Today is Tuesday, July 31, the 213th day of 2012. There are 153 days left in the year.
1498 ― Christopher Columbus discovers island of Trinidad
1777 ― Marquis de Lafayette, 19, made major-general of Continental Army
1912 ― U.S. government prohibits movies and photos of prize fights (censorship)
1922 ― 18-year-old Ralph Samuelson rides world's first water skis (Minn.)
1925 ― Unemployment Insurance Act passed in England
1949 ― Lightning strikes a baseball field in Fla., kills the short stop and third baseman
1960 ― Elijah Muhammad, leader of Nation of Islam, calls for a black state
1980 ― Soyuz 37 crew returns to Earth aboard Soyuz 36
1981 ― The 42-day-long, second major league baseball strike ends
1990 ― Nolan Ryan becomes the 20th major league pitcher to win 300 games