This day in history

[September 17, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Friday, Sept. 17, the 260th day of 2010. There are 105 days left in the year. The Jewish Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, begins at sunset.

Today's highlight in history:

On Sept. 17, 1862, in the bloodiest battle day in U.S. history, Union forces fought Confederate invaders in the Civil War Battle of Antietam (an-TEE'-tum) in Maryland; more than 3,600 men were killed.

On this date:

In 1787, the Constitution of the United States was completed and signed by a majority of delegates attending the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

In 1920, the American Professional Football Association -- a precursor of the National Football League -- was formed in Canton, Ohio.

In 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Poland during World War II, more than two weeks after Nazi Germany had launched its assault.

In 1944, during World War II, Allied paratroopers launched Operation Market Garden, landing behind German lines in the Netherlands. (After initial success, the Allies were beaten back by the Germans.)

In 1948, the United Nations mediator for Palestine, Count Folke Bernadotte (FAWL'-keh bayr-nah-DAWT'), was assassinated in Jerusalem by Jewish extremists.

In 1949, more than 120 people died when fire gutted the Canadian passenger steamship SS Noronic at a pier in Toronto.

In 1959, groundbreaking took place for Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

In 1978, after meeting at Camp David, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin (men-AH'-kem BAY'-gihn) and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat signed a framework for a peace treaty.

In 1980, former Nicaraguan president Anastasio Somoza (suh-MOH'-sah) was assassinated in Paraguay.

In 1984, Progressive Conservative leader Brian Mulroney (muhl-ROO'-nee) took office as Canada's 18th prime minister.

Ten years ago: A U.N. refugee worker (Mensah Kpognon) was killed and a second (Sapeu Laurence Djeya) kidnapped in a raid in Guinea (the abducted staffer was later released). In Sydney, Australia, swimmer Tom Dolan of the United States won the 400-meter individual medley.

Five years ago: Two passengers were killed, more than 80 people hurt when a Chicago Metra commuter train derailed while changing tracks at high speed. Insurgents assassinated a Kurdish member of parliament, his brother and their driver in an ambush north of Baghdad.

One year ago: President Barack Obama abruptly canceled a long-planned missile shield for Eastern Europe, replacing a Bush-era project that was bitterly opposed by Russia with a plan he contended would better defend against a growing threat of Iranian missiles. An 18-year-old man armed with an ax, knives and Molotov cocktails attacked his high school in Ansbach, Germany, injuring nine students and a teacher before being shot and arrested. Police in New Haven, Conn. charged Raymond Clark III, a Yale animal lab technician, with murdering graduate student Annie Le (lay).

Today's birthdays: Pro Football Hall of Famer George Blanda is 83. Actor David Huddleston is 80. Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) is 77. Retired Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter is 71. Singer LaMonte McLemore (The Fifth Dimension) is 71. Retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni is 67. Basketball Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson is 65. Singer Fee Waybill is 60. Actress Cassandra Peterson ("Elvira, Mistress of the Dark") is 59. Comedian Rita Rudner is 57. Muppeteer Kevin Clash is 50. Movie director Baz Luhrmann is 48. Singer BeBe Winans is 48. Actor Kyle Chandler is 45. Director-producer Bryan Singer ("X-Men') is 45. Rapper Doug E. Fresh is 44. Actor Malik Yoba is 43. Rock musician Keith Flint (Prodigy) is 41. Actor Matthew Settle is 41. Rapper Vinnie (Naughty By Nature) is 40. Rock singer Anastacia is 37. Rhythm-and-blues singer Marcus Sanders (Hi-Five) is 37. Actress-singer Nona Gaye is 36. Singer-actor Constantine Maroulis is 35. NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson is 35. Pop singer Maile (MY'-lee) Misajon (Eden's Crush) is 34. Country singer-songwriter Stephen Cochran is 31. Rock musician Chuck Comeau (Simple Plan) is 31. Country singer Desi Wasdin (3 of Hearts) is 27. Rock musician Jon Walker is 25.

Thought for today: "The great tragedy of life is not that men perish, but that they cease to love." -- W. Somerset Maugham, English author and dramatist (1874-1965)

[Associated Press]

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