Today in History
Published 1:30 am Friday, April 12, 2019
Today is Friday, April 12, the 102nd day of 2019. There are 263 days left in the year.
Today’s highlight: On April 12, 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage in Warm Springs, Georgia, at age 63; he was succeeded by Vice President Harry S. Truman.
On this date:
In 1861, the Civil War began as Confederate forces opened fire on Fort Sumter in South Carolina.
In 1862, Union volunteers stole a Confederate locomotive near Marietta, Georgia, and headed toward Chattanooga, Tennessee, on a mission to sabotage as much of the rail line as they could; the raiders were caught.
In 1877, the catcher’s mask was first used in a baseball game by James Tyng of Harvard in a game against the Lynn Live Oaks.
In 1955, the Salk vaccine against polio was declared safe and effective.
In 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man to fly in space, orbiting the earth once before making a safe landing.
Today’s Birthdays: Children’s author Beverly Cleary is 103. Actress Jane Withers is 93. Playwright Alan Ayckbourn is 80. Jazz musician Herbie Hancock is 79. Rock singer John Kay (Steppenwolf) is 75. Actor Ed O’Neill is 73. Actor Dan Lauria is 72. Talk show host David Letterman is 72. Author Scott Turow is 70. Actor-playwright Tom Noonan is 68. Rhythm-and-blues singer JD Nicholas (The Commodores) is 67. Singer Pat Travers is 65. Actor Andy Garcia is 63. Country singer Vince Gill is 62.
Thought for Today: “It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945).
—Associated Press
