Today is Saturday, September 10, the 253rd day of 2011. There are 112 days left in the year.
1823 ― Simon Bolivar named president of Peru
1846 ― Elias Howe patents the sewing machine
1869 ― Baptist minister invents the rickshaw in Yokohama, Japan
1927 ― France wins its first Davis Cup
1960 ― Running barefoot, Ethiopian Abebe Bikila wins Rome Olympic marathon
1962 ― Rod Laver wins the Grand Slam of tennis
1989 ― East Germans begin their flight to the west (via Hungary and Czech)
1990 ― Hard Rock Cafe opens in Las Vegas, Nev.
1990 ― Iran agrees to resume diplomatic ties with Iraq
1990 ― First time in N.Y. Yankee history they are completely swept in a season series, Oakland A's beat them 12 games to 0