TODAY IN HISTORY

TODAY is Monday, October 13, 2014

1775 - The U.S. Continental Congress ordered the construction of a naval fleet.

1792 - The cornerstone of the Executive Mansion was laid in Washington, DC. The building became known as the White House in 1818.

1812 - American forces were defeated at the Battle of Queenstown Heights. The British victory effectively ended an further U.S. invasion of Canada.

1843 - B’nai B’rith, the Jewish organization, was founded by Henry Jones and eleven others in New York City, NY.

1854 - The state of Texas ratified a state constitution.

1924 - The play “The Guardsman” opened in New York City, NY.

1943 - During World War II, Italy signed an armistice with the Allies and declared war on Germany.

1944 - American troops entered Aachen, Germany, during World War II.

1944 - During World War II, British and Greek advance units landed at Piraeus.

1951 - In Atlanta, GA, a football with a rubber covering was used for the first time. Georgia Tech beat Louisiana State 25-7.

1953 - An ultrasonic burglar alarm was patented by Samuel Bagno.

1957 - Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra introduced the Ford Edsel on an hour long special.

1960 - The World Series ended on a home run for the first time. Bill Mazeroski’s homerun allowed the Pirates to beat the Yankees.

1962 - “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” opened on Broadway.

1967 - The first game of the new American Basketball Association was played.

1981 - Egyptian voters elected Vice President Hosni Mubarak as the new president one week after Anwar Sadat was assassinated.

1989 - U.S. President George H.W. Bush called for an overthrow of the Panamanian ruler Manuel Antonio Noriega.