NEWS

1667 - A 15-year-old French boy became the first person to have a blood transfusion, when lamb's blood was used to cure his fever.

1919 - British aviators Alcock and Brown made the first transatlantic flight, landing in Galway. It took 16 hours and 27 minutes.

1931 - Al Capone was charged with 5,000 offences.

1940 - German Forces entered Paris.

1962 - Three prisoners dug their way out of Alcatraz using spoons.

1964 - Nelson Mandela and seven others were sentenced to life imprisonment for acts of sabotage in Pretoria.

1978 - Space Invaders was demonstrated for the first time.

1987 - Margaret Thatcher was elected for a third term.

1996 - An IRA bomb destroyed a busy shopping area in Manchester.

SPORT

1839 - The game of baseball was invented by Abner Doubleday.

1933 - German Jews were banned from the 1936 Olympic Games.

1956 - Real Madrid won the first European Cup.

2002 - Ireland beat Saudi Arabia 3-0 in the World Cup and secured a place n the next round.

ENTERTAINMENT

1949 - Hank Williams made his debut at 'The Grand Ole Opry' in Nashville. He received six encores.

1980 - Stanley Kubrick's 'The Shining' opened in cinemas.

2000 - The American Film Institute voted 'Some Like It Hot', starring Marilyn Monroe, the funniest film of all time.

2003 - Actor Gregory Peck died.

MUSIC

1953 - Ella Fitzgerald made her first recording, aged 17. They were 'Love and Kisses' and 'I'll Chase the Blues Away'.

1956 - Sixteen-year-old John Lennon met 14-year-old Paul McCartney and invited him to join the Quarrymen.

1965 - The Rolling Stones released '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction'.

1986 - The Police reunited for an Amnesty International concert in Atlanta.

NUMBER ONES

2006 - Gnarls Barkley: 'Crazy'.

2002 - Will Young: 'Light My Fire'.

1999 - S Club 7: 'Bring It All Back'.

1987 - Firm: 'Star Trekkin'.

1977 - Kenny Rogers: 'Lucille'.

1967 Procul Harum: 'Whiter Shade Of Pale'.