In the interests of avoiding the sweep, let's shake things up. Here's what June 14 has brought the rest of the world, outside the Arizona Diamondbacks. But still, at least in some cases, tangentially connected to it.
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1789 – Whiskey distilled from maize is first produced by American clergyman the Rev Elijah Craig. It is named Bourbon because Rev Craig lived in Bourbon County, Kentucky. Good job he didn't live somewhere else in the state, or we could be going into a liquor store and asking for a bottle of McCracken.
- 1822 – Charles Babbage proposes a difference engine in a paper to the Royal Astronomical Society entitled "Note on the application of machinery to the computation of astronomical and mathematical tables". In a remarkable feat of prediction, his final paragraph said, "and it can also be used to post amusing pictures of cats, spread inaccurate urban legends and complain about the performance of sportsmen. LOL :-)"
- 1947 – Roswell UFO incident: a supposed UFO crash lands in Roswell, New Mexico. 15 years later, Demi Moore is born there. Coincidence? I think not. The US military reverse-engineered technology found at the crash scene at their secret base in Area 51, and eventually use it to develop Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper. I mean, a 19-year old who doesn't want to drink? That's because alcohol is not compatible with his alien blood. Coincidence they both play for Washington? I think not.
- It's also Mourning and Hope Day in Lithuania. Which, by coincidence, usually gets celebrated on the North Side of Chicago round about this point in the baseball season as well, where it's called "Wait 'Til Next Year Day". Oh, hang on: Wikipedia tells me it's in "remembrance of whose who were exiled to Siberia as part of Soviet genocide in Lithuania." I thus feel bad about using it as an excuse for a crap Cubs joke now