This day in history

[September 23, 2009]  (AP)  Today is Wednesday, Sept. 23, the 266th day of 2009. There are 99 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Sept. 23, 1952, Sen. Richard M. Nixon, R-Calif., facing calls to withdraw as Dwight D. Eisenhower's running mate, went on television to defend himself against allegations of improper campaign fundraising. The address, which came to be known as the "Checkers" speech because of Nixon's on-air reference to a dog given to his family as a gift, proved highly successful in rallying public support for keeping Nixon on the GOP ticket.

On this date:

In 1779, during the Revolutionary War, the American warship Bon Homme Richard, commanded by John Paul Jones, defeated the HMS Serapis in battle.

In 1780, British spy John Andre was captured along with papers revealing Benedict Arnold's plot to surrender West Point to the British.

In 1806, the Lewis and Clark expedition returned to St. Louis more than two years after setting out for the Pacific Northwest.

In 1846, Neptune was identified as a planet by German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle.

In 1908, an apparent base-running error by Fred Merkle of the New York Giants cost his team a victory against the Chicago Cubs and left the game tied 1-1. (The Cubs won a rematch game and with it, the National League pennant.)

In 1939, Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, died in London at age 83.

In 1949, President Harry S. Truman announced there was evidence the Soviet Union had recently conducted a nuclear test explosion. (The test had been carried out on Aug. 29, 1949.)

In 1957, nine black students who had entered Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas were forced to withdraw because of a white mob outside.

In 1962, New York's Philharmonic Hall (since renamed Avery Fisher Hall) formally opened as the first unit of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

In 2001, 13 coal miners were killed in explosions at the Blue Creek Mine No. 5 in Brookwood, Ala.

Ten years ago: President Bill Clinton vetoed the Republicans' $792 billion tax cut bill, calling it "too big, too bloated." The Mars Climate Observer apparently burned up as it was about to go into orbit around the Red Planet.

Five years ago: President George W. Bush denied painting too rosy a picture about Iraq, and said he would consider sending more troops if asked; Iraq's interim leader, Ayad Allawi, standing with Bush in the White House Rose Garden, said additional troops weren't needed.

One year ago: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused what he called "a few bullying powers" of trying to thwart his country's peaceful nuclear program and declared in a speech before the U.N. General Assembly that "the American empire" was nearing collapse. A 22-year-old gunman opened fire at his trade school in Kauhajoki, Finland, killing 10 people before fatally shooting himself.

Today's birthdays: Actor Mickey Rooney is 89. Actress Margaret Pellegrini ("The Wizard of Oz") is 86. Singer Julio Iglesias is 66. Actor Paul Petersen ("The Donna Reed Show") is 64. Actress-singer Mary Kay Place is 62. Rock star Bruce Springsteen is 60. Rock musician Leon Taylor (The Ventures) is 54. Actress Rosalind Chao is 52. Golfer Larry Mize is 51. Actor Jason Alexander ("Seinfeld") is 50. Actor Chi McBride is 48. Actress Elizabeth Pena is 48. Country musician Don Herron (BR549) is 47. Actor Erik Todd Dellums is 45. Actress LisaRaye is 43. Singer Ani DiFranco is 39. Rock singer Sarah Bettens (K's Choice) is 37. Recording executive Jermaine Dupri is 37. Actor Kip Pardue is 33. Pop singer Erik-Michael Estrada ("Making the Band") is 30. Actress Aubrey Dollar is 29. Tennis player Melanie Oudin is 18.

Thought for today: "The only interesting answers are those which destroy the questions." -- Susan Sontag, American author and critic (1933-2004)

[Associated Press]

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