Today in History

Today is Wednesday, Nov. 4, the 308th day of 2015. There are 57 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Nov. 4, 1955, Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young died in Newcomerstown, Ohio, at age 88.

On this date:

In 1884, Democrat Grover Cleveland was elected to his first term as president, defeating Republican James G. Blaine.

In 1922, the entrance to King Tutankhamen's tomb was discovered in Egypt.

In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge, who'd succeeded the late President Warren G. Harding, was elected to a full term of office; Nellie T. Ross of Wyoming was elected the nation's first female governor to serve out the remaining term of her late husband, William B. Ross.

In 1939, the United States modified its neutrality stance in World War II, allowing "cash and carry" purchases of arms by belligerents, a policy favoring Britain and France.

In 1942, during World War II, Axis forces retreated from El Alamein in North Africa in a major victory for British forces commanded by Lt. Gen. Bernard Montgomery.

In 1952, Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected president, defeating Democrat Adlai Stevenson. The highly secretive National Security Agency came into existence.

In 1964, comedian Lenny Bruce was convicted by a three-judge panel in New York of obscenity charges stemming from his performances at the Cafe Au Go Go in Greenwich Village. (Bruce received a posthumous pardon in 2003 from New York Gov. George Pataki.)

In 1979, the Iran hostage crisis began as militants stormed the United States Embassy in Tehran, seizing its occupants; for some of them, it was the start of 444 days of captivity.

In 1980, Republican Ronald Reagan won the White House as he defeated President Jimmy Carter by a strong margin.

In 1991, Ronald Reagan opened his presidential library in Simi Valley, California; in attendance were President George H.W. Bush and former Presidents Jimmy Carter, Gerald R. Ford and Richard Nixon -- the first-ever gathering of five past and present U.S. chief executives.

In 1995, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by a right-wing Israeli minutes after attending a festive peace rally. Retired professor Morris Schwartz of "Tuesdays with Morrie" fame died in Newton, Massachusetts, at age 78.

In 2008, Democrat Barack Obama was elected the first black president of the United States, defeating Republican John McCain.

Ten years ago: Violent anti-U.S. protests broke out in Mar Del Plata, Argentina, where President George W. Bush was promoting free trade at the Summit of the Americas. Jewish Defense League activist Earl Krugel, imprisoned for his role in a bomb plot, died after being assaulted in a federal prison in Phoenix; he was 62. Actress Sheree North, 73, died in Los Angeles.

Five years ago: Australian airline Qantas grounded all six of its Airbus A380 superjumbo jets after one of them blew out an engine over Indonesia; the plane made a safe emergency return to Singapore with 469 people aboard. An AeroCaribbean ATR 72 crashed in a mountainous area of Cuba, killing all 68 people on board. Hall of Fame baseball team manager Sparky Anderson died in Thousand Oaks, California, at age 76.

One year ago: Riding a powerful wave of voter discontent, resurgent Republicans captured control of the Senate and tightened their grip on the House during the 2014 elections. A Russian member of the Taliban made his first appearance in a federal court in Richmond, Virginia, marking the first time a military detainee from Afghanistan had been brought to the U.S. for trial. (In August 2015, a federal jury convicted Irek Hamidullin of planning and leading a Taliban attack on U.S. forces in Afghanistan.) Actor Richard Schaal, 86, died in Woodland Hills, California. S. Donald Stookey, 99, the inventor of CorningWare, died in Rochester, New York.

Today's Birthdays: Actress Doris Roberts is 85. Actress Loretta Swit is 78. Rhythm-and-blues singer Harry Elston (Friends of Distinction) is 77. Blues singer Delbert McClinton is 75. Former first lady Laura Bush is 69. Actress Ivonne Coll (TV: "Jane the Virgin") is 68. Actress Markie Post is 65. Rock singer-musician Chris Difford (Squeeze) is 61. Country singer Kim Forester (The Forester Sisters) is 55. Actress-comedian Kathy Griffin is 55. Actor Ralph Macchio is 54. "Survivor" host Jeff Probst is 54. Actor Matthew McConaughey is 46. Rapper-producer Sean "Puffy" Combs is 46. Talk show host Bethenny Frankel is 45. Actor Anthony Ruivivar is 45. Soul/jazz singer Gregory Porter is 44. Rhythm-and-blues singer Shawn Rivera (Az Yet) is 44. Celebrity chef Curtis Stone is 40. Actress Heather Tom is 40. Rhythm-and-blues/gospel singer George Huff is 35. Actress Emme Rylan is 35. Actress Gillian Zinser is 30.

Thought for Today: "A boy becomes an adult three years before his parents think he does, and about two years after he thinks he does." -- Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, Selective Service director (1893-1977).

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