Today in History

Today in History

Today is Monday, Oct. 3, the 277th day of 2016. There are 89 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Oct. 3, 1951, the New York Giants captured the National League pennant by a score of 5-4 as Bobby Thomson hit a three-run homer off Ralph Branca of the Brooklyn Dodgers in the "shot heard 'round the world."

On this date:

In 1789, President George Washington declared November 26, 1789, a day of Thanksgiving to express gratitude for the creation of the United States of America.

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November Thanksgiving Day.

In 1922, Rebecca L. Felton, D-Ga., became the first woman to be appointed to the U.S. Senate (however, she served only a day).

In 1932, Iraq became independent of British administration.

In 1941, Adolf Hitler declared in a speech in Berlin that Russia had been "broken" and would "never rise again." ''The Maltese Falcon" -- the movie version starring Humphrey Bogart and directed by John Huston -- opened in New York.

In 1962, astronaut Wally Schirra became the fifth American to fly in space as he blasted off from Cape Canaveral aboard the Sigma 7 on a 9-hour flight.

In 1974, Frank Robinson was named major league baseball's first black manager as he was placed in charge of the Cleveland Indians.

In 1981, Irish nationalists at the Maze Prison near Belfast, Northern Ireland, ended seven months of hunger strikes that had claimed 10 lives.

In 1990, West Germany and East Germany ended 45 years of postwar division, declaring the creation of a reunified country.

In 1991, Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton entered the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

In 1995, the jury in the O.J. Simpson murder trial in Los Angeles found the former football star not guilty of the 1994 slayings of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ronald Goldman (however, Simpson was later found liable for damages in a civil trial).

In 2008, O.J. Simpson was found guilty of robbing two sports-memorabilia dealers at gunpoint in a Las Vegas hotel room. (Simpson was later sentenced to nine to 33 years in prison.)

Ten years ago: North Korea triggered global alarm by saying it would conduct a nuclear test, but the North also said it was committed to nuclear disarmament, suggesting a willingness to negotiate. A Turkish man hijacked a jetliner traveling from Albania to Istanbul, forcing it to land in southern Italy, where he surrendered and released all the passengers unharmed. Americans John C. Mather and George F. Smoot won the Nobel Prize in physics.

Five years ago: An Italian appeals court freed Amanda Knox of Seattle after four years in prison, tossing murder convictions against Knox and an ex-boyfriend in the stabbing of their British roommate, Meredith Kercher. Three scientists, Bruce Beutler of the U.S., Jules Hoffmann of France and Canadian-born Ralph Steinman (who had died three days earlier), won the Nobel Prize in medicine. Arthur C. Nielsen Jr., 92, who'd acquired the famous TV ratings company from his father, died in Winnetka, Illinois.

One year ago: Vice President Joe Biden, addressing the Human Rights Campaign dinner in Washington, threw his unequivocal support behind letting transgender people serve openly in the U.S. military, as the Obama administration considered whether and when to lift the longstanding ban (which it did in June 2016). A U.S. airstrike on a Doctors Without Borders hospital in the northern Afghanistan city of Kunduz killed 14 staff and 28 patients and caretakers. Max Scherzer pitched his second no-hitter of the season for Washington, leading the Nationals over the NL East champion New York Mets 2-0 for a doubleheader sweep.

Today's Birthdays: Composer Steve Reich is 80. Rock and roll star Chubby Checker is 75. Actor Alan Rachins is 74. Former Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., is 73. Magician Roy Horn is 72. Singer Lindsey Buckingham is 67. Jazz musician Ronnie Laws is 66. Blues singer Keb' Mo' is 65. Former astronaut Kathryn Sullivan is 65. Baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield is 65. Baseball Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley is 62. Civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton is 62. Actor Hart Bochner is 60. Actor Peter Frechette is 60. World Golf Hall of Famer Fred Couples is 57. Actor-comedian Greg Proops is 57. Actor Jack Wagner is 57. Actor/musician Marcus Giamatti is 55. Rock musician Tommy Lee is 54. Actor Clive Owen is 52. Actress Janel Moloney is 47. Singer Gwen Stefani (No Doubt) is 47. Pop singer Kevin Richardson is 45. Rock singer G. Love is 44. Actress Keiko Agena is 43. Actress Neve Campbell is 43. Actress Lena Headey is 43. Singer India.Arie is 41. Rapper Talib Kweli is 41. Actress Alanna Ubach is 41. Actor Seann (cq) William Scott is 40. Actress Shannyn Sossamon is 38. Rock musician Josh Klinghoffer (Red Hot Chili Peppers) is 37. Actor Seth Gabel is 35. Rock musician Mark King (Hinder) is 34. Actor Erik Von Detten is 34. Singer-musician Cherrill Green (Edens Edge) is 33. Actress Tessa Thompson is 33. Actress Meagan Holder (TV: "Pitch") is 32. Actress-singer Ashlee Simpson is 32. Rapper A$AP Rocky is 28. Actress Alicia Vikander is 28.

Thought for Today: "The worst disease in the world is the plague of vengeance." -- Dr. Karl Menninger, American psychiatrist (1893-1990).