This day in history

[July 06, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Tuesday, July 6, the 187th day of 2010. There are 178 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On July 6, 1885, French scientist Louis Pasteur tested an anti-rabies vaccine on 9-year-old Joseph Meister, who had been bitten by an infected dog; the boy did not develop rabies.

On this date:

In 1535, St. Thomas More was executed in England for high treason.

In 1777, during the American Revolution, British forces captured Fort Ticonderoga.

In 1809, French troops arrested Pope Pius VII, who had excommunicated Emperor Napoleon I; the pope was confined for about five years.

In 1917, during World War I, Arab forces led by T.E. Lawrence and Auda Abu Tayi captured the port of Aqaba (AH'-kah-buh) from the Turks.

In 1928, the first all-talking feature, "Lights of New York," had its gala premiere in New York.

In 1944, an estimated 168 people died in a fire that broke out during a performance in the main tent of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in Hartford, Conn.

In 1945, President Harry S. Truman signed an executive order establishing the Medal of Freedom.

In 1957, Althea Gibson became the first black tennis player to win a Wimbledon singles title as she defeated fellow American Darlene Hard 6-3, 6-2.

In 1988, 167 North Sea oil workers were killed when a series of explosions and fires destroyed a drilling platform.

In 1989, the U.S. Army destroyed its last Pershing IA missiles at an ammunition plant in Karnack, Texas, under terms of the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty.

Ten years ago: The German parliament offered a formal apology to Nazi-era slave and forced laborers as it passed a bill setting up a $5 billion compensation fund. The body of 19-year-old Cory Erving, son of basketball star Julius "Dr. J" Erving, was found in his car at the bottom of a Florida pond; he'd been missing since May 28. Venus Williams beat her younger sister Serena 6-2, 7-6 (3) to reach the Wimbledon final; their singles match was the first between sisters in a Grand Slam semifinal.

Five years ago: New York Times reporter Judith Miller was jailed after refusing to testify before a grand jury investigating the leak of undercover CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity (Miller was jailed for 85 days before agreeing to testify). London was selected to host the 2012 Olympics. The Group of Eight summit opened in Gleneagles, Scotland. L. Patrick Gray, the acting FBI director during Watergate, died in Atlantic Beach, Fla. at age 88. Author Evan Hunter died in Weston, Conn. at age 78.

One year ago: Robert McNamara, the Pentagon chief who'd directed the escalation of the Vietnam War despite private doubts, died in Washington, D.C. at 93. President Barack Obama opened a two-day Moscow summit, the first of its kind since the early part of the George W. Bush presidency. Doctors at four hospitals in four states (Maryland, Missouri, Oklahoma and Michigan) finished transplanting eight kidneys over three weeks in what was described as the largest chain of donations in history.

Today's birthdays: Former first lady Nancy Reagan is 89. Actor William Schallert is 88. Actor Donal (cq) Donnelly is 79. Singer-actress Della Reese is 79. The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso, is 75. Actor Ned Beatty is 73. Singer Gene Chandler is 70. Country singer Jeannie Seely is 70. Actor Burt Ward is 65. Former President George W. Bush is 64. Actor-director Sylvester Stallone is 64. Actor Fred Dryer is 64. Actress Nathalie Baye is 62. Actor Geoffrey Rush is 59. Rock musician John Bazz (The Blasters) is 58. Actor Grant Goodeve is 58. Country singer Nanci Griffith is 57. Actress Allyce Beasley is 56. Jazz musician Rick Braun is 55. Country musician John Jorgenson is 54. Former first daughter Susan Ford Bales is 53. Hockey player and coach Ron Duguay (doo-GAY') is 53. Rock musician John Keeble (Spandau Ballet) is 51. Actor Brian Posehn is 44. Rapper Inspectah Deck (Wu-Tang Clan) is 40. Rapper 50 Cent is 34. Actress Tamera Mowry is 32. Actress Tia Mowry is 32. Actress Eva (EH'-vuh) Green is 30. Actor Gregory Smith is 27. Rock singer Kate Nash is 23. Actor Jeremy Suarez is 20.

Thought for today: "Fear is forward. No one is afraid of yesterday." -- Renata Adler, American writer

[Associated Press]

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