September 29th
- Today in 1789,a regular armywas established by the US War Department with 700 men.
- Today in 1829,London's reorganized police force, which became known as Scotland Yard,first went on duty.
- Today in 1951,the first network football gamewas televised by CBS-TV in color. The game was between the University of California and the University of Pennsylvania.
- Today in 1962,President John F. Kennedy nationalized the Mississippi National Guard in responseto city officials defying federal court orders. The orders had been to enroll James Meredith at the University of Mississippi – he was officially enrolled the following day.
- Today in 1962,"The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Show”debuted on ABC-TV.
- Today in 1976,"Alice”officially debuted on CBS-TV.
- Today in 1977,Muhammad Aliretained his world heavyweight boxing title in a unanimous 15- round decisionover Ernie Shavers at Madison Square Garden in New York.
- Today in 1979,Pope John Paul IIbecame the first pope to visit Ireland.
- Today in 1983,the War Powers Actwas used for the first time by the U.S. Congresswhen they authorized President Reagan to keep US Marines in Lebanon for 18 more months.
- Today in 1985,"MacGyver,” starring Richard Dean Anderson,debuted on ABC-TV.
- Today in 1986,"Designing Women,”debuted on CBS-TV.
- Today in 1986,Mary Lou Retton, who had stunned audiences with perfect 10 scores in the 1984 Olympics,announced she was retiring.
- Today in 1988,the space shuttle "Discovery"blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, marking America's return to manned space flight following the "Challenger" disaster.
- Today in 1992,Earvin "Magic" Johnsonannounced that he would come out of retirement and play basketball againfor the L.A. Lakers.
- Today in 1999,Vice President Al Goreabruptly moved his Presidential campaign headquarters from Washington D.C. to Nashvilleto get "out of the Beltway and into the heartland."
- Today in 2001,the “Syracuse Herald-Journal” –an American newspaper dating back to 1839– ceased publication.
- Today in 2006,US Representative Mark Foleyresigned amidst allegations of inappropriate emailsto teen house pages were introduced.
- Today in 2009, a 8.0-magnitude earthquakenear the Samoan Islands caused a tsunami that killednearly 200 people.
- Today in 2009,the MESSENGER spacecraft performeda third and final Mercury flyby.
- Today in 2012,two opposition politicians in Venezuelawere shot dead a week before the presidential election.
- Today in 2017,American diplomats in Cuba reveal mysterious sonic attacks, which prompt the US to warn citizens not to travel to Cuba –even pulling some embassy staff.