Today in History

Today is Monday, May 2, the 123rd day of 2016. There are 243 days left in the year.

Today’s highlight:

On May 2, 1946, violence erupted during a foiled escape attempt at the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in San Francisco Bay; the “Battle of Alcatraz” claimed the lives of three inmates and two correctional officers before it was put down two days later.

On this date:

In 1536, Anne Boleyn, second wife of King Henry VIII, was arrested and charged with adultery; she was beheaded 17 days later.

In 1863, during the Civil War, Confederate Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson was accidentally wounded by his own men at Chancellorsville, Virginia; he died eight days later.

In 1890, the Oklahoma Territory was organized.

In 1908, the original version of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” with music by Albert Von Tilzer and lyrics by Jack Norworth, was published by Von Tilzer’s York Music Co.

In 1936, “Peter and the Wolf,” a symphonic tale for children by Sergei Prokofiev, had its world premiere in Moscow.

In 1941, General Mills began shipping its new cereal, “Cheerioats,” to six test markets. (The cereal was later renamed “Cheerios.”)

In 1945, the Soviet Union announced the fall of Berlin, and the Allies reported the surrender of German troops in Italy.

In 1957, Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy, R-Wis., died at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland.

In 1965, Intelsat 1, also known as the Early Bird satellite, was first used to transmit television pictures across the Atlantic.

In 1970, jockey Diane Crump became the first woman to ride in the Kentucky Derby; she finished in 15th place aboard Fathom. (The winning horse was Dust Commander.)

In 1982, the Weather Channel made its debut.

In 1994, Nelson Mandela claimed victory in the wake of South Africa’s first democratic elections; President F.W. de Klerk acknowledged defeat.

Ten years ago: Rene Braeunlich and Thomas Nitzschke, two German engineers held captive for 99 days in Iraq, were released unharmed. Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi resigned to make way for a center-left government led by Romano Prodi. Business author, columnist and TV commentator Louis Rukeyser died in Greenwich, Connecticut, at age 73.

Five years ago: Osama bin Laden was killed by elite American forces at his Pakistan compound, then quickly buried at sea after a decade on the run. During a ceremony in the White House East Room, President Barack Obama bestowed the Medal of Honor posthumously on two Army privates — Anthony T. Kaho’ohanohano of Pukalani, Hawaii, and Henry Svehla of Belleville, New Jersey — who had given their lives in the Korean War. Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper won a coveted majority government in Canadian elections while the opposition Liberals and Quebec separatists suffered a shattering defeat.

One year ago: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, gave birth in London to a daughter, later named Charlotte, who became fourth in the line of succession to the throne and the fifth great-grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II. American Pharoah rallied in the stretch to beat Firing Line by a length and delivered trainer Bob Baffert’s first Kentucky Derby since 2002.

Today’s birthdays: Singer Engelbert Humperdinck is 80. Former International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge is 74. Actress-activist Bianca Jagger is 71. Country singer R.C. Bannon is 71. Actor David Suchet is 70. Singer-songwriter Larry Gatlin is 68. Rock singer Lou Gramm (Foreigner) is 66. Actress Christine Baranski is 64. Singer Angela Bofill is 62. Fashion designer Donatella Versace is 61. Actor Brian Tochi is 57. Movie director Stephen Daldry is 56. Actress Elizabeth Berridge is 54. Country singer Ty Herndon is 54. Actress Mitzi Kapture is 54. Broadcast journalist Mika Brzezinski is 49. Rock musician Todd Sucherman (Styx) is 47. Wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne Johnson (AKA The Rock) is 44. Soccer player David Beckham is 41. Actress Jenna Von Oy is 39. Actress Ellie Kemper is 36. Actor Robert Buckley is 35. Actor Gaius Charles is 33. Pop singer Lily Rose Cooper is 31. Olympic gold medal figure skater Sarah Hughes is 31. Rock musician Jim Almgren (Carolina Liar) is 30. Actor Thomas McDonell is 30. Actress Kay Panabaker is 26.

Thought for today: “What experience and history teach is this: that people and governments have never learned anything from history.” — Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (HAY’-guhl), German philosopher (1770-1831).

Associated Press