This day in history

[September 19, 2011]  (AP)  Today is Monday, Sept. 19, the 262nd day of 2011. There are 103 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Sept. 19, 1777, the first Battle of Saratoga was fought during the Revolutionary War; although the British forces succeeded in driving out the American troops, the Americans prevailed in a second battle the following month.

On this date:

In 1796, President George Washington's farewell address was published.

In 1881, the 20th president of the United States, James A. Garfield, died 2 1/2 months after being shot by Charles Guiteau; Chester Alan Arthur became president.

In 1911, British author Sir William Golding ("Lord of the Flies") was born in Cornwall.

In 1945, Nazi radio propagandist William Joyce, known as "Lord Haw-Haw," was convicted of treason and sentenced to death by a British court.

In 1957, the United States conducted its first contained underground nuclear test, code-named "Rainier," in the Nevada desert.

In 1959, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, visiting Los Angeles, reacted angrily upon being told that, for security reasons, he wouldn't get to visit Disneyland.

In 1960, Cuban leader Fidel Castro, in New York to visit the United Nations, angrily checked out of the Shelburne Hotel in a dispute with the management; Castro ended up staying at the Hotel Theresa in Harlem.

In 1961, Barney and Betty Hill, a New Hampshire couple driving home from vacation, experienced what they later claimed under hypnosis was a short-term abduction by extraterrestrials.

In 1970, "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" debuted on CBS-TV.

In 1985, the Mexico City area was struck by a devastating earthquake that killed at least 9,500 people.

Ten years ago: The Pentagon ordered dozens of advanced aircraft to the Persian Gulf region as the hour of military retaliation for deadly terrorist attacks on Sept. 11 drew closer. The parent companies of American Airlines and United Airlines both announced plans to lay off 20,000 employees each.

Five years ago: President George W. Bush, speaking to the U.N. General Assembly, tried to quell anti-Americanism in the Middle East by assuring Muslims he was not waging war against Islam. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan delivered an emotional farewell address, appealing to the world to unite against human rights abuses, religious divisions, brutal conflicts and an unjust world economy. The chief judge in Saddam Hussein's genocide trial was replaced amid complaints he was being too easy on the deposed Iraqi leader.

One year ago: The BP oil well at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico was declared "effectively dead" by retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the government's point man on the blowout disaster, after it was sealed with a permanent cement plug. On the final day of his four-day visit to Britain, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass to beatify Cardinal John Henry Newman, the 19th century Anglican convert.

Today's birthdays: Author Roger Angell is 91. TV host James Lipton ("Inside the Actors Studio") is 85. Actress Rosemary Harris is 84. Former Defense Secretary Harold Brown is 84. Actor Adam West is 81. Retired MLB All-Star pitcher Bob Turley is 81. Actor David McCallum (TV: "NCIS") is 78. Singer-songwriter Paul Williams is 71. Singer Bill Medley is 71. Singer Sylvia Tyson (Ian and Sylvia) is 71. Singer Freda Payne is 69. Golfer Jane Blalock is 66. Singer David Bromberg is 66. Actor Randolph Mantooth is 66. Rock singer-musician Lol Creme (10cc) is 64. Former NFL running back Larry Brown is 64. Actor Jeremy Irons is 63. Actress Twiggy Lawson is 62. TV personality Joan Lunden is 61. Singer-producer Daniel Lanois is 60. Actor Scott Colomby is 59. Musician-producer Nile Rodgers is 59. College Football Hall of Famer and former NFL player Reggie Williams is 57. Singer-actor Rex Smith is 56. Actor Kevin Hooks is 53. Actress Carolyn McCormick is 52. Country singer Jeff Bates is 48. Country singer Trisha Yearwood is 47. Actress-comedian Cheri Oteri is 46. News anchor Soledad O'Brien is 45. Rhythm-and-blues singer Espraronza Griffin is 42. Actress Sanaa Lathan (suh-NAH' LAY'-thun) is 40. Actress Stephanie J. Block is 39. Rock singer A. Jay Popoff (Lit) is 38. Comedian and TV talk show host Jimmy Fallon is 37. TV personality Carter Oosterhouse is 35. Actress-TV host Alison Sweeney is 35. Rock musician Ryan Dusick is 34. Folk-rock singers-musicians Tegan (TEE'-gan) and Sara Quin are 31. Actor Columbus Short is 29. Rapper Eamon is 28. Christian rock musician JD Frazier is 28. Actor Kevin Zegers is 27. Actress Danielle Panabaker is 24.

Thought for today: "Do not let yourself be tainted with a barren skepticism." -- Louis Pasteur, French scientist (1822-1895)

[Associated Press]

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