Today In History
Today is Thursday, June 28, the 179th day of 2018. There are 186 days left in the year.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT
› 1968: President Lyndon Johnson signed the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill, which moved commemorations for Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day and Veterans Day to Monday, creating three-day holiday weekends beginning in 1971.
ON THIS DATE
› 1778: The Revolutionary War Battle of Monmouth took place in New Jersey; from this battle arose the legend of “Molly Pitcher,” a woman who was said to have carried water to colonial soldiers, then taken over firing her husband’s cannon after he was disabled.
› 1919: The Treaty of Versailles was signed in France, ending the First World War.
› 1939: Pan American Airways began regular trans-Atlantic air service with a flight that departed New York for Marseilles, France.
› 1951: A TV version of the radio comedy program “Amos ’N’ Andy” premiered on CBS. (It was the first network TV series to feature an all-black cast, but came under criticism for racial stereotyping.)
› 1997: In a wild rematch, Evander Holyfield retained the WBA heavyweight boxing championship after his opponent, Mike Tyson, was disqualified for biting Holyfield’s ear during the third round of their fight in Las Vegas.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS
Comedian-movie director Mel Brooks is
92. Former Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., is 84. Comedian-impressionist John Byner is 81. Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is 80. Rock musician Dave Knights (Procul Harum) is 73. Actor Bruce Davison is 72. College and Pro Football Hall of Famer John Elway is
58. Record company chief executive Tony Mercedes is 56. Jazz singer Tierney Sutton is 55. Actress Jessica Hecht is 53. Rock musician Saul Davies (James) is 53. Actress Mary Stuart Masterson is
52. Actor John Cusack is
52. Actor Gil Bellows is 51. Actress Tichina Arnold is 49. Actor Steve Burton is 48. Entrepreneur Elon Musk is 47. Actor Alessandro Nivola is 46. Actress Camille Guaty is
42. Rock musician Tim Nordwind (OK Go) is 42. Rock musician Mark Stoermer (The Killers) is 41. Country singer Big Vinny Hickerson (Trailer Choir) is 35. Country singer Kellie Pickler is 32.