August 27
1859 - Edwin Drake drilled the first successful U.S. oil well near Titusville, Pennsylvania.
1883 - A massive volcanic eruption on the island of Krakatoa blew up most of the island and result in tsunamis that killed more than 36,000 people.
1894 - Congress passed the Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act, which contained a provision for a graduated income tax that was later struck down by the Supreme Court.
1928 - The Kellogg-Briand Pact, outlawing war, was signed.
1945 - American troops began landing in Japan after that nation's surrender in World War II.
1962 - The U.S. launched the Mariner II space probe.
1964 - The film "Mary Poppins" had its world premiere in Los Angeles.
1979 - British war hero Lord Louis Mountbatten and three others, including his 14-year-old grandson, were killed off the coast of Ireland in a boat explosion claimed by the Irish Republican Army.
1990 - Blues musician Stevie Ray Vaughn and four others were killed in a helicopter crash near East Troy, Wisconsin.
2003 - Mars made its closest approach to Earth in more than 60,000 years.
2005 - Coastal residents jammed freeways and gas stations as they rushed to avoid Hurricane Katrina, which was barrelling towards New Orleans.
2008 - Barack Obama was nominated for president by the Democratic National Convention in Denver, becoming the first Black presidential nominee from a major political party in U.S. history.
Birthdays
26 - Rod Wave (singer)
30 - Breanna Stewart (basketball player)
32 - Kim Petras (singer)
36 - Alexa PenaVega (actress)
38 - Mario (singer)
43 - Patrick J. Adams (actor)
45 - Aaron Paul (actor)
45 - Demetria McKinney (actress)
47 - Olivia Lee (comedian)
48 - Sarah Chalke (actress)
49 - Mase (rapper)
52 - The Great Khali (professional wrestler)
54 - Jim Thome (baseball player)
55 - Chandra Wilson (actress)
63 - Yolanda Adams (singer)
67 - Bernhard Langer (golfer)
71 - Peter Stormare (actor)
80 - G.W. Bailey (actor)
81 - Tuesday Weld (actress)
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Today in Sports History - August 27
1918 - Baseball star Christy Mathewson resigns as manager of the Cincinnati Reds to accept a commission as a captain in a chemical warfare detachment with the U.S. Army.
1921 - The owner of Acme Packing Company bought a pro football team for Green Bay, WI. J.E. Clair paid tribute to those who worked in his plant by naming the team the Green Bay Packers.
1955 - The Brooklyn Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds combine for a record 23 strikeouts in their game.
1976 - Transsexual athlete Renee Richards is barred from competing in the tennis U.S. Open.
1978 - Joe Morgan of the Cincinnati Reds is the first player in MLB history with 200 home runs and 500 stolen bases.
1982 - Rickey Henderson of the Oakland Athletics stole his 119th base of the season, breaking Lou Brock's single-season record. (Henderson would go on to steal 130 bases that season, a record that still stands today.)
1985 - Mary Jo Fernandez at age 14 years, 8 days old becomes the youngest player to ever win a match at the U.S. Open tennis tournament.
1986 - Nolan Ryan, while with the Houston Astros, earned his 250th career win against the Chicago Cubs.
2004 - In a huge upset at the Athens Summer Olympic Games, Argentina defeats the United States in men's basketball 89-81 in the semifinals of the Olympic tournament.
2017 - Former five-weight world boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. defeats MMA fighter Conor McGregor in his debut match in the 10th round in Las Vegas.
2023 - Gymnast Simone Biles wins her record eighth U.S. championship.
1859 - Edwin Drake drilled the first successful U.S. oil well near Titusville, Pennsylvania.
1883 - A massive volcanic eruption on the island of Krakatoa blew up most of the island and result in tsunamis that killed more than 36,000 people.
1894 - Congress passed the Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act, which contained a provision for a graduated income tax that was later struck down by the Supreme Court.
1928 - The Kellogg-Briand Pact, outlawing war, was signed.
1945 - American troops began landing in Japan after that nation's surrender in World War II.
1962 - The U.S. launched the Mariner II space probe.
1964 - The film "Mary Poppins" had its world premiere in Los Angeles.
1979 - British war hero Lord Louis Mountbatten and three others, including his 14-year-old grandson, were killed off the coast of Ireland in a boat explosion claimed by the Irish Republican Army.
1990 - Blues musician Stevie Ray Vaughn and four others were killed in a helicopter crash near East Troy, Wisconsin.
2003 - Mars made its closest approach to Earth in more than 60,000 years.
2005 - Coastal residents jammed freeways and gas stations as they rushed to avoid Hurricane Katrina, which was barrelling towards New Orleans.
2008 - Barack Obama was nominated for president by the Democratic National Convention in Denver, becoming the first Black presidential nominee from a major political party in U.S. history.
Birthdays
26 - Rod Wave (singer)
30 - Breanna Stewart (basketball player)
32 - Kim Petras (singer)
36 - Alexa PenaVega (actress)
38 - Mario (singer)
43 - Patrick J. Adams (actor)
45 - Aaron Paul (actor)
45 - Demetria McKinney (actress)
47 - Olivia Lee (comedian)
48 - Sarah Chalke (actress)
49 - Mase (rapper)
52 - The Great Khali (professional wrestler)
54 - Jim Thome (baseball player)
55 - Chandra Wilson (actress)
63 - Yolanda Adams (singer)
67 - Bernhard Langer (golfer)
71 - Peter Stormare (actor)
80 - G.W. Bailey (actor)
81 - Tuesday Weld (actress)
========================
Today in Sports History - August 27
1918 - Baseball star Christy Mathewson resigns as manager of the Cincinnati Reds to accept a commission as a captain in a chemical warfare detachment with the U.S. Army.
1921 - The owner of Acme Packing Company bought a pro football team for Green Bay, WI. J.E. Clair paid tribute to those who worked in his plant by naming the team the Green Bay Packers.
1955 - The Brooklyn Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds combine for a record 23 strikeouts in their game.
1976 - Transsexual athlete Renee Richards is barred from competing in the tennis U.S. Open.
1978 - Joe Morgan of the Cincinnati Reds is the first player in MLB history with 200 home runs and 500 stolen bases.
1982 - Rickey Henderson of the Oakland Athletics stole his 119th base of the season, breaking Lou Brock's single-season record. (Henderson would go on to steal 130 bases that season, a record that still stands today.)
1985 - Mary Jo Fernandez at age 14 years, 8 days old becomes the youngest player to ever win a match at the U.S. Open tennis tournament.
1986 - Nolan Ryan, while with the Houston Astros, earned his 250th career win against the Chicago Cubs.
2004 - In a huge upset at the Athens Summer Olympic Games, Argentina defeats the United States in men's basketball 89-81 in the semifinals of the Olympic tournament.
2017 - Former five-weight world boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. defeats MMA fighter Conor McGregor in his debut match in the 10th round in Las Vegas.
2023 - Gymnast Simone Biles wins her record eighth U.S. championship.