This day in history

[September 16, 2009]  (AP)  Today is Wednesday, Sept. 16, the 259th day of 2009. There are 106 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Sept. 16, 1919, the American Legion received a national charter from Congress.

On this date:

In 1498, Tomas de Torquemada, notorious for his role in the Spanish Inquisition, died in Avila, Spain.

In 1810, Mexico began its successful revolt against Spanish rule.

In 1893, more than 100,000 settlers swarmed onto a section of land in Oklahoma known as the "Cherokee Strip."

In 1908, General Motors Corp. was founded in Flint, Mich., by William C. Durant.

In 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the Selective Training and Service Act, which set up the first peacetime military draft in U.S. history. Samuel T. Rayburn of Texas was elected Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

In 1966, the Metropolitan Opera officially opened its new opera house at New York's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts with the world premiere of Samuel Barber's "Antony and Cleopatra." (There had been a student matinee performance of "La Fanciulla del West" on April 11 to test the theater's sound quality.)

In 1968, Republican presidential nominee Richard Nixon exclaimed, "Sock it to ME?" in a taped bit that aired on the NBC-TV comedy program "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In."

In 1977, Maria Callas, the American-born prima donna famed for her lyric soprano and fiery temperament, died in Paris at age 53.

In 1982, the massacre of hundreds of Palestinian men, women and children by Israeli-allied Lebanese militiamen began in west Beirut's Sabra and Chatilla refugee camps.

In 1988, Hurricane Gilbert slammed into the Mexico coast for the second time in three days.

Ten years ago: Hurricane Floyd hit the Carolinas and began making its way up the East Coast, damaging 12,000 homes and claiming more than 50 lives even after it weakened to a tropical storm. In southern Russia, an explosion described by authorities as the fourth massive terrorist attack in two weeks demolished an apartment building, killing at least 18 people.

Five years ago: Hurricane Ivan plowed into the Gulf Coast with 130 mph wind and a major storm surge; all told, Ivan was blamed for at least 115 deaths, 43 in the U.S. The number of foreigners kidnapped during the Iraq insurgency reached at least 100. The NHL lockout went into effect.

One year ago: Gen. David Petraeus stepped aside as Gen. Ray Odierno took over as the top American commander of the Iraq war. President George W. Bush got a firsthand look at the fury that Hurricane Ike had unleashed on the Gulf Coast with stops in Houston and Galveston, Texas, and a helicopter tour. Motown songwriter and producer Norman Whitfield died in Los Angeles at age 67.

Today's birthdays: Actress Janis Paige is 87. Actress Lauren Bacall is 85. Blues singer/guitarist B.B. King is 84. Clergyman-author the Rev. Robert H. Schuller is 83. Actor Peter Falk is 82. Actress Anne Francis is 79. Actor George Chakiris is 77. Movie director Jim McBride is 68. Actress Linda Miller is 67. R&B singer Betty Kelly (Martha & the Vandellas) is 65. Musician Kenney Jones (Small Faces; Faces; The Who) is 61. Actress Susan Ruttan is 61. Rock musician Ron Blair (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers; Mudcrutch) is 61. Actor Ed Begley Jr. is 60. Country singer David Bellamy (The Bellamy Brothers) is 59. Country singer-songwriter Phil Lee is 58. Actor-comedian Lenny Clarke is 56. Actor Kurt Fuller is 56. Jazz musician Earl Klugh is 56. Actor Christopher Rich is 56. Singer Frank Reed (The Chi-Lites) is 55. TV personality Mark McEwen is 55. Baseball Hall of Famer Robin Yount is 54. Actor Mickey Rourke is 53. Magician David Copperfield is 53. Country singer-songwriter Terry McBride is 51. Actress Jennifer Tilly is 51. Retired baseball All-Star Orel Hershiser is 51. Retired baseball All-Star Tim Raines is 50. Singer Richard Marx is 46. Comedian Molly Shannon is 45. Singer Marc Anthony is 41. Comedian-actress Amy Poehler is 38. Country singer Matt Stillwell is 34. Singer Musiq is 32. Actress Alexis Bledel is 28. Actress Sabrina Bryan is 25. Actress Madeline Zima is 24. Actress Kyla Pratt is 23. Rock singer Teddy Geiger is 21. Rock singer-musician Nick Jonas (The Jonas Brothers) is 17.

Thought for today: "The military don't start wars. Politicians start wars." -- Gen. William C. Westmoreland, American military commander (1914-2005)

[Associated Press]

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