Today in History
Today is Saturday, Sept. 3, the 247th day of 2016. There are 119 days
left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Sept. 3, 1976,
America's Viking 2 lander touched down on Mars to take the first
close-up, color photographs of the red planet's surface. On this date:
In 1189, England's King Richard I (the Lion-Hearted) was crowned in
Westminster Abbey. In 1658, Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector of
England, died in London; he was succeeded by his son, Richard. In 1783,
representatives of the United States and Britain signed the Treaty of
Paris, which officially ended the Revolutionary War. In 1868, the
Japanese city of Edo was renamed Tokyo. In 1914, Cardinal Giacomo Della
Chiesa became pope; he took the name Benedict XV. In 1923, the United
States and Mexico resumed diplomatic relations. In 1939, Britain,
France, Australia and New Zealand declared war on Germany, two days
after the Nazi invasion of Poland. In 1940, Artie Shaw and his Gramercy
Five recorded "Summit Ridge Drive" and "Special Delivery Stomp" for RCA
Victor. In 1951, the television soap opera "Search for Tomorrow" made
its debut on CBS. In 1967, the original version of the television game
show "What's My Line? ," hosted by John Charles Daly, broadcast its
final episode after more than 17 years on CBS. In 1989, a Cubana de
Aviacion jetliner crashed after takeoff in Havana, killing all 126
aboard and 45 people on the ground. In 1991, Academy Award-winning
director Frank Capra died in La Quinta, California, at age 94. Ten
years ago: Authorities announced the capture of al-Qaida in Iraq's No.
2 leader (Hamed Jumaa Farid al-Saeedi). An apartment fire in Chicago
killed six children ages 3 to 14. Andre Agassi retired from tennis
after losing the third-round match at the U.S. Open to 112th-ranked
Benjamin Becker, 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-5. Five years ago: A judge in
North Carolina sentenced Robert Stewart to spend the rest of his life
behind bars for killing eight people at a rural nursing home in 2009.
(Stewart had opened fire on his victims, seemingly at random, as he
searched for his wife, Wanda Neal, an employee at the home.) The
Vatican vigorously rejected accusations it had sabotaged efforts by
Irish bishops to report priests who sexually abused children to police.
One year ago: A federal judge jailed Rowan County, Kentucky, Clerk Kim
Davis for refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples, but five
of her deputies agreed to issue the licenses themselves, potentially
ending the church-state standoff. (Davis was freed five days later.)
Tom Brady had his four-game "Deflategate" suspension lifted after U.S.
District Judge Richard M. Berman criticized NFL Commissioner Roger
Goodell for dispensing "his own brand of industrial justice. Judy
Carne, 76, a star of the comedy show "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In," died
at Northampton General Hospital in England. Today's Birthdays: "Beetle
Bailey" cartoonist Mort Walker is 93. Actress Pauline Collins is 76.
Rock singer-musician Al Jardine is 74. Actress Valerie Perrine is 73.
Rock musician Donald Brewer (Grand Funk Railroad) is 68. Rock guitarist
Steve Jones (The Sex Pistols) is 61. Actor Steve Schirripa is 59. Actor
Holt McCallany is 52. Rock singer-musician Todd Lewis is 51. Actor
Costas Mandylor is 51. Actor Charlie Sheen is 51. Singer Jennifer Paige
is 43. Dance-rock musician Redfoo is 41. Actress Ashley Jones is 40.
Actress Nichole Hiltz is 38. Actor Joel Johnstone is 38. Actor Nick
Wechsler is 38. Rock musician Tomo Milicevic (30 Seconds to Mars) is
37. Bluegrass musician Darren Nicholson (Balsam Range) is 33. Actress
Christine Woods is 33. Actor Garrett Hedlund is 32. Olympic gold medal
snowboarder Shaun White is 30. Hip-hop singer August Alsina is 24.
Thought for Today: "It takes courage to grow up and become who you
really are. E.E. Cummings (1894-1962).
