On this day in...

On this day in...
1690 – The colony of Massachusetts issues the first paper money in America.
1787 – Shays' Rebellion is crushed.
1809 – The Illinois Territory is created.
1870 – The Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, granting voting rights to citizens regardless of race.
1913 – The Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, authorizing the Federal government to impose and collect an income tax.
1944 – World War II: United States troops capture the Marshall Islands.
1959 – A plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa kills Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper, and pilot Roger Peterson and the incident becomes known as The Day the Music Died.
1971 – New York Police Officer Frank Serpico is shot during a drug bust in Brooklyn and survives to later testify against police corruption. Many believe the incident proves that NYPD officers tried to kill him.
1998 – Karla Faye Tucker is executed in Texas becoming the first woman executed in the United States since 1984.

Births
1904 – Pretty Boy Floyd, American gangster (d. 1934)
1918 – Joey Bishop, American entertainer, member of the Rat Pack (d. 2007)
1940 – Fran Tarkenton, American football player
1941 – Dory Funk, Jr., American professional wrestler
1945 – Bob Griese, American football player
1950 – Morgan Fairchild, American actress
1956 – Nathan Lane, American actor
1960 – Kerry Von Erich, American professional wrestler (d. 1993)
1962 – Marty Jannetty, American professional wrestler
1968 – Vlade Divac, Serbian basketball player
1969 – Retief Goosen, South African golfer
1971 – Sean Dawkins, American football player
1971 – Elisa Donovan, American actress
1990 – Sean Kingston, Jamaican/American singer/rapper

Huge day for birthdays today, especially among wrestlers and athletes. But its an even bigger news day with two big time Amendments being passed and its the anniversary of the "Day the Music Died." I've added a news report from that day. But since today is also the anniversary of the day Serpico was shot I've added a video of Charlie Kelly doing his best Serpico impression.