Today in History

Today is Sunday, Oct. 3, the 276th day of 2021. There are 89 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Oct. 3, 1974, Frank Robinson was named major league baseball's first Black manager as he was placed in charge of the Cleveland Indians.

On this date:

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

In 1941, Adolf Hitler declared in a speech in Berlin that Russia had been "broken" and would "never rise again."

In 1944, during World War II, U.S. Army troops cracked the Siegfried Line north of Aachen, Germany.

In 1955, "Captain Kangaroo" and "The Mickey Mouse Club" premiered on C-B-S and A-B-C, respectively.

In 1967, folk singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie, the Dust Bowl Troubadour best known for "This Land Is Your Land," died in New York of complications from Huntington's disease; he was 55.

In 1970, the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was established under the Department of Commerce.

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

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 2001, the Senate approved an agreement normalizing trade between the United States and Vietnam.

In 2003, a tiger attacked magician Roy Horn of duo "Siegfried & Roy" during a performance in Las Vegas, leaving the superstar illusionist in critical condition on his 59th birthday.

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; he was granted parole in July 2017 and released from prison in October of that year.)

Ten 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.

Five years ago: The United States suspended diplomatic contacts with Russia over failed efforts to end the war in Syria while President Vladimir Putin put on hold a deal with the U.S. on disposing weapons-grade plutonium.

One year ago: White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said some of President Donald Trump's vital signs the previous day had been "very concerning," and that he faced a "critical" next two days in his fight against COVID-19 at a military hospital; doctors said Trump was fever-free and not having difficulty breathing. The coronavirus reached further into Republican ranks, forcing the Senate to call off lawmaking as a third GOP senator - Ron Johnson of Wisconsin -- tested positive for COVID-19. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie tweeted that he had checked into a hospital, hours after announcing that he had tested positive for the coronavirus. Swiss Skydiver became the sixth filly to win the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore, beating Kentucky Derby winner Authentic by a neck; the race, run without fans because of the coronavirus, was rescheduled from May to October as the traditional second jewel in the Triple Crown was run last.

Today's Birthdays: Composer Steve Reich is 85. Rock and roll star Chubby Checker is 80. Actor Alan Rachins is 79. Former Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., is 78. Singer Lindsey Buckingham is 72. Jazz musician Ronnie Laws is 71. Blues singer Keb' Mo' is 70. Former astronaut Kathryn Sullivan is 70. Baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield is 70. Baseball Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley is 67. Civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton is 67. Actor Hart Bochner is 65. Actor Peter Frechette is 65. World Golf Hall of Famer Fred Couples is 62. Actor-comedian Greg Proops is 62. Actor Jack Wagner is 62. Actor/musician Marcus Giamatti is 60. Rock musician Tommy Lee is 59. Actor Clive Owen is 57. Actor Janel Moloney is 52. Singer Gwen Stefani (No Doubt) is 52. Pop singer Kevin Richardson is 50. Rock singer G. Love is 49. Actor Keiko Agena is 48. Actor Neve Campbell is 48. Actor Lena Headey is 48. Singer India.Arie is 46. Rapper Talib Kweli is 46. Actor Alanna Ubach is 46. Actor Seann William Scott is 45. Actor Shannyn Sossamon is 43. Rock musician Josh Klinghoffer (Red Hot Chili Peppers) is 42. Actor Seth Gabel is 40. Rock musician Mark King (Hinder) is 39. Actor Erik Von Detten is 39. Actor Tessa Thompson is 38. Country singer Drake White is 38. Actor Meagan Holder is 37. Actor Christopher Marquette is 37. Actor-singer Ashlee Simpson is 37. Rapper A$AP Rocky is 33. Actor Alicia Vikander is 33. Actor Noah Schnapp (TV: "Stranger Things") is 17.