Today in History

Today is Saturday, Oct. 11, the 284th day of 2014. There are 81 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Oct. 11, 1984, Challenger astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan became the first American woman to walk in space as she and fellow Mission Specialist David C. Leestma spent 3 1/2 hours outside the shuttle.

On this date:

In 1614, The New Netherland Co. was formed by a group of merchants from Amsterdam and Hoorn to set up fur trading in North America.

In 1779, Polish nobleman Casimir Pulaski, fighting for American independence, died two days after being wounded during the Revolutionary War Battle of Savannah, Georgia.

In 1890, the Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in Washington.

In 1910, Theodore Roosevelt became the first former U.S. president to fly in an airplane during a visit to St. Louis.

In 1932, the first American political telecast took place as the Democratic National Committee sponsored a program from a CBS television studio in New York.

In 1944, the classic films "To Have and Have Not," starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, and "Laura," starring Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews, opened in New York.

In 1958, the lunar probe Pioneer 1 was launched; it failed to go as far out as planned, fell back to Earth and burned up in the atmosphere.

In 1968, Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo mission, was launched with astronauts Wally Schirra, Donn Fulton Eisele and R. Walter Cunningham aboard. The government of Panama was overthrown in a military coup.

In 1979, Allan McLeod Cormack and Godfrey Newbold Hounsfield were named co-recipients of the Nobel Prize for Medicine for their work in developing the CAT scan X-ray.

In 1986, President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev opened two days of talks concerning arms control and human rights in Reykjavik, Iceland.

In 1991, testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Anita Hill accused Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexually harassing her; Thomas re-appeared before the panel to denounce the proceedings as a "high-tech lynching."

In 2002, former President Jimmy Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Ten years ago: European Union foreign ministers lifted sanctions against Libya and eased an arms embargo. Shiite militia fighters started turning in weapons in Baghdad's Sadr City under a weapons-for-cash disarmament program. Norwegian Finn Kydland and American Edward Prescott were named recipients of the Nobel economics prize.

Five years ago: Thousands of gay rights supporters marched from the White House to the U.S. Capitol. A 22-hour attack on Pakistan's army headquarters in Rawalpindi ended with nine militants and 14 others dead. A Russian Soyuz capsule carrying Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte and two other space travelers landed safely in Kazakhstan.

One year ago: The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons won the Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to stop chemical warfare. Tyrese Ruffin, the 2-year-old son of Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, died at a South Dakota hospital two days after being admitted with severe head injuries; Joseph Patterson faces trial on charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter and aggravated assault. Carlos Beltran hit an RBI single in the 13th inning to lift the St. Louis Cardinals over the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 in the NL championship series opener.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Earle Hyman is 88. Former U.S. Defense Secretary William Perry is 87. Actor Ron Leibman is 77. Actor Amitabh Bachchan is 72. Country singer Gene Watson is 71. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., is 64. Rhythm-and-blues musician Andrew Woolfolk is 64. Actress-director Catlin Adams is 64. Country singer Paulette Carlson is 63. Actor David Morse is 61. Actor Stephen Spinella is 58. Pro and College Football Hall of Famer Steve Young is 53. Actress Joan Cusack is 52. Rock musician Scott Johnson (Gin Blossoms) is 52. Comedy writer and TV host Michael J. Nelson is 50. Actor Sean Patrick Flanery is 49. Actor Lennie James is 49. College Football Hall of Famer and former NFL player Chris Spielman is 49. Actor Luke Perry is 48. Country singer-songwriter Todd Snider is 48. Actor-comedian Artie Lange is 47. Actress Jane Krakowski is 46. Rapper U-God (Wu-Tang Clan) is 44. Rapper MC Lyte is 43. Figure skater Kyoko Ina is 42. Actor/writer Nat Faxon is 39. Singer NeeNa Lee is 39. Actress Emily Deschanel is 38. Actor Matt Bomer is 37. Actor Trevor Donovan is 36. Actress Michelle Trachtenberg is 29. Golfer Michelle Wie is 25.

Thought for Today: "Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life." -- Immanuel Kant, German philosopher (1724-1804).

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