Today in History

Today is Monday, Sept. 10, the 254th day of 2012. There are 112 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Sept. 10, 1912, the jungle character Tarzan made his debut as "Tarzan of the Apes" by Edgar Rice Burroughs was first published in The All-Story magazine. (The novel was published in book form in 1914.)

On this date:

In 1608, John Smith was elected president of the Jamestown colony council in Virginia.

In 1813, an American naval force commanded by Oliver H. Perry defeated the British in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812.

In 1846, Elias Howe received a patent for his sewing machine.

In 1919, New York City welcomed home Gen. John J. Pershing and 25,000 soldiers who'd served in the U.S. First Division during World War I.

In 1932, New York's Independent City Owned Rapid Transit Railroad, later known as the IND, began service.

In 1939, Canada declared war on Germany.

In 1945, Vidkun Quisling was sentenced to death in Norway for collaborating with the Nazis (he was executed by firing squad in October 1945).

In 1962, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the University of Mississippi to admit James Meredith, a black student.

In 1963, twenty black students entered Alabama public schools following a standoff between federal authorities and Gov. George C. Wallace.

In 1972, at the Munich Olympics, the U.S. Olympic basketball team lost to the Soviets, 51-50, in a gold-medal match marked by controversy because officials ordered the final three seconds of the game replayed, enabling the Soviets to win; the U.S. protested, to no avail. Frank Shorter of the United States won the men's marathon.

In 1979, four Puerto Rican nationalists imprisoned for a 1954 attack on the U.S. House of Representatives and a 1950 attempt on the life of President Harry S. Truman were freed from prison after being granted clemency by President Jimmy Carter.

In 1987, Pope John Paul II arrived in Miami, where he was welcomed by President and Mrs. Reagan as he began a 10-day tour of the United States.

Ten years ago: The Bush administration raised the nationwide terror alert to yellow, its second-highest level, closed nine U.S. embassies overseas and heightened security at federal buildings and landmarks in America on the eve of the Sept. 11 anniversary. Florida's first big test of its new elections system turned into a nightmare as polling stations opened late and problems cropped up with new touchscreen voting machines. Switzerland became the 190th member of the United Nations.

Five years ago: Gen. David Petraeus, the top American commander in Iraq, told Congress he envisioned the withdrawal of roughly 30,000 U.S. troops by the summer of 2008, saying the surge in U.S. troops had met its military objectives "in large measure." Academy Award-winning actress Jane Wyman, 90, died in Palm Springs, Calif.

One year ago: On the eve of the 10th anniversary of 9/11, former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton paid tribute to the 40 passengers and crew who fought back against their hijackers aboard Flight 93 during a ceremony dedicating the first phase of a memorial in Shanksville, Pa. A pair of NASA probes -- named Grail-A and Grail-B -- rocketed toward the moon on the first mission dedicated to measuring lunar gravity and determining what's inside Earth's orbiting companion. Oscar- and Emmy-winning actor Cliff Robertson died in Stony Brook, N.Y., a day after turning 88.

Today's Birthdays: World Golf Hall of Famer Arnold Palmer is 83. Actor Philip Baker Hall is 81. Country singer Tommy Overstreet is 75. Actor Greg Mullavey is 73. Jazz vibraphonist Roy Ayers is 72. Singer Danny Hutton (Three Dog Night) is 70. Singer Jose Feliciano is 67. Actor Tom Ligon is 67. Actress Judy Geeson is 64. Former Canadian first lady Margaret Trudeau is 64. Political commentator Bill O'Reilly is 63. Rock musician Joe Perry (Aerosmith) is 62. Actress Amy Irving is 59. Country singer Rosie Flores is 56. Actress Kate Burton is 55. Movie director Chris Columbus is 54. Actor Colin Firth is 52. Rock singer-musician David Lowery (Cracker) is 52. Actor Sean O'Bryan is 49. Retired MLB All-Star pitcher Randy Johnson is 49. Rock musician Robin Goodridge (Bush) is 47. Rock musician Stevie D. (Buckcherry) is 46. Rock singer-musician Miles Zuniga (Fastball) is 46. Actress Nina Repeta is 45. Rapper Big Daddy Kane is 44. Movie director Guy Ritchie is 44. Contemporary Christian singer Sara Groves is 40. Actor Ryan Phillippe (FIHL'-ih-pee) is 38. Actor Kyle Bornheimer is 37. Rock musician Mikey Way (My Chemical Romance) is 32. Olympic bronze medal figure skater Timothy Goebel is 32. Rock musician Matthew Followill (Kings of Leon) is 28. Singer Sanjaya Malakar ("American Idol") is 23. Actress Hannah Hodson is 21.

Thought for Today: "The more one pleases everybody, the less one pleases profoundly." -- Stendhal, French author (1783-1842).

Copyright 2012, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.