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Wednesday, September 17, 2008

On this date in

1787 The U.S. Constitution was completed and signed by a majority of the delegates attending the constitutional convention in Philadelphia.

1862 In the bloodiest day in U.S. military history, 23,100 were killed, wounded or captured during the Battle of Antietam.

1890 Radio commentator Gabriel Heatter ("There's good news tonight") was born.

1900 Business J. Willard Marriott was born.

1907 Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger was born.

1908 Lt. Thomas Etholen Selfridge becomes the first person to die in an airplane accident.

1920 The American Professional Football Association was formed. Two years later, its name was changed to the National Football League.

1923 Country singer-songwriter Hank Williams was born.

1926 Bill Black, the original bass player in Elvis Presley's band, was born.

1928 Actor Roddy McDowall was born.

1931 Actress Anne Bancroft was born.

1934 Maureen Connolly, the first woman to win the tennis Grand Slam, was born.

1947 James V. Forrestal became the first Secretary of Defense.

1948 Actor John Ritter was born.

1972 The television series "M*A*S*H" premiered.

1978 Egyptian president Anwar Sadat and Israeli prime minister Manachem Begin signed the Camp David Accords.

1980 Former Nicaraguan president Anastasio Somoza was assassinated.

1983 Vanessa Williams is crowned the first black Miss America.

1996 Former Vice President Spiro T. Agnew died.

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