Page One
History
Historical Highlight
On May 29, 1790, Rhode Island became the 13th original colony to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
On this date
In 1765, Patrick Henry denounced the Stamp Act before Virginia’s House of Burgesses, saying, “If this be treason, make the most of it!”
In 1848, Wisconsin became the 30th state of the union.
In 1917, the 35th president of the United States, John F. Kennedy, was born in Brookline, Mass.
In 1932, World War I veterans began arriving in Washington to demand cash bonuses they weren’t scheduled to receive for another 13 years.
In 1942, the movie “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” starring James Cagney, premiered at a war-bonds benefit in New York.
In 1942, Bing Crosby, the Ken Darby Singers and the John Scott Trotter Orchestra recorded Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” in Los Angeles for Decca Records.
In 1942, actor John Barrymore died in Hollywood at age 60.
In 1953, Mount Everest was conquered as Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tensing Norkay of Nepal became the first climbers to reach the summit.
In 1985, 35 people were killed in rioting that erupted between British and Italian spectators at the European Cup soccer final in Brussels, Belgium.
In 1987, a jury in Los Angeles found “Twilight Zone” movie director John Landis and four associates innocent of involuntary manslaughter in the movie-set deaths of actor Vic Morrow and two children.
Ten years ago
Undeclared presidential candidate Ross Perot held a rally in Orlando, Fla., that was carried by two-way television satellite to five other states.
Five years ago
In closing arguments, Timothy McVeigh’s attorney urged jurors not to be swayed by sympathy for the Oklahoma City bombing victims, after a prosecutor delivered a wrenching summation that portrayed McVeigh as a terrorist who killed children in the warped belief he was a patriot.
One year ago
Four followers of Osama bin Laden were convicted in New York of a global conspiracy to murder Americans, including the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa that killed 224 people. President Bush, meeting in Los Angeles with California Gov. Gray Davis, rejected a plea for federal caps on soaring electricity bills. The Supreme Court ruled that disabled golfer Casey Martin could use a cart to ride in tournaments.
Today’s birthdays
Comedian Bob Hope is 99. Former Baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent is 64. Race car driver Al Unser Sr. is 63. Actor Kevin Conway is 60. Actor Helmut Berger is 58. Rock singer Gary Brooker (Procol Harum) is 57. Actor Anthony Geary is 55. Singer Rebbie Jackson is 52. Movie composer Danny Elfman is 49. Rock musician Michael Porcaro (Toto) is 47. Singer LaToya Jackson is 46. Actress Annette Bening is 44. Actor Rupert Everett is 43. Rock musician Mel Gaynor is 43. Actor Adrian Paul is 43. Singer Melissa Etheridge is 41. Actress Lisa Whelchel is 39. Actress Tracey Bregman is 39. Rock musician Noel Gallagher (Oasis) is 35. Singer Jayski McGowan (Quad City DJ’s) is 35. Rock musician Chad Kinchla (Blues Traveler) is 33. Singer Melanie Brown (Spice Girls) is 27. Rapper Playa Poncho is 27.
