Young threw the first perfect game in modern professional baseball

Pitching for the Boston Americans, Cy Young threw the first perfect game in modern professional baseball.

1646

First English Civil War: Charles I surrendered himself to Scottish Covenanter leader David Leslie near Newark, England

First English Civil War: Charles I surrendered himself to Scottish Covenanter leader David Leslie near Newark, England.

1954

At Oxford's Iffley Road Track, English runner Roger Bannister became the first person to run the mile in under four minu

At Oxford's Iffley Road Track, English runner Roger Bannister became the first person to run the mile in under four minutes.

1941

American entertainer Bob Hope performed his first show with the United Service Organizations, beginning a 50-year involv

American entertainer Bob Hope performed his first show with the United Service Organizations, beginning a 50-year involvement with them.

1937

Employees at Fleischer Studios in New York City went on strike in the animation industry's first major labor strike

Employees at Fleischer Studios in New York City went on strike in the animation industry's first major labor strike.

1976

Great American Revolution, the first steel coaster with a vertical loop, opened at Six Flags Magic Mountain, California

Great American Revolution, the first steel coaster with a vertical loop, opened at Six Flags Magic Mountain, California.

1998

India began the Pokhran-II nuclear-weapons test, its first since the Smiling Buddha test 24 years earlier

India began the Pokhran-II nuclear-weapons test, its first since the Smiling Buddha test 24 years earlier.

1801

First Barbary War: The Barbary corsairs of Tripoli declared war on the United States by cutting down the flagstaff in fr

First Barbary War: The Barbary corsairs of Tripoli declared war on the United States by cutting down the flagstaff in front of the U.S. consulate.

28 BC

Chinese astronomers during the Han dynasty made the first precisely dated observation of a sunspot

Chinese astronomers during the Han dynasty made the first precisely dated observation of a sunspot.

2022

The Event Horizon Telescope released the first image of Sagittarius A*

The Event Horizon Telescope released the first image of Sagittarius A*.

1941

German engineer Konrad Zuse presented the Z3, the first working programmable and fully automatic computer, to an audienc

German engineer Konrad Zuse presented the Z3, the first working programmable and fully automatic computer, to an audience of scientists in Berlin.

1926

The crew of the airship Norge (pictured), led by Roald Amundsen, became the first people to make a verified trip to the

The crew of the airship Norge (pictured), led by Roald Amundsen, became the first people to make a verified trip to the North Pole.

2017

Eurovision Song Contest: Portugal won the contest for the first time, with the song "Amar pelos dois," performed by Salv

Eurovision Song Contest: Portugal won the contest for the first time, with the song "Amar pelos dois," performed by Salvador Sobral (pictured).

1995

Alison Hargreaves became the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest without the aid of Sherpas or bottled oxyg

Alison Hargreaves became the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest without the aid of Sherpas or bottled oxygen.

1967

Zakir Husain took office as the first elected Muslim President of India

Zakir Husain took office as the first elected Muslim President of India.

1725

Johann Sebastian Bach first performed the church cantata Sie werden euch in den Bann tun, BWV 183 in Leipzig, Germany

Johann Sebastian Bach first performed the church cantata Sie werden euch in den Bann tun, BWV 183 in Leipzig, Germany.

2004

Arsenal became the first football team in England's top flight to finish a season undefeated since Preston North End did

Arsenal became the first football team in England's top flight to finish a season undefeated since Preston North End did so in 1888–1889.

1957

The United Kingdom tested its first hydrogen bomb over Malden Island in Operation Grapple

The United Kingdom tested its first hydrogen bomb over Malden Island in Operation Grapple.

1953

Don Murphy organized the first pinewood derby, an event for Cub Scouts of the Boy Scouts of America where wooden cars bu

Don Murphy organized the first pinewood derby, an event for Cub Scouts of the Boy Scouts of America where wooden cars built by the scouts are raced.

1862

Fertilisation of Orchids, the first book by Charles Darwin which demonstrated the power of natural selection in detail,

Fertilisation of Orchids, the first book by Charles Darwin which demonstrated the power of natural selection in detail, was published.