Today in History: January 19, Howard Hughes sets coast-to-coast flight record
Today is Sunday, Jan. 19, the 19th day of 2025. There are 346 days left in the year.
Today in history:
On Jan. 19, 1937, Howard Hughes set a new transcontinental air speed record in his H-1 Racer aircraft, flying from Los Angeles to Newark, New Jersey, in seven hours, 28 minutes and 25 seconds.
Also on this date:
In 1853, Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “Il Trovatore” premiered in Rome.
In 1861, Georgia became the fifth state to secede from the Union; it would join the Confederacy the following month.
In 1942, a German submarine sank the Canadian liner RMS Lady Hawkins off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, killing 251 people; 71 survived.
In 1955, President Dwight D. Eisenhower held the first televised presidential press conference.
In 1966, Indira Gandhi was elected to her first term as prime minister of India.
In 1987, H. Guy Hunt became Alabama’s first Republican governor since 1874 as he was sworn into office, succeeding George C. Wallace.
In 2012, Rupert Murdoch’s media empire apologized and agreed to cash payouts to 37 people whose telephones had been hacked by its tabloid press.
Today’s birthdays:
- Actor Tippi Hedren is 95.
- Actor-singer Michael Crawford is 83.
- Actor Shelley Fabares (fab-RAY’) is 81.
- Country musician Dolly Parton is 79.
- Actor Katey Sagal is 71.
- Comedian Paul Rodriguez is 70.
- Basketball coach and commentator Jeff Van Gundy is 63.
- Tennis Hall of Famer Stefan Edberg is 59.
- Actor Shawn Wayans is 54.
- Actor Drea (DRAY-uh’) de Matteo is 53.
- Football Hall of Famer Walter Jones is 51.
- Comedian-impressionist Frank Caliendo is 51.
- Actor Jodie Sweetin is 43.
- U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is 43.
- Film director Damien Chazelle is 40.
- Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Shawn Johnson is 33.