This week in local history

Historic Minnesota events with anniversaries this week.

July 24

1998 Pitcher Ila Borders of the Duluth-Superior Dukes is the first woman to win a men’s regular season professional baseball game.

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July 25

1990 The U.S. Senate votes 96-0 to denounce David Durenberger for “reprehensible” conduct as a senator. Durenberger is censured for financial misconduct, including evading the limit on outside earnings.

July 27

1972 Kidnappers abduct Virginia Piper, wife of investment banker Harry C. Piper Jr., from her home. The Minneapolis woman is released two days later — chained to a tree in the Fond Du Lac State Forest west of Cloquet— after a ransom of $1 million is paid, at the time the highest such payment ever made. Two men were eventually arrested but later acquitted in the case.

July 29

1927 The town of Beardsley sets a state record for high temperature: 114 degrees. Moorhead would equal it on July 6, 1936.

This column is derived from MNopedia.org and developed by the Minnesota Historical Society.