This day in history

[May 03, 2013]  (AP)  Today is Friday, May 3, the 123rd day of 2013. There are 242 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On May 3, 1973, Chicago's 110-story Sears Tower (now the Willis Tower) was topped out after two years of construction, becoming the world's tallest building for the next 25 years.

On this date:

In 1791, Poland adopted a national constitution.

In 1802, Washington, D.C., was incorporated as a city.

In 1913, Clorox had its beginnings as five entrepreneurs agreed to set up a liquid bleach factory in Oakland, Calif. Author-playwright William Inge was born in Independence, Kan.

In 1916, Irish nationalist Padraic Pearse and two others were executed by the British for their roles in the Easter Rising.

In 1933, Nellie T. Ross became the first female director of the U.S. Mint.

In 1943, Pulitzer Prizes were awarded to Thornton Wilder for his play "The Skin of Our Teeth" and Upton Sinclair for "Dragon's Teeth."

In 1948, the Supreme Court ruled that covenants prohibiting the sale of real estate to blacks or members of other racial groups were legally unenforceable.

In 1952, the Kentucky Derby was televised nationally for the first time on CBS; the winner was Hill Gail.

In 1960, the Harvey Schmidt-Tom Jones musical "The Fantasticks" began a nearly 42-year run at New York's Sullivan Street Playhouse.

In 1971, the National Public Radio program "All Things Considered" made its debut.

In 1979, Conservative Party leader Margaret Thatcher was chosen to become Britain's first female prime minister as the Tories ousted the incumbent Labor government in parliamentary elections.

In 1986, in NASA's first post-Challenger launch, an unmanned Delta rocket lost power in its main engine shortly after liftoff, forcing safety officers to destroy it by remote control.

Ten years ago: President George W. Bush told a news conference in Crawford, Texas, it was a matter of when -- not if -- weapons of mass destruction would be found in Iraq. Pope John Paul II urged hundreds of thousands of young people outside Madrid to be "artisans of peace." New Hampshire awoke to find its granite symbol of independence and stubbornness, the "Old Man of the Mountain," had collapsed into rubble. "Funny Cide" rolled to victory in the Kentucky Derby. Model and actress Suzy Parker died in Montecito, Calif.

Five years ago: Barack Obama defeated Hillary Rodham Clinton by seven votes in the Guam Democratic presidential caucuses, meaning the candidates split the pledged delegate votes. Big Brown won the Kentucky Derby by 4 3/4 lengths. (Filly Eight Belles finished second and then broke both front ankles; she was euthanized on the track.)

One year ago: U.S. officials published online a selection of letters from Osama bin Laden's last hideaway; the documents portrayed a network that was weak, inept and under siege -- and its leader seemingly near wit's end about the passing of his global jihad's glory days.

Today's birthdays: Folk singer Pete Seeger is 94. Actress Ann B. Davis is 87. Actor Alex Cord is 80. Singer Frankie Valli is 79. Sports announcer Greg Gumbel is 67. Pop singer Mary Hopkin is 63. Singer Christopher Cross is 62. Country musician Cactus Moser (Highway 101) is 56. Rock musician David Ball (Soft Cell) is 54. Country singer Shane Minor is 45. Actor Bobby Cannavale (ka-nuh-VAL'-ee) is 43. Music and film producer-actor Damon Dash is 42. Country musician John Hopkins (Zac Brown Band) is 42. Country-rock musician John Neff (Drive-By Truckers) is 42. Country singer Brad Martin is 40. Actress Christina Hendricks (TV: "Mad Men") is 38. Actor Dule (doo-LAY') Hill is 38. Country singer Eric Church is 36. Dancer Cheryl Burke (TV: "Dancing with the Stars") is 29. Soul singer Michael Kiwanuka is 26. Actress Jill Berard is 23.

Thought for today: "Nobody is bored when he is trying to make something that is beautiful, or to discover something that is true." -- William Inge (1913-1973)

[Associated Press]

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