On this day, April 10

1845 A fire that started in the back of an icehouse at Ferry Street and Second Avenue destroyed 982 buildings, made about 12,000 people homeless, resulted in damage estimated between $5 million and $8 million and left one-third of the city in ashes.

1924 It was announced that the first citycounty airport would be built and named in honor of Calbraith Perry Rodgers of the city, who, on Nov. 5, 1911, was the first aviator to span the U.S.

1947 Brooklyn Dodgers President Branch Rickey purchased the contract of Jackie Robinson from the Montreal Royals.

1971 A table tennis team from the United States arrived in China at the invitation of the communist government for a goodwill visit that came to be known as “ping-pong diplomacy.”

1995 University of Pittsburgh Chancellor J. Dennis O’Connor announced his resignation. 2020 On Good Friday, Pope Francis presided over a torch-lit procession in St. Peter’s Square, which was otherwise empty because of the coronavirus; nurses and doctors were among those holding a cross. 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: Actor Liz Sheridan, 93. Actor Steven Seagal, 70. Folk-pop singer Terre Roche (The Roches), 69. Actor Peter MacNicol, 68. Actor Olivia Brown, 65. Rock musician Steven Gustafson (10,000 Maniacs), 65. Singer-producer Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, 64. Rock singer-musician Brian Setzer, 63. Rock singer Katrina Leskanich, 62. Olympic gold medal speedskater Cathy Turner, 60. Rock musician Tim “Herb” Alexander, 57. R&B singer Kenny Lattimore, 55. Actor-comedian Orlando Jones, 54. Rock musician Mike Mushok (Staind), 53. Rapper Q-Tip (aka Kamaal), 52. Actor David Harbour, 47. Blues singer Shemekia Copeland, 43. Actor Laura Bell Bundy, 41. Actor Harry Hadden-Paton, 41. Actor Chyler Leigh, 40. Pop musician Andrew Dost (fun.), 39. Actor Ryan Merriman, 39. Singer Mandy Moore, 38. Actor Barkhad Abdi, 37. Actor Shay Mitchell, 35. Actor Haley Joel Osment, 34. Actor Molly Bernard (TV: “Younger”), 34. Country singer Maren Morris, 32. Actor Alex Pettyfer, 32. Actorsinger A.J. (aka Amanda) Michalka, 31. Actor Daisy Ridley, 30. Singer-actor Sofia Carson, 29. Actor Audrey Whitby, 26. Actor Ruby Jerins, 24.

Thought for today: “What is more unwise than to mistake uncertainty for certainty, falsehood for truth?”