This day in history

[October 05, 2011]  (AP)  Today is Wednesday, Oct. 5, the 278th day of 2011. There are 87 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Oct. 5, 1921, the World Series was covered on radio for the first time as Newark, N.J., station WJZ relayed reports from the Polo Grounds, where the New York Giants were facing the New York Yankees. (Although the Yankees won the opener, 3-0, the Giants won the series, 5 games to 3.)

On this date:

In 1829, the 21st president of the United States, Chester Alan Arthur, was born in Fairfield, Vt. (Some sources list 1830.)

In 1892, the Dalton Gang, notorious for its train robberies, was practically wiped out while attempting to rob a pair of banks in Coffeyville, Kan.

In 1910, Portugal was proclaimed a republic following the abdication of King Manuel II in the face of a coup d'etat.

In 1931, Clyde Pangborn and Hugh Herndon completed the first non-stop flight across the Pacific Ocean, arriving in Washington state some 41 hours after leaving Japan.

In 1941, former Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis -- the first Jewish member of the nation's highest court -- died in Washington at age 84.

In 1947, President Harry S. Truman delivered the first televised White House address as he spoke on the world food crisis.

In 1953, Earl Warren was sworn in as the 14th chief justice of the United States, succeeding Fred M. Vinson.

In 1970, British trade commissioner James Richard Cross was kidnapped in Canada by militant Quebec separatists; he was released the following December.

In 1981, President Ronald Reagan signed a resolution granting honorary American citizenship to Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, credited with saving thousands of Hungarians, most of them Jews, from the Nazis during World War II.

In 1988, Democrat Lloyd Bentsen lambasted Republican Dan Quayle during their vice-presidential debate, telling Quayle, "Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy."

Ten years ago: Tabloid photo editor Robert Stevens died from inhaled anthrax, the first of a series of anthrax cases in Florida, New York, New Jersey and Washington. American statesman Mike Mansfield died in Washington at age 98. Barry Bonds set a new mark for home runs in a single season, hitting numbers 71 and 72, but San Francisco was eliminated from the playoffs with an 11-10 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Moses Malone was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Five years ago: The House ethics committee opened an investigation into the unfolding congressional page sex scandal that resulted in the resignation of U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla. (The panel later issued a report critical of Republican lawmakers and aides, but which also found that no rules had been broken.) Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Baghdad, where she warned Iraqi leaders they had limited time to settle their differences. NATO took over eastern Afghanistan from U.S.-led forces, assuming control of 12,000 American troops and extending its military role to the entire country.

One year ago: Faisal Shahzad (FY'-sul shah-ZAHD'), the Pakistani immigrant who'd tried to detonate a car bomb in Times Square, accepted a life sentence from a federal judge in New York with a smirk and warned that Americans could expect more bloodshed at the hands of Muslims. President Barack Obama convened the first-ever White House summit on community colleges, calling them the "unsung heroes of America's education system." Paroled burglar Steven Hayes was convicted of murdering a woman and her two daughters during a home-invasion robbery in Cheshire, Ct. (Hayes was later sentenced to death.)

Today's birthdays: "Family Circus" cartoonist Bil (cq) Keane is 89. Actress Glynis Johns is 88. Comedian Bill Dana is 87. Actress Diane Cilento is 78. The former president of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Havel (VAHTS'-lah HAH'-vul), is 75. College Football Hall of Fame coach Barry Switzer is 74. Rhythm-and-blues singer Arlene Smith (The Chantels) is 70. Singer Richard Street is 69. Singer-musician Steve Miller is 68. Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin, D-Md., is 68. Rock singer Brian Johnson (AC/DC) is 64. Actress Karen Allen is 60. Writer-producer-director Clive Barker is 59. Rock musician David Bryson (Counting Crows) is 57. Rock singer and famine-relief organizer Bob Geldof is 57. Architect Maya Lin is 52. Actor Daniel Baldwin is 51. Rock singer-musician Dave Dederer is 47. Hockey Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux is 46. Actor Guy Pearce is 44. Actress Josie Bissett is 41. Singer-actress Heather Headley is 37. Pop-rock singer Colin Meloy (The Decemberists) is 37. Rock musician Brian Mashburn (Save Ferris) is 36. Actress Parminder Nagra (par-MIHN'-da NAH'grah) is 36. Actor Scott Weinger is 36. Actress Kate Winslet is 36. Rock musician James Valentine (Maroon 5) is 33. Rock musician Paul Thomas (Good Charlotte) is 31. TV personality Nicky Hilton is 28. Rhythm-and-blues singer Brooke Valentine is 26. Actor Joshua Logan Moore (TV: "Desperate Housewives") is 17.

Thought for today: "America has believed that in differentiation, not in uniformity, lies the path of progress. It acted on this belief; it has advanced human happiness, and it has prospered." -- Louis D. Brandeis (1856-1941)

[Associated Press]

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