This day in history

[August 16, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Monday, Aug. 16, the 228th day of 2010. There are 137 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Aug. 16, 1977, Elvis Presley died at his Graceland estate in Memphis, Tenn., at age 42.

On this date:

In 1777, American forces won the Revolutionary War Battle of Bennington.

In 1812, Detroit fell to British and Indian forces in the War of 1812.

In 1858, a telegraphed message from Britain's Queen Victoria to President James Buchanan was transmitted over the recently laid trans-Atlantic cable.

In 1894, George Meany, first president of the AFL-CIO, was born in the Bronx, New York.

In 1948, baseball legend Babe Ruth died in New York at age 53.

In 1954, Sports Illustrated was first published by Time Inc.

In 1956, Adlai E. Stevenson was nominated for president at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

In 1960, Britain ceded control of the crown colony of Cyprus.

In 1978, James Earl Ray, convicted assassin of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., told a Capitol Hill hearing he did not commit the crime, saying he'd been set up by a mysterious man called "Raoul."

In 1987, 156 people were killed when Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashed while trying to take off from Detroit.

Ten years ago: Delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles formally nominated Al Gore for president. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., was diagnosed with a second bout of melanoma (the cancer was later surgically removed, with no sign that it had spread).

Five years ago: Hundreds of defiant Jewish settlers hunkered down in advance of a midnight deadline to leave Gaza. A plane carrying vacationers home from Panama to Martinique crashed in western Venezuela, killing all 160 people on board. Two transport helicopters carrying NATO peacekeepers crashed in western Afghanistan, killing 17 Spanish troops.

One year ago: Negotiators averted a strike against the San Francisco Bay Area's commuter rail hours before a midnight deadline. Y.E. Yang of South Korea became the first Asian player to win one of golf's majors with a three-stroke win over Tiger Woods at the PGA Championship in Chaska, Minn. Usain Bolt ran to another world record, winning the 100-meter race in 9.58 seconds at the world championships in Berlin.

Today's birthdays: Actress Ann Blyth is 82. Sportscaster Frank Gifford is 80. Singer Eydie Gorme is 79. Actress Julie Newmar is 77. Actor John Standing is 76. College Football Hall of Famer and NFL player Bill Glass is 75. Actor Gary Clarke is 74. Actress Anita Gillette is 74. Actress Carole Shelley is 71. Country singer Billy Joe Shaver is 71. Movie director Bruce Beresford is 70. Rhythm-and-blues singer Robert "Squirrel" Lester (The Chi-Lites) is 68. Actor Bob Balaban is 65. Ballerina Suzanne Farrell is 65. Actress Lesley Ann Warren is 64. Rock singer-musician Joey Spampinato (NRBQ) is 60. Actor Reginald VelJohnson is 58. TV personality Kathie Lee Gifford is 57. Rhythm-and-blues singer J.T. Taylor is 57. Movie director James Cameron is 56. Actor Jeff Perry is 55. Rock musician Tim Farriss (INXS) is 53. Singer Madonna is 52. Actress Angela Bassett is 52. Actress Laura Innes is 51. Actor Timothy Hutton is 50. Actor Steve Carell (kuh-REHL') is 47. Former tennis player Jimmy Arias is 46. Actor-singer Donovan Leitch is 43. Actor Andy Milder (TV: "Weeds") is 42. Actor Seth Peterson is 40. Country singer Emily Robison (The Dixie Chicks) is 38. Actor George Stults is 35. Singer Vanessa Carlton is 30. Actor Cam Gigandet is 28. Actress Agnes Bruckner is 25. Actor Shawn Pyfrom is 24. Country singer Ashton Shepherd is 24. Actress Rumer Willis is 22.

Thought for today: "The most persistent threat to freedom, to the rights of Americans, is fear." -- George Meany (1894-1980)

[Associated Press]

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