Today in history

Today (Wednesday, Sept. 21) is the 265th day of 2016 and the 94th day of summer.

TODAY’S HISTORY: In 1792, the French National Convention declared France a republic and voted to abolish the monarchy.

In 1897, the New York Sun published an editorial by Francis Pharcellus Church that included the nowfamous phrase, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.”

In 1937, J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” was published.

In 1981, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved Sandra Day O’Connor as the first female Supreme Court justice.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS: H.G. Wells (1866-1946), historian/author; Chuck Jones (1912-2002), animator; Larry Hagman (1931-2012), actor; Leonard Cohen (1934- ) singer-songwriter; Henry Gibson (1935-2009), comedian/ actor; Jerry Bruckheimer (1945- ), film/TV producer; Stephen King (1947- ), author; Bill Murray (1950- ), actor; Ethan Coen (1957- ), filmmaker; Rob Morrow (1962- ), actor; Cheryl Hines (1965- ), actress; Faith Hill (1967- ), singer-songwriter; Luke Wil- son (1971- ), actor; Lindsey Stirling (1986- ), violinist/composer; Jason Derulo (1989- ), singer-songwriter.

TODAY’S FACT: Best-selling author Stephen King wrote under two names (Stephen King and Richard Bachman) in his early career because publishers told him audiences wouldn’t buy more than one book per year from the same writer.

TODAY’S SPORTS: In 1970, “Monday Night Football” made its ABC broadcast debut with a game between the New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns.

TODAY’S QUOTE: “Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe ... Yet, clumsily or smoothly, the world, it seems, progresses and will progress.” -- H.G. Wells, “The Outline of History”

TODAY’S NUMBER: 6 -- days of filming for Bill Murray on the set of the 1980 comedy “Caddyshack.” Murray improvised all of his lines for his performance as groundskeeper Carl Spackler.

TODAY’S MOON: Between full moon (Sept. 16) and last quarter moon (Sept. 23).