Today In History

Today is Thursday, Oct. 26, the 299th day of 2023. There are 66 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

On October 26, 2020, Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed to the Supreme Court by a deeply divided Senate, with Republicans overpowering Democrats to install President Donald Trump’s nominee days before the election and secure a likely conservative court majority for years to come.

ON THIS DATE

› 1774: The First Continental Congress adjourned in Philadelphia.

› 1825: The Erie Canal opened in upstate New York, connecting Lake Erie and the Hudson River.

› 1861: The legendary Pony Express officially ceased operations, giving way to the transcontinental telegraph. (The last run of the Pony Express was completed the following month.)

› 1921: The Chicago Theatre, billed as “the Wonder Theatre of the World,” first opened.

› 1979: South Korean President Park Chunghee was shot to death by the head of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency, Kim Jae-kyu.

› 1982: The medical drama “St. Elsewhere,” which would make stars of Denzel Washington, Mark Harmon and others, premiered on NBC.

› 1984: “Baby Fae,” a newborn with a severe heart defect, was given the heart of a baboon in an experimental transplant in Loma Linda, California. (She lived 21 days with the animal heart.)

› 2000: The New York Yankees became the first team in more than a quarter-century to win three straight World Series championships, beating the New York Mets in game five of their “Subway Series.”

› 2001: President George W. Bush signed the USA Patriot Act, giving authorities unprecedented ability to search, seize, detain or eavesdrop in their pursuit of possible terrorists.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Actor Jaclyn Smith is

78. TV host Pat Sajak is

77. Hillary Rodham Clinton is 76. Musician Bootsy Collins is 72. Actor James Pickens Jr. is 71. Rock musician David Was is

71. Rock musician Keith Strickland (The B-52s) is

70. Actor Lauren Tewes is 70. Actor D.W. Moffett is 69. Actor-singer Rita Wilson is 67. Actor Patrick Breen is 63. Actor Steve Valentine is 57. Country singer Keith Urban is 56. Actor Tom Cavanagh is 55. Actor Rosemarie DeWitt is 52. Actor Anthony Rapp is

52. Writer-producer Seth MacFarlane (TV: “Family Guy”) is 50. TV news correspondent Paula Faris is

48. Actor Lennon Parham is 48. Actor Florence Kasumba is 47. Actor Hal Ozsan is 47. Actor Jon Heder is 46. Singer Mark Barry (BBMak) is 45. Actor Jonathan Chase is

44. Actor Folake Olowofoyeku is 40. Olympic figure skater Sasha Cohen is

39. Rapper Schoolboy Q is 37. Actor Beulah Koale is 32.