1664: New York was renamed in honour of James Duke of York, the future James II of England, after the old Dutch town of New Amsterdam surrendered to the British.
1974: Daredevil stunt driver Evel Knievel attempted to leap across the mile-wide Snake River Canyon in Idaho. A few seconds after taking off mechanical trouble struck his £400,000 Sky Cycle 2 bike and Evel floated gently down to earth. His failure reportedly earned the star £250,000.
1910: The world's first mid-air collision occurred between two aeroplanes flying over Austria. One pilot broke a leg but the other escaped unhurt. They had been unable to avoid each other since childhood for the pilots were brothers!
1157: England's most absent monarch King Richard I was born. Although he reigned for nearly ten years he was only in the country twice, a grand total of 160 days.
1921 and 1925: Goons Harry Secombe and Peter Sellers were born on this day.
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