Today In History
Today is Thursday, Oct. 18, the 291st day of 2018. There are 74 days left in the year.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT
› 1892: The first long-distance telephone line between New York and Chicago was officially opened (it could only handle one call at a time).
ON THIS DATE
› 1648: Boston shoemakers were authorized to form a guild to protect their interests; it’s the first American labor organization on record.
› 1767: The MasonDixon line, the boundary between colonial Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware, was set as astronomers Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon completed their survey.
› 1898: The American flag was raised in Puerto Rico shortly before Spain formally relinquished control of the island to the U.S.
› 1962: James D. Watson, Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins were honored with the Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology for determining the double-helix molecular structure of DNA.
› 1969: The federal government banned artificial sweeteners known as cyclamates because of evidence they caused cancer in laboratory rats.
› 1997: A monument honoring American servicewomen, past and present, was dedicated at Arlington National Cemetery.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS
Actress Dawn Wells is
80. College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka is 79. Singer-musician Russ Giguere is 75. Actor Joe Morton is 71. Actress Pam Dawber is
68. Author Terry McMillan is 67. Writer-producer Chuck Lorre is 66. Gospel singer Vickie Winans is 65. International Hall of Fame boxer Thomas Hearns is 60. Actor JeanClaude Van Damme is 58. Jazz musician Wynton Marsalis is 57. Actor Vincent Spano is 56. Rock musician Tim Cross is
52. Former tennis player Michael Stich is 50. Singer Nonchalant is
45. Actress Joy Bryant is
44. Rock musician Peter Svenson (The Cardigans) is 44. Rhythm and blues singer-actor Ne-Yo is
39. Country singer Josh Gracin is 38. Country musician Jesse Littleton (Marshall Dyllon) is 37. Olympic gold medal skier Lindsey Vonn is 34. Jazz singer-musician Esperanza Spalding is 34. Actress Joy Lauren is 29. TV personality Bristol Palin is 28. Actor Tyler Posey is 27. Actor Toby Regbo is 27.