ON THIS DAY

On this date in 1791, Congress passed a resolution ordering the U.S. Mint be established.

• Because, of course, without the U.S. Mint, there could be no Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies... right?
• Not to be confused with the U.S. Chocolate Mint.
• Immediately, the Girl Scout cookie factory immediately began working on them.

In 1845, Florida became our 27th state. It was a great deal. Spain not only gave us the state, but they threw in the Keys!

Alexander Graham Bell was born back in 1847. If his name doesn't ring a bell, his invention does... the telephone. Bell wanted the exclamation "ahoy" to be used as the standard phone greeting.

On this date in 1851, Congress authorized the smallest U.S. silver coin, the 3-cent piece. The coin also allowed people to put in their 2-cents and get change. They passed on the $3 bill. Today, that doesn't even buy gasoline vapors.

On this date in 1875, the U.S. issued its first 20-cent coin. It only lasted three years.

• It went down in history as a bad idea, although not as bad as Ben Franklin's turkey girdle.
• The phrase, "Have you got a nickel and 4/5th's of a quarter for a quarter?" just didn't catch on.

In 1879, Belva Ann Bennett Lockwood became the first woman to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court. She eventually got it right.

On this date in 1885, the U.S. Postal Service introduced Special Delivery for first class mail. What made it special was showing up in less than a month. When the mail carrier delivered it, they were required to say, "Isn't this special?"

President Hoover signs the bill that made the "Star Spangled Banner" our official national anthem in 1931.

• It was shortly afterwards that the phrase, "Play ball," was coined.
• Makes you wonder what we yelled "Play ball!" after, before that?
• You know, I once wrote a new national anthem, but no one would stand for it.
• Hey, I'm here all day. Don't forget to tip your traffic reporters.

The group "Buffalo Springfield" was formed in 1966 during a traffic jam on an L.A. freeway. With cars stopped, people got out and started stretching their legs. That's when Stephen Stills & Richie Furay saw an old acquaintance Neil Young... they started talking, and the rest was history!