Today is the 252nd day of 2014 and the 81st day of summer.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1776, the Continental Congress officially changed the name of the "United Colonies" to the "United States" of America.

In 1791, the capital of the United States was named Washington, D.C., after President George Washington.

In 1850, California was admitted as the 31st U.S. state.

In 1956, Elvis Presley made his first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show."

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), author; Harland David "Colonel" Sanders (1890-1980), businessman; Cliff Robertson (1923-2011), actor; Otis Redding (1941-1967), singer-songwriter; Joe Theismann (1949- ), sportscaster/football player; Hugh Grant (1960- ), actor; Bob Stoops (1960- ), football coach; Adam Sandler (1966- ), comedian/actor; Eric Stonestreet (1971- ), actor; Michael Buble (1975- ), singer; Michelle Williams (1980- ), actress.

TODAY'S FACT: California did not go through a formal period as a U.S. territory. It quickly achieved the 60,000 residents required for statehood, due to the Gold Rush.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1965, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax threw a perfect game against the Chicago Cubs.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "Progress consists, not in the increase of truth, but in freeing it from its wrappings. The truth is obtained like gold, not by letting it grow bigger, but by washing off from it everything that isn't gold." -- Leo Tolstoy

TODAY'S NUMBER: 207.8 million -- albums certified sold by Elvis Presley, making him second only to the Beatles (264.2 million) as the greatest-selling artist of all time.

TODAY'S MOON: Between full moon (Sept. 8) and last quarter moon (Sept. 15).

Today is the 251st day of 2014 and the 80th day of summer.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1664, New Amsterdam became New York as the Dutch surrendered Manhattan and surrounding land to the British.

In 1900, Galveston, Texas, was struck by a massive hurricane.

In 1966, the "Star Trek" TV series premiered on NBC.

In 1974, President Gerald Ford pardoned former president Richard Nixon for any crimes he might have committed in office.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Claude Pepper (1900-1989), U.S. senator; Sid Caesar (1922-2014), comedian/actor; Peter Sellers (1925-1980), comedian/actor; Patsy Cline (1932-1963), singer-songwriter; Aimee Mann (1960- ), singer-songwriter; David Arquette (1971- ), actor; Martin Freeman (1971- ), actor; Pink (1979- ), singer-songwriter; Wiz Khalifa (1987- ), rapper; Avicii (1989- ), DJ/record producer.

TODAY'S FACT: More than 8,000 people are estimated to have died in the 1900 Galveston hurricane, making it the deadliest natural disaster in American history.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1998, Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals hit his 62nd home run of the season, breaking the record held by Roger Maris since 1961. In January 2010, McGwire admitted that he used steroids during the 1998 season.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "Criticism should be done by critics, and a critic should have some training and some love of the medium he is discussing. But these days, gossip-columnist training seems to be enough qualification." -- Peter Sellers

TODAY'S NUMBER: 79 -- episodes of the original "Star Trek" series broadcast on NBC until its cancellation in 1969. (The original pilot, titled "The Cage," was not aired.) The franchise has since produced 12 films and five spinoff television series totaling 646 episodes.

TODAY'S MOON: Full moon (Sept. 8).

Today is the 250th day of 2014 and the 79th day of summer.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1822, Brazil declared independence from Portugal.

In 1927, inventor Philo T. Farnsworth transmitted the first image by electronic means, an innovation that would eventually enable broadcast television.

In 1979, cable sports network ESPN was launched with the premiere of the long-running daily series "SportsCenter."

In 2008, the U.S. government took control of the mortgage financing enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603), British monarch; Grandma (Anna Mary) Moses (1860-1961), artist; Paul Brown (1908-1991), football coach/executive; Elia Kazan (1909-2003), filmmaker; Jacob Lawrence (1917-2000), artist; Peter Lawford (1923-1984), actor; Buddy Holly (1936-1959), singer-songwriter; Gloria Gaynor (1949- ), singer-songwriter; Chrissie Hynde (1951- ), singer-songwriter; Michael Emerson (1954- ), actor; Toby Jones (1966- ), actor; Evan Rachel Wood (1987- ), actress; Kevin Love (1988- ), basketball player.

TODAY'S FACT: Philo T. Farnsworth was the first to produce a televised image in 1927, but Vladimir Zworykin, who was developing the same technology for Westinghouse, was the first to obtain the patent.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1963, the Pro Football Hall of Fame was dedicated in Canton, Ohio, and a 17-member charter class was inducted.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "You can learn a line from a win and a book from a defeat." -- Paul Brown

TODAY'S NUMBER: 287 -- members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as of 2014. Current rules allow between four and seven individuals to be selected for enshrinement each year.

TODAY'S MOON: Between first quarter moon (Sept. 2) and full moon (Sept. 8).