Today In History

Today is Friday, Feb. 25, the 56th day of 2022. There are 309 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

› 1964: Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) became world heavyweight boxing champion as he defeated Sonny Liston in Miami Beach.

ON THIS DATE

› 1901: United States Steel Corp. was incorporated by J.P. Morgan.

› 1913: The 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, giving Congress the power to levy and collect income taxes, was declared in effect by Secretary of State Philander Chase Knox.

› 1919: Oregon became the first state to tax gasoline, at one cent per gallon.

› 1954: Gamal Abdel Nasser became Egypt’s prime minister after the country’s president, Mohammed Naguib, was effectively ousted in a coup.

› 1957: The Supreme Court, in Butler v. Michigan, overturned a Michigan statute making it a misdemeanor to sell books containing obscene language that would tend to corrupt “the morals of youth.”

› 1973: The Stephen Sondheim musical “A Little Night Music” opened at Broadway’s Shubert Theater.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Actor Ann McCrea is 91. Actor Tom Courtenay is 85. Former CBS newsman Bob Schieffer is

85. Actor Diane Baker is

84. Actor Karen Grassle is 80. Former talk show host Sally Jessy Raphael is 80. Former professional wrestler Ric Flair is 73. Humorist Jack Handey is 73. Movie director Neil Jordan is 72. Rock singer-musician/actor John Doe (X) is 69. Rock musician Dennis Diken (The Smithereens) is 65. Rock singer-musician Mike Peters (The Alarm; Big Country) is 63. Comedian Carrot Top is 57. Model and actor Veronica Webb is 57. Actor Alexis Denisof is 56. Actor Tea Leoni is 56. Actor Lesley Boone is 54. Actor Sean Astin is 51. Singer Daniel Powter is 51. Latin singer Julio Iglesias Jr. is 49. R&B singer Justin Jeffre is 49. Actor Anson Mount is 49. Comedian-actor Chelsea Handler is 47. Actor Rashida Jones is 46. Country singer Shawna Thompson (Thompson Square) is 44. Actor Justin Berfield is 36. Actors James and Oliver Phelps (“Harry Potter” movies) are 36. Actor Jameela Jamil is 36. Rock musician Erik Haager (Carolina Liar) is 35.