TODAY IN HISTORY

Friday, April  20, 2012 AP Highlight in History:  On April 20, 2010, an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil platform, leased by BP, killed 11 workers and began spewing an estimated 200 million gallons of crude into the Gulf of Mexico for nearly three months.   AP Photo/Gerald Herbert
On this date in: 1792 France declared war on Austria, marking the start of the French Revolutionary wars. 1812 Vice President George Clinton, a former New York governor, died at age 73. 1836 The Territory of Wisconsin was established by Congress. 1889 Nazi leader Adolf Hitler was born in Braunau, Austria. 1902 Scientists Marie and Pierre Curie isolated the radioactive element radium. 1912 Fenway Park in Boston and Tiger Stadium in Detroit opened. 1939 Baseball Hall of Famer Ted Williams made his major league debut with the Boston Red Sox. 1940 RCA publicly demonstrated its new electron microscope. 1971 The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the use of busing to achieve racial desegregation in schools. 1972 The manned lunar module from Apollo 16 landed on the moon. 1980 The first Cubans sailing to the United States as part of the massive Mariel boatlift reached Florida. AP Photo 1999 Two students went on a shooting rampage at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., killing 12 students and one teacher before taking their own lives. AP Photo/Eric Gay 2008 Danica Patrick became the first female winner in IndyCar history by capturing the Indy Japan 300.		Video Highlights of This Day in History Today's Birthdays: Actor George Takei ("Star Trek") turns 75 years old today. AP Photo/Matt Sayles Name Profession Age John Paul Stevens Supreme Court justice 92 Leslie Phillips Actor ("Harry Potter" films) 88 Pat Roberts U.S. senator, R-Kan. 76 Ryan O'Neal Actor ("Love Story," "Paper Moon") 71 Steve Spurrier College football coach 67 Crispin Glover Actor 48 Carmen Electra Actress 40 Joey Lawrence Actor 36 Actress Jessica Lange turns 63 years old today. AP Photo/Chris Pizzello