Today In History

Today is Saturday, April 21, the 111th day of 2018. There are 254 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

› 1918: Manfred von Richthofen, 25, the German ace known as the “Red Baron” who was believed to have downed 80 enemy aircraft during World War I, was himself shot down and killed while in action over France.

ON THIS DATE

› 1649: The Maryland Toleration Act, providing for freedom of worship for all Christians, was passed by the Maryland assembly.

› 1789: John Adams was sworn in as the first vice president of the United States.

› 1836: An army of Texans led by Sam Houston defeated the Mexicans at San Jacinto, assuring Texas independence.

› 1955: The Jerome Lawrence-Robert Lee play “Inherit the Wind,” inspired by the Scopes trial of 1925, opened at the National Theatre in New York.

› 1962: The Century 21 Exposition, also known as the Seattle World’s Fair, began a six-month run.

› 1977: The musical play “Annie,” based on the “Little Orphan Annie” comic strip, opened on Broadway, beginning a run of 2,377 performances.

› 1998: Astronomers announced in Washington that they had discovered possible signs of a new family of planets orbiting a star 220 lightyears away, the clearest evidence to date of worlds forming beyond our solar system.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II is 92. Actress-comedian-writer Elaine May is 86. Actor Charles Grodin is 83. Actor Reni Santoni is 80. Anti-death penalty activist Sister Helen Prejean is 79. Singer-musician Iggy Pop is 71. Actress Andie MacDowell is 60. Rock singer Robert Smith (The Cure) is 59. Rock musician Michael Timmins (Cowboy Junkies) is 59. Rapper Michael Franti (Spearhead) is

52. Comedian Nicole Sullivan is 48. Football player-turned-actor Brian White is 45. Olympic gold medal pairs figure skater Jamie Sale is 41. Rock musician David Brenner (Theory of a Deadman) is

40. Actor James McAvoy is 39. Former NFL quarterback Tony Romo is 38. Actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw is 35. Actor Christoph Sanders is 30. Actor Frank Dillane is 27. Rock singer Sydney Sierota (Echosmith) is 21.