On this day in 2005, March of the Penguins, a French-made documentary about emperor penguins in Antarctica, opens in theaters across the United States. March of the Penguins went on to win numerous awards, including an Oscar, and became one of the highest-grossing documentaries in movie history. March of the Penguins followed the yearlong reproductive […]
Continue ReadingBombers Attempt To Attack London Transit System
On this day in 2005, terrorists attempt to attack the London transit system by planting bombs on three subways and on one bus; none of the bombs detonate completely. The attempted attack came exactly two weeks after terrorists killed 56 people, including themselves, and wounded 700 others in the largest attack on Great Britain since […]
Continue ReadingTerrorists Attack London Transit System At Rush Hour
On the morning of July 7, 2005, bombs are detonated in three crowded London subways and one bus during the peak of the city’s rush hour. The synchronized suicide bombings, which were thought to be the work of al-Qaida, killed 56 people including the bombers and injured another 700. It was the largest attack on […]
Continue ReadingLast Ford Thunderbird Produced
The last Thunderbird, Ford Motor Company’s iconic sports car, emerges from a Ford factory in Wixom, Michigan on this day in 2005. Ford began its development of the Thunderbird in the years following World War II, during which American servicemen had the opportunity to observe sleek European sports cars. General Motors built the first American […]
Continue ReadingTom Cruise Raises Eyebrows
The actor Tom Cruise has an infamous interview with Matt Lauer, host of NBC’s morning talk show Today, on this day in 2005. During the interview, Lauer challenged Cruise about critical comments the actor had made regarding the actress Brooke Shields’ use of anti-depressant medications to treat her post-partum depression. One of Hollywood’s most bankable […]
Continue ReadingControversy At U.S. Grand Prix
After 14 Formula One race car drivers withdraw due to safety concerns over the Michelin-made tires on their vehicles, German driver Michael Schumacher wins a less-than-satisfying victory at the United States Grand Prix on this day in 2005. The race, held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana, will go down one of the […]
Continue ReadingPolice Search Van Der Sloot Home In Holloway Disappearance
On this day in 2005, more than two weeks after American teen Natalee Holloway vanished while on a high school graduation trip to the Caribbean island of Aruba, police there search the home of 17-year-old Joran Van der Sloot, one of the last known people to see the young woman alive. Although Van der Sloot […]
Continue ReadingGeorge Mikan Dies
On June 1, 2005, Basketball Hall of Famer George Mikan dies at age 80. The first true gate attraction in professional basketball, Mikan drew fans to NBA games at a time when the league’s success was far from assured. George Lawrence Mikan was born June 18, 1924, in Joliet, Illinois, and was an awkward 6 […]
Continue ReadingDeep Throat Is Revealed
W. Mark Felt’s family ends 30 years of speculation, identifying Felt, the former FBI assistant director, as “Deep Throat,” the secret source who helped unravel the Watergate scandal. The Felt family’s admission, made in an article in Vanity Fair magazine, took legendary reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who had promised to keep their source’s […]
Continue ReadingDanica Patrick Becomes First Woman To Lead Indy 500
On this day in 2005, 23-year-old Danica Patrick becomes the first female driver to take the lead in the storied Indianapolis 500. Having previously distinguished herself in the Toyota Atlantic series, Patrick had qualified fourth–another best for a woman–for the 89th Indianapolis 500, only her fifth Indy Racing League event. (Toyota Atlantic served as a […]
Continue Reading