July 17th
1821
Spain ceded Florida to the United States.
1898
Spain surrendered to the United States at Santiago, Cuba, ending the Spanish-American War.
1938
"Wrong Way Corrigan" took off from New York, purportedly aiming for California and landing in Ireland.
1941
The longest hitting streak in baseball history ended when the Cleveland Indians pitchers held New York Yankee Joe DiMaggio hitless for the first time in 57 games. The streak had begun on May 15, 1941.
1945
President Harry Truman, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill meet at the opening of the Potsdam Conference.
1955
Disneyland opened in Anaheim, Calif.
1959
Jazz singer Billie Holiday died at age 44.
1961
Baseball Hall of Famer Ty Cobb died at age 74.
1975
The American Apollo and Soviet Soyuz spacecraft linked up for the first time.
Birthdays
97 Art Linkletter TV personality
92 Phyllis Diller Comedian
84 Jimmy Scott Jazz singer
74 Diahann Carroll Actress, singer
74 Donald Sutherland Actor
67 Spencer Davis Rock singer, musician
67 Connie Hawkins Basketball Hall of Famer
60 Terry "Geezer" Butler Rock musician (Black Sabbath)
58 Lucie Arnaz Actress
57 David Hasselhoff Actor ("Baywatch," "America's Got Talent")
57 Fran Smith Jr. Rock musician (The Hooters)
57 Phoebe Snow R&B singer
53 Bryan Trottier Hockey Hall of Famer
49 Mark Burnett TV producer ("Survivor," "The Apprentice")
49 Nancy Giles Actress
46 Regina Belle R&B singer
45 Craig Morgan Country singer
43 Lou Barlow Rock musician
42 Opusfxd Cigar Asylum Inmate
41 Andre Royo Actor ("The Wire")
41 Bitty Schram Actress
40 Jason Clarke Actor
33 Luke Bryan Country singer
33 Eric Winter Actor
30 SmokeyNL Cigar Asylum Inmate
21 Summer Bishil Actress
?? Bigwaved Cigar Asylum Inmate
?? RPmark Cigar Asylum Inmate
70 Elbridge Gerry 7/17/1744 - 11/23/1814 American Revolutionary leader and U.S. vice president (1813-14)
84 John Jacob Astor 7/17/1763 - 3/29/1848 German-born American founder of the Astor dynasty
86 James Cagney 7/17/1899 - 3/30/1986 American motion-picture actor
73 William Gargan 7/17/1905 - 2/16/1979 American motion-picture and television actor