On this Date in 1927...

...first distance public television broadcast (from Washington, D.C. to New York City, displaying the image of Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover).  Though, many did not think it was working at first as all they could see was a big white blob.

On this Date in 1973...

...the American League of Major League Baseball begins using the designated hitter.  Though, due to the logistical nightmare of having one guy play in every game, for every team, of the year they decided to include a designated hitter for each team.  Things went much smoother after that.

On this Date in 1722...

...Dutch explorer Jakob Roggeveen became the first European to land on Easter Island.  He was rather disappointed, however, when he discovered there were no multi-colored eggs anywhere on the island.  He was certain there would be some behind the guys with the big stone heads.

On this Date in 1850...

...The Great Fire of Cottenham, a large part of the Cambridgeshire village (England) is burnt to the ground under suspicious circumstances.  Chicago mentions that maybe they should check out the cows of a certain Irish woman, who have been known to start such things.

On this Date in 1973...

...the first portable cell phone call is made in New York, New York, United States.  The call was short-lived, however, as AT&T had horrible coverage in that part of New York.

On this Date in 1962...

...the first official Panda crossing is opened outside Waterloo station, London.  Some, however, wonder at the practicality of it since there are so few pandas in London.

On this Date in 1865...

...American Civil War: Battle of Five Forks – In Siege of Petersburg, Confederate General Robert E. Lee begins his final offensive.  The battle was short lived, however, as there were only so many times the forks could be thrown before they were completely worn out.