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TODAY IN KENTUCKY HISTORY

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Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Shepherdsville native James Turner Morehead, Kentucky’s 12th governor, born in 1797 in Bullitt County.  The U.S. Senator was the 1st native-born Kentuckian to become governor.  James’s family soon moved to Russellville in Logan County after his birth.

May 24-25, 1840, Kentucky organized a grand celebration of Fort Boonesborough in Madison County. Between 7,000 and 10,000 people attended; 3,000 were ladies.  Governor Wickliffe reviewed 11 military companies.  Mrs. French, a daughter of Col. Richard Calloway, kidnapped by Native Americans, also participated, along with other pioneers.  Unfortunately, a great torrent of rain caused havoc on the festivities.

Thursday, May 24, 1900, Ildrim won the 34th Belmont Stakes over six others by a head and set a new stakes record.  The 1 3/8 miles had a post time of 4:33 and went in 2:21 ¾.  He did not run in the May 3 Derby nor the May 29 Preakness.

Wednesday, May 24, 1905, Tanya won the 39th Belmont Stakes, the 1st running at Belmont Park.  Tanya became the 2nd filly to win the race.  The distance was 1 ¼  miles and she went off as the favorite at 2-1 over six other colts.  The winning connections earned $16,240.  It would take another century before another filly would win when Rags to Riches won in 2007.  As a two-year-old, Tanya won the Hopeful, National Stallion, and Spinaway Stakes.

On May 24, 1935, Springfield native and Reds pitcher Paul Derringer started the 1st night game in major league history.  President Franklin D. Roosevelt turned on the stadium lights from the White House, and the Reds beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2–1.

Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Nicholasville native Donald Alan “Don” Brumfield, born in 1938.  Brumfield held the Churchill Downs record for the all-time leading rider in races won (925) until Pat Day broke it.  Don also won 16 riding titles under the Twin Spires.

May 24, 1951, Army 1LT Randall G. Sammons from Fayette County and Army PFC Willie Beckley from Jefferson County died in the Korean War.

May 24, 1960, Patrolman Delmar Whitworth, Sr., Jefferson County Police Department, died in an automobile accident while responding to a call.  The patrol car crossed the center median and struck another car head-on.

On May 24, 1962, the 2nd American Space Pilot circled around the world.  Scott Carpenter, “Boy, the sunrises and sunsets!  They are more beautiful than anything I have ever seen on earth.”  John Glenn made the 1st orbit in February.

May 24, 1968, Army SP4 Larry R. McFadden from Paintsville in Johnson County and Marine Corps PFC Jerry L. Hilbert from Jefferson County died in the Vietnam War.

May 24, 1969, Army SFC Orville Hampton from Cattlesburg in Boyd County and Army PFC Gary A. Wallace from Louisville, died in the Vietnam War.

On May 24, 1971, Glasgow native Denny Doyle hit a home run, as a Philly, against Cincinnati pitcher Gary Nolan; it was the only hit in the game.  Doyle has the distinction of having the only hit in three one-hitters during his career.  This was the 2nd of his three games.

May 24, 1976, Muhammad Ali (52-2) fought Richard Dunn (33-9) in Olympic Hall, Munich, West Germany.  Ali’s skills were waning, and Dunn fought hard.  But Ali knocked him down five times in five rounds before the fight stopped.  Dunn was the last fighter Ali would knock down.  After the fight, Ali donated his gloves to a British boxer who had lost his eye.  Inside the gloves it was written: “Ali wins” in one, and “Round five” in the other.

May 24, 1981, Louisville surgeon Dr. Walter Hume, Jr. spoke out on the spiraling cost of hospital stays in Kentucky and elsewhere in the U.S.  The daily hospital bill of an average patient had doubled in the past five years.  To compound the issue, Kentucky Department of Insurance approved a rate hike for Blue Cross to raise plans 25%.

May 24, 1982, Betty Truax from Finchville caught a state record Redear Sunfish (Shellcracker) weighing 3 lbs., 1 oz. in a Shelby County farm pond.

May 24, 1997, Affirmed broke his maiden at Belmont Park.  He followed up his 1st win by taking the Youthful Stakes on June 15, where he defeated Alydar by eight lengths.

May 24, 2001, preliminary findings pointed to cyanide poisoning from caterpillars which caused losses of foals and fetuses on Kentucky horse farms.  The leaves of the Black Cherry trees contained cyanide.  The caterpillars would eat the leaves, which have immunity to the poison, and the horses would eat the caterpillars.  More than 500 cases of stillbirths and deaths of newborn thoroughbred foals shook the industry.

On May 24, 2007, President G.W. Bush nominated Cardiologist Dr. James W. Holsinger, Jr. as the new U.S. Surgeon General.  Holsinger’s nomination became controversial over anti-gay bias, and the Senate never voted on him.  Dr. Holsinger served as secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services for Kentucky and was chancellor of the UK Chandler Medical Center for nine years.  He graduated from Biblical studies from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore.

On May 24, 2015, Mitch told the press he would try one more time to extend three laws that chipped away at Americans’ right to privacy and civil liberties in the name of fighting terrorism.  One law would allow the National Security Agency to listen to American citizens’ phone calls.  Unfortunately, Mitch and the Obama Administration worked with the deep state and extended the laws.

On May 24, 2016, Governor M. Bevin scrapped the existing Kentucky Horse Park Commission, including former 1st Lady Jane Beshear, and appointed a new commission.  AG A. Beshear incorrectly claimed he lacked the authority to do so.  However, Andy got his mother and friends back on the job after he became governor.

On May 24, 2017, the Koch brothers announced they would target 19-term U.S. Rep Hal Rogers over his wasteful government spendingAmericans for Prosperity ran ads against the Kentuckian for his work of the $1.3 trillion budget bill Congress approved in March.

May 24, 2019, while Williamstown’s Noah’s Ark sued five insurance companies for not covering flood damage, Transylvania named an interim president a week after President Carcy suddenly resigned days earlier.

May 24, 2021, as the real estate market continued to boom in the Commonwealth, Senator Rand Paul announced he would not take the coronavirus vaccine.  He claimed to have natural immunity after testing positive in in 2020.