BIRTHDAYS:
1646, John Flamsteed, first astronomer royal of England

1785, Seth Thomas, pioneer in mass production of clocks

1871, Orville Wright, famed brother and aviator

1931, Willie Shoemaker

1940, Jill St. John

1946, Bill Clinton, 42nd President (1993 - 2001)

1948, Tipper Gore, wife of former Vice President Al Gore

1952, Jonathan Frakes, actor

1965, Kyra Sedgwick, actress

1969, Matthew Perry, actor


EVENTS:
1848, The New York Herald reported the discovery of gold in California.

1929, The comedy program "Amos and Andy," starring Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll, made its network radio debut on NBC.

1977, Comedian Groucho Marx died in Los Angeles at age 86.

1980, 301 people aboard a Saudi Arabian L-1011 died as the jetliner made a fiery emergency landing at the Riyadh airport.

1994, President Clinton abruptly halted the nation's three-decade open-door policy for Cuban refugees.

If you haven't had at least a slight poetic crack in the heart, you have been cheated by nature.
- Phyllis Battelle, American journalist