Today is the 204th day of 2014 and the 33rd day of summer.
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TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1962, the Telstar 1 satellite transmitted the first live, trans-Atlantic TV broadcast, featuring CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite.
In 1967, the 12th Street Riots began in Detroit, ending five days later and resulting in 43 people dead, hundreds injured and more than 1,400 buildings burned to the ground.
In 1999, with the launch of Columbia, Eileen Collins became the first woman to command a U.S. shuttle flight.
TODAY'S BIRTHDAY: Emil Jannings (1884-1950), actor; Raymond Chandler (1888-1959), author; Pee Wee Reese (1918-1999), baseball player; Anthony M. Kennedy (1936- ), Supreme Court justice; Don Imus (1940- ), radio personality; Woody Harrelson (1961- ), actor; Slash (Saul Hudson) (1965- ), musician; Philip Seymour Hoffman (1967-2014), actor; Alison Krauss (1971- ), musician/singer-songwriter; Daniel Radcliffe (1989- ), actor.
TODAY'S FACT: Comet Hale-Bopp, discovered on this day in 1995, was visible to the naked eye for a record 18 months, from May 1996 to December 1997. The previous record holder, the Great Comet of 1811, was visible for about nine months.
TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1996, injured American gymnast Kerri Strug scored a 9.7 on the vault as the U.S. won its first-ever gold medal in the women's team gymnastics competition.
TODAY'S QUOTE: "From 30 feet away she looked like a lot of class. From 10 feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from 30 feet away." -- Raymond Chandler, "The High Window"
TODAY'S NUMBER: 27 -- Grammy Awards won by bluegrass musician Alison Krauss during her career -- including six awards for a 2007 collaboration with Robert Plant -- more than any other female artist.
TODAY'S MOON: Between last quarter moon (July 18) and new moon (July 26).