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Today's Highlight in History:
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• On Sept. 21, 1912, magician Harry Houdini first publicly performed his so-called Chinese Water Torture Cell trick at the Circus Busch in Berlin, escaping after being immersed upside-down in a vertical water tank, his ankles secured in a set of stocks which made up the tank lid, which was locked into place.
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• On this date:
• In 1792, the French National Convention voted to abolish the monarchy.
• In 1893, one of America's first horseless carriages was taken for a short test drive in Springfield, Mass., by Frank Duryea, who had designed the vehicle with his brother, Charles.
• In 1897, the New York Sun ran its famous editorial, written anonymously by Francis P. Church, which declared, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."
• In 1912, legendary cartoon animator Chuck Jones was born in Spokane, Wash.
• In 1937, "The Hobbit," by J.R.R. Tolkien, was first published by George Allen & Unwin Ltd. of London.
• In 1938, a hurricane struck parts of New York and New England, causing widespread damage and claiming some 700 lives.
• In 1948, Milton Berle made his debut as permanent host of "The Texaco Star Theater" on NBC-TV.
• In 1962, "The Jack Paar Program," a weekly, prime-time show that followed Paar's stint on "The Tonight Show," began a three-year run.
• In 1970, "NFL Monday Night Football" made its debut on ABC-TV as the Cleveland Browns defeated the visiting New York Jets, 31-21.
• In 1982, Amin Gemayel, brother of Lebanon's assassinated president-elect, Bashir Gemayel, was himself elected president. National Football League players began a 57-day strike, their first regular-season walkout.
• In 1987, NFL players called a strike, mainly over the issue of free agency. (The 24-day walkout prompted football owners to hire replacement players.)
• In 1989, Hurricane Hugo crashed into Charleston, S.C. (the storm was blamed for 26 directly caused U.S. deaths). Twenty-one students in Alton, Texas, died when their school bus, involved in a collision with a soft-drink delivery truck, careened into a water-filled pit.
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• Ten years ago: Former Citigroup CEO John S. Reed was named temporary head of the New York Stock Exchange. Paul Martin was elected by Canada's Lib

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