Today is the 247th day of 2012 and the 76th day of summer.
TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1783, the signing of the Treaty of Paris officially ended the Revolutionary War.
In 1838, abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass escaped slavery in Baltimore.
In 1976, the unmanned Viking II landed on the surface of Mars to take the first close-up color photos of the planet's surface.
In 2008, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, newly announced as Sen. John McCain's presidential running mate and the first Republican woman nominated for the vice presidency, spoke before delegates at the Republican National Convention.
TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Louis Sullivan (1856-1924), architect; Kitty Carlisle (1910-2007), actress; Anne Jackson (1926- ), actress; Eileen Brennan (1932- ), actress; Charlie Sheen (1965- ), actor; Shaun White (1986- ), snowboarder/skateboarder.
TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1970, legendary football coach Vince Lombardi died at age 57.
TODAY'S FACT: The Viking photographs of Mars suggested that large amounts of water were once present on Mars, but the mission's chief aim -- to determine if life existed on the planet -- was not achieved.
TODAY'S QUOTE: "A school without football is in danger of deteriorating into a medieval study hall." -- Vince Lombardi
TODAY'S NUMBER: 12 -- record number of Winter X Games gold medals claimed by Shaun White from 2003 to 2012.
TODAY'S MOON: Between full moon (Aug. 31) and last quarter (Sept. 8).