Today in History for Nov. 15, 2014

Francisco Pizarro

Nov. 15, 1532 – Commanded by Francisco Pizarro, Spanish conquistadors under Hernando de Soto met Inca Empire leader Atahualpa for the first time outside Cajamarca, arranging a meeting on the city plaza the following day.

Nov. 15, 1863 – William H. Snowden of the Conecuh Guards was wounded in a skirmish at Lenoir Station, Tenn. He would later be honorably discharged, and he returned to live in Conecuh County.

Nov. 15, 1863 – During the Civil War, Union Major General William T. Sherman arrived with his Federal force at Bridgeport, Ala. enroute to the relief of Chattanooga, Tenn.

Nov. 15, 1864 – William Tecumseh Sherman set off on his famous March to the Sea and ordered that Atlanta's military resources, including munitions factories, clothing mills and railway yards, be burned. The fire got out of control and left Atlanta in ruins. The March to the Sea ended on Dec. 21 when Union troops reached Savannah.

Nov. 15, 1914 – Harry Turner became the first player to die from game-related injuries in the "Ohio League," the direct predecessor to the National Football League.

Nov. 15, 1918 – During World War I, Army Pvt. Zeilin Simpson of Roy (Frisco City) died from wounds. He was buried at Mexia.

Nov. 15, 1926 - The National Broadcasting Co. (NBC) debuted with a radio network of 24 stations. The first network radio broadcast was a four-hour "spectacular."

Nov. 15, 1959 – Richard Hickock and Perry Smith arrived at the Clutter farmhouse in Holcomb, Kansas with the intent to rob successful farmer Herbert Clutter. Instead, they murdered Clutter, his wife and two teenage children, and this crime inspired Truman Capote's non-fiction book “In Cold Blood.”

Nov. 15, 1962 – Ed Smith of Palatka, Fla., the manager of the newly formed Conecuh-Monroe Gas District, spoke to the Evergreen Rotary Club at the Evergreen Methodist Church.

Nov. 15, 1977 – The Evergreen City Council voted unanimously to approve a new zoning ordinance for the city.

Nov. 15, 1979 – A package from Unabomber Ted Kaczynski began smoking in the cargo hold of a flight from Chicago to Washington, D.C., forcing the plane to make an emergency landing.

Nov. 15, 1985 – A research assistant was injured when a package from the Unabomber addressed to a University of Michigan professor exploded.

Nov. 15, 1998 - Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys moved into third place on the all-time touchdown list when he got his 127th.

Nov. 15, 1998 - Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions registered his fifth straight 100-yard running game. It was the 75th of his career.

Nov. 15, 1999 - Mercury transited across the sun. While such crossings happen about 13 times a century, this was a rare "grazing occultation" that won't happen again till 2391.

Nov. 15, 2005 - Major League Baseball players and owners agreed to tougher penalties for steroid use for the next season. The new rules called for a 50-game suspension for a first offense, 100 games for the second, a lifetime ban for a third, plus testing for amphetamines.

Nov. 15, 2006 - Emmitt Smith was named winner of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars."