October seventh

Today's Highlight in History:
On October seventh, 1982, the Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice musical "Cats," featuring the popular song "Memory," opened on Broadway. (The show closed this past September tenth after a record 7,485 performances.)

On this date:
In 1777, the second Battle of Saratoga began during the American Revolution. (British forces under General John Burgoyne surrendered ten days later.)

In 1849, author Edgar Allan Poe died in Baltimore, Maryland, at age 40.

In 1940, Artie Shaw and his Orchestra recorded Hoagy Carmichael's "Stardust" for RCA Victor.

In 1949, the Republic of East Germany was formed.

In 1950, the United Nations General Assembly approved an advance by UN forces north of the 38th Parallel in the Korean Conflict.

In 1960, Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy and Republican opponent Richard M. Nixon held the second of their broadcast debates.

In 1963, President Kennedy signed the documents of ratification for a nuclear test ban treaty with Britain and the Soviet Union.

In 1968, the Motion Picture Association of America adopted its film-rating system.

In 1981, Egypt's parliament named Vice President Hosni Mubarak to succeed the assassinated Anwar Sadat.

In 1985, Palestinian gunmen hijacked the Italian cruise ship "Achille Lauro" in the Mediterranean with more than 400 people aboard.

Ten years ago: House and Senate Democrats put together a modified budget proposal, following the failure of an earlier plan and the veto of stopgap spending legislation by President Bush.

Five years ago: New York's Central Park was transformed into a giant open-air cathedral as Pope John Paul the Second celebrated Mass before a flock of 130,000. A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Indonesia, killing more than 80 people.

One year ago: American Home Products Corporation resolved one of the biggest product liability cases ever by agreeing to pay up to $4.83 billion to settle claims that the fen-phen diet drug combination caused dangerous heart valve problems.

"Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries."

-- James Michener, American novelist.