In Oct. 24, 1945, the United Nations officially came into existence as its charter took effect. (On this date in 1949, construction began on the U.N. headquarters in New York.)
On this date:
In 1537, Jane Seymour, the third wife of England's King Henry VIII, died 12 days after giving birth to Prince Edward, later King Edward VI.
In 1648, the Peace of Westphalia ended the Thirty Years War and effectively destroyed the Holy Roman Empire.
In 1861, the first transcontinental telegraph message was sent as Chief Justice Stephen J. Field of California transmitted a telegram to President Abraham Lincoln.
In 1901, widow Anna Edson Taylor became the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. [And the fact that she was a "widow" is relevant how? — Ed.]
In 1931, the George Washington Bridge, connecting New York and New Jersey, was officially dedicated (it opened to traffic the next day).
In 1940, the 40-hour work week went into effect in the United States.
In 1952, Republican presidential candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower declared in Detroit, "I shall go to Korea" as he promised to end the conflict. (He made the visit over a month later.)
AP Highlight in [Alternate] History:
On Oct. 24, 1962, the U.S. blockade of Cuba during the missile crisis began under a proclamation signed by President John F. Kennedy. [Didn't this happen yesterday? No wonder no one ever learns from history. — Ed.]
In 1980, the merchant freighter SS Poet departed Philadelphia bound for Port Said, Egypt, with a crew of 34 and a cargo of grain; it disappeared en route and has not been heard from since.
In 1984, the FBI arrested 11 alleged chiefs of the Colombo crime family on charges of racketeering in New York City.
In 1987, thirty years after it was expelled for refusing to answer allegations of corruption, the Teamsters union was welcomed back into the AFL-CIO.
In 1989, former television evangelist Jim Bakker was sentenced by a judge in Charlotte, N.C., to 45 years in prison for fraud and conspiracy. (The sentence was later reduced to eight years; it was further reduced to four for good behavior.)
In 1992, the Toronto Blue Jays became the first team outside the United States to win a World Series as they defeated the Atlanta Braves 4-3 in Game 6.
In 1999, an Israeli court sentenced American teen-ager Samuel Sheinbein to 24 years in prison for killing an acquaintance in Maryland in 1997. Sen. John Chafee (R-R.I.) died at Bethesda Naval Hospital at age 77. The New York Yankees took Game 2 of the World Series, defeating the Atlanta Braves, 7-2.
In 2001, the House passed a $100 billion economic stimulus package in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
In 2002, authorities arrested Army veteran John Allen Muhammad and teenager Lee Boyd Malvo near Myersville, Md., in connection with the Washington-area sniper attacks. (Muhammad was later sentenced to death, Malvo to life in prison.)
In 2003, the era of supersonic jet travel came to an end as three British Airways Concordes landed at London's Heathrow Airport.
In 2004, a plane owned by top NASCAR team Hendrick Motorsports crashed near Martinsville, Va., killing all 10 people aboard. A Russian-US crew aboard a Soyuz capsule returned to Earth from the international space station in a pinpoint landing in Kazakhstan. Cardinal James A. Hickey, former archbishop of Washington, D.C., died at age 84. The Boston Red Sox beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-2 for a 2-0 World Series lead. Arizona's Emmitt Smith broke Walter Payton's NFL record for 100-yard games rushing with his 78th.
In 2005, civil rights activist Rosa Parks died at age 92.
In 2006, a CNN poll indicated 60 percent of U.S. citizens contracted said they believed neither the United States nor insurgents were winning the war in Iraq.
In 2007, strong and gusty winds fanning 15 large wildfires in Southern California began to ease after 656 square miles and at least 1,155 homes had been charred. Rapidly rising Internet star Facebook Inc. sold a 1.6 percent stake to Microsoft Corp. for $240 million, spurning a competing offer from online search leader Google Inc.
In 2008, Singer-actress Jennifer Hudson's mother and brother were found slain in their Chicago home; the body of her 7-year-old nephew was found three days later. (Hudson's estranged brother-in-law has been arrested in the killings.) A Russian Soyuz capsule touched down in Kazakhstan after delivering the first two men to follow their fathers into space, a Russian and an American, to the international space station.
Today's Birthdays October 24 Football Hall-of-Famer Y.A. Tittle is 83. Rock musician Bill Wyman is 73. Actor-producer David Nelson is 73. Actor F. Murray Abraham is 70. Actor Kevin Kline is 62. Former NAACP President Kweisi Mfume is 61. Country musician Billy Thomas (Terry McBride and the Ride) is 56. Actor B.D. Wong is 49. Rock musician Ben Gillies (Silverchair) is 30.
Today In Entertainment History October 24
In 1939, Benny Goodman and his orchestra recorded their signature theme, "Let's Dance," for Columbia Records in New York.
In 1957, singer-actor Bing Crosby married Kathy Grant.
In 1960, Neil Sedaka recorded the single "Calendar Girl."
In 1962, James Brown's "Live At The Apollo" album was recorded. It sold more than one million copies.
Forty years ago, in 1969, actor Richard Burton bought then-wife Elizabeth Taylor a million-dollar necklace that weighed almost 70 carats. It was, at the time, the world's most expensive diamond.
In 1973, the TV program "Kojak," starring Telly Savalas, premiered on CBS. It ran until 1978.
In 1980, Paul McCartney received a special disk from officials with the "Guinness Book of World Records" for being the best-selling songwriter and recording artist of all time.
Twenty years ago, in 1989, actress Zsa Zsa Gabor was sentenced to 72 hours in jail for slapping a Beverly Hills police officer. She also was ordered to perform 120 hours of community service at a women's shelter.
In 1991, "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry died in Santa Monica, Calif. He was 70.
In 1994, actor Raul Julia died of complications from a stroke in a hospital on Long Island, New York. He was 54.
In 1995, Smashing Pumpkins released their album "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness."
Thought for Today: "Progress might have been all right once, but it has gone on too long." — Ogden Nash, American author and humorist (1902-1971).
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