DAY IN HISTORY

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Today is the 99th day of 2020 and the 21st day of spring.

TODAY’S HISTORY: In 1904, Britain and France signed the Entente Cordiale, a series of agreements that formalized peace between the two countries.

In 1935, Congress approved the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act, establishing the Works Progress Administration (WPA).

In 2005, more than 4 million mourners gathered in Rome for the funeral of Pope John Paul II.

In 2010, President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed the New START nuclear arms control treaty.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS:

Harvey Cushing (18691939), surgeon; Mary Pickford (1892-1979), actress; Sonja Henie (1912-1969), ice skater; Betty Ford (1918-2011), first lady; Shecky Greene (1926- ), comedian; Kofi Annan (1938-2018), diplomat; Gary Carter (1954-2012), baseball player/sportscaster; Robin Wright (1966- ), actress; Patricia Arquette (1968- ), actress; Katee Sackhoff (1980- ), actress; Felix Hernandez (1986- ), baseball player.

TODAY’S FACT: Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes discovered superconductivity during experiments with mercury wire immersed in liquid helium on this day in 1911.

TODAY’S SPORTS: In 1975, Frank Robinson of the Cleveland Indians made his debut as Major League Baseball’s first African-american manager. Robinson also continued to play for the team, hitting a home run in his first at-bat of the day.

TODAY’S QUOTE: “Most nations have monuments or memorials to war, bronze salutations to by Andrews Mcmeel Almanac heroic battles, archways of triumph. But peace has no parade, no pantheon of victory. What it does have is the Nobel Prize — a statement of hope and courage with unique resonance and authority.” — Kofi Annan

TODAY’S NUMBER: 755 — career home runs for Hank Aaron, second only to Barry Bonds’ alltime record of 762. Aaron hit his 715th career home run on this day in 1974, breaking the record previously held by Babe Ruth.

TODAY’S MOON: Between full moon (April 7) and last quarter moon (April 14).