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April 28 in History: Mutiny on the Bounty, Air Conditioning Patented, and First Space Tourist

Scott Winters April 28, 2026 1 Comment

Discover what happened on April 28 in history, along with notable events that shaped exploration, innovation, and modern travel.

What Happened on April 28 in History?

From a legendary mutiny at sea to a game-changing invention for comfort and the beginning of space tourism, April 28 highlights moments that changed how people live and travel.

APRIL 28 – TODAY IN HISTORY:

1788 – Maryland became the seventh state to ratify the U.S. constitution.

1789 – A mutiny on the British ship Bounty took place when a rebel crew took the ship and set sail to Pitcairn Island. The mutineers left Captain W. Bligh and 18 sailors adrift.

1818 – President James Monroe proclaimed naval disarmament on the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain.

1896 – The Addressograph was patented by J.S. Duncan.

1896 – The Detroit Tigers played their first official game at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull. The ballpark was then known as Bennett Park. The Tigers beat the Columbus Senators 17-2.

1897 – The apple blossom was adopted as the official Michigan state flower.

1910 – First night air flight was performed by Claude Grahame-White in England.

1914 – W.H. Carrier patented the design of his air conditioner.

1919 – The first successful parachute jump was made.

1930 – The first organized night baseball game was played in Independence, KS.

1932 – The yellow fever vaccine for humans was announced.

1937 – The first animated-cartoon electric sign was displayed on a building on Broadway in New York, NY. It was created by Douglas Leight.

1957 – Mike Wallace was seen on TV for the first time. He was the host of “Mike Wallace Interviews.”

1959 – Arthur Godfrey was seen for the last time in the final broadcast of “Arthur Godfrey and His Friends” on CBS-TV.

1962 – In the Sahara Desert of Algeria, a team led by Red Adair used explosives to put out the well fire known as the Devil’s Cigarette Lighter. The fire was caused by a pipe rupture on November 6, 1961.

1967 – Muhammad Ali refused induction into the U.S. Army and was stripped of boxing title. He cited religious grounds for his refusal.

1976 – The Attorney General declared that the state of Michigan is not obligated to pay for a prison inmate’s sex change operation.

1985 – The largest sand castle in the world was completed near St. Petersburg, FL. It was four stories tall.

1986 – For the first time, a compact disc of an album was released before its vinyl version. The album was “The Art of Excellence” by Tony Bennett. It was his first album upon re-signing with Columbia Records.

1987 – On a plane that was returning to Boston, MA from Miami, FL, Ozzy Osbourne bought three rounds of drinks and sang “Crazy Train” over the PA system.

1988 – Near Maui, HI, flight attendant Clarabelle “C.B.” Lansing was blown out of Aloha Airlines Flight 243 (a Boeing 737) and fell to her death when part of the plane’s fuselage ripped open in mid-flight.

1991 – The Strippers Hall of Fame opened in California.

1992 – The U.S. Agriculture Department unveiled a pyramid-shaped recommended-diet chart.

1992 – The U.S. issued a patent to Richard Mahan, of Houston, TX, for his Electric Tablecloth. It was a battery-powered table cover designed to discourage insects from landing or walking on the table.

1994 – Former CIA official Aldrich Ames, who had given U.S. secrets to the Soviet Union and then Russia, pleaded guilty to espionage and tax evasion. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

1996 – President Bill Clinton gave a 4-1/2 hour videotaped testimony as a defense witness in the criminal trial of his former Whitewater business partners.

1999 – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

2000 – Jay Leno received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

2001 – A Russian rocket launched from Central Asia with the first space tourist aboard. The crew consisted of California businessman Dennis Tito and two cosmonauts. The destination was the International Space Station for eight days. Businessman Dennis Tito paid $20 million for the trip.

2003 – The iTunes Music Store launched with over 200,000 items to purchase. They sold more than 1 million songs in the first week.

2004 – The iTunes Music Store marked its first anniversary with over 70 million songs sold.

2005 – The compilation CD “Beatles One” is certified “diamond”, for passing 10 million in sales.

2006 – Rosie O’Donnell confirmed that she was returning to daytime television, as co-host of “The View”.

2008 – India set a world record when it sent 10 satellites into orbit from a single launch.

2011 – The movie “Bridesmaids”, starring Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph. Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Ellie Kemper, and Wendi McLendon-Covey, was released.

2014 – Craig Ferguson announced he was leaving “The Late Late Show” after nine years.

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS ON APRIL 28:

James Baker – 96 years old (1930) – Lawyer and politician, 61st United States Secretary of State

Ann-Margret – 85 years old (1941) – Swedish-American actress, singer, and dancer

Karl Barry Sharpless – 85 years old (1941) – Chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate

Elizabeth LeCompte – 82 years old (1944) – Director and producer

Alice Waters – 82 years old (1944) – Chef and author

Larissa Grunig – 80 years old (1946) – Theorist and activist

Steve Khan – 79 years old (1947) – Jazz guitarist

Paul Guilfoyle – 77 years old (1949) – Actor

Jay Leno – 76 years old (1950) – Comedian, talk show host, and producer

Chuck Leavell – 74 years old (1952) – Singer-songwriter and keyboard player

Mary McDonnell – 74 years old (1952) – Actress

Kim Gordon – 73 years old (1953) – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer

Timothy Curley – 72 years old (1954) – Educator

Michael P. Jackson – 72 years old (1954) – Politician, 3rd Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security

Ron Zook – 72 years old (1954) – Football player and coach

Hal Sutton – 68 years old (1958) – Golfer

Elena Kagan – 66 years old (1960) – Lawyer and jurist, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States

Barry Larkin – 62 years old (1964) – Baseball player, manager, and sportscaster

John Daly – 60 years old (1966) – Golfer

Too Short – 60 years old (1966) – Rapper, producer and actor

LeRon Perry Ellis – 57 years old (1969) – Basketball player

Bridget Moynahan – 55 years old (1971) – Actress

Violent J – 54 years old (1972) – Rapper

Jorge Garcia – 53 years old (1973) – Actor and producer

Titus O'Neil – 49 years old (1977) – Wrestler and football player

Scott Fujita – 47 years old (1979) – Football player and sportscaster

Jessica Alba – 45 years old (1981) – Model and actress

Chris Kaman – 44 years old (1982) – Basketball player

David Freese – 43 years old (1983) – Baseball player

Jenna Ushkowitz – 40 years old (1986) – Korean-American actress, singer, and dancer

Daequan Cook – 39 years old (1987) – Basketball player

Drew Gulak – 39 years old (1987) – Wrestler

Blake Bortles – 34 years old (1992) – Football player

DeMarcus Lawrence – 34 years old (1992) – Football player

Matt Chapman – 33 years old (1993) – Baseball player

Jakob Butturff – 32 years old (1994) – Bowler

Connor Clifton – 31 years old (1995) – Ice hockey player

Melanie Martinez – 31 years old (1995) – Singer

Shane McClanahan – 29 years old (1997) – Baseball player

Denzel Ward – 29 years old (1997) – Football player

Alek Thomas – 26 years old (2000) – Baseball player

Anthony Volpe – 25 years old (2001) – Baseball player

DAYS OF THE YEAR FOR APRIL 28:

Save The Frogs Day: Frogs are crucial to our ecosystem, keeping bug populations down and preventing disease. But many species are already endangered, so join the fight to save them.
National Superhero Day: Instead of Superman and Batman, this day is to honor our real-life superheroes: those people who help others, from firemen to nurses to soup kitchen volunteers.
Global Pay It Forward Day: Take an opportunity to pay for someone’s coffee, or help carry their groceries, and start a chain of kind deeds to make the whole world a better place to live in.
World Day for Safety and Health at Work: World Day for Safety and Health at Work is a global observance led by the United Nations and the International Labour Organization. Its purpose is to promote safe and healthy working conditions and reduce work-related accidents and diseases. Since its inception, the day has served as a crucial reminder of the...
Kiss Your Mate Day: Imagine a day dedicated entirely to celebrating love with a simple kiss! Kiss Your Mate Day is a special occasion to express affection and strengthen bonds with a kiss. This day encourages partners everywhere to share a moment of closeness and cherish their relationships! How to Celebrate Kiss Your Mate Day Sweet...
National Blueberry Pie Day: Rich in antioxidants, blueberries make the perfect pie filling. Bake your own (it’s okay, you can use a store-bought crust) or visit a bakery or diner.
Clean Comedy Day: Oftentimes comedy relies on shock value, or pushing social boundaries and norms—but this doesn’t have to be the case. Clean, kid-friendly comedy can just as funny.
National Cubicle Day: Spruce up your workspace with decorations, a new chair, some photos of family—whatever you like. Make your space your own and improve your well-being.
Biological Clock Day: Re-regulate your own biological clock by setting routines for your body, including a regular bedtime and wake-up time, regular nutritious meals, and fewer naps.
Great Poetry Reading Day: Verses unfurl emotions, language's dance, a rhythm of words echoing through time, evoking sentiments, captivating hearts.
Poetry Break Day: Poetry Break Day invites everyone to pause and play with words. On this day, people who don't usually write poems are encouraged to try, while seasoned poets take a step back. It's a chance for fresh voices to emerge, turning everyday thoughts into verses. Whether scribbled on a napkin or typed...
Workers’ Memorial Day: From buildings to clothing, we often take for granted the comforts of modern living, but workers of the past faced deadly hazards to give us these comforts.
Global Days of Action on Military Spending: The Global Days of Action on Military Spending is a lively global campaign that invites people everywhere to rethink how public funds are used. It urges governments to shift resources from arms to real security, like health, education, and clean energy. When new military spending data arrives, advocates use the moment...
National Stop Snoring Week: National Stop Snoring Week is a week to focus on snoring. It is often the source of jokes. But the reality is that it can be a first sign of larger, sometimes unseen, health concerns. This annual week of observance can help raise national awareness about snoring! It also zeroes...
National Youth Violence Prevention Week: National Youth Violence Prevention Week is an important event that focuses on preventing violence among young people. During this week, various organizations and communities come together to raise awareness and promote safety. Activities and events are organized to educate both youth and adults on how to identify and prevent violence...
International Wildlife Film Week: International Wildlife Film Week pulls you into the heart of nature, without leaving your seat. For eight days, animals leap, crawl, swim, and soar across the screen. These films don’t just look beautiful; they tell real, gripping stories. You see a mother elephant trying to find water for her calf. Or...
American Camp Week: American Camp Week, celebrated annually from April 24 to April 30, sparks excitement among camp enthusiasts across the United States. This week highlights the joys and benefits of camping, a beloved outdoor activity that has long been a part of American culture. It's a time when both kids and adults...