Today in History

Today is Tuesday, Sept. 4, the 247th day of 2018. There are 118 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Sept. 4, 1951, President Harry S. Truman addressed the nation from the Japanese peace treaty conference in San Francisco in the first live, coast-to-coast television broadcast.

On this date:

In 1781, Los Angeles was founded by Spanish settlers under the leadership of Governor Felipe de Neve.

In 1917, the American Expeditionary Forces in France suffered their first fatalities during World War I when a German plane attacked a British-run base hospital in Camiers.

In 1944, during World War II, British troops liberated Antwerp, Belgium.

In 1957, Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus used Arkansas National Guardsmen to prevent nine black students from entering all-white Central High School in Little Rock. Ford Motor Co. began selling its ill-fated Edsel.

In 1962, The Beatles, with their new drummer, Ringo Starr, recorded "Love Me Do" at EMI Studios in London. (The more familiar version with substitute drummer Andy White and Starr playing the tambourine was recorded a week later.)

In 1971, an Alaska Airlines jet crashed near Juneau, killing all 111 people on board.

In 1972, U.S. swimmer Mark Spitz won a seventh gold medal at the Munich Olympics in the 400-meter medley relay.

In 1987, a Soviet court convicted West German pilot Mathias Rust of charges stemming from his daring flight to Moscow's Red Square, and sentenced him to four years in a labor camp. (Rust was released in August 1988.)

In 1998, Internet services company Google filed for incorporation in California.

In 1999, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat signed a breakthrough land-for-security agreement during a ceremony in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.

In 2006, "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin, 44, died after a stingray's barb pierced his chest.

In 2014, comedian Joan Rivers died at a New York hospital at age 81, a week after going into cardiac arrest in a doctor's office during a routine medical procedure.

Ten years ago: With a pledge that "change is coming," Sen. John McCain accepted the Republican presidential nomination at the party's convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, vowing to vanquish what he called the "constant partisan rancor" gripping Washington. The Dow industrial average fell 344.65 points to 11,188.23 on gloomy economic data. Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in a sex scandal, forcing the Democrat out of office after months of defiantly holding onto his job.

Five years ago: Responding to President Barack Obama's request, a sharply divided Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 10-7 to authorize the "limited and specified use" of U.S. armed forces against Syria.

One year ago: Texas emergency management officials said at least 60 deaths were attributed to Hurricane Harvey. Colombia's government and the country's last remaining major rebel group signed a cease-fire ahead of a visit by Pope Francis. J.D. Martinez hit four home runs for the Arizona Diamondbacks, tying the major league record; he was the 18th player in major league history to accomplish the feat. (The Diamondbacks beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 13-0 for their 11th straight win.) Newspaper publisher Tronc, publisher of the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune, announced that it had acquired the New York Daily News. (The company would cut the Daily News' newsroom staff in half the following July.)

Today's Birthdays: Actress Mitzi Gaynor is 87. Actor Kenneth Kimmins is 77. Singer Merald "Bubba" Knight (Gladys Knight & The Pips) is 76. TV personality and veterinarian Dr. Jan Pol (TV: "The Incredible Dr. Pol") is 76. World Golf Hall of Famer Raymond Floyd is 76. Actress Jennifer Salt is 74. World Golf Hall of Famer Tom Watson is 69. Rhythm-and-blues musician Ronald LaPread is 68. Actress Judith Ivey is 67. Rock musician Martin Chambers (The Pretenders) is 67. Actor Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs is 65. Actress Khandi Alexander is 61. Actor-comedian Damon Wayans Sr. is 58. Rock musician Kim Thayil is 58. Actor Richard Speight Jr. is 49. Actor Noah Taylor is 49. Actress Ione Skye is 48. Actor-singer James Monroe Iglehart is 44. Pop-rock singer-DJ-musician-producer Mark Ronson is 43. Rhythm-and-blues singer Richard Wingo (Jagged Edge) is 43. Rock musician Ian Grushka (New Found Glory) is 41. Actor Wes Bentley is 40. Actor Max Greenfield is 39. Singer Dan Miller (O Town) is 38. Singer Beyonce Knowles is 37. Country singer-musician Tom Gossin (Gloriana) is 37. Actress-comedian Whitney Cummings is 36. Actor-comedian Kyle Mooney (TV: "Saturday Night Live") is 34. Folk-rock musician Neyla Pekarek) (The Lumineers) is 32. Pop-rock singer-songwriter James Bay is 28. Actor Carter Jenkins is 27. Actor Trevor Gagnon is 23.

Thought for Today: "This moment contains all moments." -- C.S. Lewis, British author (1898-1963).