Today in History

Today is Wednesday, May 25, the 146th day of 2016. There are 220 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On May 25, 1916, the Chicago Tribune published an interview with Henry Ford in which the automobile industrialist was quoted as saying, "History is more or less bunk. It's tradition. We don't want tradition. We want to live in the present and the only history that is worth a tinker's dam is the history we make today."

On this date:

In 1787, the Constitutional Convention began at the Pennsylvania State House (Independence Hall) in Philadelphia after enough delegates had shown up for a quorum.

In 1810, Argentina began its revolt against Spanish rule with the forming of the Primera Junta in Buenos Aires.

In 1935, Babe Ruth hit his last three career home runs -- nos. 712, 713 and 714 -- for the Boston Braves in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. (The Pirates won, 11-7.)

In 1946, Transjordan (now Jordan) became a kingdom as it proclaimed its new monarch, Abdullah I.

In 1959, the U.S. Supreme Court, in State Athletic Commission v. Dorsey, struck down a Louisiana law prohibiting interracial boxing matches. (The case had been brought by Joseph Dorsey Jr., a black professional boxer.)

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy told Congress: "I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth."

In 1968, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis was dedicated by Vice President Hubert Humphrey and Interior Secretary Stewart Udall.

In 1977, the first "Star Wars" film (retroactively designated "Episode IV: A New Hope") was released by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.

In 1979, 273 people died when an American Airlines DC-10 crashed just after takeoff from Chicago's O'Hare Airport. Six-year-old Etan Patz disappeared while on his way to a school bus stop in lower Manhattan.

In 1981, daredevil Dan Goodwin, wearing a Spiderman costume, scaled the outside of Chicago's Sears Tower in 7 1/2 hours.

In 1986, an estimated 7 million Americans participated in "Hands Across America" to raise money for the nation's hungry and homeless.

In 1992, Jay Leno made his debut as host of NBC's "Tonight Show," succeeding Johnny Carson.

Ten years ago: President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair held a White House news conference in which they acknowledged making costly mistakes in Iraq, but vowed to keep troops there until the fragile new government took hold. Former Enron Corp. chiefs Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling were convicted in Houston of conspiracy and fraud for the company's downfall. (Lay died in July 2006 from heart disease and his convictions were vacated; Skilling was resentenced to 14 years in prison after his original 24-year sentence was overturned.) Pope Benedict XVI began a four-day pilgrimage to Poland, the homeland of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II.

Five years ago: President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron confronted complex security debates over Afghanistan, Libya and economic growth during Obama's state visit to London. A judge in Salt Lake City sentenced street preacher Brian David Mitchell to life in prison for kidnapping and raping Elizabeth Smart, who was 14 at the time of her abduction in 2002. A judge in Tucson, Arizona, ruled that Jared Lee Loughner, the man accused of wounding U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and killing six in a shooting rampage, was mentally incompetent to stand trial. Scotty McCreery, a 17-year-old high school student from Garner, North Carolina, won "American Idol" on Fox. After a 25-year run, "The Oprah Winfrey Show" aired its final broadcast, which had been taped the day before.

One year ago: On Memorial Day, President Barack Obama saluted Americans who had died in battle, telling listeners at Arlington National Cemetery the country must "never stop trying to fully repay them" for their sacrifices. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was sentenced to eight months in prison for unlawfully accepting money from a U.S. supporter.

Today's Birthdays: Actress Ann Robinson is 87. Former White House news secretary Ron Nessen is 82. Author W.P. Kinsella is 81. Country singer-songwriter Tom T. Hall is 80. Actor Sir Ian McKellen is 77. Country singer Jessi Colter is 73. Actress-singer Leslie Uggams is 73. Movie director and Muppeteer Frank Oz is 72. Actress Karen Valentine is 69. Actress Jacki Weaver is 69. Rock singer Klaus Meine (The Scorpions) is 68. Actress Patti D'Arbanville is 65. Playwright Eve Ensler is 63. Actress Connie Sellecca is 61. Rock singer-musician Paul Weller is 58. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., is 56. Actor-comedian Mike Myers is 53. Actor Matt Borlenghi is 49. Actor Joseph Reitman is 48. Rock musician Glen Drover is 47. Actress Anne Heche (haych) is 47. Actresses Sidney and Lindsay Greenbush (TV: "Little House on the Prairie") are 46. Actor-comedian Jamie Kennedy is 46. Actress Octavia Spencer is 46. Actor Justin Henry is 45. Rapper Daz Dillinger is 43. Actress Molly Sims is 43. Singer Lauryn Hill is 41. Actress Erinn Hayes is 40. Actor Cillian Murphy is 40. Actor Ethan Suplee is 40. Rock musician Todd Whitener is 38. Actor Corbin Allred is 37. Actress-singer Lauren Frost is 31. Musician Guy Lawrence (Disclosure) is 25. Olympic gold medal gymnast Aly Raisman is 22.

Thought for Today: "History is something that never happened, written by someone who wasn't there." -- Author unknown.