TODAY IN HISTORY

Today is Wednesday, April 19, the 109th day of 2017. There are 256 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlights in History

On April 19, 1967, Kathrine Switzer became the first woman to run the Boston Marathon (at that time, a men-only event) under an official number by registering without mentioning her gender; by her own estimate, she finished in 4 hours and 20 minutes. (Bobbi Gibb, running unofficially for the second time, finished in 3:27:17.)

On this date

1775 — The American Revolutionary War began with the battles of Lexington and Concord.

1897 — The first Boston Marathon was held; winner John J. McDermott ran the course in two hours, 55 minutes and 10 seconds.

1951 — Gen. Douglas MacArthur, relieved of his Far East command by President Harry S. Truman, bade farewell in an address to Congress in which he quoted a line from a ballad: “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.”

1966 — Bobbi Gibb, 23, became the first woman to run the Boston Marathon at a time when only men were allowed to participate. (Gibb jumped into the middle of the pack after the sound of the starting pistol and finished in 3:21:40.)

1993 — The 51-day siege at the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas, ended as fire destroyed the structure after federal agents began smashing their way in; dozens of people, including sect leader David Koresh, were killed.

1995 — A truck bomb destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people. (Bomber Timothy McVeigh was later convicted of federal murder charges and executed.)

Today’s Birthdays

Rock musician Alan Price (The Animals) is 75. Actor Tim Curry is 71. Motorsports Hall of Famer Al Unser Jr. is 55. Recording executive Suge Knight is 52. Actress Ashley Judd is 49. Actress Jennifer Esposito is 45. Actor James Franco is 39. Actress Kate Hudson is 38. Actor Hayden Christensen is 36. Roots rock musician Steve Johnson (Alabama Shakes) is 32.