Today in History

Today in History

Today is Tuesday, Oct. 27, the 300th day of 2015. There are 65 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Oct. 27, 1787, the first of the Federalist Papers, a series of essays calling for ratification of the United States Constitution, was published.

On this date:

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 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 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 1990, death claimed bandleader Xavier Cugat at age 90, author Elliott Roosevelt at age 80 and French movie director Jacques Demy ("The Umbrellas of Cherbourg") at age 59.

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; the sentence was later commuted to life in prison.)

In 2004, the Boston Red Sox won their first World Series since 1918, sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 4, 3-0.

Ten years ago: White House counsel Harriet Miers withdrew her nomination to the Supreme Court after three weeks of brutal criticism from fellow conservatives. As many Floridians continued to struggle to find food, water and fuel in the wake of Hurricane Wilma, President George W. Bush visited the state to inspect the damage. Tropical Storm Beta formed in the Caribbean Sea, becoming the 23rd tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.

Five years ago: Dozens of Jewish extremists hoisting Israeli flags defiantly marched through the Arab-Israeli town of Umm el-Fahm, chanting "death to terrorists" and touching off clashes between rock-hurling residents and police. Former Argentine President Nestor Kirchner died at age 60. The San Francisco Giants won the first game of the World Series, defeating the Texas Rangers 11-7.

One year ago: The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended new restrictions for people at highest risk for coming down with the Ebola virus and symptom monitoring for those at lower risk. Toronto elected John Tory, a moderate conservative, as the new mayor, ending the scandal-ridden Rob Ford era.

Today's Birthdays: Actress Nanette Fabray is 95. Actor-comedian John Cleese is 76. Author Maxine Hong Kingston is 75. Country singer Lee Greenwood is 73. Producer-director Ivan Reitman is 69. Country singer-musician Jack Daniels is 66. Rock musician Garry Tallent (Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band) is 66. Author Fran Lebowitz is 65. Rock musician K.K. Downing is 64. TV personality Jayne Kennedy is 64. Actor-director Roberto Benigni is 63. Actor Peter Firth is 62. Actor Robert Picardo is 62. World Golf Hall of Famer Patty Sheehan is 59. Singer Simon Le Bon is 57. Country musician Jerry Dale McFadden (The Mavericks) is 51. Internet news editor Matt Drudge is 49. Rock musician Jason Finn (Presidents of the United States of America) is 48. Rock singer Scott Weiland is 48. Actor Sean Holland is 47. Actor Channon Roe is 46. Actress Sheeri Rappaport is 38. Actor David Walton is 37. Violinist Vanessa-Mae is 37. Actress-singer Kelly Osbourne is 31. Actress Christine Evangelista is 29. Actor Troy Gentile is 22.

Thought for Today: "Happiness is a way station between too much and too little." -- Channing Pollock, American author and dramatist (1880-1946).