Today is the 254th day of 2014 and the 83rd day of summer.
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TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1857, Mormon guerillas and Paiute Indians massacred 120 pioneers in Mountain Meadows, Utah.
In 1939, Canada made its first declaration of war, joining the Allies in opposition to Nazi Germany.
In 2001, hijacked planes crashed into New York City's World Trade Center, the Pentagon in Virginia and a Pennsylvania field in terrorist attacks that claimed nearly 3,000 lives.
In 2012, a heavily armed militia attacked the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya, killing four Americans.
TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: O. Henry (1862-1910), short-story writer; D.H. Lawrence (1885-1930), author; Paul "Bear" Bryant (1913-1983), football coach; Tom Landry (1924-2000), football coach; Brian De Palma (1940- ), film director; Virginia Madsen (1961- ), actress; Moby (1965- ), singer-songwriter; Harry Connick Jr. (1967- ), actor/singer-songwriter; Ludacris (1977- ), rapper/actor; Ed Reed (1978- ), football player; Jacoby Ellsbury (1983- ), baseball player.
TODAY'S FACT: John Tyler was the first vice president to assume the presidency because of a sitting president's death. During the term he served, after William Henry Harrison's month-long presidency, Tyler was often referred to slightingly as "His Accidency" or "Acting President."
TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1985, Pete Rose broke Ty Cobb's record with his 4,192nd career hit.
TODAY'S QUOTE: "It ain't the roads we take; it's what's inside of us that makes us turn out the way we do." -- O. Henry, "The Roads We Take"
TODAY'S NUMBER: 4,256 -- total career hits for Pete Rose, which remains the Major League Baseball record.
TODAY'S MOON: Between full moon (Sept. 8) and last quarter moon (Sept. 15).