July 31, 1984
UF swimmers have led the U.S. Olympic swimming team to victory, winning medals in four of the nine meets to date.
One Gators competitor, Tracy Caulkins, broke her own previously held American record in the 400-meter race, coming in at 4:39:24, nine seconds before the Australian silver medalist's time.
Mike Heath, another of the Gators Olympiads, has already received two honors on the platform: a silver medal in the 200-meter freestyle and gold in the team 800-meter freestyle with a world-record finish.
July 31, 1973
The Gainesville Eight finally stand trial against the charges of conspiracy with plans of violence, almost a year after their arrests at the 1972 Republican National Convention in Miami.
Members of the group are veterans of the Vietnam War, which they were protesting.
According to the indictment, the men met in Gainesville after their separate tours of duty and allegedly began to formulate their plans to "organize numerous 'fire teams' to attack with automatic weapons, fire and incendiary devices police stations, police cars and stores in Miami Beach."
The trial is in Pensacola, Fla.
In Gainesville, members of the group Vietnam Veterans Against the War plan a march as a demonstration of their support for the defendants.
