Today in History

Today is Friday, May 25, the 145th day of 2018. There are 220 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On May 25, 1968, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis was dedicated by Vice President Hubert Humphrey and Interior Secretary Stewart Udall.

On this date:

In 1521, Martin Luther was branded a heretic and had his writings banned by the Edict of Worms because of his religious beliefs.

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 1793, Father Stephen Theodore Badin became the first Roman Catholic priest to be ordained in the United States during a ceremony in Baltimore.

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

In 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."

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 1942, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Joseph Stilwell, frustrated over being driven out of Burma by Japanese forces during World War II, told reporters in Delhi, India: "I claim we got a hell of a beating."

In 1957, the third tube of the Lincoln Tunnel connecting New York and New Jersey was opened to traffic.

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 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 April 2017, former store clerk Pedro Hernandez, convicted of killing Etan, was sentenced to at least 25 years in prison.)

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: A tornado tore through the Parkersburg, Iowa, area, killing nine people. NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander arrived on the Red Planet to begin searching for evidence of water; the spacecraft confirmed the presence of water ice at its landing site. Seven crashes and spinouts marred the first Indianapolis 500 since the two warring open-wheel series (CART and IRL) came together under the IndyCar banner; Scott Dixon stayed ahead of the trouble to win the race. The French film "The Class" won top honors at the Cannes Film Festival. J.R. Simplot, Idaho's billionaire potato king, died in Boise at age 99.

Five years ago: Making his first official trip to sub-Saharan Africa, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry demanded that Nigeria respect human rights as it cracked down on Islamist extremists and pledged to work hard in the coming months to ease tensions between Sudan and South Sudan. A French soldier, Cedric Cordier, was wounded in the throat in a busy commercial district outside Paris; a suspect was later arrested. Marshall Lytle, 79, the original bass player for Bill Haley & His Comets, died in New Port Richey, Florida.

One year ago: Surrounded by stone-faced allies, President Donald Trump rebuked fellow NATO members for failing to meet the military alliance's financial benchmarks. Republican Greg Gianforte won a special election for Montana's sole U.S. House seat a day after being charged with assaulting a reporter.

oday's Birthdays: Actress Ann Robinson is 89. Former White House news secretary Ron Nessen is 84. Country singer-songwriter Tom T. Hall is 82. Actor Sir Ian McKellen is 79. Country singer Jessi Colter is 75. Actress-singer Leslie Uggams is 75. Movie director and Muppeteer Frank Oz is 74. Actress Karen Valentine is 71. Actress Jacki Weaver is 71. Rock singer Klaus Meine (The Scorpions) is 70. Actress Patti D'Arbanville is 67. Playwright Eve Ensler is 65. Musician Cindy Cashdollar is 63. Actress Connie Sellecca is 63. Rock singer-musician Paul Weller is 60. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., is 58. Actor-comedian Mike Myers is 55. Actor Matt Borlenghi is 51. Actor Joseph Reitman is 50. Rock musician Glen Drover is 49. Actress Anne Heche is 49. Actresses Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush (TV: "Little House on the Prairie") are 48. Actor-comedian Jamie Kennedy is 48. Actress Octavia Spencer is 48. Actor Justin Henry is 47. Rapper Daz Dillinger is 45. Actress Molly Sims is 45. Singer Lauryn Hill is 43. Actress Erinn Hayes is 42. Actor Cillian Murphy is 42. Actor Ethan Suplee is 42. Rock musician Todd Whitener is 40. Actor Corbin Allred is 39. Actress-singer Lauren Frost is 33. Actress Ebonee Noel is 28. Musician Guy Lawrence (Disclosure) is 27. Olympic gold medal gymnast Aly Raisman is 24.

Thought for Today: "There is nothing final about a mistake, except its being taken as final." -- Phyllis Bottome, English author (1884-1963).