TODAY IN HISTORY
TODAY145th day IS of THURSDAY,2017. There MAYare 220 25, daysthe left in the year.
TODAY’SOn this date HIGHLIGHTin 1977, the IN first HISTORY:“Star Wars” film (later renamed “Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope”) was released by 20th Century Fox.
In 1787, the Constitutional Convention began at the Pennsylvania State House (Independence Hall) in Philadelphia. 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 he 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.
In 1942, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Joseph Stilwell, frustrated over being driven out of Burma by Japanese forces, told reporters in India: “I claim we got a hell of a beating.”
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.
In 1981, daredevil Dan Goodwin, wearing a Spiderman costume, scaled Chicago’s Sears Tower in 7½ hours.
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.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS: Actress Ann Robinson is 88. Former White House press secretary Ron Nessen is 83. Country singer-songwriter Tom T. Hall is 81. Actor Sir Ian McKellen is 78. Country singer Jessi Colter and actress-singer Leslie Uggams are 74. Movie director and Muppeteer Frank Oz is 73. Actresses Karen Valentine and Jacki Weaver are 70. Rock singer Klaus Meine (The Scorpions) is 69. Actress Patti D’Arbanville is 66. Actress Connie Sellecca is 62. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., is 57. Actorcomedian Mike Myers is 54. Actress Anne Heche is 48. Actresses Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush (TV: “Little House on the Prairie”) are 47. Singer Lauryn Hill is 42. Olympic gold medal gymnast Aly Raisman is 23.