Thursday, April 08th
The 098th day of 2010.
There are 267 days left in the year.
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Today's Highlights in History
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On April 8, 1973, artist Pablo Picasso died at his home near Mougins, France, at age 91. (Go to article.)
On April 8, 1912, Sonja Henie, the Norwegian figure skater who was the women's world champion for 10 years and a three-time gold medalist in the Olympics , was born. Following her death on Oct. 12, 1969, her obituary appeared in The Times. (Go to obit. | Other Birthdays)
Editorial Cartoon of the Day
On April 8, 1865, Harper's Weekly featured a cartoon about public health administration in New York City. (See the cartoon and read an explanation.)
On this date in:
1513 Explorer Juan Ponce de Leon claimed Florida for Spain.
1935 The Works Progress Administration was approved by Congress.
1952 President Harry S. Truman seized the steel industry to avert a nationwide strike.
1970 The Senate rejected President Richard Nixon's nomination of G. Harrold Carswell to the Supreme Court.
1974 Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hit his 715th career home run, breaking Babe Ruth's record.
1977 The Clash's self-titled debut album was released in Britain.
1981 Omar N. Bradley, a World War II general and the first chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, died at age 88.
1987 Los Angeles Dodgers executive Al Campanis resigned after saying on ABC's "Nightline" that blacks may lack some of the "necessities" for becoming baseball managers.
1990 Ryan White, an AIDS patient whose battle for acceptance gained national attention, died at age 18.
1992 Tennis player Arthur Ashe announced that he had AIDS.
1994 Rock singer-musician Kurt Cobain of Nirvana was found dead in Seattle at age 27 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
2002 Suzan-Lori Parks became the first African-American woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for drama for her play "Topdog/Underdog."
2005 World leaders joined pilgrims and prelates in St. Peter's Square for the funeral of Pope John Paul II.
2009 Somali pirates hijacked the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama. The crew was able to retake the cargo ship, but the captain was taken captive by the raiders and held aboard a lifeboat.
Current Birthdays
Robin Wright turns 44 years old today.
AP Photo/Evan Agostini Actress Robin Wright turns 44 years old today.
92 Betty Ford
Former first lady
84 Shecky Greene
Comedian
73 Seymour Hersh
Investigative reporter
72 Kofi Annan
Former United Nations secretary-general
70 John Havlicek
Basketball Hall of Famer
69 Darlene Gillespie
TV personality ("The Mickey Mouse Club")
69 J.J. Jackson
R&B singer
69 Peggy Lennon
Singer (The Lennon Sisters)
63 Steve Howe
Rock musician (Yes)
61 John Madden
Director ("Shakespeare in Love")
56 Gary Carter
Baseball Hall of Famer
50 John Schneider
Actor, singer ("The Dukes of Hazzard")
48 Izzy Stradlin
Rock musician (Guns n' Roses)
47 Julian Lennon
Rock musician
46 Biz Markie
Rapper
37 Emma Caulfield
Actress ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Beverly Hills, 90210")
29 Taylor Kitsch
Actor ("Friday Night Lights")
Historic Birthdays
Sonja Henie
4/8/1912 - 10/12/1969
Norwegian-born American skater; Olympic gold medalist and popular entertainer.
(Go to obit.)
78 Giuseppe Tartini
4/8/1692 - 2/26/1770
Italian violinist, composer and theorist
64 David Rittenhouse
4/8/1732 - 6/26/1796
American astronomer and inventor
60 John Loudon
4/8/1783 - 12/14/1843
Scottish landscape architect and horticultural journalist
84 William Welch
4/8/1850 - 4/30/1934
American pathologist; modernized medical practices in the United States
70 Harvey Cushing
4/8/1869 - 10/7/1939
American surgeon; pioneered important neurosurgery techniques
59 Albert I
4/8/1875 - 2/17/1934
King of the Belgiams (1909-1934) and leader of Belgiam army during World War I
94 Sir Adrian Boult
4/8/1889 - 2/23/1983
English conductor; led the B.B.C. Symphony
87 Mary Pickford
4/8/1892 - 5/28/1979
Canadian-born American motion-picture actress
85 Sir John Hicks
4/8/1904 - 5/20/1989
English Nobel Prize-winning economist (1972)
74 Carmen McRae
4/8/1920 - 11/10/1994
American jazz vocalist and pianist
44 Michael Bennett
4/8/1943 - 7/2/1987
American dancer, choreographer, and stage director
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