May 8 - What happened today?

Home What happened today in history? Blamepro's Almanac for May 8
In the headlines today:

2000	The funeral Mass for Cardinal John O'Connor in New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral attracts thousands of mourners, including US president Bill Clinton.
1996	South Africa approves its constitution granting equal rights for blacks and whites.
1987	Democratic presidential hopeful Gary Hart withdraws from the nomination battle because of questions about his relationship with model Donna Rice.
1978	David R. Berkowitz pleads guilty to the Son of Sam murders in New York.
1968	Jim Hunter pitches a perfect game as the Oakland A's beat the Minnesota Twins 4-0.
1962	A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, starring Zero Mostel, opens on Broadway. It would run for 964 performances.
1945	Germany surrenders during WWII (V- E Day).
1944	The first eye bank is established in New York City.
1902	Mt. Pelee erupts, killing 30,000 people on the island of Martinique.
1886	Atlanta pharmacist John Stith Pemberton invents the flavored syrup for Coca-Cola®.
1846	American General Zachary Taylor's forces win the first major battle of the Mexican War at Palo Alto, TX.
1819	Hawaiian King Kamehameha dies.
1541	Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto reaches the Mississippi River in what is now the southeastern US.

Born today:

1985 Julia Whelan - actress

1975 Enrique Iglesias - singer

1972 Darren Hayes - singer (Savage Garden)

1964 Melissa Gilbert - actress

1964 Dave Rowntree - rock drummer (Blur)

1959 Ronnie Lott - football player

1955 Alex Van Halen - rock drummer (Van Halen)

1954 David Keith - actor

1951 Philip Bailey - singer (Earth, Wind and Fire)

1951 Chris Frantz - drummer (Talking Heads)

1948 Billy Burnette - singer

1944 Gary Glitter - rock singer

1943 Toni Tennille - singer (The Captain & Tennille)

1941 James Mitchum - actor

1940 Ricky Nelson - actor, singer

1940 Peter Benchley - author

1937 Mike Cuellar - baseball pitcher (Cy Young Award, 1969)

1932 Sonny Liston - heavyweight boxing champ (1962, 1963)

1926 Don Rickles - comedian, actor

1926 David Attenborough - naturalist

1919 Lex Barker - actor

1911 Robert Johnson - blues singer, guitarist

1895 Bishop Fulton Sheen - televangelist

1884 Harry S. Truman - 33rd US president

1847 Oscar Hammerstein - playwright

1828 Jean Henri Dunant - Red Cross Society founder

Born today? Your sign of the Zodiac is:

Taurus

(The Bull)