Today in History for Sept. 13, 2014

Excel Masonic Lodge No. 655

Sept. 13, 1855 – William J. Grissett was commissioned as Monroe County, Alabama’s Sheriff.

Sept. 13, 1862 - During the Civil War, Union soldiers found a copy of Confederate General Robert E. Lee's orders (Special Order No. 191) for the Antietam campaign near Frederick, Maryland. But, Union General George B. McClellan was slow to react and lost the advantage that the intelligence had provided.

Sept. 13, 1863 – During the Civil War,

Federals conducted reconnaissance from Henderson’s Gap, Ala. to La Fayette, Ga.

Sept. 13, 1865 – Joseph Ganes Sanders, the “Turncoat of Dale County,” resigned from the U.S. Army and he returned home to Dale County, where he planned to resume his gristmill work.

Sept. 13, 1899, Henry Bliss became the first American to die in an auto accident when he was run over by a taxicab as he exited a streetcar in New York City.

Sept. 13, 1892 - Three women passed entrance exams to earn admission to the junior class at Auburn, making the college the first in Alabama and the second in the Southeast to become coeducational. The young ladies, one of whom was the daughter of the Auburn president, were allowed on campus only when attending class.

Sept. 13, 1906 – Excel Masonic Lodge No. 655 was established. The lodge’s original officers include G.W. Salter Sr., H.R. White, R.L. Casey, J.F. Kelly, Riley Kelly, E. Parvin, J.C. Griffin, L.B. Cohron and William Williams. The lodge began with 10 charter members.

Sept. 13, 1918 – During World War I, Army Pvt. Newton U. Blackman of Evergreen killed in action.

Sept. 13, 1923 - George Burns of the Boston Red Sox performed the third unassisted triple play in baseball history.

Sept. 13, 1932 - Joe McCarthy became the first manager to win pennants in both baseball leagues when his New York Yankees clinched the American League pennant.

Sept. 13, 1936 - 17-year-old Cleveland Indians pitching ace "Rapid" Robert Feller strikes out 17 batters in a game, setting a new American League record. Feller allowed just two hits in the game to help his team to a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia A’s.

Sept. 13, 1939 - The Alabama legislature outlawed open-range livestock grazing in Alabama, effective March 1, 1941, although counties are given the option of holding referendums on allowing cattle to range free within county boundaries. Closing of the range in Alabama began shortly after the Civil War, when fencing of livestock was required in certain agricultural districts, and various local-option measures followed in subsequent years. In 1951, the legislature, in what by then was largely a symbolic act, took away local option, thereby permanently closing the open range.

Sept. 13, 1946 - Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox hit his only inside-the-park home run.

Sept. 13, 1965 - Willie Mays became the fifth player in major league history to hit 500 career home runs.

Sept. 13, 1971 - Frank Robinson of the Baltimore Orioles hit his 500th career home run.

Sept. 13, 1978 – The Dickinson House, which was built in 1845 and is located on Dickinson Avenue in Grove Hill, was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Sept. 13, 1986 - Bert Blyleven of the Minnesota Twins surrendered five homes runs. The game raised Blyleven's total to 44 for the year setting an American League record.

Sept. 13, 1989 - Fay Vincent was named commissioner of Major League Baseball, succeeding the late A. Bartlett Giamatti.

Sept. 13, 1996 - Alex Rodriguez of the Seattle Mariners set a team record when he became the first player for the Mariners to reach 200 hits in a season.

Sept. 13, 1996 – In a game against the New York Yankees, Charlie O'Brien of the Toronto Blue Jays became the first catcher in major league baseball history to wear a hockey goalie-style catcher's mask.

Sept. 13, 1996 - John Wetteland of the New York Yankees became on the second Yankee to record 40 or more saves in a season.

Sept. 13, 1998 - George Wallace, one of the most controversial politicians in U.S. history, died in Montgomery, Ala., at the age of 79.

Sept. 13, 2003 - In Oakland, Calif., Frank Francisco of the Texas Rangers, a relief pitcher, threw a chair into the right field box seats. Two spectators were hit in the head. The game was delayed for 19 minutes. The Athletics won the game, 7-6, in the 10th inning.