Today in History

Today is Saturday, Oct. 5, the 278th day of 2013. There are 87 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Oct. 5, 1921, the World Series was carried on radio for the first time as Newark, N.J. station WJZ (later WABC) relayed a telephoned play-by-play account of the first game from the Polo Grounds, where the New York Giants were facing the New York Yankees, to a studio announcer who repeated the information on the air. (Although the Yankees won the opener, 3-0, the Giants won the series, 5 games to 3.)

On this date:

In 1892, the Dalton Gang, notorious for its train robberies, was practically wiped out while attempting to rob a pair of banks in Coffeyville, Kan.

In 1910, Portugal was proclaimed a republic following the abdication of King Manuel II in the face of a coup d'etat.

In 1931, Clyde Pangborn and Hugh Herndon completed the first non-stop flight across the Pacific Ocean, arriving in Washington state some 41 hours after leaving Japan.

In 1941, former Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis -- the first Jewish member of the nation's highest court -- died in Washington at age 84.

In 1947, President Harry S. Truman delivered the first televised White House address as he spoke on the world food crisis.

In 1953, Earl Warren was sworn in as the 14th chief justice of the United States, succeeding Fred M. Vinson.

In 1962, The Beatles' first hit recording, "Love Me Do," was released in the United Kingdom by Parlophone Records. The first James Bond theatrical feature, "Dr. No" starring Sean Connery as Agent 007, premiered in London.

In 1969, the British TV comedy program "Monty Python's Flying Circus" made its debut on BBC 1.

In 1970, British trade commissioner James Richard Cross was kidnapped in Canada by militant Quebec separatists; he was released the following December.

In 1981, President Ronald Reagan signed a resolution granting honorary American citizenship to Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, credited with saving thousands of Hungarians, most of them Jews, from the Nazis during World War II.

In 1988, Democrat Lloyd Bentsen lambasted Republican Dan Quayle during their vice-presidential debate, telling Quayle, "Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy."

In 1990, a jury in Cincinnati acquitted an art gallery and its director of obscenity charges stemming from an exhibit of sexually graphic photographs by the late Robert Mapplethorpe.

In 2001, tabloid photo editor Robert Stevens died from inhaled anthrax, the first of a series of anthrax cases in Florida, New York, New Jersey and Washington. Barry Bonds set a new mark for home runs in a single season, hitting numbers 71 and 72, but San Francisco was eliminated from the playoffs with an 11-10 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Ten years ago: Israel bombed an Islamic Jihad base in Syria in the first Israeli attack deep inside Syrian territory in three decades. A woman opened fire at an Atlanta church before Sunday services, killing her mother and the minister before committing suicide. The Chicago Cubs won their first postseason series since 1908 when they beat Atlanta 5-1 in the decisive Game 5 of the National League playoffs.

Five years ago: Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin defended her claim that Barack Obama "pals around with terrorists," referring to his association on a charity board a few years earlier with 1960s radical Bill Ayers. Obama accused John McCain's campaign of trying to distract votes with "smears" rather than talking about substance.

One year ago: A month before the presidential election, unemployment fell to its lowest level, 7.8 percent, since President Barack Obama took office; some Republicans questioned whether the numbers had been manipulated.

Today's Birthdays: Actress Glynis Johns is 90. Comedian Bill Dana is 89. Actor Peter Brown is 78. College Football Hall of Fame coach Barry Switzer is 76. Rhythm-and-blues singer Arlene Smith (The Chantels) is 72. Singer-musician Steve Miller is 70. Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin, D-Md., is 70. Rock singer Brian Johnson (AC/DC) is 66. Actress Karen Allen is 62. Writer-producer-director Clive Barker is 61. Rock musician David Bryson (Counting Crows) is 59. Rock singer and famine-relief organizer Bob Geldof is 59. Architect Maya Lin is 54. Actor Daniel Baldwin is 53. Rock singer-musician Dave Dederer is 49. Hockey Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux is 48. Actor Guy Pearce is 46. Actress Josie Bissett is 43. Singer-actress Heather Headley is 39. Pop-rock singer Colin Meloy (The Decemberists) is 39. Rock musician Brian Mashburn (Save Ferris) is 38. Actress Parminder Nagra is 38. Actor Scott Weinger is 38. Actress Kate Winslet is 38. Rock musician James Valentine (Maroon 5) is 35. Rock musician Paul Thomas (Good Charlotte) is 33. Actor Jesse Eisenberg is 30. TV personality Nicky Hilton is 30. Rhythm-and-blues singer Brooke Valentine is 28. Actor Joshua Logan Moore is 19.

Thought for Today: "America has believed that in differentiation, not in uniformity, lies the path of progress. It acted on this belief; it has advanced human happiness, and it has prospered." -- Louis D. Brandeis (1856-1941).

Copyright 2013, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.