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A month after Cuban troops had fought off a U.S. backed military invasion at the Bay of Pigs, Cuba's prime minister, Dr Fidel Castro, proclaimed Cuba a socialist nation and abolished elections. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans attending a May Day parade in the capital Havana roared with approval when their leader announced: "The revolution has no time for elections. There is no more democratic government in Latin America than the revolutionary government." More...
1978 - Naomi Uemura becomes of the first person to reach the North Pole alone
The Japanese adventurer is also credited with the first solo ascent of Mount McKinley and the first solo rafting of the Amazon river. He disappeared in 1984 during a winter ascent of Mount McKinley.
1945 - Adolf Hitler's death is announced on German radio
As the Soviet flag is raised over the Reich Chancellery, the German people are informed that “our leader, Adolf Hitler, has fallen for Germany, fighting to his last breath against Bolshevism.”
1925 - The world's largest trade union is founded
The All-China Federation of Trade Unions has more than 300 million members.
1840 - The world's first adhesive postage stamp is issued in the United Kingdom
The Penny Black shows a portrait of Queen Victoria. Despite its historical significance, the stamp can be bought for around £25 as over 68 million copied were distributed
Historic Trivia pick
Frank Hayes: The Dead Man Who Won a Horse Race
It was his first ever win.
Winning usually comes with a lot of pomp and circumstance, but not so much for Frank Hayes who won a horse race despite being dead.
On June 4, 1923, the 35-year-old jockey was competing in a steeplechase at New York’s Belmont Park. A horse trainer and long-time stableman, Hayes had never won a race before and no one expected him to take the first spot that day while riding a 20-1 outsider named Sweet Kiss, a horse owned by Miss A.M. Frayling.
The odds didn’t seem to bother Hayes. What did seem to bother him was his heart.
Sometime during the race, the Hayes suffered a heart attack and died instantly. However, he didn’t fall off of his horse. In fact, he remained in the saddle for the rest of the race and actually crossed the finish line first, winning by a head.
Despite the fact that he had died at some point while still on the track, no one was aware that anything had gone wrong until Miss Frayling and the officials went to congratulate Hayes, only to find out he was no longer alive.
Sweet Kiss of Death
While the unfortunate incident could have been caused by a number of conditions, various theories floated around regarding the reason for the jockey’s heart attack, one which figured that the mere excitement of the race may have been too much for Hayes to handle and another which suggested that the rider’s recent weight loss (dropping from 142 pounds to 130 pounds in a very short time in order to qualify for the race) had contributed to the strain on his heart.
Despite being a winner, the horse Hayes rode never raced again and Sweet Kiss was nicknamed “Sweet Kiss of Death” for the rest of her life.
Fidel Castro declares Cuba a socialist nation and bans elections
A month after Cuban troops had fought off a U.S. backed military invasion at the Bay of Pigs, Cuba's prime minister, Dr Fidel Castro, proclaimed Cuba a socialist nation and abolished elections. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans attending a May Day parade in the capital Havana roared with approval when their leader announced: "The revolution has no time for elections. There is no more democratic government in Latin America than the revolutionary government." More...
1978 - Naomi Uemura becomes of the first person to reach the North Pole alone
The Japanese adventurer is also credited with the first solo ascent of Mount McKinley and the first solo rafting of the Amazon river. He disappeared in 1984 during a winter ascent of Mount McKinley.
1945 - Adolf Hitler's death is announced on German radio
As the Soviet flag is raised over the Reich Chancellery, the German people are informed that “our leader, Adolf Hitler, has fallen for Germany, fighting to his last breath against Bolshevism.”
1925 - The world's largest trade union is founded
The All-China Federation of Trade Unions has more than 300 million members.
1840 - The world's first adhesive postage stamp is issued in the United Kingdom
The Penny Black shows a portrait of Queen Victoria. Despite its historical significance, the stamp can be bought for around £25 as over 68 million copied were distributed
Historic Trivia pickFrank Hayes: The Dead Man Who Won a Horse Race
It was his first ever win.
Winning usually comes with a lot of pomp and circumstance, but not so much for Frank Hayes who won a horse race despite being dead.
On June 4, 1923, the 35-year-old jockey was competing in a steeplechase at New York’s Belmont Park. A horse trainer and long-time stableman, Hayes had never won a race before and no one expected him to take the first spot that day while riding a 20-1 outsider named Sweet Kiss, a horse owned by Miss A.M. Frayling.
The odds didn’t seem to bother Hayes. What did seem to bother him was his heart.
Sometime during the race, the Hayes suffered a heart attack and died instantly. However, he didn’t fall off of his horse. In fact, he remained in the saddle for the rest of the race and actually crossed the finish line first, winning by a head.
Despite the fact that he had died at some point while still on the track, no one was aware that anything had gone wrong until Miss Frayling and the officials went to congratulate Hayes, only to find out he was no longer alive.
Sweet Kiss of Death
While the unfortunate incident could have been caused by a number of conditions, various theories floated around regarding the reason for the jockey’s heart attack, one which figured that the mere excitement of the race may have been too much for Hayes to handle and another which suggested that the rider’s recent weight loss (dropping from 142 pounds to 130 pounds in a very short time in order to qualify for the race) had contributed to the strain on his heart.
Despite being a winner, the horse Hayes rode never raced again and Sweet Kiss was nicknamed “Sweet Kiss of Death” for the rest of her life.
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61-BLUES
