Today is the 167th day of 2015 and the 89th day of spring.
TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1884, the first U.S. roller coaster began operation at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York.
In 1903, the Ford Motor Co. was incorporated.
In 1963, cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space.
In 2000, the FCC approved the merger of Bell Atlantic Corp. and GTE Corp. as Verizon Communications.
TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Stan Laurel (1890-1965), actor/comedian; Barbara McClintock (1902-1992), geneticist; John Howard Griffin (1920-1980), journalist; Joyce Carol Oates (1938- ), author; Roberto Duran (1951- ), boxer; Laurie Metcalf (1955- ), actress; James Hellwig aka The Ultimate Warrior (1959-2014), wrestler; Cobi Jones (1970- ), soccer player; Phil Mickelson (1970- ), golfer; Tupac Shakur (1971-1996), rapper; Abby Elliott (1987- ), actress/comedian.
TODAY'S FACT: The Formula Rossa roller coaster at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, overtook the Kingda Ka roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey, as the fastest coaster in the world in 2010, reaching a maximum speed of 149.1 mph.
TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1998, the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Washington Capitals 4-1, winning the Stanley Cup and sweeping the championship series for the second consecutive year.
TODAY'S QUOTE: "I never change, I simply become more myself." -- Joyce Carol Oates, "Solstice"
TODAY'S NUMBER: 25 cents -- cost of one ride on the Cyclone, the legendary Coney Island roller coaster, when it opened on June 26, 1927.
TODAY'S MOON: New moon (June 16).