May 29
The Californian (1848).
Newspapers in 1848
The Californian reported that everybody was suffering from gold fever and the newspaper was being suspended because its staff was leaving for the gold fields.
Newspapers in 1851
The Herald was first published in San Diego. It was four pages long with four columns to the page. There were 112 advertisements; 91 from San Francisco and 21 from San Diego businesses.
San Diego Herald (1851).
The Chutes.
Parks in 1911
The Chutes, a San Francisco amusement park, burned. All the animals in the “Happy Family House” and donkeys and ponies in the stable were killed.
Parks in 1935
California Pacific Exposition opened in San Diego’s Balboa Park on the site of the Panama-California Exposition (1915). It featured hundreds of exhibits on history, arts, horticulture, ethnic cultures, science and industry.
Barrymore in 1942
John Barrymore, legendary stage, screen and radio actor, died in Hollywood at age 60. He was part of a great theatrical family and Drew Barrymore’s grandfather.
Elfman in 1953
Danny Elfman, composer and musician, was born in Los Angeles. After leading Oingo Boingo (1976-1995) he wrote music for television and film, including themes for “The Simpsons” (1989) and “Batman” (1989) and many Tim Burton films.
Whale in 1957
James Whale, actor and director, died in Los Angeles at age 67. He is best known for directing four classic horror films: “Frankenstein” (1931), “The Old Dark House” (1932), “The Invisible Man” (1933) and “Bride of Frankenstein” (1935).
Tom Bradley Election Night Victory (1973). Image courtesy of Los Angeles Public Library.
Government in 1973
Tom Bradley, grandson of a slave, was elected the first black mayor of Los Angeles. LA hosted the 1984 Summer Olympic Games and passed Chicago to become the second most populous city in the U.S. during his tenure.
Pickford in 1979
Mary Pickford, silent film star and co-founder of United Artists, died in Santa Monica at age 88. Nicknamed “America’s Sweetheart,” she was one of the great actors of her time.
Cipollina in 1989
John Cipollina, founder and lead guitarist with Quicksilver Messenger Service, died in San Francisco at age 45. He was one of the fathers of the San Francisco psychedelic rock sound.
Labor in 1996
The United Farm Workers signed a contract with a major lettuce producer. The hourly wage of $6.62 for field workers would increase to $7.23 over five years.
United Farm Workers Foundation.
Intel.
Business in 2001
Intel unveiled a new 64-bit processor called Itanium. A second generation of the chip, code-named McKinley, was planned for 2002.
Crime in 2008
San Jose police said some 80 people had $45,000 drained from their bank accounts after thieves pulled debit card data from an gas station. Similar thefts had also been reported in Los Altos and southern California.
Korman in 2008
Harvey Korman, comedian, died in Los Angeles at age 71. He won four Emmys for his outrageously funny contributions to “The Carol Burnett Show” (1967-1978) and played a hilarious conniving politician in “Blazing Saddles” (1974).
Phil Spector.
Crime in 2009
Phil Spector, 69-year-old former music producer, was sentenced in Los Angeles to 10 years to life in prison for the 2003 murder of actress Lana Clarkson.
Science in 2009
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, at U.C. Berkeley, dedicated a new National Ignition Facility. It was designed to create conditions like those found in stars and in the explosions of hydrogen bombs. The project was over five years behind schedule and costs to date reached $4 billion, almost four times the original estimate.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Cow Palace.
Music in 2010
A rave at the Cow Palace in Daly City left two people dead due to drug use. The event drew some 16,500 attendees who paid about $85 each at the door.
Hopper in 2010
Dennis Hopper, film star, died in Venice at age 74. He brought counterculture to Hollywood with “Easy Rider” (1969). His career included parts in “Rebel Without a Cause” (1955), “Apocalypse Now” (1979) and “Blue Velvet” (1986).
Flight in 2012
Space Exploration Technologies Corp., SpaceX, headquartered in Hawthorne, launched a private space capsule called Dragon on a history-making trip to the International Space Station.
Education in 2013
Coursera, a Mountain View online learning start up, said it formed partnerships with 10 public universities and university systems to develop courses that can be taken for credit either online or in a blended classroom-online environment.
Coursera.
May 30
Blanc in 1908
Mel Blanc, legendary voice actor, was born in San Francisco. He was the voice of Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, and Porky Pig in Warner Brothers cartoons and had “That’s All Folks” inscribed on his tombstone.
Business in 1932
Socal, formerly Standard Oil of California, discovered oil in Bahrain, the first oil found in the Middle Eastern by an American firm.
Standard Oil of California ad drawn by Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss.
German American Bund.
Politics in 1938
Adolf Hitler’s American supporters opened a two-day German-American Bund convention in San Francsico. Some 3,000 protesters shouted anti-Nazi slogans.
Parks in 1957
Santa’s Village, a Christmas theme park, opened in Scotts Valley. It filed for bankruptcy in 1977 then closed in 1979.
Exhibitions in 1967
Robert “Evel” Knievel jumped his motorcycle jumped 16 cars at an event in Gardena.
Sports in 1971
Willie Mays hit his 638th home run. That set a National League record of 1,950 runs scored.
Willie Mays.
Murphy in 1987
Melvin Edward Alton “Turk” Murphy, San Francisco-born trombone player and jazz singer, died in San Francisco at age 71. He was best known for playing traditional and dixieland jazz.
Beneke in 2000
Gordon “Tex” Beneke, saxophonist, singer and bandleader, died in Costa Mesa at age 86. He played with the Glenn Miller Orchestra and other big bands of the 1940’s.
Sterling in 2006
Robert Sterling, actor, died in Los Angeles at age 88. He was best known for playing in the ghostly comedy series “Topper” (1953-1955).
“Bang the Drum Slowly” (1973).
Harris in 2007
Mark Harris, author, died in Goleta at age 84. He began keeping a diary at age 11, which he maintained every day for the rest of his life. He was best known for four novels about baseball players, including Bang the Drum Slowly (1956), which was made into a movie in 1973.
Fires in 2013
A fire in Angeles National Forest burned some 35 square miles and forced about 2,800 residents from their homes around Lake Hughes and Lake Elizabeth.
Angeles National Forest.
May 31
Junipero Serra
Exploration in 1770
Father JuniperoSerra reached Monterey. Gaspar de Portolà, who organized this expedition by land and sea, lead the first overland exploration of Alta California. Serra traveled aboard the supply ship San Antonio.
Post offices in 1856
Milpitas post office opened. It’s said that when the U.S. Postal Service wanted to locate the post office in Frederick Creighton’s store, some wanted to name it Penitencia. Others said that sounded like “penitentiary” so it was named for Rancho Milpitas.
Milpitas.
Parks in 1899
David Curry and Jenny Etta Foster, later known as Mother Curry, opened a tented camp at Yosemite. They advertised “a good bed and clean napkin with every meal” for $2 a day (equivalent to $57 in today’s dollars). The camp became Curry Village in 1970.
Camp Curry (1931).
Transportation in 1928
The first flight across the Pacific took off from Oakland. Charles “Smithy” Kingsford-Smith and his crew landed the southern Cross in Brisbane, Australia nine days later after stopping in Hawaii and Fiji.
Charles Kingsford-Smith’s Southern Cross (1928).
Movies in 1929
Mickey Mouse spoke for the first time in a cartoon called “The Karnival Kid.”
Eastwood in 1930
Clint Eastwood, actor and director, was born in San Francisco. He became famous for his “Dollars Trilogy” (1964-1966) and “Dirty Harry” films (1971-1988).
Race relations in 1943
Twelve sailors and soldiers clashed violently with Mexican American youths near downtown Los Angeles. Seaman Second Class Joe Dacy Coleman, U.S.N. was badly wounded. It was the start of the Zoot Suit Riots.
Golden Gate Park Road Race.
Sports in 1952
The first Golden Gate Park Road Race was held with some 60 cars competing. The final race was in 1954.
Sports in 1964
The San Francisco Giants beat the New York Mets, 8-6, in a 23-inning game that lasted 7 hours, 32 minutes. It was the second game of the longest doubleheader in Major League history. Together they lasted 9 hours, 52 minutes.
Environment in 1996
California authorities advised the 900 people of Chualar in Monterey County to not use tap water. Nitrates from agricultural fertilizers and pesticides made it unsafe to drink.
Chualar.
Leary in 1996
Timothy Leary, psychologist and advocate for LSD and other psychedelic drugs, died in Beverly Hills at age 75. Some of his ashes were launched into space with those of Gene Roddenberry, “Star Trek” creator, and 28 others.
Timothy Leary.
Transportation in 1999
Mike Moshier, 51-year-old founder of Millennium Jet Inc. in Santa Clara, reportedly developed the SoloTrek XFV. It was a single passenger flying vehicle, that could fly at 80 mph for up to 90 minutes as high as 10,000 feet on a single tank of 87-octane gas.
Government in 2007
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom proposed a $6.06 billion budget for the 2007-2008 fiscal year, a 5.4% increase over the previous year.
Parks in 2008
Playland-Not-at-the-Beach museum opened in El Cerrrito. It featured relics from Playland-at-the-Beach in San Francisco, bulldozed in 1972, including a rare Laughing Sal.
Laughing Sal.
Google.
Business in 2010
Google, of Mountain View, reportedly phased out internal use of Microsoft’s Windows operating system because of security concerns.
Flight in 2012
SpaceX Dragon capsule, developed in Hawthorne, splashed down in the Pacific. That concluded the first private delivery to the International Space Station.
June 1
Transportation in 1858
California Central Railroad groundbreaking took place in Sacramento. By October 13, 1861 the railroad connected Lincoln to the Sacramento Valley Railroad at Folsom Junction.
Map showing the location of Sacramento Valley Railroad, Cal. Sacramento, September, 1854; T.D. Judah, Chief Engineer
Lick Observatory.
Earthquakes in 1888
Seismograph observatories opened at Berkeley and Lick Observatory. Lick Observatory, on Mount Hamilton east of San Jose, is the world’s first permanently occupied mountain-top observatory.
Monroe in 1926
Marilyn Monroe, legendary actress and sex symbol, was born in Los Angeles. Her birth name, Norma Jean Mortenson, was changed to Norma Jean Baker before she became Marilyn Monroe. “I don’t mind living in a man’s world as long as I can be a woman in it.”
Marilyn Monroe (1962).
Delta King.
Transportation in 1927
The Delta King steamboat made its debut voyage from San Francisco to Sacramento. The Delta Queen, its twin, followed the next day. The 81-mile trip took nearly all night.
Radio in 1936
Lux Radio Theater moved to Hollywood from New York City. Programming changed to adaptations of films rather than plays. Its first was “The Legionnaire and the Lady,” with Marlene Dietrich and Clark Gable, based on the film “Morocco.” It aired shows until June 7, 1955.
Lux Radio Theater.
KMEX-TV (1962).
Television in 1953
KMJ, now KSEE TV channel 24, began broadcasting in Fresno. It was the first television station in the market.
Sports in 1975
Nolan Ryan, California Angel, pitched his fourth of seven no-hitters to beat the Baltimore Orioles, 1-0.
Television in 1990
E! Entertainment Television, headquartered in Los Angeles, launched. Changing the name from Movietime emphasized coverage of celebrities, popular films, television and music, Hollywood gossip and fashion.
E! Entertainment Television.
Sports in 1997
Wilton Guerrero, Los Angeles Dodger utility player, broke his bat, revealing it was corked. He was immediately ejected, suspended eight games and fined $1,000.
Ketcham in 2001
Hank Ketcham, cartoonist, died in Pebble Beach at age 81. He created “Dennis the Menace” cartoon strip, today distributed to some 1,000 newspapers in 48 countries, in 19 languages.
Dennis the Menace.
Genentech.
Science in 2003
Genentech, in South San Francisco, reported its drug Avastin lengthened survival time for colon cancer patients.
Science in 2003
U.C. Berkeley researchers revealed a new laboratory method for manufacturing the anti-malarial drug, artemisinin.
Laguna Beach landslide (2005).
Environment in 2005
A landslide destroyed 17 multimillion-dollar houses and damaged nearly 11 others in Laguna Beach.
Fires in 2008
Fire at the Universal Studios Hollywood back lot destroyed famous movie sets, such as the clock tower from “Back to the Future” and the “King Kong” exhibit on the studio tour.
Exploding clock tower. Back to the Future (1985).
Seal of San Francisco.
Government in 2009
San Francisco Mayor Newsom unveiled a $6.6 billion budget for 2009-2010. He also urged Santa Clara voters to reject a $937 million stadium project for the San Francisco 49ers.
Government in 2011
San Francisco Mayor Lee rolled out his first budget, a $6.8 billion spending plan for the fiscal year 2011-2012.
Ryan McGowan.
Crime in 2012
Federal prosecutors announced charges against two Sacramento County sheriff’s deputies, Ryan McGowan, age 31, and Thomas Lu, age 42, accused of illegally selling dozens of weapons.
June 2
Transportation in 1873
Construction began on Clay Street in San Francisco for the world’s first cable railroad. The line was completed and ready for a trial run on August 2, 1873.
Early San Francisco Cable Car on Clay Street, 1878. Photos: San Francisco History Center, SF Public Library.
Black Bart
Crime in 1876
Charles Earl Bowles, English born gentleman bandit known as Black Bart, held up Wells Fargo Stagecoaches 28 times. The third robbery was in Siskiyou County, five miles north of Cottonwood.
Dance in 1933
San Francisco Ballet debuted at War Memorial Opera House. It is one of the oldest, most distinguished ballet companies in America.
James “Sunny Jim” (1931).
Rolph in 1934
James “Sunny Jim” Rolph, San Francisco mayor (1912-1931) and California Governor (1931-1934), died in San Francisco at age 64. He lived at the same Mission District home throughout his life.
Kellerman in 1936
Sally Kellerman, actress, activist, author, producer, singer and voice-over artist, was born in Long Beach. Most recently she provides voice talent to “The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange” (2013).
Charles Haid.
Haid in 1943
Charles Haid, actor and director, was born in San Francisco. He is best known for his roles in police dramas, like “Hill Street Blues” (1981-1987) and “NYPD Blue” (1994).
Literature in 1959
Allen Ginsberg wrote his poem “Lysergic Acid” in San Francisco. He had recently experienced LSD for the first time. It was at the first international conference on LSD therapy at the Palo Alto Mental Research Institute, financed by the U.S. Army and the CIA to study the effects of psychotropic drugs on human behavior.
Hutton in 1979
Jim Hutton, film and television actor, died in Los Angeles at age 45. He is best remembered for his role as Ellery Queen (1975-1976) in the series of the same name. He is the father of actor Timothy Hutton.
Education in 1988
St. Ignatius College Preparatory School in San Francisco announced plans to accept young women beginning in the Fall of 1999.
St. Ignatius College Preparatory.
Los Angeles Dodgers.
Sports in 1989
The Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in 22 innings, 5-4. It was one of the longest games in team history.
Government in 1992
Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer were nominated to U.S. Senate seats, making California the first state to have two women in the U.S. Senate.
Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer.
Government in 1998
Proposition 227 won with 61% support. That effectively ended California’s 30 years of bilingual education by requiring that all children be taught in English.
Sun Microsystems.
Business in 2005
Sun Microsystems Inc., in Santa Clara, agreed to buy Storage Technology Corp. for $4.1 billion in cash. That strengthened its presence in the data storage market.
Welnick in 2006
Vince Welnick, musician, died in Sonoma County at age 55. He became the Grateful Dead’s keyboard player in 1990 after other drummers died.
Seal of San Francisco.
Government in 2008
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom unveiled a record $6.5 billion budget.
Ferrer in 2008
Mel Ferrer, actor, director and producer, died in Santa Barbara at age 92. His films included “Lili” (1953) and “The Brave Bulls” (1951) and he appeared in episodes of “Falcon Crest” (1981-1984) and “Murder She Wrote” (1985-1989).
Mel Ferrer in “Falcon Crest”.
Perez in 2011
Lt. Vincent Perez, a San Francisco firefighter, died after being caught in a flashover at a 4-story home.
Lieutenant Vincent Perez
June 3
Missions in 1770
Father Junipero Serra dedicated Mission San Carlos de Monterey at Carmel. It was first established at the presidio in Monterey but moved in 1771 to the Carmel Valley on a hillside, “two gunshots” from the ocean.
Ranchos in 1846
Rancho Palos Verdes was deeded. Today Palos Verdes is a wealthy Los Angeles suburb of approximately 41,643 residents.
Rancho diseno
Colton Hall, site of the constitutional convention
Government in 1849
Brevet Brigadier-General Bennet Riley, Military Governor of California, ordered “the formation of a State constitution or a plan for a territorial government.”
Business in 1878
Mammoth Mining Company was organized to mine Mineral Hill, which caused a brief Mono County gold rush. Fifteen hundred people moved to Mammoth City that year. But the company shut down in 1880 and population declined to less than 10. Today it is a hiking and skiing community.
Mammoth ski runs.
Transportation in 1913
San Francisco retired the last horse-drawn streetcar, more than 20 years after the introduction of electric streetcars.
An editorial cartoon from the 04-June-1913 San Francisco Call, Mr Public apparently operates a Sutter Street electric car to the Ferry and bids G-o-o-d Night to the horse car as it makes its way to the junk pile.
Race Relations in 1943
U.S. Navy sailors and Marines battled Latino youths in what became the Zoot Suit Riots in Los Angeles.
Zoot suit riot (1943).
Giannini in 1949
Amadeo Peter Giannini, founder of the Bank of America, died in San Mateo at age 79. Among other businesses, he helped grow the motion picture and wine industries in California.
Music in 1956
Santa Cruz banned Rock and Roll. City authorities announced a total ban on rock and roll at public gatherings, calling the music “Detrimental to both the health and morals of our youth and community.”
Rock and roll protest in Santa Cruz (1956).
california street cable cars looking towards nob hill, san francisco
Transportation in 1984
San Francisco’s California Street cable cars returned to service after nearly 20 months and $58.2 million in redesign and construction costs.
Accidents in 2001
Daniel Katz, age 24, disappeared while flying over San Bernardino National Forest. This began one of the most extensive and high-tech searches in the area’s history. His wrecked rented plane was found on a steep mountainside north of Rancho Cucamonga in 2008.
Lew Wasserman.
Wasserman in 2002
Lew Wasserman, talent agent and movie executive, died in Beverly Hills at age 89. He was one of the most powerful men in Hollywood history.
Crime in 2007
Paris Hilton attended the MTV Movie Awards then reported to jail. She was to serve a 45-day sentence for a probation violation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case. Hilton was released after three days but a Los Angeles County judge ordered her back to jail.
Maggie and David Bromige (2007).
Bromige in 2009
David Bromige, poet and professor, died in Sebastopol at age 75. He was Sonoma County’s second poet laureate (2001-2003).
Arness in 2011
James Arness, actor, died in Los Angeles at age 88. He played in some 50 films and television shows, including “Gunsmoke” (1955-1975), one of the longest running series.
Sean Parker’s wedding (2014).
Government in 2013
California Coastal Commission reached a $2.5 million settlement with Sean Parker, Napster co-founder, who spent $10 million to build a large movie-set-like wedding site in an ecologically sensitive area of Big Sur without proper permits.
June 4
Transportation in 1849
The USS Panama anchored in San Francisco Bay. There were already about 200 deserted ships in the harbor because their crews had abandoned them for the gold fields.
Abandoned ships in San Francisco (1849)
Transportation in 1849
Eighteen sailors from the USS Ohio abandoned their ship to go to the gold diggings.
Pacific Mail Steamship Co. advertisement.
Transportation in 1849
The Pacific Mail Steamship Co.’s ships – California, Oregon, and Panama – established a regular round trip schedule ferrying gold seekers and mail between Panama and San Francisco.
Business in 1863
One man was killed and another died of wounds a few days later in a shootout over eggs on the Farallon Islands. Eggs, valuable in San Francisco, were free for gathering on the islands off the coast. David Batchelder and 27 armed men sailed there to harvest them, challenging the Egg Co. for the business.
Post Offices in 1867
The Pleasanton post office opened. It should have been Pleasonton but a clerical error changed the spelling.
Pleasanton.
Transportation in 1876
The Transcontinental Express train arrived in San Francisco, 83 hours and 39 minutes after leaving New York City.
The Transcontinental Express (1876).
Capitol Records.
Business in 1942
Capitol Records opened in Los Angeles, founded by songwriter Johnny Mercer. It was first West Coast-based label in the U.S. It began the practice of giving free records to radio DJs to promote air play. It signed The Beach Boys in the early 1960s.
Race Relations in 1943
Some 200 sailors formed a caravan of about twenty cars and taxis to hunt Mexican American youth dressed in zoot-suits. They traveled through downtown Los Angeles and the eastside of the city, out to the suburbs as far as Belvedere Gardens.
Sports in 1958
Hank Sauer and B. Schmidt, San Francisco Giants, became the second players in MLB history to hit consecutive pinch home runs.
Sports in 1964
Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodger, pitched his third no-hitter to beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 3-0.
Sandy Koufax. Topps Baseball Card (1964).
Mike Ivie (1970).
Sports in 1970
The San Diego Padres picked Mike Ivie as their first overall draft choice. He debuted at age 18 and became one of only five MLB players to hit two pinch-hit grand slams in the same season.
Sports in 1971
In the longest game in their history, the Oakland A’s beat the Washington Senators in 21 innings, 5-3.
Crime in 1972
Angela Davis, political activist, professor and author, was acquitted of killing a white guard. She was arrested, charged, tried and acquitted of conspiracy in the armed take-over of a Marin County courtroom, in which four persons died in 1970.
Labor in 1975
California Governor Jerry Brown signed the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act into law. It was the first law in the U.S. that gave collective bargaining rights to farm workers.
California Governor Jerry Brown and UFW president Cesar Chavez participate in a UFW rally in Salinas on August 11, 1979. Courtesy Monterey County Herald.
Protests in 1989
Thousands of people gathered in front of the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco to protest the slaughter of students and other citizens at Tiananmen Square in Beijing.
Ramon Martinez.
Sports in 1990
Ramon Martinez, Los Angeles Dodgers, struck out 18 Atlanta Braves, 6-0. That tied Sandy Kofax’s club record.
Sports in 1992
San Jose voters rejected the Giants plan to build a new stadium south of San Francisco.
Government in 1999
Senators Diane Feinstein of California and Harry Reid of Nevada announced the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act. It authorized $300 million over 10 years to restore the lake’s water.
Lake Tahoe.
Business in 2001
Hewlett-Packard, in Palo Alto, agreed to pay $400 million to Pitney Bowes to settle a 6-year-old patent dispute over printer technology.
Hewlett-Packard.
Palm Inc.
Business in 2003
Palm Inc., in Sunnyvale, said it would buy rival Handspring, headquartered in Mountain View, in a stock deal valued at $195 million.
Brown in 2003
Delmar Brown, legendary fly fisherman, died in Watsonville at age 84. He practically invented fly fishing, was known for the Del Brown Crab Fly and catching a 127-pound tarpon using 8-pound test line.
Del Brown Crab Permit, Photo by RiverBum.com.
Oracle logo.
Business in 2005
Larry Ellison, head of Oracle Corp. in Redwood City, reportedly planned a joint venture with Harvard University to create a database and journal to track improvements in world health with a $115 million grant. But he withdrew the donation to protest the resignation of Harvard President Lawrence Summers in 2006.
Vang Pao, former Laotian general.
Crime in 2007
Nine Hmong leaders, a former Laotian military general, and a former California National Guard officer were arrested for their alleged plot to overthrow the communist government of Laos. They were charged with violating the US federal Neutrality Act. In 2009 federal prosecutors in Sacramento dismissed charges against Vang Pao, the former Laotian general.
Drought.
Environment in 2008
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a statewide drought after two years of below-average rainfall, low snowmelt runoff and a court-ordered restriction on water transfers.
Business in 2008
Google, in Mountain View, announced leasing 42 acres at Moffet Field, a former naval air station nearby. The annual rent was initially $3.7 million.
Google.
Countrywide Financial Corp.
Crime in 2009
Federal officials charged Angelo Mozilo with civil fraud and illegal insider trading. He built Countrywide Financial Corp., in Calabasas, into a giant high-risk mortgage company. He was accused of deceiving shareholders and profiting on confidential information.
UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, center, talks to his UCLA team.
Wooden in 2010
John Wooden, college basketball’s legendary coach, died in Los Angeles at age 99. The “Wizard of Westwood” built one of the greatest dynasties in all of sports at UCLA and was one of the most revered coaches ever.
June 5
Literature in 1848
John C. Fremont submitted his Geographical Memoir to the U.S. Senate. He named the entrance to San Francisco Bay “Chrysopylae,” meaning Golden Gate in Greek to honor the ancient Golden Horn of Constantinople.
The golden gate from Telegraph Hill in San Francisco in 1872. An engraving from a study by James D. Smillie, engraved by E. P. Brandard and published in Picturesque America, D. Appleton & Company, New York, New York 1872.
San Juan Capistrano (1910).
Post Offices in 1867
San Juan Capistrano post office opened. By 1877 San Juan Capistrano had a school, telegraph office, post office, two stores, hotel, four saloons and forty to fifty homes, mostly of adobe.
Business in 1875
Pacific Stock Exchange formally opened in San Francisco. It organized chaotic trading in Comstock Lode silver mines.
Bay Bridge History. worker on west span tower 2 (1936).
Accidents in 1936
George Zink, 40-year-old San Francisco Bay Bridge worker, fell to his death. He was the 22nd man killed on the transbay bridge construction.
Race Relations in 1943
Zoot Suit Riots in Los Angeles. Racial violence broke out for days between Anglo American sailors and Marines stationed in the city and Latino youths, recognizable by zoot suits they wore.
Zoot suit riot (1943).
Civil Rights in 1959
Forty San Francisco Bay Area teachers, accused of being Communists, were subpoenaed by the House Un-American Activities Committee. The American Civil Liberties Union said it would do everything possible to block the hearings.
House Committee on Un-American Activities.
Crime in 1968
Robert F. Kennedy, U.S. presidential candidate, was shot at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, by Sirhan Sirhan, a Palestinian. Kennedy died the next day.
Compton mayor Doris Davis.
Government in 1973
Doris Davis was elected mayor of Compton. She became the first African-American woman to govern a city in a major metropolitan area.
Sports in 1977
The Los Angeles Dodgers retired Walt Alston’s #24. He managed the Brooklyn-then-Los Angeles Dodgers between 1954 and 1976. He was known as “The Quiet Man.”
Walt Alston, Topps #24 back (1969).
Crime in 1997
Cremated remains of some 2,000 people were found in a Discovery Bay storage facility. They were kept by a flying service that was supposed to dispose of the remains at sea or over the Sierras.
Pride Rainbow Flag.
Public Health in 1981
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that five people in Los Angeles had a rare form of pneumonia seen only in patients with weakened immune systems. Those turned out to be the first recognized cases of AIDS.
Torme in 1999
Mel Torme, Jazz and pop singer, died in Los Angeles at age 73. Called the “Velvet Fog,” Torme was best known for standards.
Sports in 2002
Magic Johnson, legendary Los Angeles Laker, was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Ramone in 2002
Dee Dee Ramone, founding member, songwriter and bassist for the Ramones, died in Hollywood at age 49. He struggled with drug addiction for much of his life.
Ronald Reagan.
Reagan in 2004
Ronald Reagan died in Bel-Aire. Actor and politician, he served as Governor of California (1967–1975) and President of the United States (1981–1989).
Crime in 2005
FBI agents in Lodi arrested Hamid Hayat, age 22, for training at an al Qaeda camp in Pakistan. He was sentenced to 24 years in prison for supporting terrorists by training with them in Pakistan.
U.N. World Environment Day.
Government in 2005
Big city mayors from around the world signed urban environmental accords. That ended a 5-day U.N. World Environment conference in San Francisco.
Crime in 2009
Raymond Lee Oyler, a 38-year-old convicted arsonist, was sentenced to death for starting the Esperanza wildfire (2006). Five federal firefighters died defending a rural home from raging, wind-driven flames.
Esperanza Fire (2006).
Forsman in 2009
Clyde Forsman, singer and accordion enthusiast known for his full body tattoos, died in San Francisco at age 94. He was a founding member of “Those Darn Accordions.”
Great Seal of California.
Government in 2012
California voters approved Proposition 28. It reduced the time citizens can serve in the state Legislature from 14 years to 12, but allowed a member to serve the entire time in one house.
Crime in 2012
Aldo Joseph Baccala, age 71, of Sonoma County, was charged with 167 felony counts of grand theft, securities fraud and elder abuse after investigators uncovered his $20 million Ponzi scheme.
Aldo Joseph Baccala.