This day in history

[September 16, 2008]  (AP)  Today is Tuesday, Sept. 16, the 260th day of 2008. There are 106 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

One hundred years ago, on Sept. 16, 1908, General Motors was formed in Flint, Mich., by William Durant.

On this date:

In 1498, Tomas de Torquemada, notorious for his role in the Spanish Inquisition, died in Avila, Spain.

In 1810, Mexico began its successful revolt against Spanish rule.

In 1893, more than 100,000 settlers swarmed onto a section of land in Oklahoma known as the "Cherokee Strip."

In 1919, the American Legion was formally chartered by an act of Congress.

In 1940, President Roosevelt signed into law the Selective Training and Service Act, which set up the first peacetime military draft in U.S. history; Samuel T. Rayburn of Texas was elected Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

In 1966, the Metropolitan Opera opened its new opera house at New York's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

In 1968, Republican presidential nominee Richard Nixon exclaimed, "Sock it to ME?" in a taped bit for the NBC-TV comedy program "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In."

In 1977, Maria Callas, the American-born prima donna famed for her lyric soprano and fiery temperament, died in Paris at age 53.

In 1982, the massacre of hundreds of Palestinian men, women and children by Israeli-allied Lebanese militiamen began in west Beirut's Sabra and Chatilla refugee camps.

In 1988, Hurricane Gilbert slammed into the Mexico coast for the second time in three days.

Ten years ago: In his first news conference since the release of Kenneth Starr's graphic report, President Clinton said he'd told "the essential truth" about his affair with Monica Lewinsky; as for whether he might resign, Clinton responded that Americans "want me to go on." House Judiciary Committee Chairman Henry Hyde, responding to a report in an Internet publication, Salon Magazine, admitted to "indiscretions" with a woman in the 1960s at a time when both were married.

Five years ago: North Carolina Sen. John Edwards formally launched his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination. Actor-singer Sheb Wooley died in Nashville, Tenn., at age 82.

One year ago: A deadly shooting in Baghdad involving the U.S. security firm Blackwater USA left 17 Iraqi civilians dead. A One-Two-Go Airlines passenger plane crashed on the island of Phuket, Thailand, killing 89 people. O.J. Simpson was arrested in the alleged armed robbery of sports memorabilia collectors in Las Vegas. The Phoenix Mercury beat the Detroit Shock 108-92 to win their first WNBA title. "The Sopranos" claimed its final Emmy award as best dramatic series; "30 Rock" won best comedy series.

Today's birthdays: Actress Janis Paige is 86. Actress Lauren Bacall is 84. Blues singer B.B. King is 83. Clergyman-author Rev. Robert H. Schuller is 82. Actor Peter Falk is 81. Actress Anne Francis is 78. Actor George Chakiris is 76. Movie director Jim McBride is 67. Actress Linda Miller is 66. Rhythm-and-blues singer Betty Kelly (Martha & the Vandellas) is 64. Musician Kenney Jones (Small Faces; Faces; The Who) is 60. Actress Susan Ruttan is 60. Rock musician Ron Blair (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers) is 60. Actor Ed Begley Jr. is 59. Country singer David Bellamy (The Bellamy Brothers) is 58. Country singer-songwriter Phil Lee is 57. Actor-comedian Lenny Clarke is 55. Actor Kurt Fuller is 55. Jazz musician Earl Klugh is 55. Actor Christopher Rich is 55. Singer Frank Reed (The Chi-Lites) is 54. TV personality Mark McEwen is 54. Actor Mickey Rourke is 52. Magician David Copperfield is 52. Country singer-songwriter Terry McBride is 50. Actress Jennifer Tilly is 50. Former All-Star baseball pitcher Orel Hershiser is 50. Singer Richard Marx is 45. Comedian Molly Shannon is 44. Singer Marc Anthony is 40. Comedian Amy Poehler is 37. Singer Musiq is 31. Actress Alexis Bledel is 27. Actress Sabrina Bryan is 24. Actress Madeline Zima is 23. Actress Kyla Pratt is 22. Rock singer Teddy Geiger is 20. Rock singer-musician Nick Jonas (The Jonas Brothers) is 16.

Thought for today: "Stoicism is the wisdom of madness and cynicism the madness of wisdom." -- Bergen Evans, American lexicographer (1904-1978)

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.