May 23

Scott Winters May 23, 2025 0 Comments

A quick look at Today in History, check out some Celebrity Birthdays, and find out what Days of the Year to celebrate.

TODAY IN HISTORY:

1785 – Benjamin Franklin wrote in a letter that he had invented bifocals.

1788 – South Carolina became the eighth state to ratify U.S. Constitution.

1827 – The first nursery school in the U.S. was established in New York, NY.

1846 – Arabella Mansfield was born. She was the first woman in the U.S. to pass the bar exam, though she never used her law degree.

1876 – Boston’s Joe Borden pitched the very first no-hitter in the history of the National League.

1879 – The first U.S. veterinary school was established by Iowa State University.

1922 – Walt Disney incorporated his first movie company, LaughoGram Films.

1922 – “Daylight Saving Time” was debated in the first debate ever to be heard on radio in Washington, DC.

1929 – The first cartoon with Mickey Mouse talking was released. It was called “The Karnival Kid”.

1934 – In Bienville Parish, LA, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were ambushed and killed by Texas Rangers. The bank robbers were riding in a stolen Ford Deluxe.

1941 – Joe Louis beat Buddy Baer in the seventh round to retain the heavyweight crown.

1962 – The National Basketball Association agreed to transfer the Philadelphia Warriors to San Francisco, CA. The team became the San Francisco Warriors (and later the Golden State Warriors).

1973 – Clive Davis was fired as president of Columbia Records for allegedly using company funds for his personal use. They included $53,700 for work on his apartment and $20,000 for his son’s bar mitzvah.

1984 – The movie “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” premiered in theaters.

1984 – The Surgeon General warned that smokers can inflict lung damage on non-smokers who inhale second-hand smoke.

1995 – The first version of the Java programming language was released.

1995 – The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, OK, was demolished.

1997 – The movie “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” premiered in theaters.

1999 – Gerry Bloch, at age 81, became the oldest climber to scale El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. He broke his own record that he set in 1986 when he was 68 years old.

2005 – Tom Cruise publicly declared his love for Katie Holmes on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” by jumping up and down on Winfrey’s couch during the show. Cruise and Holmes married in 2006 and divorced in 2012.

2010 – Bret Michaels won Season 3 of TV’s “The Celebrity Apprentice”.

2012 – Phillip Phillips won the 11th season of TV’s “American Idol”.

BIRTHDAYS:

Barbara Barrie – 94 years old (1931) – Actress (“One Potato, Two Potato”, “Breaking Away”, TV’s “Barney Miller”, “Suddenly Susan”)

Joan Collins – 92 years old (1933) – Actress (TV’s “Dynasty”)

Lauren Chapin – 80 years old (1945) – Actress (Played Kitten on TV’s “Father Knows Best”)

Danny Klein – 79 years old (1946) – Bass guitarist (J. Geils Band)

Judy Rodman – 74 years old (1951) – Country singer (“Until I Met You”)

Drew Carey – 67 years old (1958) – Actor, comedian, game show host (TV’s “The Drew Carey Show, “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”, “The Price is Right”)

Shelly West – 67 years old (1958) – Country singer

Linden Ashby – 65 years old (1960) – Actor (“Mortal Kombat”, TV’s “Melrose Place”, “Teen Wolf”)

Karen Duffy – 63 years old (1962) – Actress, model, VJ for MTV (“Dumb and Dumber”, TV’s “TV Nation”, “The Awful Truth”)

Melissa McBride – 60 years old (1965) – Actress (TV’s “The Walking Dead”)

Phil Selway – 58 years old (1967) – Drummer (Radiohead)

Matt Flynn – 55 years old (1970) – Drummer (Maroon 5)

Laurel Holloman – 54 years old (1971) – Actress (“The L Word”)

Maxwell – 52 years old (1973) – Singer

Ken Jennings – 51 years old (1974) – Won 74 consecutive episodes of TV’s “Jeopardy” in 2004. His total of $2,520,700 makes him the biggest winner ever in television game show history.

Jewel – 51 years old (1974) – Singer, actress (“Ride With the Devil”)

Kelly Monaco – 49 years old (1976) – Actress, Playboy playmate (TV’s “General Hospital”, “Port Charles”, “Dancing With the Stars”)

Adam Wylie – 41 years old (1984) – Actor (“Kindergarten Cop”, “Picket Fences”)

TODAY IS:

National Road Trip Day: Hit the road, Jack! Road trips are the ultimate adventure filled with endless possibilities, unforgettable memories, and a load of snacks. So buckle up, roll down the windows, and let the wind take you where it may.
National Lucky Penny Day: Set up a “penny hunt” for lucky pennies, and see how many you can find. Make it a competition with friends or family and you might even make some money.
World Turtle Day: Get in touch with the American Tortoise Rescue to see how you can do your part to protect and preserve the wonderful turtles and tortoises in the world.
Don’t Fry Day: Be aware of the dangers of sun exposure and try hosting an indoor picnic or movie marathon on the Council for Skin Cancer Prevention’s No Fry Day.
National Taffy Day: Savor the sweet joy of chewy confections, a delightful blend of sugar and flavor that captivates your taste buds.
National Death Busters Day: National Death Busters Day calls on all of us to think twice before starting the engine. It’s not just another safety campaign. It’s a wake-up call. This day falls just as people hit the road for big holiday plans. Highways get crowded. Tempers flare. Mistakes happen fast. That’s why this...
National Drinking with Chickens Day: National Drinking with Chickens Day is as quirky as it sounds. People grab a cold drink, step outside, and hang out with their backyard chickens. It’s not about getting drunk or throwing a party. It’s about relaxing, sipping something nice, and enjoying the funny, clucky company. Whether you raise hens or...
Medical Coder Day: Medical Coder Day puts the spotlight on a group often working quietly behind the scenes. These folks turn doctors’ notes into numbered codes that help hospitals run smoothly. It might sound simple, but it’s anything but. One wrong digit can cause billing errors, delays, or confusion in a patient’s file...
International Day to End Obstetric Fistula: Imagine enduring a childbirth injury that leaves you incontinent, isolated, and in constant discomfort. This is the harsh reality for many women suffering from obstetric fistula—a hole between the birth canal and bladder or rectum caused by prolonged, obstructed labor without timely medical intervention. Such injuries not only cause physical...
National Cooler Day: Keeping things cool is about more than just a state of mind. It’s actually about keeping drinks and food at the right temperature! National Cooler Day arrives ahead of the summer season to act as a reminder that coolers are a summer essential. So don’t wait until the last minute –...
National Title Track Day: Title tracks, or the songs after which an album is named, are often the greatest singles. Fire up your favorite title tracks or explore new ones.
International Heritage Breeds Week: Support the survival of classic livestock breeds like Oberhasli goats, Wiltshire Wild Horn sheep, and Gloucester Old Spot pigs during Heritage Breeds Week.
Be Nice to Nettles Week: Be Nice to Nettles Week is a vibrant annual event that shines a spotlight on the humble nettle plant. Celebrated in mid-May, this period encourages us to appreciate the ecological and health benefits of nettles. How to Celebrate Be Nice to Nettles Week Here are five quirky and playful ways to dive...
Dementia Action Week: Dementia Action Week is a key time of action. It’s time to step up your game on behalf of those who live with the disease. This event means different things while being significant to many different people. But one thing about it is the same -- it should bring us all...
Noise Action Week: Noise Action Week is an exciting event dedicated to raising awareness about the impact of noise pollution on our daily lives. This week-long initiative encourages everyone to think about the noise they create and how it affects others. It's a time for communities to come together, learn about noise reduction...
Walk to School Week in the UK: Walk to School Week in the UK is a vibrant event encouraging kids to embrace walking as part of their daily routine. This week-long initiative highlights the benefits of walking over driving, making it an engaging and fun experience for children! How to Celebrate Walk to School Week Host a...
National Safe Sun Week: National Safe Sun Week is a special time dedicated to educating people about the dangers of too much sun and how to stay safe. Held in the last week of May, right before the Memorial Day holiday, it marks the beginning of summer. This is when folks often start spending...
Tracky Dack Day: Tracky Dack Day is a funny name for a serious cause. This annual event, run by TLC for Kids, encourages people to wear their favorite track pants (aka 'tracky dacks'!) to support children in hospitals! The name brings a smile, but the mission is profound. It raises awareness and funds...
Italian Beef Week: What's better than sinking your teeth into a juicy sandwich piled high with tender beef, topped with sweet peppers?