Today in History for Jan. 19, 2013

Today is Saturday, Jan. 19, the 19th day of 2013. There are 346 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight:

On Jan. 19, 1953, CBS-TV aired the widely watched episode of “I Love Lucy” in which Lucy Ricardo, played by Lucille Ball, gave birth to Little Ricky. (By coincidence, Ball gave birth the same day to her son, Desi Arnaz Jr.)

On this date:

In 1807, Confederate general Robert E. Lee was born in Westmoreland County, Va.

In 1853, Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “Il Trovatore” premiered in Rome.

In 1861, Georgia became the fifth state to secede from the Union.

In 1937, millionaire Howard Hughes set a transcontinental air record by flying his monoplane from Los Angeles to Newark, N.J., in 7 hours, 28 minutes and 25 seconds.

In 1942, during World War II, Japan invaded Burma (Myanmar).

In 1955, a presidential news conference was filmed for television for the first time, with the permission of President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

In 1960, the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between Japan and the United States of America was signed by both countries in Washington, D.C.

In 1966, Indira Gandhi was elected prime minister of India.

In 1970, President Richard M. Nixon nominated G. Harrold Carswell to the Supreme Court; however, the nomination was defeated because of controversy over Carswell’s past racial views.

In 1977, in one of his last acts of office, President Gerald R. Ford pardoned Iva Toguri D’Aquino, an American convicted of treason for making wartime broadcasts for Japan.

In 1981, the United States and Iran signed an accord paving the way for the release of 52 Americans held hostage for more than 14 months.

In 1992, German government and Jewish officials dedicated a Holocaust memorial at the villa on the outskirts of Berlin where the notorious Wannsee Conference had taken place.

Ten years ago: President Fidel Castro and millions of other Cubans voted in parliamentary elections where all 609 candidates ran uncontested. The Oakland Raiders won the AFC title game, beating the Tennessee Titans 41-24. The Tampa Bay Buccanneers took the NFC Championship game, defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 27-10. At the Golden Globe Awards, “Chicago” won best musical-comedy and “The Hours” claimed best drama.

Five years ago: Republican John McCain won a hard-fought South Carolina primary; Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama split the spoils in the Nevada caucuses. A soldier was killed south of Baghdad in a roadside bomb attack; his was the first American death to occur on a newly introduced, heavily armored vehicle known as MRAP. Death claimed actress Suzanne Pleshette in Los Angeles at age 70; John Stewart, a former member of the Kingston Trio, in San Diego at age 68; and former Chicago Mayor Eugene Sawyer at age 73.

One year ago: Six U.S. Marines were killed in a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan. Texas Gov. Rick Perry abruptly quit the Republican presidential race. One of the world’s most popular file-sharing sites, Megaupload.com, was shut down as its founder and several company officials were accused of facilitating millions of illegal downloads of films, music and other content. Rupert Murdoch’s media empire apologized and agreed to cash payouts to 37 people who’d been harassed and phone-hacked by its tabloid press.

Today’s birthdays: Former U.N. Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar is 93. Actress Jean Stapleton is 90. Actor Fritz Weaver is 87. Actress Tippi Hedren is 83. Former PBS newsman Robert MacNeil is 82. Movie director Richard Lester is 81. Singer Phil Everly is 74. Actor-singer Michael Crawford is 71. Actress Shelley Fabares is 69. Country singer Dolly Parton is 67. ABC newswoman Ann Compton is 66. TV chef Paula Deen is 66. Rock singer Martha Davis is 62. Singer Dewey Bunnell (America) is 61. Actor Desi Arnaz Jr. is 60. Actress Katey Sagal is 59. Comedian Paul Rodriguez is 58. Conductor Sir Simon Rattle is 58. Reggae musician Mickey Virtue (UB40) is 56. Rock musician Jeff Pilson (Foreigner) is 55. Actor Paul McCrane is 52. Actor William Ragsdale is 52. International Tennis Hall of Famer Stefan Edberg is 47. Rock singer Whitfield Crane (Ugly Kid Joe) is 45. Singer Trey Lorenz is 44. Actor Shawn Wayans is 42. Rock singer-musician John Wozniak (Marcy Playground) is 42. Actress Drea de Matteo is 41. Comedian-impressionist Frank Caliendo is 39. Actress Marsha Thomason is 37. Actress Bitsie Tulloch is 32. Actress Jodie Sweetin is 31. Actor Logan Lerman is 21. Olympic gold medal gymnast Shawn Johnson is 21.

Thought for today: “Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality.” — Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849).