Today in History

Today is Saturday, April 10, the 100th day of 2021. There are 265 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On April 10, 1947, Brooklyn Dodgers President Branch Rickey purchased the contract of Jackie Robinson from the Montreal Royals.

On this date:

In 1912, the British liner RMS Titanic set sail from Southampton, England, on its ill-fated maiden voyage.

In 1932, German President Paul Von Hindenburg was reelected in a runoff, with Adolf Hitler coming in second.

In 1963, the fast-attack nuclear submarine USS Thresher (SSN-593) sank during deep-diving tests east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in a disaster that claimed 129 lives.

In 1971, a table tennis team from the United States arrived in China at the invitation of the communist government for a goodwill visit that came to be known as "ping-pong diplomacy."

In 1972, the United States and the Soviet Union joined some 70 nations in signing an agreement banning biological warfare.

In 1981, imprisoned IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands was declared the winner of a by-election to the British Parliament.

In 1992, comedian Sam Kinison was killed in a car crash outside Needles, California, at age 38.

In 1998, the Northern Ireland peace talks concluded as negotiators reached a landmark settlement to end 30 years of bitter rivalries and bloody attacks.

In 2005, Tiger Woods won his fourth Masters with a spectacular finish of birdies and bogeys.

In 2010, Polish President Lech Kaczynski, 60, was killed in a plane crash in western Russia that also claimed the lives of his wife and top Polish political, military and church officials. "Designing Women" co-star Dixie Carter, 70, died in Houston.

In 2015, the Apple Watch made its debut.

In 2019, scientists released the first image ever made of a black hole, revealing a fiery, doughnut-shaped object in a galaxy 53 million light-years from earth.

Ten years ago: The House Homeland Security Committee examined Muslim extremism in America during a hearing punctuated by tearful testimony and angry recriminations. (Chairman Peter King, R-N.Y., accused U.S. Muslims of doing too little to help fight terror in America; Democrats warned of inflaming anti-Muslim sentiment.)

Five years ago: Donald Trump and his Republican rivals turned their presidential debate in Miami into a mostly respectful but still pointed discussion of Social Security, Islam, trade and more. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made an official visit to the White House. Sir Ken Adam, the British film production designer behind the sets for some of the James Bond movies and "Dr. Strangelove," died in London at age 95.

One year ago: The worldwide death toll from the coronavirus surged past 100,000. On Good Friday, Pope Francis presided over a torch-lit procession in an otherwise empty St. Peter's Square, with nurses and doctors among those holding a cross.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Liz Sheridan is 92. Football Hall of Famer John Madden is 85. Actor Steven Seagal is 69. Folk-pop singer Terre Roche (The Roches) is 68. Actor Peter MacNicol is 67. Actor Olivia Brown is 64. Rock musician Steven Gustafson (10,000 Maniacs) is 64. Singer-producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds is 63. Rock singer-musician Brian Setzer is 62. Rock singer Katrina Leskanich is 61. Actor Jeb Adams is 60. Olympic gold medal speedskater Cathy Turner is 59. Rock musician Tim "Herb" Alexander is 56. R&B singer Kenny Lattimore is 54. Actor-comedian Orlando Jones is 53. Rock musician Mike Mushok (Staind) is 52. Rapper Q-Tip (AKA Kamaal) is 51. Actor David Harbour is 46. Blues singer Shemekia Copeland is 42. Actor Laura Bell Bundy is 40. Actor Harry Hadden-Paton is 40. Actor Chyler Leigh is 39. Pop musician Andrew Dost (fun.) is 38. Actor Ryan Merriman is 38. Singer Mandy Moore is 37. Actor Barkhad Abdi is 36. Actor Shay Mitchell is 34. Actor Haley Joel Osment is 33. Actor Molly Bernard (TV: "Younger") is 33. Country singer Maren Morris is 31. Actor Alex Pettyfer is 31. Actor-singer AJ (AKA Amanda) Michalka is 30. Actor Daisy Ridley is 29. Singer-actor Sofia Carson is 28. Actor Audrey Whitby is 25. Actor Ruby Jerins is 23.