Today in History

Today is Monday, Oct. 27, the 300th day of 2014. There are 65 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Oct. 27, 1914, author-poet Dylan Thomas was born in Swansea, Wales.

On this date:

In 1787, the first of the Federalist Papers, a series of essays calling for ratification of the United States Constitution, was published.

In 1858, the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, was born in New York City.

In 1880, Theodore Roosevelt married his first wife, Alice Lee.

In 1904, the first rapid transit subway, the IRT, was inaugurated in New York City.

In 1922, the first annual celebration of Navy Day took place.

In 1938, Du Pont announced a name for its new synthetic yarn: "nylon."

In 1947, "You Bet Your Life," starring Groucho Marx, premiered on ABC Radio. (It later became a television show on NBC.)

In 1954, U.S. Air Force Col. Benjamin O. Davis Jr. was promoted to brigadier general, the first black officer to achieve that rank in the USAF. Walt Disney's first television program, titled "Disneyland" after the yet-to-be completed theme park, premiered on ABC.

In 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, a U-2 reconnaissance aircraft was shot down while flying over Cuba, killing the pilot, U.S. Air Force Maj. Rudolf Anderson Jr.

In 1978, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin (men-AH'-kem BAY'-gihn) were named winners of the Nobel Peace Prize for their progress toward achieving a Middle East accord.

In 1980, opera star Beverly Sills gave her last public performance during a farewell gala at New York's Lincoln Center.

In 1995, a sniper killed one soldier and wounded 18 others at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. (Paratrooper William J. Kreutzer was convicted in the shootings, and condemned to death; however, the sentence was later commuted to life in prison.)

Ten years ago: The Boston Red Sox won their first World Series since 1918, sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 4, 3-0. New York City's subway system marked its 100th anniversary. Bandleader Lester Lanin died in New York at age 97.

Five years ago: Eight American troops were killed in two separate bomb attacks in southern Afghanistan. Michael Jackson's last work, the documentary "Michael Jackson: This Is It," opened.

One year ago: The Boston Red Sox beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 to tie the World Series at two games apiece; the game finished with a pickoff play, a first in postseason history. Lou Reed, 71, who radically challenged rock's founding promise of good times and public celebration as leader of the Velvet Underground and a solo artist and was a founder of indie rock, died in Southampton, New York.

Today's Birthdays: Actress Nanette Fabray is 94. Actor-comedian John Cleese is 75. Author Maxine Hong Kingston is 74. Country singer Lee Greenwood is 72. Producer-director Ivan Reitman is 68. Country singer-musician Jack Daniels is 65. Rock musician Garry Tallent (Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band) is 65. Author Fran Lebowitz is 64. Rock musician K.K. Downing is 63. TV personality Jayne Kennedy is 63. Actor-director Roberto Benigni is 62. Actor Peter Firth is 61. Actor Robert Picardo is 61. World Golf Hall of Famer Patty Sheehan is 58. Singer Simon Le Bon is 56. Country musician Jerry Dale McFadden (The Mavericks) is 50. Internet news editor Matt Drudge is 48. Rock musician Jason Finn (Presidents of the United States of America) is 47. Rock singer Scott Weiland (WY'-land) is 47. Actor Sean Holland is 46. Actress Sheeri Rappaport is 37. Actor David Walton is 36. Violinist Vanessa-Mae is 36. Actress-singer Kelly Osbourne is 30. Actress Christine Evangelista is 28.

Thought for Today: "He who seeks rest finds boredom. He who seeks work finds rest." Dylan Thomas (1914-1953).