Associated Press
Today in History: Monday, August 17, 2015
On Aug. 17, 1896, a prospecting party discovered gold in Alaska, a finding that touched off the Klondike Gold Rush.
1915- A mob in Cobb County, Ga., lynched Jewish businessman Leo Frank, who had been sentenced on flimsy evidence for the murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan.
1943- The Allied conquest of Sicily was completed as U.S. and British forces entered Messina.
1945- Indonesian nationalists declared independence from the Netherlands.
1962- East German border guards shot and mortally wounded 18-year-old Peter Fechter, who had attempted to cross over the Berlin Wall into the western sector.
1969- Hurricane Camille slammed into the Gulf Coast, killing 248 people.
1987- Rudolf Hess, the last member of Adolf Hitler’s inner circle, died at Spandau prison in West Berlin at age 93, apparently a suicide. He had been the only inmate at Spandau for 21 years.
1992- Actor-director Woody Allen admitted being romantically involved with Soon-Yi Previn, the adopted daughter of his longtime companion, actress Mia Farrow.
1998- President Bill Clinton underwent grand jury questioning in the Monica Lewinsky scandal.
1998- Russia devalued the ruble.
2002- Pope John Paul II arrived in Krakow, Poland, for the ninth and final visit to his native country during his papacy.
2005- Israeli security forces began the forcible removal of Jews from four settlements in the Gaza Strip.
2008- American swimmer Michael Phelps and three teammates won the 400-meter medley relay for Phelps’ record-breaking eighth gold medal at the Beijing Olympics.
2010- A mistrial was declared on 23 corruption charges against ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. (He was convicted of 17 counts of corruption in a retrial.)
Today’s Birthdays:
Actor Robert De Niro turns 72 years old today.
Maureen O’Hara, Actress, 95
V.S. Naipaul, Nobel Prize-winning author, 83
Guillermo Vilas, Tennis Hall of Famer, 63
Kevin Rowland, Rock singer (Dexy’s Midnight Runners), 62
Belinda Carlisle, Singer (The Go-Gos), 57
Sean Penn, Actor, 55
Jon Gruden, Football coach, sportscaster, 52
Maria McKee, Country singer, 51
Jill Cunniff, Rock musician (Luscious Jackson), 49
Donnie Wahlberg, Actor, singer, 46
Jim Courier, Tennis Hall of Famer, 45
Jorge Posada, Baseball player, 44
Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia turns 32 years old today.