Today in history

Today is Saturday, Oct. 27, the 300th day of 2018. There are 65 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On Oct. 27, 1978, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin (men-AH’-kem BAY’gihn) were named winners of the Nobel Peace Prize for their progress toward achieving a Middle East accord.

On this date:

In 1787, the first of the Federalist Papers, a series of essays calling for ratification of the United States Constitution, was published.

In 1795, the United States and Spain signed the Treaty of San Lorenzo (also known as “Pinckney’s Treaty”), which provided for free navigation of the Mississippi River.

In 1858, the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, was born in New York City.

In 1904, the first rapid transit subway, the IRT, was inaugurated in New York City.

In 1938, Du Pont announced a name for its new synthetic yarn: “nylon.”

In 1947, “You Bet Your Life,” a comedy quiz show starring Groucho Marx, premiered on ABC Radio. (It later became a television show on NBC.)

In 1954, U.S. Air Force Col. Benjamin O. Davis Jr. was promoted to brigadier general, the first black officer to achieve that rank in the USAF. Walt Disney’s first television program, titled “Disneyland” after the yet-tobe completed theme park, premiered on ABC.

In 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, a U-2 reconnaissance aircraft was shot down while flying over Cuba, killing the pilot, U.S. Air Force Maj. Rudolf Anderson Jr.

In 1992, Petty Officer Allen Schindler, a gay U.S. Navy sailor, was beaten to death near Sasebo Naval Base in southwestern Japan by shipmate Terry Helvey, who pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to life in prison.

In 1998, Hurricane Mitch cut through the western Caribbean, pummeling coastal Honduras and Belize; the storm caused several thousand deaths in Central America in the days that followed.

In 2002, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (loo-EEZ’ ee-NAH’-cee-oh LOO’luh duh SEEL’-vuh) was elected president of Brazil in a runoff, becoming the country’s first elected leftist leader.

In 2004, the Boston Red Sox won their first World Series since 1918, sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 4, 3-0.

Ten years ago: Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens was convicted in Washington of seven corruption charges for lying about free home renovations and other gifts from a wealthy oil contractor. (A judge later dismissed the case, saying prosecutors had withheld evidence that might have been favorable to Stevens at trial.) Umpires halted play in Game 5 of the World Series with the Philadelphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays tied at 2 because of rain. (The game was completed two days later, at which time the Phillies beat the Rays 4-3 to win the Series.)

Five years ago: The Boston Red Sox beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 to tie the World Series at two games apiece; the game finished with a pickoff play, a first in postseason history.