IN JUNE OF 1963, VALENTINA YERESHKOVA OF RUSSIA SET TWO "FIRSTS" RECORDS. SHE BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN IN SPACE AND ALSO THE FIRST CIVILIAN IN SPACE.
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS WAS THE FIRST (AND ONLY) U.S. PRESIDENT TO USE ICE WATER IN THE WHITE HOUSE BATHTUB (HE WOULD SCRUB HIMSELF DURING HIS CHILLY BATH WITH A HORSEHAIR MITT UNTIL HIS SKIN WAS RAW) (OUCH!!).
WELL, IT IS STILL A TOSS-UP BETWEEN HILLARY CLINTON AND BARACK OBAMA FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION. IF HILLARY DOES WIN, I GUESS THE REPUBLICAN GUY WILL BE THE FIRST MAN IN HISTORY TO RUN AGAINST A WOMAN FOR U.S. PRESIDENT- RIGHT? NOPE. ULYSSES S. GRANT, OUR 18TH PRESIDENT, HAS THAT DISTINCTION. IN THE PRESIDENTAL ELECTION OF 1872, PRESIDENT GRANT FACED THE FIRST WOMAN EVER TO RUN FOR THE PREZ'S JOB- VICTORIA WOODHULL.
THE FIRST (AND ONLY) AMERICAN TO BE BURIED IN RED SQUARE WAS JOHN REED.
THE FIRST WOMAN TO DUNK THE BASKETBALL IN A W.N.B.A. GAME WAS LISA LESLIE.
EVER HEAR OF OVERTON PARK IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE? IT FEATURED A STAGE AREA WITH A BIG SHELL, IN FRONT OF WHICH THE PERFORMER WOULD DO HIS OR HER ACT. NOTHING MUCH SIGNIFICANT THERE- EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT ON JULY 30, 1954, A 19-YEAR-OLD GUITAR-PLAYING SINGER NAMED ELVIS PRESLEY PLAYED HIS FIRST PAID PERFORMANCE AT THE SHELL. SUPPOSEDLY, SOMETHING ELSE OCCURED FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THAT HISTORIC DAY. ELVIS' WORLD-FAMOUS SHAKING AND WIGGING WAS SEEN FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THAT FATEFUL DAY. ELVIS SHOOK HIS LEG WILDLY AND THE CROWD (ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG GIRLS) WENT BERSERK. "WHY ARE THEY GOING CRAZY? WHAT DID I DO?", ELVIS INNOCENTLY ASKED HIS TWO BACK-UP PLAYERS. "I DON'T KNOW, BUT KEEP DOING IT", HE WAS TOLD. ELVIS DID- AND A LEGEND WAS BORN.
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