Today In History

Today is Wednesday, May 23, the 143rd day of 2018. There are 222 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

› 1618: The Defenestration of Prague took place as Bohemian Protestants angry over what they saw as a threat to their religious freedom threw two Catholic imperial regents and their secretary out an upper- story palace window; the men survived the incident, which helped trigger the Thirty Years’ War.

ON THIS DATE

› 1430: Joan of Arc was captured by the Burgundians, who sold her to the English.

› 1788: South Carolina became the eighth state to ratify the United States Constitution.

› 1814: A third version of Beethoven’s only opera, “Fidelio,” had its world premiere in Vienna.

› 1934: Bank robbers Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker were shot to death in a police ambush in Bienville Parish, Louisiana.

› 1984: Surgeon General C. Everett Koop issued a report saying there was “very solid” evidence linking cigarette smoke to lung disease in non-smokers.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Bluegrass singer Mac Wiseman is 93. Actress Barbara Barrie is 87. Actress Joan Collins is 85. Actor Charles Kimbrough is 82. International Tennis Hall of Famer John Newcombe is 74. Actress Lauren Chapin is 73. Country singer Misty Morgan is 73. Country singer Judy Rodman is 67. Chess grandmaster Anatoly Karpov is 67. Boxing Hall of Famer Marvelous Marvin Hagler is 64. Singer Luka Bloom is 63. Baseball manager Buck Showalter is 62. Actor-comedian-game show host Drew Carey is 60. Country singer Shelly West is 60. Author Mitch Albom (“Tuesdays with Morrie”) is 60. Actor Linden Ashby is 58. Actress-model Karen Duffy is 57. Rock musician Phil Selway (Radiohead) is 51. Actress Laurel Holloman is 50. Rock musician Matt Flynn (Maroon 5) is 48. Singer Lorenzo is 46. Singer Maxwell is 45. Singer Jewel is 44. Game show contestant Ken Jennings is 44. Actor LaMonica Garrett is 43. Actor D.J. Cotrona is 38. Actor Lane Garrison is 38. Actor Adam Wylie is 34. Movie writer-director Ryan Coogler is 32. Golfer Morgan Pressel is 30. Actor Alberto Frezza (TV: “Station 19”) is 29. Folk/pop singer/songwriter Sarah Jarosz is 27.