June 24 is the 176th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. If the ancient Mayans were correct, there are 180 days remaining until the end of time.
1374 A sudden outbreak of St. Vitus' Dance causes people in the streets of Aachen, Germany, to experience hallucinations and begin to jump and twitch uncontrollably until they collapse from exhaustion.
1717 1st Freemasons' grand lodge is founded in London. Can you say "Illuminati"?
1817 1st coffee planted in Hawaii on Kona coast. It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it.
1894 IOC decides to hold modern Olympics every 4 years
1922 The American Professional Football Association formally changes its name to the National Football League
1951 Persian army takes over nationalized oil installations. Nothing good can come from this, IMHO
2004 In New York, capital punishment is declared unconstitutional, but corporal punishment is still an option. I’m just suggesting.
1850 Horatio Herbert Kitchener, maybe gay 1st Earl Kitchener of Khartoum, his image was used on an infamous WWI poster which became the basis for designing "Uncle Sam". Seems he had a male friend, Captain Oswald Fitzgerald who was his "constant and inseparable companion". They probably died together on a voyage to Russia, things get a little sketchy and there are conspiracy theories. Kitchener never married, and always seemed to have a cadre of unmarried handsome young men around.
1895 Jack Dempsey, US boxer aka "The Manassa Mauler"
