This day in history

[September 22, 2008]  (AP)  Today is Monday, Sept. 22, the 266th day of 2008. There are 100 days left in the year. Autumn arrives at 11:44 a.m. Eastern time.

Today's highlight in history:

On Sept. 22, 1776, Nathan Hale was hanged as a spy by the British during the Revolutionary War.

On this date:

In 1789, Congress authorized the office of Postmaster-General.

In 1862, President Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, declaring all slaves in rebel states should be free as of Jan. 1, 1863.

In 1927, Gene Tunney successfully defended his heavyweight boxing title against Jack Dempsey in the famous "long-count" fight in Chicago.

In 1938, the musical comedy revue "Hellzapoppin'," starring Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson, began a three-year run on Broadway.

In 1958, President Eisenhower's assistant, Sherman Adams, resigned amid charges of improperly using his influence to help a businessman.

In 1958, the television show "Peter Gunn," starring Craig Stevens, premiered on NBC.

In 1964, the musical "Fiddler on the Roof" opened on Broadway, beginning a run of 3,242 performances.

In 1975, Sara Jane Moore attempted to shoot President Ford outside a San Francisco hotel, but missed.

In 1980, the Persian Gulf conflict between Iran and Iraq erupted into full-scale war.

In 1988, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney apologized for the World War II internment of Japanese-Canadians, and promised compensation.

Ten years ago: Congressional Republicans worked to snuff out new talk of a punishment for President Clinton short of impeachment, an idea floated by Democrats as poll numbers showed that most Americans didn't want Clinton removed from office. The U.S. and Russia agreed to help Russia privatize its nuclear program and stop the export of scientists and plutonium.

Five years ago: A suicide car bombing outside U.N. offices in Baghdad killed an Iraqi policeman. NATO allies picked Dutch Foreign Minister Jaap de Hoop Scheffer as the alliance's next secretary-general. Actor Gordon Jump died at age 71.

One year ago: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki at the United Nations in their first face-to-face talks since a Baghdad shootout involving guards from a U.S. company protecting American diplomats. Marcel Marceau, the master of mime, died in Paris at age 84.

Today's birthdays: Baseball Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda is 81. NBA Commissioner David Stern is 66. Musician King Sunny Ade is 62. Actor Paul Le Mat is 62. Captain Mark Phillips is 60. Rock singer David Coverdale (Deep Purple, Whitesnake) is 57. Actress Shari Belafonte is 54. Singer Debby Boone is 52. Country singer June Forester (The Forester Sisters) is 52. Singer Nick Cave is 51. Rock singer Johnette Napolitano is 51. Opera singer Andrea Bocelli is 50. Singer-musician Joan Jett is 50. Actress Catherine Oxenberg is 47. Actor Scott Baio is 47. Actor Rob Stone is 46. Rock musician Matt Sharp is 39. Rock musician Dave Hernandez (The Shins) is 38. Rhythm-and-blues singer Big Rube (Society of Soul) is 37. Actor Tom Felton is 21.

Thought for today: "The autumn always gets me badly, as it breaks into colours. I want to go south, where there is no autumn, where the cold doesn't crouch over one like a snow-leopard waiting to pounce." -- D.H. Lawrence, English author (1885-1930)

[Associated Press]

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