February 25th

Today's Highlight in History:
Fifty years ago, on February 25th, 1950, the comedy-variety program "Your Show of Shows," starring Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner and, later, Howard Morris, debuted on NBC TV.

On this date:
In 1570, Pope Pius the Fifth excommunicated England's Queen Elizabeth the First.

In 1793, the department heads of the US government met with President Washington at his home for the first Cabinet meeting on record.

In 1836, inventor Samuel Colt patented his revolver.

In 1901, United States Steel Corporation was incorporated by J.P. Morgan.

In 1919, Oregon became the first state to tax gasoline.

In 1940, a hockey game was televised for the first time, by New York City station W2XBS, as the New York Rangers defeated the Montreal Canadiens, 6-to-2, at Madison Square Garden.

In 1948, Communists seized power in Czechoslovakia.

In 1986, President Ferdinand E. Marcos fled the Philippines after 20 years of rule in the wake of a tainted election; Corazon Aquino assumed the presidency.