This Day in History: June 9th

This Day in History: French navigator Jacques Cartier becomes the first European to explore the St. Lawrence River, 1534; Union and rebel cavalry clash at the Battle of Brandy Station, Virginia in a spirited skirmish which showed that Confederate General Jeb Stuart wasn't invincible, his team barely defeating the Union troops after a single cannon shot from a nearby hill scared them into thinking there was an entire artillery regiment behind it, a lead-in to the Battle of Gettysburg which occurred three weeks later, 1863; Charles Dickens dies of a stroke at the age of 58, the writer having penned some of the most outstanding works in English literature, including "A Tale of Two Cities", "Oliver Twist" and "A Christmas Carol", 1870; a flash flood on the Minnelusa River near Rapid City, South Dakota destroys the Pactola Dam, killing 238 people, 1972; Secretariat becomes the first horse in 25 years to win the Triple Crown of racing when he wins by a record-breaking 31 lengths against the field of challengers, 1973; Larry Bird is drafted by the Boston Celtics, soon to become one of the most successful players in the history of the game, his lightning-quick moves, superb ball-handling and superior shooting stunning audiences across the country, 1978