Today is Friday, March 30, the 89th day of 2007. There are 276 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On March 30, 1981, President Reagan was shot and seriously injured outside a Washington hotel by John W. Hinckley Jr. Also wounded were White House press secretary James Brady, a Secret Service agent and a District of Columbia police officer.
On this date:
In 1822, Florida became a U.S. territory.
In 1842, Dr. Crawford W. Long of Jefferson, Ga., first used ether as an anesthetic during a minor operation.
In 1867, U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward reached agreement with Russia to purchase the territory of Alaska for $7.2 million, a deal widely ridiculed as “Seward’s Folly.”
In 1870, the 15th amendment to the Constitution, giving all citizens the right to vote regardless of race, was declared in effect by Secretary of State Hamilton Fish.
In 1870, Texas was readmitted to the Union.
In 1945, the Soviet Union invaded Austria during World War II.
In 1964, John Glenn withdrew from the Ohio race for U.S. Senate because of injuries suffered in a fall.
In 1970, the musical “Applause,” based on the movie “All About Eve,” opened on Broadway.
In 1979, Airey Neave, a leading member of the British Parliament, was killed by a bomb planted by the Irish National Liberation Army.
In 1986, actor James Cagney died at his farm in Stanfordville, N.Y., at age 86.
Ten years ago: The reigning champion Lady Vols of Tennessee won their fifth NCAA women’s basketball title by defeating Old Dominion, 68-59.
Five years ago: The Queen Mother, Elizabeth, died in her sleep at Royal Lodge, Windsor, outside London; she was 101 years old. The U.S. joined other U.N. Security Council members in adopting a resolution calling on Israel to withdraw its troops from Palestinian cities, including Ramallah, where Yasser Arafat’s headquarters was under siege.
One year ago: American reporter Jill Carroll, a freelancer for The Christian Science Monitor, was released after 82 days as a hostage in Iraq. A cruise boat capsized off the coast of Bahrain, leaving 58 dead. Major League Baseball began its investigation into alleged steroid use by Barry Bonds and others.
Today’s Birthdays: Actor Richard Dysart is 78. Actor John Astin is 77. Game show host Peter Marshall is 77. Actor-director Warren Beatty is 70. Rock musician Graeme Edge (The Moody Blues) is 66. Rock musician Eric Clapton is 62. Actor Robbie Coltrane is 57. Actor Paul Reiser is 50. Rap artist MC Hammer is 44. Singer Tracy Chapman is 43. Actor Ian Ziering is 43. Singer Celine Dion is 39. Actor Mark Consuelos is 36. Singer Norah Jones is 28.
Thought for Today: “If men could foresee the future, they would still behave as they do now.” — Russian proverb.
