Today In History

Today is Saturday, March 3, the 62nd day of 2018. There are 303 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

› 1931: “The Star-Spangled Banner” became the national anthem of the United States as President Herbert Hoover signed a congressional resolution.

ON THIS DATE

› 1791: Congress passed a measure taxing distilled spirits; it was the first internal revenue act in U.S. history.

› 1845: Florida became the 27th state.

› 1849: The U.S. Department of the Interior was established.

› 1923: Time magazine, founded by Briton Hadden and Henry R. Luce, made its debut.

› 1959: The United States launched the Pioneer 4 spacecraft, which flew by the moon.

› 1960: Lucille Ball filed for divorce from her husband, Desi Arnaz, a day after they had finished filming the last episode of “The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show” (“Lucy Meets the Mustache”) on Arnaz’s 43rd birthday.

› 2002: Voters in Switzerland approved joining the United Nations, abandoning almost 200 years of formal neutrality.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Socialite Lee Radziwill is 85. Singer-musician Mike Pender (The Searchers) is 77. Movie producer-director George Miller is 73. Actress Hattie Winston is 73. Singer Jennifer Warnes is 71. Actor-director Tim Kazurinsky is 68. Singer-musician Robyn Hitchcock is 65. Actor Robert Gossett is 64. Rock musician John Lilley is 64. Actress Miranda Richardson is 60. Rock musician John Bigham is

59. Radio personality Ira Glass is 59. Actress Mary Page Keller is 57. Olympic track and field gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee is 56. Former NFL player and College Football Hall of Famer Herschel Walker is 56. Actress Laura Harring is 54. Contemporary Christian musician Duncan Phillips (Newsboys) is 54. Rapper-actor Tone Loc is 52. Actress Julie Bowen is 48. Country singer Brett Warren (The Warren Brothers) is 47. Actor David Faustino is 44. Gospel singer Jason Crabb is 41. Singer Ronan Keating (Boyzone) is 41. Rapper Lil’ Flip is

37. Actress Jessica Biel is

36. Rock musician Blower (aka Joe Garvey) (Hinder) is 34. Musician Brett Hite (Frenship) is 32. Pop singer Camila Cabello is

21. Actor Thomas Barbusca (TV: “The Mick”) is 15.