This day in history

[June 03, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Thursday, June 3, the 154th day of 2010. There are 211 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On June 3, 1808, Confederate President Jefferson Davis was born in Christian County, Ky.

On this date:

In 1621, the Dutch West India Company received its charter for a trade monopoly in parts of the Americas and Africa.

In 1888, the poem "Casey at the Bat," by Ernest Lawrence Thayer, was first published, in the San Francisco Daily Examiner.

In 1935, the French liner Normandie set a record on its maiden voyage, arriving in New York after crossing the Atlantic in just four days.

In 1937, the Duke of Windsor, who had abdicated the British throne, married Wallis Warfield Simpson in Monts, France.

In 1948, the 200-inch reflecting Hale Telescope at the Palomar Mountain Observatory in California was dedicated.

In 1963, Pope John XXIII died at age 81; he was succeeded by Pope Paul VI.

In 1965, astronaut Edward White became the first American to "walk" in space, during the flight of Gemini 4.

In 1968, pop artist Andy Warhol was shot and critically wounded in his New York film studio, known as "The Factory," by Valerie Solanas, an actress and self-styled militant feminist.

In 1983, Gordon Kahl, a militant tax protester wanted in the slayings of two U.S. marshals in North Dakota, was killed in a gun battle with law-enforcement officials near Smithville, Ark.

In 1989, Iran's spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, died. Chinese army troops began their sweep of Beijing to crush student-led pro-democracy demonstrations. SkyDome (now called Rogers Centre) opened in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Ten years ago: President Bill Clinton held talks in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin (POO'-tihn) on topics including missile defense. Former Treasury Secretary and onetime "energy czar" William Simon died in Santa Barbara, Calif. at age 72.

Five years ago: U.S. military officials said no guard at the Guantanamo Bay prison for terror suspects had flushed a detainee's Quran down the toilet, but disclosed there were instances in which Qurans were abused by guards, intentionally or accidentally. The child molestation case against Michael Jackson went to the jury after the defense concluded its closing argument (Jackson was acquitted).

One year ago: New Hampshire became the sixth state to legalize same-sex marriage. The Organization of American States cleared the way for Cuba's possible return to the group by lifting a 47-year ban on the country. Death claimed Koko Taylor, 80, the "Queen of the Blues," in Chicago and Las Vegas saxophonist Sam Butera, 81, who'd teamed with Louis Prima and Keely Smith.

Today's birthdays: Actor Tony Curtis is 85. TV producer Chuck Barris is 81. Actress Irma P. Hall is 75. Author Larry McMurtry is 74. Rock singer Ian Hunter (Mott The Hoople) is 71. Singer Eddie Holman is 64. Musician Too Slim (Riders in the Sky) is 62. Rock musician Richard Moore is 61. Singer Suzi Quatro is 60. Singer Deneice Williams is 59. Singer Dan Hill is 56. Actor Scott Valentine is 52. Rock musician Kerry King (Slayer) is 46. Rock singer-musician Mike Gordon is 45. CNN host Anderson Cooper is 43. Country singer Jamie O'Neal is 42. Singers Gabriel and Ariel Hernandez (No Mercy) are 39. Tennis player Rafael Nadal is 24. Actress-singer Lalaine is 23.

Thought for today: "Money can't buy happiness, but it can make you awfully comfortable while you're being miserable." -- Clare Boothe Luce, American author, politician and diplomat (1903-1987)

[Associated Press]

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