TODAY IN HISTORY

Sunday, September  23, 2012 AP Highlight in History:  On Sept. 23, 1952, Sen. Richard M. Nixon, R-Calif., salvaged his vice-presidential nomination by appearing live on television to refute allegations of improper campaign fundraising. (The address became known as the "Checkers" speech because of Nixon's on-air reference to the family pet, a dog named "Checkers.")   AP Photo
On this date in: 63 B.C. Caesar Augustus was born in Rome. 1779 American commander John Paul Jones is said to have declared, "I have not yet begun to fight!" during a Revolutionary War naval battle. 1806 The Lewis and Clark expedition returned to St. Louis from the Pacific Northwest. 1846 The planet Neptune was discovered by German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle. 1926 Jazz saxophonist and composer John Coltrane was born in Hamlet, N.C. 1930 Musician Ray Charles was born Ray Charles Robinson in Albany, Ga. AP Photo/Jon Chase 1939 Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, died at age 83. 1957 Nine black students who had entered Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas were forced to withdraw because of a white mob outside. 1987 Choreographer-director Bob Fosse died at age 60. 1990 Iraq threatened to destroy Middle East oil fields and attack Israel if other nations tried to force it from Kuwait. 1999 The Mars Climate Observer apparently burned up as it was about to go into orbit around the Red Planet. 2011 The soap opera "All My Children" broadcast its final episode on ABC, ending a 41-year run.		Video HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS DAY IN HISTORY Today's Birthdays: Rock musician Bruce Springsteen turns 63 years old today. AP Photo/Michael Dwyer Name Profession Age Mickey Rooney Actor 92 Navi Pillay U.N. high commissioner for human rights 71 Julio Iglesias Singer 69 Marty Schottenheimer Football cooach 69 Mary Kay Place Actress 65 Marvin Lewis Football cooach 54 Jason Alexander Actor ("Seinfeld") 53 Chi McBride Actor 51 John Harbaugh Football cooach 50 Ani DiFranco Rock singer 42 Jermaine Dupri Rapper, producer 40 Anthony Mackie Actor 34 Melanie Oudin Tennis player 21 Los Angeles Dodgers centerfielder Matt Kemp turns 28 years old today. AP Photo/Reed Saxon