Today in History — September 22

updated 2:55 p.m. ET Sept. 21, 2007

Today is Saturday, Sept. 22, the 265th day of 2007. There are 100 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On Sept. 22, 1776, Nathan Hale was hanged as a spy by the British during the Revolutionary War.

On this date:

In 1789, Congress authorized the office of Postmaster-General.

In 1792, the first French Republic was proclaimed.

In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, declaring all slaves in rebel states should be free as of Jan. 1, 1863.

In 1927, Gene Tunney successfully defended his heavyweight boxing title against Jack Dempsey in the famous “long-count” fight in Chicago.

In 1950, Omar N. Bradley was promoted to the rank of five-star general, joining an elite group that included Dwight D. Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, George C. Marshall and Henry H. “Hap” Arnold.

In 1957, the TV series “Maverick” premiered on ABC.

In 1964, the musical “Fiddler on the Roof” opened on Broadway, beginning a run of 3,242 performances.

In 1975, Sara Jane Moore attempted to shoot President Ford outside a San Francisco hotel, but missed.

In 1980, the Persian Gulf conflict between Iran and Iraq erupted into full-scale war.

In 1989, songwriter Irving Berlin died in New York City at age 101.

Ten years ago: President Bill Clinton, addressing the United Nations, told world leaders to “end all nuclear tests for all time” as he sent the long-delayed global test-ban treaty to the Senate. Sportscaster Marv Albert went on trial in Arlington, Va., on charges of sodomy and assault. (Albert later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault, received no jail time and later had his record cleared.)

Five years ago: Thousands of Palestinians marched to protest Israel’s siege of Yasser Arafat’s headquarters, and Israeli soldiers opened fire on Palestinians who defied curfews. Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder’s Social Democrats won one of Germany’s closest postwar elections. The White House drama “The West Wing” won its third consecutive Emmy as best drama series; “Friends” was honored as best comedy for the first time in its eight years on the air.

One year ago: A high-speed magnetic train crashed in northwestern Germany, killing 23 people in the first fatal wreck involving the high-tech system. Three Christian militants were executed in Indonesia for leading attacks on Muslims in May 2000 that left at least 70 people dead. Hewlett-Packard Co. Chairwoman Patricia Dunn resigned in the wake of the company’s ill-fated investigation of boardroom media leaks. Actor Edward Albert died in Malibu, Calif., at age 55.

Today’s Birthdays: Baseball Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda is 80. Musician King Sunny Ade is 61. Actor Paul Le Mat is 61. Captain Mark Phillips is 59. Rock singer David Coverdale (Deep Purple, Whitesnake) is 56. Actress Shari Belafonte is 53. Singer Debby Boone is 51. Country singer June Forester (The Forester Sisters) is 51. Singer Nick Cave is 50. Rock singer Johnette Napolitano is 50. Opera singer Andrea Bocelli is 49. Singer-musician Joan Jett is 49. Actress Catherine Oxenberg is 46. Actor Scott Baio is 46. Actor Rob Stone is 45. Rock musician Matt Sharp is 38. Rock musician Dave Hernandez (The Shins) is 37. Rhythm-and-blues singer Big Rube (Society of Soul) is 36. Actor Tom Felton is 20.

Thought for Today: “Art for art’s sake is an empty phrase. Art for the sake of the true, art for the sake of the good and the beautiful, that is the faith I am searching for.” — George Sand, French author (1804-1876).

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