On April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was shot and mortally wounded by John Wilkes Booth during a performance of “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s Theater in Washington.
In 1828, the first edition of Noah Webster’s “American Dictionary of the English Language” was published.
In 1949, the “Wilhelmstrasse Trial” in Nuremberg ended with 19 former Nazi Foreign Office officials sentenced by an American tribunal to prison terms ranging from four to 25 years.
In 1968, the gay-themed play “The Boys in the Band,” by Mart Crowley, opened in New York.
Ten years ago: Delta Air Lines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corp. announced they were combining. Kidnapped British journalist Richard Butler, who worked for CBS News, was rescued by Iraqi troops from a house in Basra after two months in captivity. Taylor Swift won video of the year and female video for her smash “Our Song” while newcomer Kellie Pickler took home three awards during the Country Music Television awards.
Five years ago: Hugo Chavez’s hand-picked successor, Nicolas Maduro, won Venezuela’s presidential election by a narrow margin over challenger Henrique Capriles. Adam Scott became the first Australian to win the Masters, beating Angel Cabrera (AHN’-hehl kuh-BREHR’-uh) on the second hole of a playoff on a rainy day at Augusta National. Colin Davis, 85, former principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra and one of Britain’s elder statesmen of classical music, died in London.
Today’s Birthdays: Country singer Loretta Lynn is 86. Actress Julie Christie is 78. Retired MLB All-Star Pete Rose is 77. Rock musician Ritchie Blackmore is 73. Actor John Shea is 69. Actor-turned-race car driver Brian Forster is 58. Actor Brad Garrett is 58. Actor Robert Carlyle is 57. Rock singer-musician John Bell (Widespread Panic) is 56. Actor Robert Clendenin is 54. Actress Catherine Dent is 53. Actor Lloyd Owen is 52. Baseball Hall of Famer Greg Maddux is 52. Rock musician Barrett Martin is 51. Actor Anthony Michael Hall is 50. Actor Adrien Brody is 45. Classical singer David Miller (Il Divo) is 45. Rapper DaBrat is 44. Actor Antwon Tanner is 43. Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar is 41. Actor-producer Rob McElhenney is 41. Roots singer JD McPherson is 41. Rock singer Win Butler (Arcade Fire) is 38. Actress Claire Coffee is 38. Actor Christian Alexander is 28. Actor Nick Krause is 26. Actress Vivien Cardone is 25. Actor Graham Phillips is 25. Actress Skyler Samuels is 24. Actress Abigail Breslin is 22.