Images in History

George Washington (1732-1799), at left, the first President of the U.S. (1789-1797), delivers the first State of the Union address on January 8, 1790. Washington, a planter, military officer and politician, was commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783).

The January 8, 1815 Battle of New Orleans, at left, fought after the War of 1812 had been resolved. The British attack was halted at Chalmette, outside New Orleans, by a rag-tag American army under the command of General Andrew Jackson (AKA: Old Hickory; 1767-1845), at right, who became the seventh President of the U.S. (1829-1837).

American author Jack London (1876-1916) departs for Japan on January 8, 1904 to report on tensions between Russia and Japan, which led the following month to the start of the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905). London can be seen standing in the center of a group of English and American correspondents (top left) on deck aboard the steamship Siberia docked in San Francisco. London was a reporter for the San Francisco Examiner newspaper at the time. He later published an eye-witness account of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake in Collier's magazine.

London (shown at top right when writing The Call of the Wild) wrote many compelling adventure stories which translated well into films, as depicted in the poster advertisements at bottom left (1923) and right (1935).

At left, former Major League Baseball player, World Series Champion and National Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee, Frank Chance (1876-1924), becomes the manager of the New York Yankees on January 8, 1913. Playing first base for the Cubs, he was part of the memorable Cubs trio known as "Tinker to Evers to Chance" who performed innumerable double- and triple-plays. In action at right are (left) second baseman Johnny Evers (1883-1947) and (right) shortstop Joe Tinker (1880-1948).

The 38,746-ton carrier USS Lexington (CV-2), at left at sea, is laid down on January 8, 1921. The Lexington was originally classified as a battle cruiser, but was reclassified as a carrier on July 2, 1922.

Actor Jose Ferrer
Born January 8, 1912
Died January 26, 1992
Shown as Tolouse Lautrec
in Moulin Rouge (1952)

Singer-Actor Elvis Presley
Born January 8, 1935
Died August 16, 1977
"The King of
Rock 'n' Roll"

Actress Yvonne De Carlo
Born September 1, 1922
Died January 8, 2007
Shown with Tony Martin
in Casbah (1948)

Menachem Begin
Born August 16, 1913
Died January 8, 1992
Shown at right with Mrs. Vladimir
Jabotinsky and Ben Hecht, 1948.

American golfer Jack Nicklaus (1940- ) played his first professional game on January 8, 1962 at age 21 at the Los Angeles Open (he placed 50th). At left, he uses an iron to get out of a sand trap, and, at right, hits out of the rough during the 1964 PGA Championships. Called "The Golden Bear," Nicklaus, a World Golf Hall of Fame Inductee, won the Masters six times, the U.S. Open four times, the British open three times, and the PGA Championship five times. Nicklaus's eighteen career major championships stand as a PGA record. During Nicklaus' career, he amassed 114 career wins — and is considered by many to be the greatest golfer of all time.