A quick look at Today in History, check out some Celebrity Birthdays, and find out what Days of the Year to celebrate.
TODAY IN HISTORY:
1845 – The United States Naval Academy opened in Annapolis, MD.
1846 – Triton, the largest moon of the planet Neptune, was discovered by English astronomer William Lassell.
1865 – John Wesley Hyatt patented the billiard ball.
1871 – The Great Chicago Fire in Chicago, IL. The fire was started from a barn accident and burned from October 8 to October 10.
1881 – Three Michigan railroads (Michigan Central; Detroit, Mackinac and Marquette; and the Grand Rapids and Indiana) formed a company to operate a railroad car ferry service across the Mackinac Straits.
1886 – The tuxedo dinner jacket made its U.S. debut in New York, NY.
1887 – The Edison Phonograph Company was founded by Thomas Edison.
1899 – I.R. Johnson patented the bicycle frame.
1933 – The first synthetic detergent, Dreft, went on sale.
1945 – The Detroit Tigers won their second World Series when they beat Chicago 9-3 in Game 7.
1959 – Pan American World Airways announced the beginning of the first global airline service.
1964 – The opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, was broadcast live in the first Olympic telecast relayed by geostationary satellite.
1965 – The Red Baron made his first appearance in the “Peanuts” comic strip.
1968 – Mickey Lolich pitched his third victory as the Detroit Tigers won Game 7 and the World Series over St. Louis.
1973 – Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned after being charged with evasion of federal income tax.
1977 – Joe Namath played the last game of his National Football League career.
1978 – President Jimmy Carter signed the bill authorizing the Susan B. Anthony dollar.
1979 – Fleetwood Mac received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The city of Los Angeles declared it “Fleetwood Mac Day”.
1987 – Tom McClean finished rowing across the Atlantic Ocean in a record time of 54 days and 18 hours.
1993 – Kitchen Stadium opened up when TV’s “Iron Chef” debuted.
1995 – Gary Kasparov won a chess championship against Viswanathan Anand. The game lasted about a month.
2001 – President George W. Bush presented a list of the 22 most wanted terrorists.
2003 – Rush Limbaugh announced that he was addicted to painkillers and that he planned to check into a rehab center.
2013 – The Detroit Tigers advanced to their 3rd straight American League Championship Series.
2018 – Hurricane Michael hit the panhandle of Florida with 155 m.p.h. winds as a Category 5 hurricane. It was the third strongest storm ever to make landfall in the United States. Fifty-seven people died in the storm. The storm caused $25.1 billion in damages.
BIRTHDAYS:
Leroy Hood – 87 years old (1938) – Biologist and academic
Lily Tuck – 87 years old (1938) – Novelist and short story writer
Peter Coyote – 84 years old (1941) – Actor, director, and screenwriter
Frederick Barthelme – 82 years old (1943) – Novelist and short story writer
Ben Vereen – 79 years old (1946) – Actor, singer, and dancer
Cyril Neville – 77 years old (1948) – R&B percussionist and singer
Warren Burt – 76 years old (1949) – American-Australian composer
Jessica Harper – 76 years old (1949) – Actress
Nora Roberts – 75 years old (1950) – Author
Gus Williams – 72 years old (1953) – Basketball player
David Lee Roth – 71 years old (1954) – Singer-songwriter and producer
Tanya Tucker – 67 years old (1958) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist
Julia Sweeney – 66 years old (1959) – Actress, comedian, producer, and screenwriter
Bradley Whitford – 66 years old (1959) – Actor and producer
Eric Martin – 65 years old (1960) – Singer-songwriter
Scott Hoffman – 64 years old (1961) – Drummer
Crystal Waters – 64 years old (1961) – Singer-songwriter, musician and producer
Rebecca Pidgeon – 60 years old (1965) – American-English singer-songwriter and actress
Bai Ling – 59 years old (1966) – Chinese-American model and actress
Derrick McKey – 59 years old (1966) – Basketball player
Michael Giacchino – 58 years old (1967) – Composer
Jonathan Littell – 58 years old (1967) – American-French author and humanitarian
Mike Malinin – 58 years old (1967) – Drummer and producer
Gavin Newsom – 58 years old (1967) – Businessman and politician, 40th and current Governor of California
Joelle Carter – 56 years old (1969) – Actress
Brett Favre – 56 years old (1969) – Football player
Shawn Jamison – 56 years old (1969) – Basketball player and coach
Wendi McLendon-Covey – 56 years old (1969) – Actress
Dean Roland – 53 years old (1972) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist
Mario Lopez – 52 years old (1973) – Actor, television personality, and producer
Zach Thornton – 52 years old (1973) – Soccer player and coach
Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 51 years old (1974) – Race car driver and actor
Plácido Polanco – 50 years old (1975) – Dominican-American baseball player
Bob Burnquist – 49 years old (1976) – Brazilian-American skateboarder
Pat Burrell – 49 years old (1976) – Baseball player
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe – 47 years old (1978) – Model and actress
Mýa – 46 years old (1979) – Singer-songwriter, producer, dancer, and actress
Joel Przybilla – 46 years old (1979) – Basketball player
Casey FitzSimmons – 45 years old (1980) – Football player
Tim Maurer – 45 years old (1980) – Singer-songwriter
Tony Khan – 43 years old (1982) – Sports executive
Lzzy Hale – 42 years old (1983) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist
Ryan Hollins – 41 years old (1984) – Basketball player and commentator
Paul Posluszny – 41 years old (1984) – Football player
Troy Tulowitzki – 41 years old (1984) – Baseball player
Andrew McCutchen – 39 years old (1986) – Baseball player
Ryan Mathews – 38 years old (1987) – Football player
Aimee Teegarden – 36 years old (1989) – Actress and producer
Shelby Miller – 35 years old (1990) – Baseball player
Geno Smith – 35 years old (1990) – Football player
Kolten Wong – 35 years old (1990) – Baseball player
Michael Carter-Williams – 34 years old (1991) – Basketball player
Anthony Brown – 33 years old (1992) – Basketball player
Mike Tobey – 31 years old (1994) – American-Slovenian basketball player
Marquez Valdes-Scantling – 31 years old (1994) – Football player
Courtland Sutton – 30 years old (1995) – Football player
Nate Yarnell – 23 years old (2002) – Football Player
TODAY IS:
- National Handbag Day: From totes to satchels to clutches, treat yourself to a new handbag. With so many options, you’re sure to find something that reflects who you are.
- National Chess Day: Strategy, thinking, creativity and endless possibilities fill the game of chess with fun and interesting opportunities for play!
- National Angel Food Cake Day:
- Bookshop Day:
- National Cake Decorating Day: Try your hand at cake decorating. From sheet cake to cupcakes, complex frosting flowers to simple sprinkles, there’s something out there for everyone.
- National Hug a Drummer Day: Honor the backbone of every band by giving a drummer a hug — or take the plunge and learn to drum yourself.
- Universal Music Day: Music is a natural part of life on this planet and Universal Music Day is here to raise awareness about and celebrate its benefits!
- World Homeless Day: Help raise awareness about the 100 million+ people worldwide who are homeless, and donate to helping these people.
- World Porridge Day: Learn about the health benefits of porridge, eat some yourself, and volunteer to help feed the hungry on this just-right day devoted to this fiber-rich dish.
- I Love Yarn Day: Hop on social media to get involved in I Love Yarn Day, a day for sharing and exploring all sorts of yarn-based crafts, from knitting to crochet and beyond.
- National Motorcycle Ride Day:
- World Gulab Jamun Day: Mouthwatering spheres, dripping with sweetness—delightful treats that capture the essence of culinary indulgence and celebration.
- World Day Against the Death Penalty: Championing the cause for justice, standing firm against the irreversible, advocating for a fair and humane legal system.
- National Costume Swap Day:
- National Walk to a Park Day:
- International African Penguin Awareness Day:
- SHIFT10 Day: Shift 10% of your shopping to local sellers on SHIFT10 Day, to support local businesses, farmer’s markets, and other alternatives to big box stores.
- International Jumping Spider Day:
- World Animal Road Accident Awareness Day:
- International Stage Management Day:
- Holy Translators Day:
- Love Your Bookshop Day:
- National Formalwear Day:
- National Hug a Kevin Day:
- World Plant-Based Burger Day:
- Inclusion Day:
- Urban Wildlife Conservation Day:
- World Mental Health Day: Focus on improving your own mental health, ending the stigma surrounding it, and supporting others through World Mental Health Day events and fundraisers.
- Rtveli:
- Baby Loss Awareness Week:
- National Curry Week: Savor vibrant spices and rich blends, an aromatic dance on your palate, igniting a culinary journey of delight.
- Haemophilia Awareness Week:
- World Space Week:
- International Cephalopod Awareness Days:
- Celebrate Community Week:
- National Midwifery Week:
- National Spinning and Weaving Week:
- Mental Illness Awareness Week:
- Hispanic Heritage Month: Join an event, forum, or exhibition for Hispanic Heritage Month, and appreciate the art, history, and cultural offerings of this rich and expansive heritage.
- National Dance Week:
- Active Aging Week:
- Healthcare Foodservice Workers Week: These superheroes of the hospital kitchen ensure patients receive delicious, nutritious meals, taking pride in boosting morale and recovery.
- Fire Prevention Week: Head over to the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) website to learn what you need to do to protect your home and community in case of a fire.
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For additional information check out websites like: www.on-this-day.com, www.born-today.com, www.famousbirthdays.com, www.daysoftheyear.com, and www.nationaldaycalendar.com.

