Today in history

On June 22, 1918, a train carrying members of the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus and their families was rear-ended during an emergency stop by another train near Hammond, Indiana, killing at least 86 people aboard the circus train.

In 1611, English explorer Henry Hudson, his son and several other people were set adrift in present-day Hudson Bay by mutineers aboard the Discovery.

In 1868, Arkansas, which had seceded in 1861, was re-admitted to the Union.

In 1937, Joe Louis began his reign as world heavyweight boxing champion by knocking out Jim Braddock in the eighth round of their fight in Chicago. (A year later on this date, Louis knocked out Max Schmeling in the first round of their rematch at Yankee Stadium.)

In 1940, during World War II, Adolf Hitler gained a stunning victory as France was forced to sign an armistice eight days after German forces overran Paris.

In 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, more popularly known as the “GI Bill of Rights.”

In 1945, the World War II battle for Okinawa ended with an Allied victory.

In 1977, John N. Mitchell became the first former U.S. Attorney General to go to prison as he began serving a sentence for his role in the Watergate cover-up. (He was released 19 months later.)

In 2012, ex-Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was convicted by a jury in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, on 45 counts of sexually assaulting

10 boys over 15 years. (Sandusky is appealing a

30- to 60-year state prison sentence.)

Ten years ago: Acerbic standup comedian and satirist George Carlin died in Santa, Monica, California, at age 71.

One year ago: An online conspiracy theory dubbed “pizzagate” ended with real-world consequences as a North Carolina man was sentenced to four years in prison for firing an assault rifle inside Comet Ping Pong, a Washington, D.C. pizza restaurant. The Philadelphia 76ers selected guard Markelle Fultz with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.