TODAY IN HISTORY

Thursday, October  04, 2012 AP Highlight in History:  On Oct. 4, 1957, the Space Age began as the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first man-made satellite, into orbit.   AP Photo
On this date in: 1822 Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th president of the United States, was born in Delaware, Ohio. AP Photo 1895 The first U.S. Open golf tournament was held, at the Newport Country Club in Rhode Island. 1923 Actor Charlton Heston was born John Charles Carter in Evanston, Ill. 1931 The comic strip "Dick Tracy" by Chester Gould made its debut. 1957 Jimmy Hoffa was elected president of the Teamsters Union. 1957 "Leave It to Beaver" premiered on CBS. 1970 Rock singer Janis Joplin, 27, was found dead of an accidental heroin overdose. AP Photo 1990 German lawmakers held the first meeting of the reunified country's parliament in the Reichstag in Berlin. 1993 Dozens of cheering, dancing Somalis dragged the body of an American soldier through the streets of Mogadishu. 2001 Authorities said a man in Boca Raton, Fla., had contracted the inhaled form of anthrax; he died the following day. 2002 John Walker Lindh, the so-called "American Taliban," was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a federal judge in Alexandria, Va. 2002 Richard Reid pleaded guilty in a federal court to trying to blow up a trans-Atlantic flight with explosives hidden in his shoes. 2010 The Supreme Court began a new era with three women serving together for the first time as Elena Kagan took her place at the end of the bench.		Video HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS DAY IN HISTORY Today's Birthdays: Actress Susan Sarandon turns 66 years old today. AP Photo/Peter Kramer Name Profession Age Sam Huff Football Hall of Famer 78 Eddie Applegate Actor ("The Patty Duke Show") 77 Jackie Collins Author 75 Roy Blount Jr. Author 71 Anne Rice Author 71 Clifton Davis Actor 67 Chuck Hagel Former U.S. senator, R-Neb. 66 Mike Mullen Former joint chiefs of staff chairman 66 Lee Blessing Playwright 63 Armand Assante Actor 63 Christoph Waltz Actor 56 David W. Harper Actor ("The Waltons") 51 Jon Secada Singer 51 Liev Schreiber Actor 45 Alicia Silverstone Actress ("Clueless") 36 Rachael Leigh Cook Actress 33 Jered Weaver Baseball player 30 Music producer Russell Simmons turns 55 years old today. AP Photo/Evan Agostini