MAY 25: The Daily Flashback

1895: Playwright-poet-novelist Oscar Wilde was convicted of a morals charge and sentenced to prison in London.
1925: John Scopes was indicted for teaching the Darwinian theory in school.
1935: Babe Ruth hit his final home run, his 714th, setting a career record that would stand for 39 years.
1962: The soundtrack album to the film version of “West Side Story” went to No. 1 in the US, where it stayed for a record 54 (non-consecutive) weeks.
1969: The film “Midnight Cowboy” opened in New York.
1973: Mike Oldfield released his album Tubular Bells, the title track of which would later become the theme for the movie “The Exorcist.”
1977: “Star Wars” (later retitled “Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope”) opened and became the largest grossing film to date.
1978: In London, Keith Moon performed with The Who for the last time.
1983: “The Return of the Jedi” opened nationwide. It set a new record in opening day box office sales with a gross of $6,219,629.
1986: Approximately seven million Americans participated in “Hands Across America” to raise money for the hungry and homeless.
1992: Jay Leno debuted as the new permanent host of NBC-TV’s “Tonight Show.”
2004: Trey Anastasio announced that after 21 years together, Phish was splitting up. The band reunited in 2009.
2005: Carrie Underwood won Season 4 of “American Idol” and became the shows most successful alum.

BIRTHDAYS
1803: Ralph W. Emerson
1921: Hal David
1926: Kitty Kallen
1927: Norman Petty
1929: Beverly Sills
1936: Tom T. Hall
1938: Raymond Carver
1943: Leslie Uggams
1944: Frank Oz
1956: Sugar Minott
1958: Paul Weller
1976: Cillian Murphy

DEATHS
1934: Gustav Holst
1994: Eric Gale
1996: Brad Nowell
2005: Domenic Troiano
2006: Desmond Dekker