Today in History for Aug. 11, 2015

Aug. 11, 1718 - Francois-Louis-Frederic Haldimand, who would help bring the United Empire Loyalists and Six Nations of Iroquois to safety in Canada following the American War for Independence, was born in Yverdon, Switzerland.

Aug. 11, 1806 - While hunting for elk along the Missouri River, explorer Meriwether Lewis of the Corps of Discovery was shot in the hip, probably by one of his own men. His wound was not serious, but Lewis spent the next several days lying faced down in the bottom of a canoe as the party proceeded down river. By the time they reached St. Louis on Sept. 23, Lewis’ wound had healed and the excitement of homecoming overshadowed the event

Aug. 11, 1811 - Alabama author Octavia Walton Le Vert was born on her family's plantation near Augusta, Ga.

Aug. 11, 1852 – John S. McDuffie was born. McDuffie would go on to be one of the captures of famous train robber, Rube Burrow. Years later, he would be shot and killed during an argument with Edward English on June 28, 1904. McDuffie is buried in McDuffie Cemetery in Monroe County.

Aug. 11, 1858 – The Eiger in the Bernese Alps was ascended for the first time by Charles Barrington accompanied by Christian Almer and Peter Bohren.

Aug. 11, 1859 – John DeLoach was commissioned for his second term as Monroe County, Alabama’s Circuit Court Clerk.

Aug. 11, 1861 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought at Hamburg, Mo.

Aug. 11, 1864 – Samuel C.H. Dailey was commissioned as Monroe County, Alabama’s Sheriff.

Aug. 11, 1864 – During the Civil War, Confederate General Jubal Early pulled out of Winchester, Va. as Union General Philip Sheridan approached the city. Wary of his new foe, Early moved away to avoid an immediate conflict.

Aug. 11, 1864 – During the Civil War, a skirmish occurred near Moore's Hill, Ala.

Aug. 11, 1877 - The two moons of Mars were discovered by Asaph Hall, an American astronomer. He named them Phobos and Deimos.

Aug. 11, 1879 – The Monroe County commissioners court appointed Jno. McCreary, William Mac Stallworth and J.M. Herrington to a committee to “let out the contract for building a bridge across Flat Creek on the state road leading from Pine Orchard to Smiths bridge on or near the Lindsey plantation.” Commissioners also appointed Charles. L. Scott, J.W. Shomo and D.R. King to a committee “to let out contract for building a new bridge across the bayou on the road leading from Mt. Pleasant to Gainstown.”

Aug. 11, 1870 – Neil McCorvey passed away at his Monroe County, Ala. home at the age of 76. A native of Robeson County, N.C., he’d lived in Monroe County for 60 years.

Aug. 11, 1897 – Poet Louise Bogan was born in Livermore Falls, Maine.

Aug. 11, 1921 – Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Alex Haley was born in Ithaca, New York.

Aug. 11, 1925 – H.P. Lovecraft completed “He,” which was originally published in the September 1926 issue of Weird Tales.

Aug. 11, 1929 – Babe Ruth became the first baseball player to hit 500 home runs in his career with a home run at League Park in Cleveland, Ohio.

Aug. 11, 1932 – Playwright Fernando Arrabal was born in Melilla, Spanish Morocco.

Aug. 11, 1934 – The first civilian prisoners arrive at the Federal prison on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay. Though closed in 1963, the prison is said to be haunted to this day by ghostly presences.

Aug. 11, 1936 – Short-story writer Andre Dubus was born in Lake Charles, La.

Aug. 11, 1951 - The first Major League Baseball game to be televised in color was broadcast. The Brooklyn Dodgers defeated the Boston Braves, 8-1.

Aug. 11, 1952 - Hank Williams was fired from the Grand Ole Opry and was told not to return until he was sober.

Aug. 11, 1957 – Playwright David Henry Hwang was born in Los Angeles, Calif.

Aug. 11, 1964 – The Town of Repton, Ala. was scheduled to hold a municipal election. Candidates for the office of mayor included H.L. Dees and M.A. Hanks. Candiates for town council included E.M. Brantley, C.F. Carter Jr., Eddie Rogers, George Armstrong, John E. Davison, G.H. Dees Sr., J.L. Dees, Joe Kelly, W.O. Lowery, Bobby Regan and Carl W. Ryals.

Aug. 11, 1970 - Montreal Expos first basman Fred Whitfield, a native of Vandiver, Ala., made his last Major League appearance. His career batting average was .253 with a total of 108 home runs and 356 runs batted in.

Aug. 11, 1971 - Harmon Killebrew of the Minnesota Twins got his 500th and 501st home runs of his major league baseball career.

Aug. 11, 1984 - The Cincinnati Reds honored major league All-Star and Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench by retiring his uniform (No. 5).

Aug. 11, 1990 - Egyptian and Moroccan troops joined U.S. forces in Saudia Arabia to help protect from a possible Iraqi attack.

Aug. 11, 1993 – The first edition of “Crazy in Alabama” by Mark Childress released by Putnam Adult.

Aug. 11, 1994 - The longest work stoppage in Major League Baseball history began. Because of the strike, the 1994 World Series was cancelled; it was the first time baseball did not crown a champion in 89 years.

Aug. 11, 1995 - A federal investigation was opened concerning the deadly siege at Ruby Ridge, Idaho in 1992. The investigation was to find out whether FBI officials approved a "shoot on sight" order.