1783 - Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier makes the first tethered balloon ascent 1877 - First session of the US 45th Congress (1877-79) convenes in Washington, D.C. 1919 - Fourteen horses begin a 300-mile race from Vermont to Massachusetts for a $1,000 prize 1940 - Heavy German air raid on London kills 400 people 1967 - The Motherland Calls, a monumental statue commemorating the Battle of Stalingrad, is completed in Volgograd, Russia, and is then the world's tallest statue, designed by Yevgeny Vuchetich 1968 - Al Oerter of the US wins the men's discus with an Olympic record of 64.78 m at the Mexico City Games, achieving his unprecedented fourth consecutive Olympic discus title 1970 - Anwar Sadat is elected as the third President of Egypt, succeeding the late Gamal Abdel Nasser 1987 - Lanford Wilson's play "Burn This" premieres in New York City More Historical Events »