Discover What Happened Today in History
The largest naval battle of World War I commenced between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet in the North Sea. The clash, involving over 250 ships, resulted in heavy losses on both sides but ended with the strategic status quo maintained.
The Great Clock of the Palace of Westminster, housing the bell known as Big Ben, started keeping time in London. It became an iconic global symbol of British culture and parliamentary democracy.
A catastrophic magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck the Ancash region of Peru, triggering a massive avalanche from Mount Huascarán that buried the town of Yungay. The disaster killed approximately 70,000 people, making it one of the deadliest earthquakes in the Western Hemisphere.
The final original Volkswagen Beetle rolled off the assembly line in Puebla, Mexico, ending a continuous production run that began in 1938. With over 21.5 million units built, it became the longest-running and most-manufactured car of a single design in history.
Baseball legend Babe Ruth played his last major league game, appearing for the Boston Braves against the Philadelphia Phillies. In a fitting finale, he hit three home runs in the game, the final ones of his illustrious career.