Today is Monday, November 5th, the 309th day of the year. There are 56 days until the end of the year.
On this day:
In 1917, American troops under General Pershing moved into battle for the first time along the Western Front.
In 1930, Sinclair Lewis, the author of "Babbitt," became the first American to win the Nobel Prize for literature.
In 1935, Parker Brothers launched the game Monopoly.
In 1939, the first U.S. post office was established.
In 1942, composer George M. Cohan died at the age of 64. He penned several classic tunes including "Give My Regards to Broadway" and "Yankee Doodle Dandy."
In 1946, Chuck Connors of the Boston Celtics became the first NBA player to shatter a backboard during a game. Connors later went on to become television's "The Rifleman."
In 1955, the first FM stereo broadcast was made.
In 1956, "The Nat 'King' Cole Show" made its debut on NBC. Nat "King" Cole became the first African-American to headline his own network television program.
In 1968, Richard Nixon was elected President of the United States.
In 1989, Grammy Award-winning pianist Vladimir Horowitz died at the age of 86.
In 1994, George Foreman became the oldest heavyweight boxing champion in history by knocking out Michael Moorer in the tenth round of their title fight in Las Vegas.
In 1996, California voters voted yes for the use of marijuana for medical use on proposition 215.
In 2003, Righteous Brother Bobby Hatfield died of heart failure in a hotel room in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where his body was discovered shortly before he and Bill Medley were to perform. Hatfield was 63.
In 2006, Saddam Hussein's year-long trial for crimes against humanity came to an end with a conviction and hanging sentence for the former Iraqi leader.
In 2009, a gunman opened fire at the Fort Hood Army post near Killeen, Texas killing 13 people and injuring more than 30 others. The alleged shooter, Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan, was shot and wounded in the violence.
In 2011, a decayed tooth that once belonged to late Beatles legend John Lennon sold at auction for more than $31,000.00
In 2017, at least 26 people were killed and many more injured when a gunman opened fire during Sunday service at First Baptist Church in the small community of Sutherland Springs, Texas.