Today in History for Oct. 27, 2014

The Confederate ironclad, CSS Albemarle. 

Oct. 27, 1780 - America sent its first astronomical expedition to observe a total eclipse of the sun from 11:11 a.m. to 1:50 p.m. The team, which traveled to the coast of Maine, was shocked to discover they weren't able to witness the complete obscuration of the sun. Modern analyses of the event suggest the scientists had actually miscalculated the path.

Oct. 27, 1795 – The United States and Spain signed the Treaty of Madrid, which established the boundaries between Spanish colonies and the U.S.

Oct. 27, 1810 – United States annexed the former Spanish colony of West Florida.

Oct. 27, 1817 – William James became the first postmaster at Burnt Corn Spring. (Some sources say this happened on Oct. 26, 1817.)

Oct. 27, 1842 – Richard Francis Burton reached Bombay, India after a journey around the Cape of Africa.

Oct. 27, 1858 - Theodore Roosevelt, who would go on to become the 26th president of the United States, was born in New York City.

Oct. 27, 1863 - Union troops captured Brown's Ferry and then held off a counterattack by the Confederates. Confederate General Longstreet withdrew his troops before dawn on October 28.

Oct. 27, 1863 – During the Civil War, a skirmish occurred at Little Bear Creek, Ala. on the Memphis and Charleston Railroad.

Oct. 27, 1864 - The Confederate ironclad C.S.S. Albemarle was destroyed in a Union raid on Plymouth. It was the only Confederate ironclad to be destroyed by the Union during the war.

Oct. 27, 1864 - During the First Battle of Hatcher's Run (also known as the Battle of Boydton Plank Road) in Virginia, Union troops were turned back when they tried to cut the last railroad supplying the Confederate force in Petersburg, Virginia.

Oct. 27, 1880 - Theodore Roosevelt married Alice Lee.

Oct. 27, 1913 – President Woodrow Wilson passed through Evergreen, Ala. aboard a train that afternoon.

Oct. 27, 1918 – Former Confederate officer William Stephen Wiggins died and was buried at Hamilton Hill Cemetery in Hixon in Monroe County, Ala. Born on Nov. 7, 1831, he took command Co. F of the 36th Ala. Regiment after the death of Capt. David Kelly and led the 36th until the end of the war. His unit was a part of the first brigade (Clayton's) to break the Federal line at Chickamauga and the defenders of the line at New Hope Church. He was noted for his bravery in the battle of Atlanta at the railroad cut at present day Grant Park.

Oct. 27, 1918 – During World War I, Army Pvt. Verner Haslip of Georgiana and Army Pvt. Charley Blackman of Camden “died from disease.”

Oct. 27, 1922 – Hall of Fame left fielder Ralph Kiner was born in Santa Rita, N.M. He would go on to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians.

Oct. 27, 1930 – After being closed for three weeks for the installation of a new Western Electric sound system, the Arcade Theater in Evergreen reopened to the public on this night. The movie scheduled for the big opening night was “High Society Blues” starring Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell.

Oct. 27, 1954 - Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio were divorced. They had been married on January 14, 1954.

Oct. 27, 1960 – The Evergreen Courant reported that Wayne Thames had been named assistant manager of the Farmers Cooperative Market in Frisco City.

Oct. 27, 1966 – The Evergreen Jaycees named George Stinson and Bubba Mininger as Outstanding Players of the Week for the previous two Evergreen High School football games. Stinson, a junior linebacker and halfback, received the honor for his performance against Lyeffion on Oct. 14, and Mininger, a senior left guard, received the honor for his performance against Frisco City on Oct. 21.

Oct. 27, 1973 - Alabama set an offensive record when they compiled 828 yards in a 77-6 victory over Virginia Tech.

Oct. 27, 1978 – J.U. Blacksher High School beat Lyeffion High School, 40-23, to clinch Blacksher’s only 10-0 season in school history.

Oct. 27, 1985 - Anthony Carter began a National Football League streak of 100-plus consecutive game receptions.

Oct. 27, 1995 - The contract that finalized the Cleveland Browns' move to Baltimore was signed in secret.

Oct. 27, 1996 - Bud Adams, owner of the Houston Oilers, announced that he would allow his team to play one final season in Houston before moving the team to Nashville, Tenn.

Oct. 27, 1996 - Irving Fryer of the Philadelphia Eagles became the 15th player in NFL history to catch 600 passes in a career.

Oct. 27, 2002 - The Anaheim Angels won their first World Series. They beat the San Francisco Giants in Game 7 of the series.

Oct. 27, 2002 - Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys became the all-time leading rusher in the NFL when he extended his career yardage to 16,743. He achieved the record in his 193rd game. He also scored his 150th career touchdown.

Oct. 27, 2003 - The Monday Night Football game between the San Diego Chargers and the Miami Dolphins was played in Tempe, Arizona. The game had been moved from San Diego due to wild fires.

Oct. 27, 2004 - Barry Bonds' 700th home run ball was sold at auction for $804,129.

Oct. 27, 2004 - The Boston Red Sox won the World Series for the first time since 1918, finally vanquishing the so-called "Curse of the Bambino" that had plagued them for 86 years.

Oct. 27, 2006 - A television version of Alabama author Ambrose Bierce's story "The Damned Thing" is broadcast as part of the Masters of Horror series.