Today in History: Houdini is born; the longest NHL game ever is played; and, the beaver becomes Canada's official symbol

In 1580 , what are believed to have been the first bombs were tossed at the town of Guelderland , Germany .

In 1634 , the first Roman Catholic mass in English North America was celebrated at St. Mary’s , Maryland .

In 1803 , famed educator Egerton Ryerson was born in Norfolk County , Upper Canada .

In 1999 , NATO planes began three months of bombing the Serbian province of Kosovo in a successful effort to force Serbian troops to withdraw.

In 2008 , Bhutan , the small Himalayan country, became the world’s newest democracy.

In 2010 , the groundbreaking court martial of Capt. Robert Semrau began in Gatineau , Que . He was charged with second -degree murder in the death of a Taliban insurgent in Afghanistan .

In 2019 , Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels finalized a $432 million , 12-year contract that shattered the record for the largest deal in North American sports history.

The 2020 Summer Olympics were officially postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2020 , Canada ’s chief medical health officer said the ratio of travel-related to community transmission of the virus is about equal.