TODAY’S HISTORY

1855: “Border Ruffians” from Missouri invaded Kansas during the territory’s first election, forcing the election of a pro-slavery legislature.

1867: U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward completed the purchase of Alaska for $7.2 million.

1870: The U.S. Congress readmitted Texas to the Union. 1964: The TV quiz show “Jeopardy!” premiered on

NBC with host Art Fleming.

1981: President Ronald Reagan was shot in the chest in an assassination attempt by John Hinckley Jr.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS: Francisco Goya (1746-1828), painter; Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890), painter; John

Astin (1930-), actor; Warren Beatty (1937-), actor/director; Eric Clapton (1945-), singer-songwriter/musician; Paul Reiser (1957-), actor/comedian; Piers Morgan (1965-), TV personality; Celine Dion (1968-), singer-songwriter; Secretariat (1970-1989), racehorse; Norah Jones (1979-), singer-songwriter/musician; Richard Sherman (1988-), football player; Chris Sale (1989-), baseball player.

TODAY’S FACT: The purchase of Alaska added 663,267 square miles to the United States for less than $11 per square mile.

TODAY’S SPORTS: In 1990, Jack Nicklaus made his debut on the Senior PGA Tour (since renamed the Champions Tour).

TODAY’S QUOTE: “I became a musician so I wouldn’t have to get up at 6 in the morning.” — Norah Jones

TODAY’S NUMBER: $1,075,500 — final sale price of a pristine copy of Detective Comics No. 27, featuring the first full appearance of Batman, at a 2010 auction. The comic book was released (with a cover price of 10 cents) on this day in 1939.

TODAY’S MOON: Between full moon (March 28) and last quarter moon (April 4).