On this day, Oct. 7

1775 By the Treaty of Pittsburgh, the chiefs of the Indian tribes in the area pledged friendship and neutrality in the conflict between Great Britain and her colonies.

1910 A major wildfire devastated the northern Minnesota towns of Spooner and Baudette, charring at least 300,000 acres. Some 40 people are believed to have died.

1960 Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy and Republican opponent Richard Nixon held their second televised debate, this one in Washington, D.C.

1985 Palestinian gunmen hijacked the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro in the Mediterranean. (The hijackers shot and killed Leon Klinghoffer, a Jewish-American tourist in a wheelchair, and pushed him overboard, before surrendering on Oct. 9.)

1991 University of Oklahoma law professor Anita Hill publicly accused Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of making sexually inappropriate comments when she worked for him. He denied Ms. Hill’s allegations.

2001 The Steelers played their first football game at Heinz Field, beating the Cincinnati Bengals, 16-7.

Some items are from Stefan Lorant’s “Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City” (digital.library.pitt.edu/chronology).

— Compiled by Rick Nowlin

Today’s birthdays: Retired South African Archbishop and Nobel Peace laureate Desmond Tutu, 90. Author Thomas Keneally, 86. Comedian Joy Behar, 79. Former National Security Council aide and retired Lt. Col. Oliver North, 78. Rock musician Kevin Godley (10cc), 76. Actor Jill Larson, 74. Country singer Kieran Kane, 72. Singer John Mellencamp, 70. Rock musician Ricky Phillips, 70. Russian President Vladimir Putin, 69. Actor Mary Badham (Film: “To Kill a Mockingbird”), 69. Rock musician Tico Torres (Bon Jovi), 68. Actor Christopher Norris, 66. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma, 66. Gospel singer Michael W. Smith, 64. Olympic gold medal ice dancer Jayne Torvill, 64. Actor Dylan Baker, 63. Actor Judy Landers, 63. Recording executive and TV personality Simon Cowell, 62. Rock musician Charlie Marinkovich (formerly with Iron Butterfly), 62. Actor Paula Newsome, 60. Country singer Dale Watson, 59. Pop singer Ann Curless (Expose), 58. R&B singer Toni Braxton, 54. Rock singer-musician Thom Yorke (Radiohead), 53. Rock musician-dancer Leeroy Thornhill, 52. Actor Nicole Ari Parker, 51. Actor Allison Munn, 47. Rock singer-musician Damian Kulash, 46. Singer Taylor Hicks, 45. Actor Omar Miller, 43. Neo-soul singer Nathaniel Rateliff (Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats), 43. Actor Shawn Ashmore, 42. Actor Jake McLaughlin, 39. Electronic musician Flying Lotus (aka Steve Ellison), 38. MLB player Evan Longoria, 36. Actor Holland Roden, 35. Actor Amber Stevens, 35. MLB outfielder Mookie Betts, 29. Actor Lulu Wilson, 16.

Thought for today: “An egotist is a person of low taste — more interested in himself than in me.”