TODAY IN HISTORY

Wednesday, January  11, 2012 AP Highlight in History:  On Jan. 11, 1964, U.S. Surgeon General Luther Terry issued the first government report saying smoking may be hazardous to one's health.   AP Photo
On this date in: 1757 American founding father Alexander Hamilton was born in the West Indies. AP Photo/New York Public Library 1805 The Michigan Territory was created. 1861 Alabama seceded from the Union. 1973 Owners of American League baseball teams voted to adopt the designated-hitter rule. 1977 France set off an international uproar by releasing Abu Daoud, a Palestinian suspected of involvement in the massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. 2002 The first planeload of al-Qaida prisoners from Afghanistan arrived at a U.S. military detention camp in Guantanamo, Cuba. 2003 Calling the death penalty process "arbitrary and capricious, and therefore immoral," Illinois Gov. George Ryan commuted the sentences of 167 condemned inmates, clearing his state's death row two days before leaving office. 2007 English soccer player David Beckham announced a five-year deal to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy. 2008 Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to conquer Mount Everest, died at age 88. 2010 Mark McGwire admitted to The Associated Press that he'd used steroids and human growth hormone when he broke baseball's home run record in 1998.		Video Highlights of This Day in History Today's Birthdays: R&B singer Mary J. Blige turns 41 years old today. AP Photo/Evan Agostini Name Profession Age Rod Taylor Actor 82 Jean Chretien Former Canadian prime minister 78 Naomi Judd Country singer 66 Ben Crenshaw Golfer 60 Robert Earl Keen Rock singer 56 Vicki Peterson Rock musician (The Bangles) 54 Kim Coles Actress 50 Tom Dumont Rock musician (No Doubt) 44 Tom Rowlands Rock musician (The Chemical Brothers) 41 Actress Amanda Peet turns 40 years old today. AP Photo/Peter Kramer