Today in History - History - September 15th

1835HMS Beagle/Charles Darwin reaches Galapagos Islands

1982Pope John Paul II receives PLO leader Yasser Arafat

1978Muhammad Ali beats Leon Spinks in 15 for heavyweight boxing title

1940PM Winston Churchill visits 11 Fighter Group

1966U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson, responding to a sniper attack at the University of Texas at Austin, writes a letter to the United States Congress urging the enactment of gun control legislation.

1996Texas Rangers retire their 1st number, Nolan Ryan's #34

1959Soviet Premier Khrushchev arrives in US to begin a 13-day visit

1904Wilbur Wright makes his 1st airplane flight

1960Maurice Richard announces his retirement. He finishes his career with 544 goals, an NHL record at the time.

1943Benito Mussolini forms a rival fascist government in Italy

1254Marco Polo, Venice, Italian explorer (Il Milione), (d. 1324)

1890Agatha Christie, Torquay Devon, British crime writer (Murder on Orient Express), (d. 1976)

1961Dan Marino, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, NFL quarterback (Miami Dolphins)

1936ashley j cooper, Melbourne Victoria, Australian tennis champ (US Open-1957)

1857William Howard Taft, Cin, (R) 27th pres (1909-13), chief justice

1789James Fenimore Cooper, Burlington New Jersey, 1st major American novelist (Last of Mohicans)

1981Professional boxer George Foreman (32) weds Sharon Goodson

1991NBA star Magic Johnson marries Earletha "Cookie" Kelly

17944th US President James Madison (43) weds Dolley Madison (26) in Jefferson County, West Virginia

1962Actress Janet Leigh (35) weds stockbroker Robert Brandt

1951Actor Peter Sellers (26) weds actress Anne Howe n London, England

1957Country music legend Patsy Cline (25) weds linotype operator Charles Dick (23) in Winchester, England

2004Johnny Ramone, American lead guitarist of the punk rock band The Ramones

1938Thomas Wolfe, US writer (Enigma), dies at 37