What Happened On
Teflon
April 6, 1938
DuPont accidentally discovers polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which starting in 1945 would be marketed as Teflon.
DuPont chemist Roy J. Plunkett was attempting to make a new chlorofluorocarbon refrigerant. During one of his experiments, he noticed that the interior of his container had become coated with an extremely slippery waxy white material (PTFE). And Teflon was born.
Twinkie
April 6, 1930
The Twinkie is invented by James A. Dewar. While working for the Continental Baking Company (which later became Hostess), he needed a substitute for the filling in their strawberry shortcake, as strawberries were seasonal. So he substituted banana cream for the strawberry filling and the Twinkie was born. During World War II, bananas were rationed and the filling was switched to vanilla cream. Dewar himself ate three a day and lived to the age of 88.
The original Twinkies had a stated shelf life of only 26 days (the newer ones are 45 days), but as we all know, after the Zombie Apocalypse the only thing remaining will be cockroaches and Twinkies.
Peary (left) and Peary Party at North Pole
Peary (left) and Peary Party at North Pole
First Person to Reach the North Pole
April 6, 1909
American explorer Robert Peary and his team claim to have reached the North Pole. However, his claims are disputed by some historians and Frederick A. Cook claims to have reached the pole the previous year. Cook's claims are also disputed.
The Opening Ceremony
The Opening Ceremony
Olympic Games Revival
April 6, 1896
After an absence of almost 1600 years, the Olympic games begin again. They were held in Athens, Greece from April 6-15, 1896.
Plastic Billiard Balls
April 6, 1869
American inventor John Wesley Hyatt patents a method of making a substitute for ivory. He was looking for a substitute for ivory billiard balls. In 1863, billiard ball maker Phelan & Collander had offered a $10,000 reward for a substitute for ivory billiard balls due to the cost and shortage of ivory that was threatening his billiard ball business.
In 1870, Hyatt formed the Albany Dental Plate Company to produce, among other things, billiard balls, false teeth, and piano keys.
Glowing Wounds of the Civil War
April 6, 1862
The Battle of Shiloh Begins. It was the bloodiest battle in U.S. history up to that time. During the two-day battle, 23,746 men were killed, wounded, captured, or missing. This is more than the American casualties of the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Mexican War combined. The Battle of Gettysburg the following year would rank as the bloodiest battle of the war.
After the battle, as the wounded lay in the wet cold mud for several days waiting to be rescued, some of their wounds began giving off a faint greenish blue glow. Adding to the mystery was the fact that those whose wounds glowed were more likely to survive, leading to the name "Angel's Glow" for the phenomenon. It is believed that tiny parasitic worms called nematodes infested the insects that were attracted to the wounds. The nematodes ejected a bacteria that glowed in the dark. This bacteria also killed off other bad bacteria that might have caused gangrene and other dangerous infections, thus improving the soldier's odds of survival. Normally, this glowing bacteria would not survive at body temperature, but because of the cold weather the soldiers were experiencing hypothermia, allowing the bacteria to survive. When the soldiers were finally rescued from the battlefield and warmed up, the glowing bacteria died.
Loreta Janeta Velázquez, a woman who disguised herself as a man to fight and spy for the Confederacy also fought in this battle.
First Solar Eclipse Recorded by the Greeks
April 6, 648 B.C.
Greek poet Archilochus wrote, "Zeus, the father of the Olympic Gods, turned mid-day into night, hiding the light of the dazzling Sun; and sore fear came upon men."
Radioactive Explosion
April 6, 1993
A tank of radioactive material explodes at a nuclear weapons facility in Siberia, spewing clouds of radioactive material and causing the worst nuclear accident since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
First Geosynchronous Communications Satellite
April 6, 1965
Intelsat I (nicknamed "Early Bird") is launched for COMSAT. It was the first satellite to provide direct and nearly instantaneous contact between Europe and North America. Originally designed to operate for 18 months, it remained in active service for four years.
County Fair host Bert Parks
County Fair host Bert Parks
Game-Show Contestant Hospitalized
April 6, 1959
A contestant is burned after a stunt backfires on the TV show County Fair, hosted by Bert Parks. The stunt involved lighting a long fake firecracker fuse that the contestant's blindfolded wife was supposed to stamp out. To simulate the explosion, a mixture of flour and sawdust was dumped the contestant's head. But, flour dust is highly explosive. In fact it is more explosive than gunpowder and 35 times more combustible than coal dust. This caused the simulated explosion to turn into a real one when the mixture was ignited by the match flame. The contestant was hospitalized with first and second degree burns on the face, neck, and arms.
End of NYC Trolley Cars
April 6, 1957
New York City trolley cars make their last runs. The trolley cars had begun running in New York City in 1832, consisting of two horse-drawn cars with a capacity of 40 passengers each and a max speed of about 12 mph. By 1922, the city's trolley network consisted of about 500 miles of trolley track and carried a billion passengers a year.
First Tony Awards
April 6, 1947
The first Tony Awards are presented. The award is named after Antoinette Perry, a cofounder of the American Theatre Wing which created the award.
Best Actress went to Ingrid Bergman in Joan of Lorraine and Helen Hayes in Happy Birthday. Best Actor went to José Ferrer in Cyrano de Bergerac and Fredric March in Years Ago.
World War I
April 6, 1917
U.S. declares war with Germany.
First Post of the Grand Army of the Republic
April 6, 1866
A fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, Union Navy, Marines, and the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War for the Northern forces.
The Mormon Church
April 6, 1830
Joseph Smith organizes the Church at Fayette Seneca county, New York.
Napoleon Abdicates
April 6, 1814
The French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte abdicates. He was then exiled to Elba.
Birthdays
Ratzenberger as Cliff Clavin
Ratzenberger as Cliff Clavin
John Ratzenberger
Born April 6, 1947
American actor. He got the role of Cliff on Cheers while auditioning for the part of Norm. Feeling his audition was not going well, he asked the producers if they had cast the part of the bar know-it-all. They liked the idea and added the character and cast him in the role.
TV: Cheers (1982-93, Cliff Clavin). Film: Superman (1978, 1st Controller #1), Superman II (1980, 1st Controller), Motel Hell (1980, Drummer), Toy Story (1995, Hamm the Piggy Bank), The Incredibles (2004, The Underminer), Cars (2006, Mack Truck).
James Dewey Watson
Born April 6, 1928
American biochemist, co-winner of the 1962 Nobel prize for discovering the structure of DNA.
The Forgotten Sidekick
William Dawes
Born April 6, 1745 d. 1799
American patriot. He rode with Paul Revere on his famous ride (1775) warning of the British advancement. Dawes and Revere were riding with Samuel Prescott when they encountered a British mounted patrol on the road from Lexington to Concord. They split into different directions to evade the British. Revere was captured, but released without his horse. Dawes fell off his horse and had to continue on foot. Both returned to Lexington. Prescott and his horse successfully jumped a wall and were able to escape the British. He was the only one who completed the mission by making it to Concord.
Photo Credit: Jeff Katz
Photo Credit: Jeff Katz
Marilu Henner (Mary Lucy Denise Pudlowski)
Born April 6, 1952
American actress. TV: Taxi (1978-83, Elaine Nardo) and Evening Shade (1990-94). She dated Taxi co-stars Tony Danza and Judd Hirsch and also dated John Travolta. Henner has total recall memory (hyperthymesia) and can remember details of virtually every day of her life since she was a small child.
Roy Thinnes
Born April 6, 1938
American actor. TV: The Invaders (David Vincent) and Falcon Crest (Nick Hogan).
Merle Haggard
Born April 6, 1937 d. 2016
American country singer. He served time in prison for attempted burglary (1958-63), for which he was pardoned (1972) by California governor Ronald Reagan.
Billy Dee Williams
Born April 6, 1937
American actor. Film: The Empire Strikes Back (1980, Lando Calrissian). TV: The Guiding Light (Dr. Jim Frazier).
Ivan Dixon (Ivan Nathaniel Dixon III)
Born April 6, 1931 d. 2008
American actor. TV: Hogan's Heroes (1965-70, Sgt. Kinchloe).
Dudley Nichols
Born April 6, 1895 d. 1960
American screenwriter. He was the first person to refuse an Oscar (1935, Best Screenplay for The Informer).
Philip Henry Gosse
Born April 6, 1810 d. 1888
English naturalist. He coined the word "Aquarium."
Deaths
Isaac Asimov
Died April 6, 1992 b. 1920
Russian-born American science-fiction author and giver of the "three laws of robotics." Writings: I, Robot (1950).
Quote: "Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent."
He died of complications of AIDS, which he contracted in 1983 from a blood transfusion.
Igor Fedorovich Stravinsky
Died April 6, 1971 b. 1882
Russian composer. Music: The Firebird, The Rite of Spring, and Petrushka.
Don Rickles
Died April 6, 2017 b. 1926
American Emmy-winning comedian, famous for his insults. TV: C.P.O. Sharkey (1976-78, title role) and Daddy Dearest (1993, title role). Film: Toy Story (1995, voice of Mr. Potato Head).
Joking about his friend Frank Sinatra: "When you enter a room, you have to kiss his ring. I don't mind, but he has it in his back pocket."
Merle Haggard
Died April 6, 2016 b. 1937
American country singer. He served time in prison for attempted burglary (1958-63), for which he was pardoned (1972) by California governor Ronald Reagan.
James Best (Jewel Franklin Guy)
Died April 6, 2015 b. 1926
American actor. TV: Dukes of Hazzard (1979-85, Roscoe P. Coltrane).
Mickey Rooney (Joe Yule, Jr.)
Died April 6, 2014 b. 1920
American Emmy-winning actor. Film: Andy Hardy movies (1937‑) and National Velvet (1944). He made national headlines in 1959 by appearing drunk on The Jack Paar Tonight Show.
Tammy Wynette (Virginia Wynette Pugh)
Died April 6, 1998 b. 1942
American country singer. Music: Stand By Your Man. She has more #1 country hits than any other female singer.
Greer Garson
Died April 6, 1996 b. 1904
British Oscar-winning actress. Film: Goodbye Mr. Chips (1939) and Mrs. Miniver (1942, Oscar).
Whirlaway
Died April 6, 1953 b. 1938
American racehorse, 1941 Triple Crown Winner.
Created Kewpie Dolls
Rose Cecil O'Neill
Died April 6, 1944 b. 1874
American illustrator, cartoonist. She created the Kewpie doll in her comic strip, Kewpies (1909). They were made into dolls in 1912. She was the first published female cartoonist in the U.S. "Kewpie" comes from the naked babies known as cupids.
Edwin Arlington Robinson
Died April 6, 1935 b. 1869
American poet, 3-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, known for his short character sketches such as Richard Cory and Miniver Cheevy.
Thomas Green Clemson
Died April 6, 1888 b. 1807
American mining engineer, politician, founder of Clemson University.
James Kirke Paulding
Died April 6, 1860 b. 1778
American author, poet, U.S. Secretary of the Navy (1838-41). Paulding's story, The Politician, contains a maxim that is often attributed to Samuel Gompers: "Reward your friends and punish your enemies."
Albrecht Dürer
Died April 6, 1528 b. 1471
German Renaissance artist. His series of Apocalypse woodcuts became the first book published by an artist from their own work (1498).
Richard I
Died April 6, 1199 b. 1157
King of England (1189-99), known as Richard the Lion-Hearted.