Wednesday, April 6

This Day In History

• 1830   The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was organized by Joseph Smith in Fayette, N.Y.
• 1862   The Civil War Battle of Shiloh began in Tennessee.
• 1896   The first modern Olympic Games opened in Athens, Greece.
• 1909   Commodore Robert Peary became the first man to reach the North Pole -- not counting Santa Claus, of course. Actually, Robert Peary and Matthew H. Henson, Peary’s servant, were the first men to reach the North Pole. Because Henson was a black, hired man, his presence at this historic moment was not recognized until 1945 when he received a medal for outstanding service in the field of science from the U.S. government.
• 1917   U.S. declared war on Germany and entered World War I.
• 1927   William P. MacCracken, Jr. earned license number ‘1’ when the Department of Commerce issued the first aviator’s license.
• 1957   Trolley cars in New York City completed their final runs on this day.
• 1958   Arnold Palmer won his first major pro golf tournament by capturing the Masters in Augusta, GA (and the coveted green jacket). Palmer defeated defending champion Dough Ford for the honor. Palmer was 28 years old and had been a pro since 1954 after he won the National Amateur title.
• 1983   Interior Secretary James Watt banned the Beach Boys from the 4th of July celebration on the Washington Mall, saying rock 'n' roll bands attract the ''wrong element.''
• 1987   Los Angeles Dodgers executive Al Campanis said on ABC's ''Nightline'' that blacks ''may not have some of the necessities'' to hold managerial jobs in major-league baseball.
• 1992   Science-fiction author Isaac Asimov died at age 72.
• 1994   Supreme Court Justice Harry A. Blackmun announced his retirement after 24 years.
• 1994   The presidents of Rwanda and Burundi were killed in a plane crash near Rwanda's capital; widespread violence erupted in Rwanda over claims the plane had been shot down.
• 1998   The Dow Jones industrial average closed above 9,000 points for the first time.
• 1998   Pakistan successfully tested a medium-range missile capable of striking neighboring India.
• 1998   Country singer Tammy Wynette died in Nashville, Tenn., at age 55.
• 2000   The father of Elian Gonzalez, Juan Miguel Gonzalez, arrived in the United States to press for the return of his 6-year-old son to Cuba.
• 2001   Algerian national Ahmed Ressam, accused of bringing explosives into the United States just days before the millennium celebrations, was convicted twice in the same day   first in France for belonging to a group supporting Islamic militants, then in Los Angeles on terror charges.
• 2001   Pacific Gas and Electric filed for bankruptcy.

Happy Birthday To

• 1882   Rose Schneiderman (U.S. women’s rights activist: organized 1913 strike of 25,000 women blouse makers & ILGWU (International Ladies Garment Workers Union); president of WTUL; only woman member of F.D.R.’s Labor Advisory Board; died Aug 11, 1972)
• 1892   Lowell Thomas (reporter, journalist: New York Daily News; newscaster: NBC radio, CBS radio, NPR radio: Lowell Thomas Remembers; “So long, until tomorrow.”; died Aug 29, 1981)
• 1929   André (Ludwig) Previn (pianist, composer; Oscar-winning film scores: Gigi, Porgy and Bess, Irma La Douce, My Fair Lady; conductor: Pittsburgh Symphony, London & LA Philharmonic Orchestras)
• 1952   Marilu Henner (Mary Lucy Denise Pudlowski) (actress: Taxi, Evening Shade, Cannonball Run 2)