This Day in History
1777: American forces defeat the British at the Battle of Bennington in Vermont during the American Revolution.
1862: All slaves in the District of Columbia are freed.
1917: Vladimir I. Lenin returns to Russia in a sealed train after years in exile.
1947: Nearly 600 are killed after an explosion on the nitrate-laden freighter Grandcamp at Texas City, TX.
1972: Two giant pandas arrive from China at the National Zoo in Washington, DC.
1987: The U.S. Commerce Dept. approves the granting of patents for new genetic forms of animal life.
1999: The NHL's Wayne Gretzky, who holds or shares 61 league records, announces his retirement from ice hockey after 21 seasons.
Today's Birthdays
1844: Anatole France, writer (Paris, France; died 1924)
1866: Jose de Diego, Puerto Rican patriot/political leader (Aguadilla, Puerto Rico; died 1918)
1867: Wilbur Wright, pioneer aviator (Millville, IN; died 1912)
1871: John M. Synge, playwright/poet (near Dublin, Ireland; died 1909)
1889: Charlie Chaplin, actor/filmmaker (London, England; died 1977)
1919: Merce Cunningham, dancer/choreographer (Centralia, WA)
1921: Peter Ustinov, actor (London, England; died 2004)
1922: Kingsley Amis, author (London, England; died 1995)
1924: Henry Mancini, composer (Cleveland, OH; died 1994)
1929: Edie Adams, singer/actress (Kingston, PA)
1930: Herbie Mann, jazz musician (New York, NY; died 2003)
1935: Bobby Vinton, singer (Canonsburg, PA)
1944: Anthony Principi, sec. of veterans affairs (Bronx, NY)
1947: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, basketball player (New York, NY)
1955: Ellen Barkin, actress (New York, NY)
1964: David Pirner, actor/musician (Green Bay, WI)
1965: Jon Cryer, actor (New York, NY). Martin Lawrence, actor/comedian (Frankfurt, Germany):
1971: Peter Billingsley, actor (New York, NY)
1976: Lukas Haas, actor (West Hollywood, CA)
