1967: Boxer Muhammad Ali was convicted in Houston of violating Selective Service laws by refusing to be drafted and was sentenced to five years in prison. (Ali’s conviction would be overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court).

1972: Three days after the arrest of the Watergate burglars, President Richard Nixon met at the White House with his chief of staff, H.R. Haldeman; the secretly made tape recording of this meeting ended up with an 18 1/2-minute gap.

In the world

1837: Queen Victoria acceded to the British throne after the death of her uncle, King William IV.

Today’s birthdays

Filmmaker Stephen Frears is 84. Musician Anne Murray is 80. TV personality Bob Vila is 79. Musician Lionel Richie is 76. Actor John Goodman is 73. Musician John Taylor (Duran Duran) is 65. Actor Nicole Kidman is 58. Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez is 57. Actor Josh Lucas is 54. Actor Christopher Mintz-Plasse is 36. — The Associated Press