The History Channel

• On Aug. 13, 1899, Alfred Hitchcock is born, the son of a London poultry dealer and fruit importer. Hitchcock became a highly influential director of suspense and psychological thrillers in the 1940s and 1950s, and was known for sneaking his own cameo appearance into every film.

• On Aug. 15, 1914, the American-built waterway across the Isthmus of Panama, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, is inaugurated. In 1977, U.S. President Jimmy Carter signed a treaty to turn over the canal to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999.

• On Aug. 11, 1921, Alex Haley, the author of “Roots,” is born in Ithaca, N.Y. “Roots,” published in 1976, was a blend of fact and fiction, drawn largely from stories recited by Haley’s grandmother, from the enslavement of his ancestors to his own quest to trace his family tree.

• On Aug. 16, 1948, baseball legend George Herman “Babe” Ruth dies from cancer in New York City. At a time when baseball was suffering through the disgrace of scandal, Ruth almost single-handedly salvaged the sport’s popularity, hitting a record 60 home runs in the 1927 season and leading the Yankees to seven pennants.

STRANGE BUT TRUE

By Samantha Weaver

• It is not known today which politician in 1974 made the following observation: “Solar energy is not something that is going to come in overnight.” It’s also not known if the play on words was intentional.

• In the 1860s, there was actually legal currency printed in the United States with an image of Santa Claus on it.

• It’s been projected that within the next 12 years, only 15 percent of the world’s English-speaking population will be native speakers of the language.

• Forbes magazine has ranked the most expensive sports to participate in. Yacht racing, vintage auto racing and polo top the list.

• About a year ago, people on a flight from Peru to New York got a bit of a surprise when they noticed that one of their fellow passengers had a small monkey peeking out from under his hat. Evidently, the man was trying to smuggle the primate into the United States.

(c) 2008 King Features Synd. Inc.