This day in history

[May 24, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Monday, May 24, the 144th day of 2010. There are 221 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On May 24, 1844, Samuel F.B. Morse transmitted the message, "What hath God wrought" from Washington to Baltimore as he formally opened America's first telegraph line.

On this date:

In 1819, Queen Victoria was born in London.

In 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge, linking Brooklyn and Manhattan, was dedicated by President Chester Alan Arthur and New York Gov. Grover Cleveland, and opened to traffic.

In 1935, the first major league baseball game to be played at night took place at Cincinnati's Crosley Field as the Reds beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 2-1.

In 1941, the German battleship Bismarck sank the British dreadnought Hood in the North Atlantic.

In 1959, former U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles died in Washington, D.C. at age 71.

In 1962, astronaut Scott Carpenter became the second American to orbit the Earth as he flew aboard Aurora 7.

In 1976, Britain and France opened trans-Atlantic Concorde supersonic transport service to Washington.

In 1977, in a surprise move, the Kremlin ousted Soviet President Nikolai Podgorny from the Communist Party's ruling Politburo.

In 1980, Iran rejected a call by the World Court in The Hague to release the American hostages.

In 2001, 23 people died when the floor of a Jerusalem wedding hall collapsed beneath dancing guests in a horrifying scene captured on video.

Ten years ago: Israeli troops pulled out unilaterally from south Lebanon, ending 18 years of occupation. Gunmen killed five people and wounded two others in a robbery attempt at a Wendy's restaurant in Queens, New York. (The gunmen, Craig Godineaux and John Taylor, are serving life prison sentences.) The state of Maryland dismissed its wiretapping case against Linda Tripp after judge disallowed most of Monica Lewinsky's testimony. Isiah Thomas, Bob McAdoo and Tennessee women's coach Pat Summitt were elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Five years ago: Breaking years of gridlock, the Senate cleared the way for confirmation of Priscilla Owen to the U.S. appeals court following a compromise on President George W. Bush's current and future judicial nominees. Ignoring President Bush's veto threat, the House voted to lift limits on embryonic stem cell research.

One year ago: Space shuttle Atlantis and its seven astronauts returned to Earth, ending a 13-day mission to repair and enhance the Hubble Space Telescope. Brazil's Helio Castroneves became the ninth driver to win the Indianapolis 500 three times.

Today's birthdays: Comedian Tommy Chong is 72. Singer Bob Dylan is 69. Actor Gary Burghoff is 67. Singer Patti LaBelle is 66. Actress Priscilla Presley is 65. Country singer Mike Reid is 63. Actor Jim Broadbent is 60. Actor Alfred Molina is 57. Singer Rosanne Cash is 55. Actress Kristin Scott Thomas is 50. Rock musician Jimmy Ashhurst (Buckcherry) is 47. Rock musician Vivian Trimble is 47. Actor John C. Reilly is 45. Actor Eric Close is 43. Rapper-recording executive Heavy D is 43. Rock musician Rich Robinson is 41. Actor Bryan Greenburg is 32. Actor Billy L. Sullivan is 30. Actor-rapper Jerod Mixon (aka Big Tyme) is 29. Rock musician Cody Hanson (Hinder) is 28. Country singer Billy Gilman is 22. Actor Cayden Boyd is 16.

Thought for today: "If only we'd stop trying to be happy, we could have a pretty good time." -- Edith Wharton, American writer (1862-1937)

[Associated Press]

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