Today in history - August 11

Throwback Thursday: A look back in history on August 11.

Firefighters battle a blaze set in a shoe store that collapses in flames during rioting in the Watts district of Los Angeles. It began with a routine traffic stop more than 50 years ago, blossomed into a protest with the help of a rumor and escalated into the deadliest and most destructive riot Los Angeles had seen.

The Watts riot broke out Aug. 11, 1965 and raged for most of a week. When the smoke cleared, 34 people were dead, more than a 1,000 were injured and some 600 buildings were damaged.

Jesse Owens

Olympic broad jump medalists salute during the medals ceremony at the Summer Olympics in Berlin, August 11, 1936. Jesse Owens won four Olympic gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Games.

From left on podium are: bronze medalist Jajima of Japan, gold medalist Jesse Owens of the United States and silver medalist Lutz Long of Germany.

British troopship

The British troopship Eastern Prince leaves Southampton, England, August 11, 1949 en route with troops for Hong Kong and the Far East. Friends and relatives of the troops wave from the dock as the ship sails.

Too tight slacks

Newlywed Lois Rabinowitz, 28-year-old secretary, is seen after she got a lecture on how to dress and was ejected from traffic court in New York City for wearing tight slacks, August 9, 1960. She went to court to pay a $10 fine for her employer, who was charged with speeding on East River Drive. Judge Edward D. Caiazzo would not allow her to pay the fine, adding "you will have to come back August 11, and you will have to be properly dressed.' Her husband Irving, delayed in parking his car, arrived later and paid the fine.

John Lennon apology

John Lennon of the Beatles, center, apologizes for his widely-publicized remark that "the Beatles are more popular than Jesus," at a Chicago news conference August 11, 1966.

The comment sparked an international protest,which included burning Beatles records. At left is George Harrison, at right is Ringo Starr.

Mother Teresa & Ted Kennedy

U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy discusses the problem of malnutrition and other diseases among refugees with Mother Teresa at the British donated "War on Want" Hospital in the Calcutta, India, airport area, during a visit on August 11, 1971.

The British handed over the management of the hospital to Mother Teresa, regarded as India's top social worker.

England to France swim

Lynn Cox, 17-year-old Californian, arrives back at Folkestone, England, August 11, 1973 after sett a new world record for an England to France swim across the Channel of 9 hours 36 minutes, clipping 21 minutes off the previous women's record which she set the previous July.

Civil rights

Metropolitan District Commission policemen walk into the water, August 11, 1975 at Carson Beach, Boston to remove black demonstrators during a civil rights demonstration in predominantly white South Boston.

Black and white bathers pelted each other with rocks and bottles over the heads of policemen who had created a no-man's lands between the two groups.

Son of Sam

Serial killer David Berkowitz, known as "Son of Sam," arrives at a Brooklyn courthouse in New York City, August 11, 1977. Berkowitz went on a shooting spree in the summer of 1977, killing six people and wounding seven others. He left letters taunting the police and promising more violence. He confessed to the eight shootings he was charged with. He professed to be following the orders of a demon who took the form of the dog belonging to his neighbor "Sam."

Pete Rose

Phillies Pete Rose is joined on the field by Stan Musial after Rose singled in the 8th inning of game, August 11, 1981 against the Cardinals in Philadelphia.

The single, Rose's 3,631 career hit, put him past Musial as the National League's all-time leader.

Air traffic controllers strike

An employee at the TWA ticket deck at London's Heathrow Airport explains the situation to an irate passenger, left, as delayed trans-Atlantic flights built up at the airport, August 11, 1981.

Carl Lewis

Calvin Smith, right, passes the baton to Carl Lewis, left, during the men's 4x100-meter semifinal relay race during the Olympics in Los Angeles at Memorial Coliseum, August 11, 1984.

The team qualified for the final and won the gold medal.

Sebastien Coe

Britain's Sebastian Coe holds up the Union Jack Saturday after winning the men's 1,500-meter race during the Los Angeles summer Olympics August 11, 1984 in Los Angeles. Coe set an Olympic record in the event.

Central Park jogger trial

Defendant Yusef Salaam enters State Supreme Court in Manhattan with his mother Sharonne Salaam, Aug. 11, 1990. The jury is in their third day of deliberations in the Central Park jogger trial.

Five black and Hispanic men were convicted in the highly publicized case that involved the horrific beating and rape of a white female jogger and gave notoriety to "wilding" in New York City's Central Park in 1989. In 2014, a federal judge approved a $41 million civil rights settlement because of the men's wrongful conviction.

The Menendez brothers

Erik Menendez looks back and smiles at the spectator section during he and his brother Lyle's murder trial, Aug. 11, 1993 in a Van Nuys courtroom in Los Angeles. The Menendez brothers are accused of murdering their parents in their $4 million Beverly Hills mansion in 1989. The brothers face the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder.