1838 – Frederick Douglass escapes from slavery disguised as a sailor
1900 – With a proclamation by General Lord Roberts, Britain annexes the Boer Republic of South Africa
1914 – British expeditionary army/general Lanrezacs army attack the Marne
1914 – Cardinal Giacome della Chiesa becomes Pope Benedict XV
1918 – Allies forced Germans back across Hindenburg Line
1936 – For the first and only time in the history of the Walker Cup golf event, there is a shutout; the United States routs Great Britain, 9-0 at Pine Valley GC in New Jersey
1944 – Canadian troops liberate Abbeville, France
1972 – American swimmer Mark Spitz wins coveted 100m gold medal in world record 51.22 at the Munich Olympics; completes the freestyle sprint double having already won 200m in world record 1:52.78
2013 – Microsoft purchases Nokia for $7.2 Billion
2017 – Governor of California Jerry Brown issues state of emergency due to La Tuna brush fire near Los Angeles