Today’s Highlight in History: On October 1, 1940, the first section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike — described as America’s first superhighway — opened to the public, stretching 160 miles from Carlisle to Irwin.

On this date:

In 1908, Henry Ford introduced his Model T automobile to the market.

In 1932, Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees made his supposed called shot, hitting a home run against Chicago’s Charlie Root in the fifth inning of Game 3 of the World Series, won by the New York Yankees 7-5 at Wrigley Field.

In 1955, the situation comedy “The Honeymooners,” starring Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Audrey Meadows and Joyce Randolph, premiered on CBS-TV.

In 1957, the motto “In God We Trust” began appearing on U.S. paper currency.

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In 1961, Roger Maris of the New York Yankees hit his 61st home run during a 162-game season, compared to Babe Ruth’s 60 home runs during a 154-game season. (Tracy Stallard of the Boston Red Sox gave up the round-tripper; the Yankees won 1-0.)

In 1965, the science-fiction novel “Dune” by Frank Herbert was published by Chilton Books. The Byrds’ single “Turn! Turn! Turn!” was released by Columbia Records.

In 1971, Walt Disney World opened near Orlando, Florida.

In 1987, eight people were killed when an earthquake measuring magnitude 5.9 struck the Los Angeles area.

In 1995, Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman and nine other defendants were convicted in New York of conspiring to attack the United States through bombings, assassinations and kidnappings.

Ten years ago: Three suicide bombers struck three restaurants in Bali, Indonesia, killing 20 victims. U.S. millionaire scientist Gregory Olsen and an American-Russian crew blasted off from Kazakhstan on a journey to the international space station.

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Five years ago: White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, planning an ultimately successful Chicago mayoral run, relinquished his post to Pete Rouse. CNN fired anchor Rick Sanchez a day after he called Jon Stewart a bigot during a radio interview in which he also questioned whether Jews should be considered a minority. Georgy Arbatov, 87, a foreign policy adviser to Soviet presidents and the Kremlin’s top America watcher, died in Moscow.

One year ago: Secret Service Director Julia Pierson abruptly resigned in the face of multiple revelations of security breaches, bumbling in her agency and rapidly eroding confidence that the president and his family were being kept safe. (Pierson was succeeded by Joseph Clancy.) In a striking public rebuke, the Obama administration warned Israel that plans for a controversial new housing project in east Jerusalem would distance Israel from “even its closest allies” and raise questions about its commitment to seeking peace with Palestinians.

 

 


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