DAY IN HISTORY

Friday, March 19, 2021

Today is the 78th day of 2021 and the 89th day of winter.

TODAY’S HISTORY: In 1918, the U.S. Congress established time zones and approved daylight saving time.

In 1931, the Nevada state legislature voted to legalize gambling.

In 1953, the 25th Academy Awards were featured in the first Oscars telecast.

In 2003, President George W. Bush announced the beginning of

Operation Iraqi Freedom.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS: David Livingstone (18131873), physician/explorer; Wyatt Earp (1848-1929), lawman/gunfighter; William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925), politician; Earl Warren (1891-1974), chief justice of the United States; Philip Roth (19332018), author; Ursula Andress (1936- ), model/actress; Glenn Close (1947- ), actress; Bruce Willis (1955), actor; Andy Reid (1958), football coach; Clayton Kershaw (1988- ), baseball player.

TODAY’S FACT: The 70th Academy Awards ceremony, broadcast in 1998, holds the record for the largest Oscars telecast audience, with 55 million viewers. The James Cameron blockbuster “Titanic” won 11 awards, including best picture and best director.

TODAY’S SPORTS:

In 1995, NBA superstar Michael Jordan scored 19 points against the Indiana Pacers in his first game back with the Chicago Bulls after almost two years of retirement.

TODAY’S QUOTE:

“Literature takes a habit of mind that has disappeared. It requires silence, some form of isolation, and sustained concentration in the presence of an enigmatic thing.” — Philip Roth

TODAY’S NUMBER:

$3.73 billion — total gaming revenue for the Las Vegas Strip in 2020, down 43% from 2019 due to the 78-day shutdown of casinos in Nevada and subsequent capacity limits and safety protocols in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

TODAY’S MOON: Between new moon (March 13) and first quarter moon (March 21).