This Day in History

Today is Wednesday, October 3rd, the 276th day of the year.  There are 89 days until the end of the year.

On this day:

In 1913, the Federal Income Tax was signed into law.

In 1922, Rebecca Felton of Georgia became the first woman to gain a seat in the United States Senate.

In 1936, college football player and coach John William Heisman died at the age of 66.  The Heisman Trophy is named in his honor.

In 1954, "Father Knows Best" debuted on CBS. The show starred Robert Young.

In 1955, "The Mickey Mouse Club" premiered on ABC.

In 1960, "The Andy Griffith Show" debuted on CBS.

In 1961, "The Dick Van Dyke Show" debuted on CBS.  The classic sitcom sparked the career of comedienne Mary Tyler Moore.

In 1974, Frank Robinson was placed in charge of the Cleveland Indians, making him the first black baseball manager in the major league.

In 1990, East and West Germany reunified 45 years after the two sides divided after World War II.

In 1991, Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton entered the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

In 1992, Irish singer Sinead O'Connor shocked the television audience by tearing up a picture of Pope John Paul the Second while performing on NBC's "Saturday Night Live."

In 1995, it was announced that O.J. Simpson had been found innocent of murder charges in connection with the deaths of his ex-wife and her friend.

In 2003, Roy Horn, one half of the famous Las Vegas tiger-taming duo Siegfried and Roy was attacked by a white tiger during a performance at the Mirage Hotel and Casino.  The attack took place on Roy's 59th birthday.  The illusionist had to undergo surgery at a local hospital after suffering massive bleeding from the attack. 

In 2004, actress Janet Leigh, best known for role as ill-fated Bates Motel guest Marion Crane in the Alfred Hitchcock thriller "Psycho," died on this date.  She was 77.  Once married to actor Tony Curtis, she is also the mother of actresses Jamie Lee Curtis and Kelly Curtis. 

In 2008, after hours of deliberation, a Las Vegas jury returned with a guilty verdict against O.J. Simpson in the former football star's kidnapping and armed robbery trial.  Simpson stood trial for robbing two sports memorabilia dealers at the Palace Station hotel in September 2007. 

In 2011, Seattle student Amanda Knox was freed from a jail in Italy after an Italian jury overturned her conviction for the 2007 murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher.  Knox had spent four years behind bars.

In 2011, ESPN yanked the theme song for the opening of its "Monday Night Football" broadcast after Hank Williams, Jr., the artist behind the song, made inflammatory remarks about President Obama on the Fox News network earlier in the day. 

In 2015, a Louisville-based escort revealed some scandalous claims about the University of Louisville basketball program.  Katina Powell alleged that a former staff member paid thousands of dollars for prostitutes to have sex with players and recruits in her book "Breaking Cardinal Rules."


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