On this date in . . .

1870: The Utah territory granted its women the right to vote.

1878: U.S. patent #200,358 was issued to Frederick Thayer for his baseball catcher's mask. It was similar to one worn by cowboys to keep from being kicked in the face while branding cattle.

1924: Paul Whiteman and his orchestra premiered "Rhapsody in Blue" at Carnegie Hall. The soloist was George Gershwin.

1940: "The Adventures of Superman" debuted on the Mutual Radio Network, starring Bud Collyer as the Man of Steel. The comic book character had been created in 1938 by two Toronto teenagers, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

1981: A Houston woman described as "rather large" was sentenced to 10 years in prison for trying to steal two fur coats and a color TV set from a department store by hiding them between her legs. Police dubbed the shoplifter "The Bowlegged Gang."

1984: Charles Jones of McGehee, Arkansas, joined the Philadelphia 76ers. His brothers, Wilbert, Caldwell, and Major, already were NBA veterans. Two other brothers were drafted, but never made the NBA. The six Jones brothers were 6-8, 6-9, 6-9, 6-9, 6-10, and 6-11.

1994: A Montreal woman sued a local funeral home and a hospital after the funeral home called to offer its services just 3½ hours after she had been diagnosed at the hospital with skin cancer.

1998: At a Los Angeles auction, the Lund Foundation paid $442,500 for the lyrics to Elton John’s "Candle in the Wind 1997," written in memory of Princess Diana. The foundation supports educational and youth programs.

1999: The U.S. Senate voted to acquit President Clinton of perjury and obstruction of justice; the President said he was "profoundly sorry" for what he'd said and done in the Monica Lewinsky affair.

2000: Two popular Americans died: Charles Schulz, creator of the ''Peanuts'' comic strip, died in California at age 77. Football coach Tom Landry, who led the Dallas Cowboys to five Super Bowls, died in Texas at age 75.

2001: A federal appeals court ruled the Internet service Napster could not allow users to swap copyrighted music without charge.

2002: A six-year-old boy ate the first meal of his life after having a kidney transplant. The boy had been fed through a tube because of his serious medical conditions. From Covingham, England, the lad said he especially enjoyed the ketchup with his first meal, a burger. He had had 30 operations and regular dialysis until the transplant.

2004: Four men were charged in a 42-count indictment alleging steroid-distribution to provided performance-enhancing drugs to athletes in the NFL, major league baseball, and track and field.

Birthdays:

• actress Joanna Kerns is 59;
• actress Christina Ricci 32;
• actress Christine Elise 46;
• comedian Arsenio Hall 57;
• sportscaster Joe Garagiola 86;
• actor Joe Don Baker 76;
• actor Josh Brolin 44;
• singer Chynna Phillips 44;
• Barenaked Ladies’ Jim Creeggan 42;
• author Judy Blume 74;
• basetball's Bill Russell 78.

     Q: Was actress Christina Ricci a schoolmate of actor: (a) Macaulay Culkin; (b) John Taylor Thomas; or (c) Brandy?
     A: Macaulay Culkin.

     Q: Was the book Bambi originally published in: (a) French; (b) German; or (c) Norwegian?
     A: In German in 1929.

44 years ago today:

• The #1 song was "Love Is Blue" by Paul Mauriat.
• The #1 country song was Tammy Wynette’s "Take Me To Your World."
• The #1 R&B song was "Chain of Fools" by Aretha Franklin.

    Quote: "Abe Lincoln was homely and wore an oversized hat. If he were alive today, he'd be a country singer." - Contemporary Comedy