On this day, Aug. 9
1915 The new Manchester Bridge, connecting the Point with the North Side, was ready for traffic. 1936 Jesse Owens won his fourth gold medal at the Berlin Olympics as the United States took first place in the 400-meter relay. 1956 The United Steelworkers and the Aluminum Company of America signed a three-year no-strike agreement ending a nineday strike of 18,000 members of 12 of the company’s 21 plants. 1982 A federal judge in Washington ordered John W. Hinckley Jr., who’d been acquitted of shooting President Ronald Reagan and three others by reason of insanity, committed to a mental hospital. 2009 Rivers Casino opened on the North Shore. 2014 Michael Brown Jr., an unarmed 18-year-old Black man, was shot to death by a police officer following an altercation in Ferguson, Mo.; Brown’s death led to sometimes-violent protests in Ferguson and other U.S. cities, spawning a national Black Lives Matter movement. Some items are from Stefan Lorant’s “Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City” (digital.library.pitt.edu/chronology). — Compiled by Rick Nowlin
Today’s birthdays: Basketball Hall of Famer Bob Cousy, 92. Actor Cynthia Harris, 86. Tennis Hall of Famer Rod Laver, 82. Jazz musician Jack DeJohnette, 78. Comedian-director David Steinberg,
78. Actor Sam Elliott, 76. Singer Barbara Mason, 73. Penn State alumnus, College Football Hall of Famer and former NFL player John Cappelletti, 68. College Football Hall of Famer and former NFL player Doug Williams, 65. Actor Melanie Griffith, 63. Actor Amanda Bearse, 62. Rapper Kurtis Blow, 61. Hockey Hall of Famer Brett Hull, 56. TV host Hoda Kotb, 56. Actor Pat Petersen,
54. Pro and College Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, 53. Actor Gillian Anderson, 52. Actor Eric Bana, 52. Producer-director McG (aka Joseph McGinty Nichol), 52. NHL player-turned-coach Rod Brind’Amour, 50. TV anchor Chris Cuomo, 50. Actor Thomas Lennon, 50. Rock musician Arion Salazar, 50. Rapper Mack 10,
49. Actor Nikki Schieler Ziering, 49. Latin rock singer Juanes, 48. Actor Liz Vassey, 48. Actor Kevin McKidd, 47. Actor Rhona Mitra,
45. Actor Texas Battle, 44. Actor Jessica Capshaw, 44. Actor Ashley Johnson, 37. Actor Anna Kendrick, 35.