Today in History

Today in History: Friday, October  21, 2016
AP Highlight in History:
On Oct. 21, 1879, Thomas Edison invented a workable electric light at his laboratory in Menlo Park, N.J.
 

AP Photo/J. Walter Thompson

 

On this date in:
1797 The U.S. Navy frigate Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, was launched in Boston Harbor.
1805 A British fleet commanded by Adm. Horatio Nelson defeated a French and Spanish fleet in the Battle of Trafalgar; Nelson was killed in the battle.
1917 American soldiers first saw action in World War I on the front lines in France.
 

AP Photo

 

1967 Tens of thousands of Vietnam War protesters marched in Washington, D.C.
1971 President Richard M. Nixon nominated Lewis F. Powell and William H. Rehnquist to the U.S. Supreme Court.
1975 Boston Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk hit a ball that struck the left field foul pole in Boston’s Fenway Park for a home run, giving the Red Sox a 7-6 victory in 12 innings over the Cincinnati Reds in Game 6 of the World Series.
 

AP Photo/Harry Cabluck

 

1988 Former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos and his wife, Imelda, were indicted in New York on charges of fraud and racketeering.
2002 A car packed with explosives blew up next to a bus in northern Israel during rush hour; 14 people were killed in addition to two suicide attackers.
2003 Invoking a hastily-passed law, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush ordered a feeding tube reinserted into Terry Schiavo, a brain-damaged woman at the center of a bitter right-to-die battle.
Today’s Birthdays:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu turns 67 years old today.
 

AP Photo/Tara Todras-Whitehill

 

Name Profession Age
Joyce Randolph Actress (“The Honeymooners”) 92
Whitey Ford Baseball Hall of Famer 88
Manfred Mann Rock musician 76
Steve Cropper Rock musician (Booker T. & the MG’s) 75
Elvin Bishop Singer 74
Judy Sheindlin TV personality (“Judge Judy”) 74
Catherine Hardwicke Director (“Twilight”) 61
Carrie Fisher Actress, author 60
Ken Watanabe Actor 57
Melora Walters Actress (“Big Love”) 56
Jeremy Miller Actor (“Growing Pains”) 40
Michael McMillian Actor (“True Blood”) 38
TV personality Kim Kardashian turns 36 years old today.
 

AP Photo/Dan Steinberg

 

Sound Off!

Top