| On this date in: |
| 1814 |
Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics to “The Star-Spangled Banner” after witnessing the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in Maryland during the War of 1812. |
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| AP Photo |
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| 1901 |
President William B. McKinley died in Buffalo, N.Y., of gunshot wounds inflicted by an assassin eight days earlier. Vice President Theodore Roosevelt, 42, was sworn in, becoming the youngest president in U.S. history. |
| 1940 |
Congress passed the Selective Training and Service Act, providing for the first peacetime draft in U.S. history. |
| 1959 |
The Soviet space probe Luna 2 became the first man-made object to reach the moon as it crashed onto the lunar surface. |
| 1975 |
Pope Paul VI declared Mother Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton the first U.S.-born saint. |
| 1982 |
Princess Grace of Monaco, formerly actress Grace Kelly, died at age 52 of injuries suffered in a car crash. |
| 1994 |
The remainder of the major league baseball season was cancelled on the 34th day of a strike by players. |
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| Video |
| Highlights of This Day in History |
| Today’s Birthdays: |
| Actor-director Tyler Perry turns 47 years old today. |
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| AP Photo/Evan Agostini |
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| Name |
Profession |
Age |
| Walter Koenig |
Actor (“Star Trek”) |
80 |
| Larry Brown |
Hall of Fame basketball coach |
76 |
| Joey Heatherton |
Singer, dancer |
72 |
| Jon “Bowzer” Bauman |
Rock singer (Sha Na Na) |
69 |
| Sam Neill |
Actor |
69 |
| Melissa Leo |
Actress |
56 |
| Faith Ford |
Actress (“Faith and Hope,” “Murphy Brown”) |
52 |
| Ben Garant |
Actor (“Reno911!”) |
46 |
| Craig Montoya |
Rock musician |
46 |
| Nas |
Rapper |
43 |
| Jessica Brown Findlay |
Actress (“Downton Abbey”) |
29 |
| Actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley (“According to Jim”) turns 45 years old today. |
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| AP Photo/Evan Agostini |
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