This Day in History: May 25

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This Day In History: May25

Take a look at all of the important historical events that took place on May 25.

On this day, May 25 ...

1965: Muhammad Ali knocks out Sonny Liston in the first round of their world heavyweight title rematch in Lewiston, Maine. (Ali's victory generates controversy over whether he truly connected when he sent Liston crashing to the canvas with a right to the head or whether it was a "phantom punch," implying that the fight was fixed.)

Also on this day:

• 1927: Ford ends production of the Model T after 20 years.
• 1935: Babe Ruth hits his last three career home runs — Nos. 712, 713 and 714 — for the Boston Braves in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
• 1961: President John F. Kennedy tells Congress: "I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth."

• 1986: An estimated 7 million Americans participate in "Hands Across America" to raise money for the nation's hungry and homeless.
• 1992: Jay Leno makes his debut as host of NBC's "Tonight Show," succeeding Johnny Carson.
• 2008: NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander arrives on the Red Planet to begin searching for evidence of water; the spacecraft confirms the presence of water ice at its landing site.

• 2011: The final episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" airs in the United States.

• 2012: SpaceX becomes the first commercial spacecraft to dock at the International Space Station.

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• 2017: Surrounded by stone-faced allies, President Trump rebukes fellow NATO members for failing to meet the military alliance's financial benchmarks.
• 2018: Harvey Weinstein is charged in New York with rape and another sex felony in the first prosecution to result from the wave of allegations against him.