Today in History
Today is Friday, April 5, the 95th day of 2019. There are 270 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On April 5, 1986, two American servicemen and a Turkish woman were killed in the bombing of a West Berlin discotheque, an incident which prompted a U.S. air raid on Libya more than a week later.
On this date:
In 1614, Indian Chief Powhatan’s daughter Pocahontas married Englishman John Rolfe, a widower, in the Virginia Colony.
In 1915, Jess Willard knocked out Jack Johnson in the 26th round of their fight in Havana, Cuba, to claim boxing’s world heavyweight title.
In 1955, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill resigned his office for health reasons. Democrat Richard J. Daley was first elected mayor of Chicago, defeating Republican Robert E. Merriam.
In 1964, Army Gen. Douglas MacArthur died in Washington, D.C., at age 84.
In 1974, Stephen King’s first published novel, “Carrie,” was released by Doubleday.
In 1975, nationalist Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek died in Taipei at age 87.
In 1976, reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes died in Houston at age 70.
In 1988, a 15-day hijacking ordeal began as gunmen forced a Kuwait Airways jumbo jet to land in Iran.
In 1991, former Sen. John Tower, R-Texas, his daughter Marian and 21 other people were killed in a commuter plane crash near Brunswick, Georgia.
In 2001, Wang Zhizhi became the first Chinese player to play in the NBA when he took the court for Dallas against Atlanta. (Wang scored six points and grabbed three rebounds as the Mavericks beat the Hawks 108-94.)
In 2005, ABC News anchorman Peter Jennings revealed he had lung cancer (he died in August 2005 at age 67).
In 2008, actor Charlton Heston, big-screen hero and later leader of the National Rifle Association, died in Beverly Hills, California, at age 84.
Ten years ago: North Korea fired a rocket over Japan, defying Washington, Tokyo and others who suspected the launch was a cover for a test of its long-range missile technology. President Barack Obama, visiting Prague, launched an effort to rid the world of nuclear weapons, calling them “the most dangerous legacy of the Cold War.” The Pentagon quietly lifted an 18-year ban on media coverage of fallen U.S. service members.
Five years ago: Millions of Afghans defied Taliban threats and rain as they went to the polls to choose President Hamid Karzai’s successor. (Ashraf Ghani emerged the winner.) Breanna Stewart, UConn’s 6-foot-4 sophomore star, was named The Associated Press Player of the Year. Notre Dame’s Muffet McGraw was selected coach of the year for the second straight season. Award-winning author and environmentalist Peter Matthiessen, 86, died on Long Island, New York.
One year ago: In his first public comments about Stormy Daniels, President Donald Trump said he didn’t know about the $130,000 payment his personal attorney Michael Cohen had made to the porn actress who alleged she had an affair with Trump. In a dramatic escalation of the trade dispute with China, Trump told the U.S. trade representative to consider slapping an additional $100 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods. A Brazilian judge issued an arrest warrant for former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as the once-popular leader tried to mount a political comeback ahead of October elections; da Silva had sought to stay out of prison while he appealed a corruption conviction. A federal immigration raid took 97 people into custody at a Tennessee meat processing plant.
Today’s Birthdays: Movie producer Roger Corman is 93. Former U.S. Secretary of State and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell is 82. Country singer Tommy Cash is 79. Actor Michael Moriarty is 78. Pop singer Allan Clarke (The Hollies) is 77. Writer-director Peter Greenaway is 77. Actor Max Gail is 76. Actress Jane Asher is 73. Singer Agnetha Faltskog (ABBA) is 69. Actor Mitch Pileggi is 67. Singer-songwriter Peter Case is 65. Hip-hop artist/actor Christopher “Kid” Reid is 55. Rock musician Mike McCready (Pearl Jam) is 53. Singer Paula Cole is 51. Actress Krista Allen is 48. Actress Victoria Hamilton is 48. Country singer Pat Green is 47. Rapper-producer Pharrell Williams is 46. Rapper/producer Juicy J is 44. Actor Sterling K. Brown is 43. Country singer-musician Mike Eli (The Eli Young Band) is 38. Actress Hayley Atwell is 37. Actress Lily James is 30.
Thought for Today: “I realized a long time ago that a belief which does not spring from a conviction in the emotions is no belief at all.” — Evelyn Scott, American author (1893-1963).
