This week in American History

Here is what happened this week in American History.

• June 16. On this day in 2014, baseball great Tony Gwynn dies from complication of cancer at the age of 54. One of the game’s most prolific players, Gwynn ends his career as the National League batting champion eight times, is an All Star 15 times, will win five Golden Glove awards plus seven Silver Slugger awards. He maintained a lifetime batting average of .338 recording 3,141 hits, 135 homeruns and 1,138 runs batted in. Gwynn was also an accomplished basketball player.

• June 17. Today in 1579, America is not yet a country when British explorer Sir Frances Drake lands in what is now northern California. He calls the land Nova Albion and claims it for England. The historical record indicates that Drake and his crew had friendly interactions with the Coast Miwok Native Americans.

• June 18. In 1923, Checker Taxi puts its own cabs on the streets. Checker had been using vehicles manufactured by other companies before purchasing Commonwealth Motors, a company in financial trouble. This will ultimately lead to the ubiquitous Checker Cab Model A8 which began production in 1956. It will continue in production until 1982.

• June 19. On this day in 1964, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 passes but only after a grueling filibuster in the Senate that lasting 83 days. As much as the Democrats proclaim wanting to abolish the filibuster, Democrats would utilize the filibuster against the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

• June 20. Today in 1975, with one of the still most recognizable musical scores in movie history, the movie “Jaws” is released.

• June 21. In 1942, since an unprepared America was pulled into World War II, German U-boats have devastated shipping along the country’s East Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico. It has been a “happy time” for the U-boats as they sink more ships and tonnage than at any other time in the war. But that time is over. Initially show to react, America is now instituting convoys and massive patrols to drive the U-boats away.

• June 22. On this day in 2009, a subway train collides with another subway train near the Fort Totten station in Washington, DC. Nine people are killed and nearly 100 injured. The cause was determined to be a faulty track sensor.

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