Today in History for Aug. 27, 2014

Aug. 27, 1846 – Samuel G. Portis was commissioned as Monroe County’s Sheriff.

Aug. 27, 1856 – R. Hunley Agee was born at Perdue Hill. He later became the president of the R.H.&W.C. Agee Grocery Co. and one of Selma’s leading businessmen. He served as a member of Selma’s city council and as city tax assessor for two years.

Aug. 27, 1861 - Union ships sailed into Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The two-day operation secured the area for the Federals and denied the Confederates an important outlet to the Atlantic.

Aug. 27, 1862 – During the Civil War, a skirmish occurred at Bridgeport, Alabama.

Aug. 27, 1921 - The owner of Acme Packing Company bought a pro football team for Green Bay, Wisc. J.E. Clair paid tribute to those who worked in his plant by naming the team the Green Bay Packers.

Aug. 27, 1943 - The USS Eldridge was officially commissioned with Lieutenant C. R. Hamilton, USNR, in command.

Aug. 27, 1955 – The first edition of the “Guinness Book of World Records” was printed.

Aug. 27, 1964 – Baldwin County High School principal C.V. Daniels announced that Vance McCrory of Frisco City had been named assistant coach and science teacher at Baldwin County High School in Bay Minette.

Aug. 27, 1981 – Mike Qualls’ long-running “From the Sidelines” sports column made its first appearance in The Monroe Journal.

Aug. 27, 1982 - Oakland Athletics outfielder Rickey Henderson stole his 119th base of the year, breaking Hall of Famer Lou Brock's 1979 record for stolen bases in a season.

Aug. 27, 1985 – The “Claiborne-Murphy Bridge” at Claiborne, which opened to traffic in October 1930, was demolished and replaced by more modern bridge.

Aug. 27, 1986 – Excel’s Scott Bell played offensive tackle for the University of Alabama in the Tide’s 16-10 win over Ohio State in the “Kickoff Classic” in New York City. Between his careers at Excel and Alabama, he played OT at Miss. Delta Jr. College, where he was named to the Miss. Jr. College Conf. All-State Football Team in 1985.

Aug. 27, 1986 - Nolan Ryan of the Houston Astros earned his 250th career win against the Chicago Cubs.

Aug. 27, 2003 - Mars made its closest approach to Earth in nearly 60,000 years.

Aug. 27, 2007 - Michael Vick, a star quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, formally pleaded guilty before a Richmond, Va., judge to a federal felony charge related to running a dogfighting ring.