Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Today in History for Aug. 23: On this date: In 1305, Scottish leader William Wallace was hung, drawn and quartered in London for treason. Nearly 700 years later, his story was the subject of the Oscar-winning movie "Braveheart," starring Mel Gibson.

Today in History for Aug. 21: On this date: In 1245, English scholastic theologian Alexander of Hales died. He is regarded as the founder of the Franciscan school of theology.

Today in History for Aug. 19: On this date: In 1099, the armies of the First Crusade defeated the Saracens at the "Battle of Ascalon," a historic Palestinian city on the Mediterranean coast, one month after they had captured Jerusalem.

Today in History for Aug. 20: On this date: In 1691, Henry Kelsey of the Hudson's Bay Co. was the first white man to see what is now Saskatchewan. Kelsey was an explorer whose exact route into the Prairies is not known.

Today in History for Aug. 18: On this date: In 1227, Mongol emperor Genghis Khan died. He became one of the most significant and successful military leaders in history.

Today in History for Aug. 24: On this date: In 79, Mount Vesuvius erupted and buried the Italian cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, killing 20,000 people.

Celebrity birthdays for Aug. 9: Basketball Hall of Fame point guard Bob Cousy is 96. Tennis Hall-of-Famer Rod Laver is 86. Jazz drummer Jack DeJohnette is 82. Comedian-director David Steinberg is 82. Actor Sam Elliott is 80.

Today in History for Aug. 9: On this date: In 1535, French explorer Jacques Cartier discovered the Mingan Islands, between Anticosti Island and the Quebec mainland.

Today in Music History for Aug. 9: In 1914, Canadian fiddler King Ganam was born Ameen Sied in Swift Current, Sask., to Syrian-English parents. He formed "The Sons of the West" in Edmonton in 1942.

Celebrity birthdays for Aug. 8: Actress Nita Talbot is 94. Actor Dustin Hoffman is 87. Actress Connie Stevens is 86. Country singer Phil Balsley of The Statler Brothers is 85. Actor Larry Wilcox ("CHiPS") is 77.