Today is the 168th day of 2016 and the 89th day of spring.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1884, the first U.S. roller coaster began operation at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York.

In 1903, the Ford Motor Co. was incorporated.

In 1963, cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space.

In 2000, the FCC approved the merger of Bell Atlantic Corp. and GTE Corp. as Verizon Communications.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Stan Laurel (1890-1965), actor/comedian; Barbara McClintock (1902-1992), geneticist; John Howard Griffin (1920-1980), journalist; Joyce Carol Oates (1938- ), author; Roberto Duran (1951- ), boxer; Laurie Metcalf (1955- ), actress; James Hellwig aka The Ultimate Warrior (1959-2014), wrestler; Cobi Jones (1970- ), soccer player; Phil Mickelson (1970- ), golfer; Tupac Shakur (1971-1996), rapper; Abby Elliott (1987- ), actress/comedian.

TODAY'S FACT: The Formula Rossa roller coaster at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, overtook the Kingda Ka roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey, as the fastest coaster in the world in 2010, reaching a maximum speed of 149.1 mph.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1998, the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Washington Capitals 4-1, winning the Stanley Cup and sweeping the championship series for the second consecutive year.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "Homo sapiens is the species that invents symbols in which to invest passion and authority, then forgets that symbols are inventions." -- Joyce Carol Oates

TODAY'S NUMBER: 31 -- years of the papacy of Pius IX, the longest-reigning elected pope in the history of the Catholic Church. Pius IX began his reign on this day in 1846.

TODAY'S MOON: Between first quarter moon (June 12) and full moon (June 20).

Today is the 167th day of 2016 and the 88th day of spring.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1836, Arkansas was admitted as the 25th U.S. state.

In 1846, Britain and the United States settled the boundary dispute between the U.S. and Canada in the Pacific Northwest.

In 1877, Henry Ossian Flipper became the first African-American cadet to graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.

In 1864, Arlington National Cemetery was established.

In 1994, Israel and the Vatican established formal diplomatic relations.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Edvard Grieg (1843-1907), composer/pianist; Mario Cuomo (1932-2015), politician; Waylon Jennings (1937-2002), singer-songwriter; Mike Holmgren (1948- ), football coach/executive; Jim Belushi (1954- ), actor; Helen Hunt (1963- ), actress; Courteney Cox (1964- ), actress; Ice Cube (1969- ), rapper/actor; Andy Pettitte (1972- ), baseball player; Neil Patrick Harris (1973- ), actor; Tim Lincecum (1984- ), baseball player.

TODAY'S FACT: Excluding 1,538 miles in Alaska, the U.S.-Canada border is 3,987 miles long.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1928, baseball great Ty Cobb stole home plate for his 54th and last time, establishing a major league record that still stands.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "Most of us have achieved levels of affluence and comfort unthought of two generations ago. We've never had it so good, most of us. Nor have we ever complained so bitterly about our problems." -- Mario Cuomo

TODAY'S NUMBER: 2 -- U.S. presidents buried at Arlington National Cemetery (William H. Taft and John F. Kennedy).

TODAY'S MOON: Between first quarter moon (June 12) and full moon (June 20).

Today is the 166th day of 2016 and the 87th day of spring.

TODAY'S HISTORY: In 1775, the U.S. Army was established.

In 1777, the Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as the national flag.

In 1900, Hawaii became a territory of the United States.

In 1982, Argentine troops surrendered their last stronghold in the Falkland Islands to the British, ending the Falklands War.

In 2007, Palestine's Fatah-Hamas unity government was dissolved after Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS: Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896), author; Alois Alzheimer (1864-1915), physician; Burl Ives (1909-1995), singer/actor; Ernesto "Che" Guevara (1928-1967), revolutionary leader; Donald Trump (1946- ), businessman; Pat Summitt (1952- ), basketball coach; Boy George (1961- ), singer-songwriter; Steffi Graf (1969- ), tennis player; Diablo Cody (1978- ), screenwriter; Kevin McHale (1988- ), singer/actor.

TODAY'S FACT: The highest rank in the Army, General of the Armies, was created for John Pershing in 1911. The rank was awarded posthumously to George Washington in 1976.

TODAY'S SPORTS: In 1987, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, earning the franchise's 10th NBA Championship.

TODAY'S QUOTE: "Sublime is the dominion of the mind over the body, that, for a time, can make flesh and nerve impregnable, and string the sinews like steel, so that the weak become so mighty." -- Harriet Beecher Stowe, "Uncle Tom's Cabin"

TODAY'S NUMBER: 1,810 -- billionaires in the world, according to a Forbes report from March 2016. The billionaires on the list have a combined net worth of $6.5 trillion.

TODAY'S MOON: Between first quarter moon (June 12) and full moon (June 20).