Today In History

Today is Monday, Sept. 17, the 260th day of 2018. There are 105 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

› 1787: The Constitution of the United States was completed and signed by a majority of delegates attending the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

ON THIS DATE

› 1862: More than 3,600 men were killed in the Civil War Battle of Antietam in Maryland.

› 1920: The American Professional Football Association — a precursor of the National Football League — was formed in Canton, Ohio.

› 1939: The Soviet Union invaded Poland during World War II, more than two weeks after Nazi Germany had launched its assault.

› 1964: The James Bond movie “Goldfinger,” starring Sean Connery, premiered in London. The fantasy sitcom “Bewitched,” starring Elizabeth Montgomery, debuted on ABC-TV.

› 1971: Citing health reasons, Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black, 85, retired. (Black, who was succeeded by Lewis F. Powell Jr., died eight days after making his announcement.)

› 1978: After meeting at Camp David, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat signed a framework for a peace treaty.

› 1980: Former Nicaraguan president Anastasio Somoza was assassinated in Paraguay.

› 1987: The city of Philadelphia, birthplace of the U.S. Constitution, threw a big party to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the historic document; in a speech at Independence Hall, President Ronald Reagan acclaimed the framing of the Constitution as a milestone “that would profoundly and forever alter not just these United States but the world.”

› 1996: Former Vice President Spiro T. Agnew died in Berlin, Md., at age 77.

› 1999: President Bill Clinton lifted restrictions on trade, travel and banking imposed on North Korea a half-century earlier, rewarding it for agreeing to curb missile tests.

› 2001: Six days after 9/11, stock prices nosedived but stopped short of collapse in an emotional, flag-waving reopening of Wall Street; the Dow Jones industrial average ended the day down 684.81 at 8,920.70.

› 2011: A demonstration calling itself Occupy Wall Street began in New York, prompting similar protests around the U.S. and the world.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, is 85. Singer LaMonte McLemore (The Fifth Dimension) is 83. Retired Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter is 79. Singer Fee Waybill is 70. Actress Cassandra Peterson (“Elvira, Mistress of the Dark”) is 67. Comedian Rita Rudner is 65. Muppeteer Kevin Clash (former voice of Elmo on “Sesame Street”) is 58. Director-actor Paul Feig is 56. Movie director Baz Luhrmann is 56. Singer BeBe Winans is

56. Director-producer Bryan Singer is 53. Rapper Doug E. Fresh is 52. Actor Malik Yoba is 51. Rock singer Anastacia is 50. Rock musician Keith Flint (Prodigy) is 49. Actor Matthew Settle is 49. Rapper Vinnie (Naughty By Nature) is 48. Actor-comedian Bobby Lee is 47. Rhythm and blues singer Marcus Sanders (Hi-Five) is 45. NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson is 43. Pop singer Maile Misajon (Eden’s Crush) is 42. Country singer-songwriter Stephen Cochran is

39. Rock musician Chuck Comeau (Simple Plan) is

39. Actor Billy Miller is

39. Country singer Desi Wasdin (3 of Hearts) is

35. Rock musician Jon Walker is 33. Actress Danielle Brooks is 29. Actress-singer Denyse Tontz is 24.