This day in history

[March 15, 2011]  (AP)  Today is Tuesday, March 15, the 74th day of 2011. There are 291 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On March 15, 44 B.C., Roman dictator Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of nobles that included Brutus and Cassius.

On this date:

In 1493, Christopher Columbus returned to Spain, concluding his first voyage to the Western Hemisphere.

In 1767, the seventh president of the United States, Andrew Jackson, was born in Waxhaw, S.C.

In 1820, Maine became the 23rd state.

In 1913, President Woodrow Wilson met with reporters for what's been described as the first presidential press conference.

In 1919, members of the American Expeditionary Force from World War I convened in Paris for a three-day meeting to found the American Legion.

In 1944, during World War II, Allied bombers again raided German-held Monte Cassino.

In 1956, the musical play "My Fair Lady," based on Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion," opened on Broadway.

In 1964, actress Elizabeth Taylor married actor Richard Burton in Montreal; it was her fifth marriage, his second.

In 1970, Expo '70, promoting "Progress and Harmony for Mankind," opened in Osaka, Japan.

In 1975, Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis died near Paris at age 69.

Ten years ago: Federal authorities confirmed that remains found on a Texas ranch were those of missing atheist leader Madalyn Murray O'Hair and two of her relatives. (David Waters, the key suspect in the slayings, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty in federal court to extortion conspiracy.) Chechens hijacked a Russian plane after it left Turkey and forced it to land in Saudi Arabia. (Saudi special forces stormed the plane the following day; a flight attendant, a passenger and a hijacker were killed.) Actress Ann Sothern died in Ketchum, Idaho, at age 92.

Five years ago: Saddam Hussein, testifying for the first time in his trial, called on Iraqis to stop killing each other and instead fight U.S. troops; the judge reprimanded him for making a rambling, political speech and ordered the TV cameras switched off. A gunman opened fire inside a Denny's restaurant in Pismo Beach, Calif., leaving two dead and two injured before taking his own life. Jeff King won his fourth Iditarod, finishing several hours ahead of runner-up Doug Swingley.

One year ago: Michael Barrett, an insurance executive who'd shot surreptitious hotel videos of ESPN reporter Erin Andrews, was sentenced in federal court in Los Angeles to 2 1/2 years in prison. The United States demanded that Israel call off a contentious building project in east Jerusalem.

Today's birthdays: Musician DJ Fontana is 80. Former astronaut Alan L. Bean is 79. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 78. Actor Judd Hirsch is 76. Rock musician Phil Lesh is 71. Singer Mike Love (The Beach Boys) is 70. Rock singer-musician Sly Stone is 68. Rock singer-musician Howard Scott (War; Lowrider Band) is 65. Rock singer Ry Cooder is 64. Actor Craig Wasson is 57. Rock singer Dee Snider (Twisted Sister) is 56. Actress Park Overall is 54. Movie director Renny Harlin is 52. Model Fabio is 50. Singer Terence Trent D'Arby (AKA Sananda Maitreya) is 49. Rock singer Bret Michaels (Poison) is 48. Rhythm-and-blues singer Rockwell is 47. Rock singer Mark McGrath (Sugar Ray) is 43. Actress Kim Raver is 42. Rock musician Mark Hoppus is 39. Actress Eva Longoria is 36. Rapper-musician will.i.am (Black Eyed Peas) is 36. Rock DJ Joseph Hahn (Linkin Park) is 34. Rapper Young Buck is 30. Actor Sean Biggerstaff is 28. Rock musician Ethan Mentzer is 28. Actress Caitlin Wachs is 22.

Thought for today: "You can't copy anybody and end with anything. If you copy, it means you're working without any real feeling." -- Billie Holiday, American singer (1915-1959)

[Associated Press]

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