Today In History

Today is Tuesday, April 6, the 96th day of 2021. There are 269 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

› 1909: American explorers Robert E. Peary and Matthew A. Henson and four Inuits became the first men to reach the North Pole.

ON THIS DATE

› 1862: The Civil War Battle of Shiloh began in Tennessee as Confederate forces launched a surprise attack against Union troops, who beat back the Confederates the next day.

› 1886: The Canadian city of Vancouver, British Columbia, was incorporated.

› 1896: The first modern Olympic games formally opened in Athens, Greece.

› 1917: The United States entered World War I as the House joined the Senate in approving a declaration of war against Germany that was then signed by President Woodrow Wilson.

› 1945: During World War II, the Japanese warship Yamato and nine other vessels sailed on a suicide mission to attack the U.S. fleet off Okinawa; the fleet was intercepted the next day.

› 1974: Swedish pop group ABBA won the

Eurovision Song Contest held in Brighton, England, with a performance of the song “Waterloo.”

› 1985: William J. Schroeder became the first artificial heart recipient to be discharged from the hospital as he moved into an apartment in Louisville, Kentucky.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Nobel Prize-winning scientist James D. Watson is 93. Actor Billy Dee Williams is 84. Actor Roy Thinnes is 83. Movie director Barry Levinson is 79. Actor John Ratzenberger is 74. Actor Patrika Darbo is 73. Baseball Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven is

70. Actor Marilu Henner is 69. Olympic bronze medal figure skater Janet Lynn is 68. Actor Michael Rooker is 66. Former U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., is

65. Rock musician Warren Haynes is 61. Rock singer-musician Black Francis is 56. Actor Ari Meyers is 52. Actor Paul Rudd is 52. Actor-producer Jason Hervey is 49. Actor Zach Braff is 46. Actor Joel Garland is 46. Actor Candace Cameron Bure is 45. Actor Teddy Sears is 44. Jazz and R&B musician Robert Glasper is 43. Actor Eliza Coupe is

40. Folk singer-musician Kenneth Pattengale (Milk Carton Kids) is 39. Actor Bret Harrison is 39. Actor Charlie McDermott is 31.