July 3, 1886: The 1st Automobile

July 3, 1886: Karl Benz publicly unveils for his Benz Patent-Motorwagen in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is a motor tricycle with a rear-mounted 58.2 cubic-inch internal-combustion engine. He drives it on the Ringstrasse, at 10 miles per hour.

It is the first automobile. It was financed by the dowry of his wife, the former Bertha Ringer.

Karl Friedrich Michael Vaillant was born on November 25, 1844 in Mühlburg, Baden-Württemberg. His parents, Josephine Vaillant and Johann Georg Benz, were not yet married at the time of his birth. After their marriage, he was renamed Karl Friedrich Benz.

Although he was only 2 years old when his father died, Karl followed him into the profession of locomotive engineering. He combined this with his love of bicycles, and looked for a way to combine them into a single vehicle. The Benz Patent-Motorwagen was the result.

In 1888, Bertha Benz drove Benz Patent-Motorwagen Number 3 from Mannheim to Pforzheim, Baden-Württemberg -- 121 miles. She did this without telling her husband. This drive, and the Number 3's display at the 1889 World's Fair in Paris, helped to popularize the automobile.

Gottlieb Daimler was working on an automobile as early as 1885, and made his first successful one in 1892. His engineering partner was Emil Jellinek, who had a daughter named Mercedes. Daimler died in 1900, and he and Benz never met. Nevertheless, in 1926, 3 years before Karl Benz died, the companies merged as Daimler Benz. "Mercedes-Benz," or just "Mercedes," would become renowned as the greatest automobiles in the world -- even if German competitors BMW (Bavarian Motor Werks) would call their car, in commercials airing in America, "the ultimate driving machine."

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July 3, 1886 was a Saturday. These games were played in baseball's National League:

* The New York Giants beat the Chicago White Stockings, 7-3 at West Side Park in Chicago. The White Stockings became the Cubs in 1903, although their former name would be taken up by an AL team in 1901, later shortened to "White Sox."

* The Detroit Wolverines beat the Boston Beaneaters, 7-5 at Recreation Park in Detroit. The Wolverines would win the Pennant in 1887, but rising costs forced them out of business after the next season. The Beaneaters would go through a few name changes, before becoming the Braves in 1912.

* The St. Louis Maroons beat the Washington Nationals, 3-2 at an early version of Sportsman's Park in St. Louis. This would be the last season for the Maroons. The Nationals were consolidated out of existence after the 1899 season, although their name would be taken up by the moved Montreal Expos in 2005.

* The Philadelphia Quakers beat the Kansas City Cowboys, 8-2 at Association Park in Kansas City. This would be the only season for the Cowboys. The Quakers became the Phillies in 1891.

And in the American Association:

* The New York Metropolitans beat the Louisville Colonels, 15-7 at Eclipse Park in Louisville, Kentucky. The Metropolitans, like the NL team founded in 1962, were called the Mets for short, but only lasted 1 more season. The Colonels joined the NL in 1892, but were consolidated out of existence after the 1899 season.

* The Brooklyn Grays lost to the St. Louis Browns, 4-0 at Sportsman's Park. The Grays joined the NL in 1890, the Browns in 1892. The Browns would become the Cardinals in 1900, although their former name would be taken up by an AL team in 1902. The Grays would go through a few name changes, and became the Dodgers in 1911.

* The Baltimore Orioles beat the Pittsburgh Alleghenys, 12-3 at Recreation Park in Pittsburgh. The Alleghenys joined the NL in 1887, the Orioles in 1892. The Alleghenys became the Pirates in 1891. The Orioles were consolidated out of existence after the 1899 season, although their name would be taken up by the St. Louis Browns when they moved to Baltimore in 1954.

* The Cincinnati Red Stockings beat the Philadelphia Athletics, 8-2 at American Park in Cincinnati. The Red Stockings joined the NL and changed their name to the Reds, both in 1890. That same year, this version of the Athletics folded, though their name would be taken up by an AL team in 1901.