Today in History: Notes of WWI and Nolan Ryan

Though I am not a big fan of Harry Potter, I wish a Happy Birthday to author of the Harry Potter series, Joanne Rowling, aka J.K. Rowling!

17th President,
Andrew Johnson

Today also marks the death of 17th President of the United States, Andrew Johnson. Johnson became president after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. In Feburary of 1868, Congress charged Johnson with 11 articles of impeachment, which were vaguely described as "high crimes and misdemeanors." Johnson, along with Bill Clinton, are two U.S. Presidents who have been impeached.

Yesterday, I mentioned the Battle of Hooge, one battle in the Second Battle of Ypres that introduced the flamethrower. Today in history, on July 31st, 1917, began the Third Battle of Ypres, also another battle in World War I. This battle was also known as the Battle of Passchendaele because of the village of Passchendale where much of the battle was fought. This battle lasted three months, when the Canadians took Passchendale. Total casualties for this battle was reported to be over 250,000.

Nolan Ryan pitching in
his 300th win game

200 wins is a milestone for pitchers in Major League Baseball today. 300 wins is a club of its own with only twenty-four pitchers who have reached this milestone including Hall of Famers, Cy Young, Christy Mathewson, and Warren Spahn. On this day in 1990, MLB career strikeout and no-hitting leader, Nolan Ryan, wins his 300th game of his career as he goes 7 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (one earned) and striking out 8 Milwaukee Brewers for a 11-3 Texas Rangers win. Brad Arnsberg relieved Ryan, working 1 1/3 innings of scoreless ball to obtain his third save of the season. Ryan was induced into the Baseball Hall of Fame with a 98.79% vote on the first ballot in 1999.