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Today in History: May 15

1213 King John submits to the Pope, offering to make England and Ireland papal fiefs. Pope Innocent III lifts the interdict of 1208.

1252 Pope Innocent IV issues the papal bull ad exstirpanda, which authorizes, but also limits, the torture of heretics in the Medieval Inquisition

1702 The War of Spanish Succession begins.

1864 At the Battle of New Market, Virginia Military Institute cadets repel a Union attack.

1886 Emily Dickinson dies in Amherst, Mass., where she had lived in seclusion for the previous 24 years.

1930 Ellen Church becomes the first airline stewardess.

1942 The United States begins rationing gasoline.

1972 Gov. George Wallace is shot by Arthur Bremer in Laurel, Maryland.

1988 Soviets forces begin their withdrawal from Afghanistan.

2019 Mexico City declares an environmental emergency after air pollution reaches dangerous levels

2020 Germany, Europe's largest economy, officially in recession due to COVID-19, as figures show economy shrank 2.2% 1st 3 months of 2020

2023 Martha Stewart is Sports Illustrated oldest-ever cover model at 81, appearing as part of its swimsuit issue

Born on May 15
1856 Lyman Frank Baum, author (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz).

1902 Richard Daley, mayor of Chicago through the 1960s and early 1970's.

1926 Peter Shaffer, English playwright (Equus, Amadeus), twin brother of Anthony Shaffer.

Joke of the Day
A guy is golfing by himself and shanks a ball hard.

He yells, "Goddamn it all to hell!"
St. Peter hears him and asks God, "Aren't you going to do anything about that?"
God says, "Yep."
Next hole is a long par five over water ending in a dog leg. The guy tees up and crushes the ball. It hits the water but just as it does, a turtle surfaces. The ball bounces off the turtle's shell and gets another hundred yards. Just as its about to stop rolling, a squirrel runs over and grabs the ball before being immediately snatched by a gorgeous red tail hawk. The hawk flies him off and just over the green the squirrel drops the ball. The ball hits the green, rolls and falls in the hole.
Most amazing par five hole-in-one in history.
St. Peter, astonished says, "You call that punishment?"
God replies, "Yep. There was nobody around to see it."