July 13 Birthday
On July 13, 1985, Live Aid concerts were held simultaneously at Wembley Stadium in London and JFK Stadium in Philadelphia. Organized by Bob Geldof, the concerts raised $125 million for famine relief in Ethiopia. An estimated 1.9 billion people in 150 countries watched the broadcast. Queen's performance at Wembley is widely considered the greatest live rock performance of all time. The concerts were the first global media event — a single moment experienced simultaneously by a significant portion of humanity. The first World Cup began on July 13, 1930, in Montevideo, Uruguay. Thirteen teams participated — seven from South America, four from Europe, and two from North America. The European teams had traveled for two weeks by ship to reach Uruguay. The final was won by Uruguay, 4-2 over Argentina. The tournament was organized by FIFA president Jules Rimet, who wanted a world championship. Only four European teams came because the trip was too long and too expensive. The World Cup is now the most-watched sporting event in the world, with over 3.5 billion viewers. People born on July 13 fall under the zodiac sign of Cancer. The birthstone is Ruby and the birth flower is Larkspur. Historical events on July 13 include 1930: First FIFA World Cup tournament begins in Uruguay, 1985: Live Aid concerts held simultaneously in London and Philadelphia, 1977: New York City blackout lasts 25 hours (looting and arson). Famous people born on July 13 include Bob Dole (1923), Patrick Stewart (1940), Harrison Ford (1942).