This day in history

[February 18, 2011]  (AP)  Today is Friday, Feb. 18, the 49th day of 2011. There are 316 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Feb. 18, 1911, the world's first officially-sanctioned airmail flights were completed as Fred Wiseman, carrying three letters, arrived in Santa Rosa, Calif., in his biplane a day after leaving Petaluma (engine trouble having forced an overnight stop) while in India, French pilot Henri Pequet carried some 6,500 letters and postcards from Allahabad (AH'-lah-hah-BAHD') to Naini (NAN'-ee) in 13 minutes.

On this date:

In 1546, Martin Luther, leader of the Protestant Reformation in Germany, died in Eisleben.

In 1564, artist Michelangelo died in Rome.

In 1735, the first opera presented in America, "Flora, or Hob in the Well," was performed in present-day Charleston, S.C.

In 1861, Jefferson Davis was sworn in as provisional president of the Confederate States of America in Montgomery, Ala.

In 1885, Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" was published in the U.S. for the first time.

In 1930, photographic evidence of Pluto (now designated a "dwarf planet") was discovered by Clyde W. Tombaugh at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Ariz.

In 1960, the 8th Winter Olympic Games were formally opened in Squaw Valley, Calif., by Vice President Richard M. Nixon.

In 1970, the "Chicago Seven" defendants were found not guilty of conspiring to incite riots at the 1968 Democratic national convention; five were convicted of violating the Anti-Riot Act of 1968 (those convictions were later reversed).

In 1977, the space shuttle Enterprise, sitting atop a Boeing 747, went on its maiden "flight" above the Mojave (moh-HAH'-vee) Desert.

In 1984, Italy and the Vatican signed an accord under which Roman Catholicism ceased to be the state religion of Italy.

Ten years ago: Auto racing star Dale Earnhardt Sr. died from injuries suffered in a crash at the Daytona 500; he was 49. Death also claimed baseball Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews at age 69, broadcaster Roger Caras at age 72, "Cheaper by the Dozen" co-author Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. at age 89 and painter Balthus at age 92. Veteran FBI agent Robert Philip Hanssen was arrested, accused of spying for Russia. (Hansen later pleaded guilty to espionage and attempted espionage and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.)

Five years ago: American Shani Davis won the men's 1,000-meter speedskating in Turin, becoming the first black athlete to win an individual gold medal in Winter Olympic history. A Hamas-dominated Palestinian parliament was sworn in. Militants in Nigeria seized nine foreign oil workers, including three Americans (all were released unharmed). Eight workers at a meat processing plant in Nebraska won a record $365 million Powerball jackpot. Character actor Richard Bright ("The Godfather" movies) was struck and killed by a bus in New York; he was 68.

One year ago: In Austin, Texas, software engineer A. Joseph Stack III crashed his single-engine plane into a building containing IRS offices, killing one person besides himself. President Barack Obama personally welcomed the Dalai Lama to the White House, but kept the get-together off camera and low key in an attempt to avoid inflaming tensions with China. Evan Lysacek became the first U.S. man to win the Olympic gold medal since Brian Boitano in 1988, shocking everyone by upsetting defending champion Evgeni Plushenko.

Today's birthdays: Former Cosmopolitan editor Helen Gurley Brown is 89. Actor George Kennedy is 86. Former Sen. John Warner, R-Va., is 84. Author Toni Morrison is 80. Movie director Milos (MEE'-lohsh) Forman is 79. Singer Yoko Ono is 78. Singer-songwriter Bobby Hart is 72. Singer Irma Thomas is 70. Singer Herman Santiago (Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers) is 70. Singer Dennis DeYoung is 64. Actress Sinead Cusack is 63. Actress Cybill Shepherd is 61. Singer Juice Newton is 59. Singer Randy Crawford is 59. Rock musician Robbie Bachman is 58. Rock musician Larry Rust (Iron Butterfly) is 58. Actor John Travolta is 57. Game show host Vanna White is 54. Actress Greta Scacchi (SKAH'-kee) is 51. Actor Matt Dillon is 47. Rapper Dr. Dre is 46. Actress Molly Ringwald is 43. Actress Sarah Brown is 36. Actor Kristoffer Polaha is 34. Singer-musician Sean Watkins (Nickel Creek) is 34. Actor Tyrone Burton is 32. Rock-singer musician Regina Spektor is 31. Actor Shane Lyons is 23. Actress Maiara Walsh is 23.

Thought for today: "Temperament is temper that is too old to spank." -- Charlotte Greenwood, American actress-comedian (1893-1978)

[Associated Press]

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