1989 Iran-Contra Affair Lt. Col. Oliver North is sentenced to two years probation, 1,200 hours of community service, and fined $150,000. He had been convicted of aiding and abetting in the obstruction of Congress, destroying government documents, and receiving an illegal gratuity. The destruction charge was overturned in 1990.

1975 First black Wimbledon men's singles champion Arthur Ashe beats Jimmy Connors.

1951 Invention of the junction transistor is announced by Dr. Shockley of Bell Laboratories.

1943 Largest tank battle of World War II the Battle of Kursk in the Soviet Union, employing over 2,000,000 men and 6,000 tanks.

1935 The Wagner Act is signed into law, guaranteeing workers the right to organize and collectively bargain with their employers. It also barred the formation of company unions.

1865 Salvation Army William Booth founds the Christian Mission in London. It was renamed the Salvation Army in 1878. Source: An Almanac of the Christian Church

1862 First black U.S. military unit First Carolina Regiment is organized to fight for the Union in the Civil War.

1951 Huey Lewis (Hugh Anthony Cregg III), American singer. Music: The Heart of Rock & Roll (1983) and The Power of Love (1985, #1).

1936 Shirley Knight American Emmy-winning actress. TV: thirtysomething (Hope's mother), Desperate Housewives (Bree Van De Kamp).

1934 Katherine Helmond American actress, TV's Jessica Tate of Soap and Mona of Who's the Boss?

1932 Billy "Froggy" Laughlin d. 1948 (William Robert Laughlin), American actor, one of "The Little Rascals" (gravelly-voiced Froggy). He appeared in 29 Our Gang films (1940-44). He was hit and killed by a bus while delivering newspapers riding a motor scooter.

1904 Milburn Stone d. 1980 American Emmy-winning actor. TV: Gunsmoke (Doc Adams).

1879 Dwight Filley Davis d. 1945 American politician, tennis player, U.S. Secretary of War (1925-29), awarded (1923) the Distinguished Service Cross, national tennis doubles champion (1899-1901), and founder of the Davis Cup (1900).

1857 Clara Zetkin d. 1933 German communist leader, women's rights activist. She created the International Women's Day, which has been celebrated March 8th since 1910.

1853 Cecil John Rhodes d. 1902 English colonial statesman. He established Rhodesia and Rhodes scholarships. His will declared that his estate should be used to secure British world domination, and that Rhodes scholars should strive to unify English-speaking people.

1810 Phineas Taylor Barnum d. 1891 "The Great American Showman," of Barnum and Bailey's Circus.

1801 David Glasgow Farragut d. 1870 American naval officer, made his famous proclamation in 1864 during the Battle of Mobile Bay: "Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead." In 1866 he became the first U.S. admiral.

1794 Sylvester W. Graham d. 1851 American reformer, invented the Graham cracker.

1781 Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles d. 1826 English colonial official, founder of Singapore (1819).

1709 Etienne de Silhouette d. 1767 French finance minister, his name became synonymous with reducing things to their simplest form.

2006 Kenneth Lay b. 1942 American businessman, founder and chairman of Enron. He was found guilty of 10 counts of fraud and conspiracy related to the collapse of Enron.

2005 Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale b. 1923 American naval officer. He led the first bombing strike on North Vietnam (1965) and flew 201 missions before he was shot down and held prisoner for 7½ years - four of which were in solitary confinement. He was the highest-ranking Naval POW of Vietnam. He was Ross Perot's 1992 vice-presidential running mate.

2002 Ted Williams b. 1918 American baseball Hall of Famer, American League's MVP (1946, 49). He served as a pilot for WWII and the Korean War. An avid fisherman, he hosted a TV fishing show and was inducted into the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame.

1993 Harrison Evans Salisbury b. 1908 American Pulitzer-winning reporter, Soviet expert, and editor of the New York Times. He was the first American reporter in Hanoi during the Vietnam War.

1992 Georgia Brown b. 1933 (Georgia Klot), singer, actress, best known for her portrayal of Nancy in Oliver!

1991 Mildred Dunnock b. 1901 American actress. Stage: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1956, originated the role of Big Mama). Film: Death of a Salesman (1951, Willy Loman's wife) and Baby Doll (1956).

1991 Howard Nemerov b. 1920 American Pulitzer-winning poet, third U.S. poet laureate.

1969 Ben Alexander b. 1911 American actor. TV: Dragnet (the second Frank Smith).

1826 Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles b. 1781 English colonial official, founder of Singapore (1819).

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