The Soviet Union launched the first animal to orbit the earth
into space—a dog nicknamed Laika—aboard the Sputnik 2
spacecraft.

Laika (above) part Siberian husky, lived as a stray on the
Moscow streets before being enlisted into the Soviet space
program.

Electrodes attached to her body provided scientists on the
ground with important information about the biological
effects of space travel. She died from overheating and
panic.

Model of Sputnik 2 at the Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics
in Moscow.

On August 14, 1971, St. Louis Cardinals ace Bob Gibson threw
the first no-hitter of his storied career. Gibson’s heroics helped
his team sail to an 11-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Gibson died on October 2, 2020, at age 84, under hospice care
after fighting pancreatic cancer for more than a year.

Robert Gibson (Pack Robert Gibson) 
(November 9, 1935 – October 2, 2020)

Nicknamed "Gibby" and "Hoot"
(after actor Hoot Gibson)

DALLAS (AP) — A rare near-mint condition copy of the first Marvel
Comics comic book has sold at auction in Dallas for $1.26 million.

Heritage Auctions says the Marvel Comics No. 1 from 1939 sold
Thursday. Heritage says the buyer wished to remain anonymous.

Ed Jaster, senior vice president at Heritage, calls it "a historic copy
of a historic comic book." The issue features the first appearances
of characters such as the Human Torch, Ka-Zar, Angel and the Sub-
Mariner.

Heritage says the comic book was first purchased at a newsstand
by a Uniontown, Pennsylvania, mail carrier who made a practice of
buying the first issue of comic books and magazines. Jaster says
that since then, the issue has only changed owners a handful of
times.

Carlota Bradley