Today in History

Today is Wednesday, Feb. 25, the 56th day of 2015. There are 309 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Feb. 25, 1940, a National Hockey League game was televised for the first time by New York City station W2XBS as the New York Rangers defeated the Montreal Canadiens, 6-2, at Madison Square Garden.

On this date:

In 1836, inventor Samuel Colt patented his revolver.

In 1901, United States Steel Corp. was incorporated by J.P. Morgan.

In 1905, the Upton Sinclair novel "The Jungle" was first published in serial form by the Appeal to Reason newspaper.

In 1913, the 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, giving Congress the power to levy and collect income taxes, was declared in effect by Secretary of State Philander Chase Knox.

In 1922, French serial killer Henri Landru, convicted of murdering 10 women and the son of one of them, was executed in Versailles.

In 1943, Allied troops reoccupied the Kasserine Pass after clashing with German troops during World War II.

In 1950, "Your Show of Shows," starring Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner and Howard Morris, debuted on NBC-TV.

In 1964, Eastern Airlines Flight 304, a DC-8, crashed shortly after taking off from New Orleans International Airport, killing all 58 on board. Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) became world heavyweight boxing champion as he defeated Sonny Liston in Miami Beach.

In 1973, the Stephen Sondheim musical "A Little Night Music" opened at Broadway's Shubert Theater.

In 1986, President Ferdinand Marcos fled the Philippines after 20 years of rule in the wake of a tainted election; Corazon Aquino assumed the presidency.

In 1991, during the Persian Gulf War, 28 Americans were killed when an Iraqi Scud missile hit a U.S. barracks in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

In 1994, American-born Jewish settler Baruch Goldstein opened fire with an automatic rifle inside the Tomb of the Patriarchs in the West Bank, killing 29 Muslims before he was beaten to death by worshippers.

Ten years ago: Municipal employee and church leader Dennis Rader was arrested for the BTK ("bind, torture, kill") serial slayings that had terrorized Wichita, Kansas. (Rader later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 10 life prison terms.) A suicide bombing killed four Israelis outside a Tel Aviv nightclub, shattering an informal truce. Amnesty International founder Peter Benenson died in Oxford, England, at age 83. Hall of Fame basketball coach John Chaney was suspended for the rest of the regular season by Temple for ordering rough play by one of his players during a game against Saint Joseph's. The Walt Disney Co. agreed to sell the Anaheim Mighty Ducks to billionaire Henry Samueli and his wife, Susan, for $75 million.

Five years ago: President Barack Obama convened a health care summit with Democrats and Republicans; after a day of debate and disagreement, the president concluded the talkfest with a bleak assessment that an accord might not be possible. In Vancouver, the Canadian women beat the United States 2-0 for their third straight Olympic hockey title. Americans Billy Demong and Johnny Spillane finished 1-2 in a Nordic combined race. Yuna Kim of South Korea won ladies' figure skating.

One year ago: In a blunt warning to Afghan President Hamid Karzai, President Barack Obama threatened to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 if a crucial security pact wasn't signed. (U.S. and Afghan officials signed the pact in Sept. 2014.) Jim Lange, the first host of the popular game show "The Dating Game," died in Mill Valley, California, at age 81.

Today's Birthdays: Country singer Ralph Stanley is 88. Actor Tom Courtenay is 78. CBS newsman Bob Schieffer is 78. Actress Diane Baker is 77. Actress Karen Grassle is 73. Humorist Jack Handey is 66. Movie director Neil Jordan is 65. Rock musician Dennis Diken (The Smithereens) is 58. Rock singer-musician Mike Peters (The Alarm; Big Country) is 56. Actress Veronica Webb is 50. Actor Alexis Denisof is 49. Actress Tea Leoni is 49. Comedian Carrot Top is 48. Actress Lesley Boone is 47. Actor Sean Astin is 44. Singer Daniel Powter is 44. Latin singer Julio Iglesias Jr. is 42. Rhythm-and-blues singer Justin Jeffre is 42. Rock musician Richard Liles is 42. Actor Anson Mount is 42. Comedian-actress Chelsea Handler is 40. Actress Rashida Jones is 39. Country singer Shawna Thompson (Thompson Square) is 37. Actor Justin Berfield is 29. Actors James and Oliver Phelps ("Harry Potter" movies) are 29. Rock musician Erik Haager (Carolina Liar) is 28.

Thought for Today: "He who never leaves his country is full of prejudices." -- Carlo Goldoni, Italian playwright (born this date in 1707, died 1793).

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