Slideshow: Today In History, Mar. 18
Today is Wednesday, March 18.
Today's Highlights in History:
1837: Grover Cleveland
In 1837, the 22nd and 24th president of the United States, Grover Cleveland, was born in Caldwell, New Jersey.
1925: Tri-State Tornado
In 1925, the Tri-State Tornado struck southeastern Missouri, southern Illinois and southwestern Indiana, resulting in some 700 deaths.
1937: New London, Texas
In 1937, some 300 people, mostly children, were killed in a gas explosion at a school in New London, Texas.
1940: Adolf Hitler & Benito Mussolini
In 1940, Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini met at the Brenner Pass, where the Italian dictator agreed to join Germany's war against France and Britain.
1959: Dwight D. Eisenhower
In 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Hawaii statehood bill. (Hawaii became a state on Aug. 21, 1959.)
1965: The First Spacewalk
On March 18, 1965, the first spacewalk took place as Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov went outside his Voskhod 2 capsule, secured by a tether.
1990: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
In 1990, thieves made off with 13 works of art from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston (the crime remains unsolved).
2005: John G. Rowland
Ten years ago: Former Connecticut Governor John G. Rowland was sentenced to a year in prison and four months under house arrest for selling his office in a corruption scandal (he served 10 months behind bars).
2005: Terri Schiavo
Ten years ago: Doctors in Florida, acting on orders of a state judge, removed Terri Schiavo's feeding tube. (Despite the efforts of congressional Republicans to intervene and repeated court appeals by Schiavo's parents, the brain-damaged woman died on March 31, 2005, at age 41.)
2010: Barack Obama
Five years ago: President Barack Obama signed into law a $38 billion jobs bill containing a modest mix of tax breaks and spending designed to encourage the private sector to start hiring again.
2010: Fess Parker
Five years ago: Actor Fess Parker, 85, died in Santa Ynez, California.
2014: Bruce Rauner
One year ago: Venture capitalist Bruce Rauner won the GOP primary in his bid for Illinois governor (he went on to defeat the Democratic incumbent, Pat Quinn).
2014: Helicopter Crash
One year ago: A KOMO-TV news helicopter crashed and burst into flames near Seattle's Space Needle, killing both people on board.
2014: Vladimir Putin
One year ago: With a sweep of his pen, President Vladimir Putin added Crimea to the map of Russia, provoking denunciations from the Western leaders who called Putin a threat to the world.
Birthday: Adam Levine
Rock singer Adam Levine (Maroon 5) is 36.
Birthday: Adam Pally
Actor Adam Pally is 33.
Birthday: Bill Frisell
Jazz musician Bill Frisell is 64.
Birthday: Blake Garrett Rosenthal
Actor Blake Garrett Rosenthal is 11.
Birthday: Bonnie Blair
Olympic gold medal speedskater Bonnie Blair is 51.
Birthday: Charley Pride
Country singer Charley Pride is 81.
Birthday: Dane Cook
Actor-comedian Dane Cook is 43.
Birthday: Evan & Jaron Lowenstein
Singers Jaron and Evan Lowenstein are 41.
Birthday: FW De Klerk
Nobel peace laureate and former South African president F.W. de Klerk is 79.
Birthday: James McMurtry
Singer-songwriter James McMurtry is 53.
Birthday: John Kander
Composer John Kander (left) is 88.
Birthday: Luc Besson
Movie writer-director Luc Besson is 56.
Birthday: Queen Latifah
Rapper-actress-talk show host Queen Latifah is 45.
Birthday: Reince Priebus
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus is 43.
Birthday: Vanessa Williams
Singer-actress Vanessa L. Williams is 52.
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