This day in history

[February 05, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Friday, Feb. 5, the 36th day of 2010. There are 329 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Feb. 5, 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed a Judiciary Reorganization Bill that would have increased the number of Supreme Court justices; critics accused Roosevelt of attempting to "pack" the court.(The measure failed in Congress.)

On this date:

In 1631, the co-founder of Rhode Island, Roger Williams, and his wife, Mary, arrived in Boston from England.

In 1783, Sweden recognized the independence of the United States.

In 1811, George, Prince of Wales, was named the Prince Regent due to the insanity of his father, Britain's King George III.

In 1887, Verdi's opera "Otello" premiered at La Scala.

In 1917, Congress passed, over President Woodrow Wilson's veto, an immigration act severely curtailing the influx of Asians. Mexico's constitution was adopted.

In 1940, Glenn Miller and his orchestra recorded "Tuxedo Junction" for RCA Victor's Bluebird label.

In 1958, Gamal Abdel Nasser was formally nominated to become the first president of the new United Arab Republic (a union of Syria and Egypt).

In 1973, services were held at Arlington National Cemetery for Army Lt. Col. William B. Nolde, the last official American combat casualty before the Vietnam cease-fire.

In 1989, the Soviet Union announced that all but a small rear-guard contingent of its troops had left Afghanistan.

In 1994, white separatist Byron De La Beckwith was convicted in Jackson, Miss. of murdering civil rights leader Medgar Evers in 1963, and was immediately sentenced to life in prison. (Beckwith died Jan. 21, 2001 at age 80.)

Ten years ago: Right-wing leader Joerg Haider (yohrg HY'-dur) told a deeply divided Austria not to worry about international sanctions, saying the new governing coalition that included his Freedom Party would soon prove its democratic credentials to the world.

Five years ago: Togo President Gnassingbe Eyadema (nyah-SING'-bay ee-yah-DEE'-mah) died after a fatal heart attack; he was 69. Steve Young and Dan Marino were elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

One year ago: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer. USA Swimming suspended Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps for three months after a photo showing him inhaling from marijuana pipe became public.

Today's birthdays: Country singer Claude King is 87. The Reverend Andrew M. Greeley is 82. Baseball Hall-of-Famer Hank Aaron is 76. Actor Stuart Damon is 73. Playwright John Guare is 72. Financial writer Jane Bryant Quinn is 71. Television producer-writer Stephen J. Cannell is 69. Actor David Selby is 69. Singer-songwriter Barrett Strong is 69. Football Hall-of-Famer Roger Staubach is 68. Singer Cory Wells (Three Dog Night) is 68. Movie director Michael Mann is 67. Rock singer Al Kooper is 66. Actress Charlotte Rampling is 64. Race car driver Darrell Waltrip is 63. Actress Barbara Hershey is 62. Actor Christopher Guest is 62. Actor Tom Wilkinson is 62. Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm is 51. Actor-comedian Tim Meadows is 49. Actress Jennifer Jason Leigh is 48. Actress Laura Linney is 46. Rock musician Duff McKagan (Velvet Revolver) is 46. Golfer Jose Maria Olazabal is 44. Rock singer Chris Barron (Spin Doctors) is 42. Baseball player Roberto Alomar is 42. Singer Bobby Brown is 41. Actor Michael Sheen is 41. Country singer Sara Evans is 39. Actor Jeremy Sumpter is 21.

Thought for today: "The greater the philosopher, the harder it is for him to answer the questions of common people." -- Henryk Sienkiewicz, Polish author (1846-1916)

[Associated Press]

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