Today is the 127th day of 2014 and the 49th day of spring.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1915, a German U-boat sank the RMS Lusitania, killing 1,198 off the coast of Ireland.

In 1945, Germany unconditionally surrendered and withdrew from World War II.

In 1998, Mercedes-Benz announced its $36 billion merger with the Chrysler Corporation.

In 2000, Vladimir Putin assumed the presidency in Russia's first democratic change of office.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Robert Browning (1812-1889), poet/playwright; Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), composer; Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), composer; Gary Cooper (1901-1961), actor; Eva Peron (1919-1952), Argentine first lady/actress; Johnny Unitas (1933-2002), football player; Tim Russert (1950-2008), journalist; Breckin Meyer (1974- ), actor; Alexander Ludwig (1992- ), actor.

TODAY'S FACT: In 1977, Seattle Slew won the Kentucky Derby. The horse went on to win the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes, becoming the 10th horse to win the Triple Crown and the only winner to do so while undefeated.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1982, a jury ruled in favor of Raiders owner Al Davis in an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL, allowing Davis to move the team from Oakland, Calif., to Los Angeles.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "A minute's success pays the failure of years." -- Robert Browning

TODAY'S NUMBER: 16,024 -- height (in feet) of the Carstensz Pyramid, the highest summit of Puncak Jaya in Indonesia. Canadian Patrick Morrow became the first person to scale the "Seven Summits" -- the highest peak on each of the seven continents -- when he reached the top of the Carstensz Pyramid on this day in 1986.

TODAY'S MOON: Between first quarter moon (May 6) and full moon (May 14).

Today is the 126th day of 2014 and the 48th day of spring.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1877, Native American war leader Crazy Horse surrendered to U.S. troops in Nebraska.

In 1937, the German dirigible Hindenburg caught fire while attempting to dock in New Jersey, killing 36.

In 1994, the Channel Tunnel, an undersea rail tunnel linking England and France, was officially opened.

In 2013, three women who had gone missing between 2002 and 2004 were rescued from their kidnapper's home in Cleveland.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), psychiatrist; Rudolph Valentino (1895-1926), actor; Orson Welles (1915-1985), actor/director; Willie Mays (1931- ), baseball player; Bob Seger (1945- ), singer-songwriter; Tony Blair (1953- ), British prime minister; George Clooney (1961- ), actor; Martin Brodeur (1972- ), hockey player; Adrianne Palicki (1983- ), actress; Gabourey Sidibe (1983- ), actress; Chris Paul (1985- ), basketball player.

TODAY'S FACT: Tony Blair was the first British prime minister in more than 150 years to have a child with his wife while in office.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1954, Roger Bannister, a 25-year-old British medical student, became the first person to run a mile in less than four minutes.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "Most people do not really want freedom, because freedom involves responsibility, and most people are frightened of responsibility." -- Sigmund Freud

TODAY'S NUMBER: 3:43.13 -- current world record time (minutes:seconds) in the mile run, set by Moroccan runner Hicham El Guerrouj in 1999.

TODAY'S MOON: First quarter moon (May 6).

Today is the 125th day of 2014 and the 47th day of spring.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1809, Mary Kies became the first woman to receive a U.S. patent, for a weaving technique.

In 1862, the Mexican army halted the invading French army in the Battle of Puebla. This day would later be celebrated as the "Cinco de Mayo" holiday.

In 1961, Alan Shepard became the first American to travel into outer space.

In 1994, 18-year-old American Michael P. Fay was caned in Singapore as punishment for theft and vandalism.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), philosopher; Karl Marx (1818-1883), philosopher; Nellie Bly (1864-1922), journalist; Tyrone Power (1914-1958), actor; Michael Palin (1943- ), actor/comedian; John Rhys-Davies (1944- ), actor; Brian Williams (1959- ), TV journalist; Craig David (1981- ), singer-songwriter; Henry Cavill (1983- ), actor; Adele (1988- ), singer-songwriter; Chris Brown (1989- ), singer-songwriter.

TODAY'S FACT: Tchaikovsky was the guest conductor at the grand opening of New York's Carnegie Hall (then called the Music Hall) on this day in 1891.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1973, Secretariat won the Kentucky Derby with a time of 1:59:40, a record that still stands.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "The tyrant dies and his rule is over; the martyr dies and his rule begins." -- Soren Kierkegaard

TODAY'S NUMBER: 23 -- perfect games (as of April 2014) thrown by major league pitchers since Cy Young of the Boston Red Sox first accomplished the feat on this day in 1904. A perfect game is one in which no opposing player reaches base.

TODAY'S MOON: Between new moon (April 28) and first quarter moon (May 6).