Today in History: September 20, 2004

[Today In History]

Title: Belo Interactive Newsletters

DallasNews.com -- Today in History Monday, September  20, 2004 AP Highlight in History: On Sept. 20, 1519, Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan set out from Spain on a voyage to find a western passage to the Spice Islands in Indonesia. On this date in: 1870 Italian troops took control of the Papal States, leading to the unification of Italy. 1881 Chester A. Arthur was sworn in as the 21st president of the United States, succeeding James A. Garfield, who had been assassinated. 1947 Former New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia died at age 64. AP Photo 1962 Black student James Meredith was blocked from enrolling at the University of Mississippi by Governor Ross R. Barnett. 1973 In their so-called ''battle of the sexes,'' tennis star Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, at the Houston Astrodome. AP Photo 1973 Singer-songwriter Jim Croce died in a plane crash near Natchitoches, La., at age 30. 1977 The first wave of Southeast Asian ''boat people'' arrived in San Francisco under a new U.S. resettlement program. 1984 A suicide car bomber attacked the U.S. Embassy annex in north Beirut, killing a dozen people. 1998 After playing in a record 2,632 consecutive games over 16 seasons, Cal Ripken of the Baltimore Orioles sat out a game against the New York Yankees. 1998 Muriel Humphrey Brown, widow of Vice President Hubert Humphrey and his brief successor in the U.S. Senate, died in Minneapolis at age 86. 1999 Lawrence Russell Brewer was convicted in the dragging death of James Byrd Jr. in Jasper, Texas. 1999 International peacekeepers landed in East Timor. 1999 Raisa Gorbachev, wife of the last Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, died of leukemia at age 67. 2000 Independent Counsel Robert Ray announced the end of the Whitewater investigation, saying there was insufficient evidence to warrant charges against President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton. 2001 President George W. Bush addressed a joint session of Congress regarding the terrorist attacks and named Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge to head the new Office of Homeland Security.   Today's Birthdays: Actress Sohpia Loren turns 70 years old today. AP Photo/Stefano Paltera Gogi Grant Singer 80 Joyce Brothers Psychologist 76 Anne Meara Actress-comedian 75 Chuck Panozzo Rock musician (Styx) 57 Guy LaFleur Hockey hall-of-famer 53 Peter White Jazz guitarist 50 Betsy Brantley Actress 49 Gary Cole Actor 48 Kristen Johnston Actress (''3rd Rock From the Sun'') 37 Gunnar Nelson Rock singer 37 Matthew Nelson Rock singer 37 Ben Shepherd Rock musician (Soundgarden) 36 Matt Sharp Rock musician (Weezer) 35 Rick Woolstenhulme Rock musician (Lifehouse) 25 Hall of Fame basketball coach Red Auerbach turns 87 years old today. AP Photo/Patricia McDonnell

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