ALMANAC

On this day, Oct. 18

1867 The United States took formal possession of Alaska from Russia.

1912 In a pre-election speech before 12,000 people at Duquesne Gardens, Gov. Woodrow Wilson, of New Jersey, the Democratic Party’s candidate for president, attacked the government’s “protective tariff.”

1944 Soviet troops invaded Czechoslovakia during World War II. 1954 The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis contracted to buy the Salk polio vaccine for 9 million people in 1955.

1977 West German commandos stormed a hijacked Lufthansa jetliner on the ground in Mogadishu, Somalia, freeing all 86 hostages and killing three of the four hijackers.

2003 General Nutrition Corp. was sold to Apollo Management LP of Los Angeles.

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: Actor Dawn Wells, 82. Aliquippa native, University of Pittsburgh alumnus and College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka, 81. Singer-musician Russ Giguere, 77. Actor Joe Morton, 73. Actor Pam Dawber, 70. Author Terry McMillan, 69. Writer-producer Chuck Lorre, 68. Gospel singer Vickie Winans, 67. Director-screenwriter David Twohy, 65. International Tennis Hall of Famer Martina Navratilova, 64. Actor Jon Lindstrom, 63. International Hall of Fame boxer Thomas Hearns, 62. Actor Jean-Claude Van Damme, 60. Jazz musician Wynton Marsalis, 59. Actor Vincent Spano, 58. Rock musician Tim Cross, 54. Former tennis player Michael Stich, 52. Singer Nonchalant, 47. Actor Joy Bryant, 46. Rock musician Peter Svensson (The Cardigans), 46. Rhythm-and-blues singer-actor Ne-Yo, 41. Country singer Josh Gracin, 40. Country musician Jesse Littleton (Marshall Dyllon), 39. Olympic gold medal skier Lindsey Vonn, 36. Jazz singer-musician Esperanza Spalding, 36. Actor-model Freida Pinto, 36. Actor Zac Efron, 33. Actor Joy Lauren, 31. TV personality Bristol Palin, 30. Actor Tyler Posey, 29. Actor Toby Regbo, 29. Thought for today: “The strongest are those who renounce their own times and become a living part of those yet to come. The strongest, and the rarest.”

— Milovan Djilas, Yugoslav author and politician (1911-1995)