This day in history

[April 27, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Tuesday, April 27, the 117th day of 2010. There are 248 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On April 27, 1810, Ludwig van Beethoven wrote one of his most famous piano compositions, the Bagatelle in A-minor, popularly known by its reported dedication, "Fuer Elise" (for Elise). (Note: The title is generally spelled "Fur Elise" with an umlaut over the "u.")

On this date:

In 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan was killed by natives in the Philippines.

In 1570, Pope Pius V excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I.

In 1805, during the First Barbary War, an American-led force of Marines and mercenaries captured the city of Derna, on the shores of Tripoli.

In 1822, the 18th president of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant, was born in Point Pleasant, Ohio.

In 1865, the steamer Sultana exploded on the Mississippi River near Memphis, Tenn., killing more than 1,400 people, mostly freed Union prisoners of war.

In 1932, American poet Hart Crane, 32, drowned after jumping from a steamer into the Gulf of Mexico while en route to New York.

In 1965, broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow died in Pawling, N.Y., two days after turning 57.

In 1967, Expo '67 was officially opened in Montreal by Canadian Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson.

In 1973, Acting FBI Director L. Patrick Gray resigned after it was revealed that he'd destroyed files removed from the safe of Watergate conspirator E. Howard Hunt.

In 1978, convicted Watergate defendant John D. Ehrlichman was released from an Arizona prison after serving 18 months. Fifty-one construction workers plunged to their deaths when a scaffold inside a cooling tower at the Pleasants Power Station site in West Virginia fell 168 feet to the ground.

Ten years ago: New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani disclosed that he had prostate cancer (he later bowed out of the U.S. Senate race against Hillary Rodham Clinton).

Five years ago: Touting technology as a way to solve the country's energy problems, President George W. Bush called for construction of more nuclear power plants and urged Congress to give tax breaks for fuel-efficient hybrid and clean-diesel cars. Russian President Vladimir Putin became the first Kremlin leader to visit Israel. The Airbus A380, the world's largest jetliner, made its maiden flight.

One year ago: A 23-month-old Mexico City toddler died at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, the first swine-flu death on U.S. soil. A strong earthquake struck central Mexico, rattling nerves among residents already tense from a swine flu outbreak suspected of killing as many as 149 people nationwide. A low-flying plane, later determined to be an Air Force One jet, panicked New Yorkers. General Motors announced plans to cut 21,000 hourly jobs and scrap the Pontiac brand.

Today's birthdays: Actor Jack Klugman is 88. Actress Anouk Aimee is 78. Announcer Casey Kasem is 78. Actress Judy Carne is 71. Rhythm-and-blues singer Cuba Gooding is 66. Singer Ann Peebles is 63. Rock singer Kate Pierson (The B-52's) is 62. Rhythm-and-blues singer Herbie Murrell (The Stylistics) is 61. Actor Douglas Sheehan is 61. Rock musician Ace Frehley is 59. Pop singer Sheena Easton is 51. Actor James Le Gros (groh) is 48. Rock musician Rob Squires (Big Head Todd and the Monsters) is 45. Singer Mica (MEE'-shah) Paris is 41. Actress Maura West is 38. Actress Sally Hawkins is 34. Rock singer-musician Travis Meeks (Days of the New) is 31. Actress Ari Graynor is 27. Rock singer-musician Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy) is 26. Actor William Moseley is 23. Singer Allison Iraheta is 18.

Thought for today: "For those who do not think, it is best at least to rearrange their prejudices once in a while." -- Luther Burbank, American horticulturist (1849-1926)

[Associated Press]

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