October 1

Scott Winters October 1, 2025 1 Comment

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:

1836 – Michigan’s first railroad began operation. It was the Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad. Horses pulled the cars at 10 mph between Adrian, MI and Toledo, OH.

1880 – Thomas Edison began the commercial production of electric lamps at Edison Lamp Works in Menlo Park, NJ.

1885 – Special delivery mail service began in the United States. The first routes were in West Virginia.

1890 – Yosemite National Park was established by Congress.

1896 – Rural Free Delivery was established by the U.S. Post Office.

1903 – The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Boston Pilgrims in the first World Series game.

1908 – The Model T automobile was introduced by Henry Ford. You could purchase one for $850.

1933 – Babe Ruth made his final pitching appearance — a complete game. He also hit a home run in the fifth inning.

1940 – The Pennsylvania Turnpike opened as the first toll superhighway in the U.S.

1946 – The first baseball play-off game for a league championship was played. It was a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Cardinals beat the Dodgers 4-2.

1952 – The TV show “This is Your Life” began airing on NBC. The show was hosted by Ralph Edwards

1957 – The first appearance of “In God We Trust” on U.S. paper currency.

1958 – NASA was created to replace NACA.

1961 – Roger Maris, of the New York Yankees, hit his 61st home run of the season to break Babe Ruth’s longstanding Major League record.

1962 – Johnny Carson took over for Jack Paar as host of “The Tonight Show” on NBC. Carson hosted the show for 29 years.

1968 – “Night of the Living Dead” premiered in Pittsburgh, PA.

1971 – Walt Disney World opened in Orlando, FL. The tourist attraction draws 52 million visitors per year from around the world.

1971 – The first brain scan using x-ray computed tomography (CT or CAT scan) was performed at Atkinson Memorial Hospital in Wimbledon, London.

1974 – The movie “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” debuted in theaters. It has earned over $30.8 million in ticket sales.

1975 – The Thrilla in Manila: Muhammad Ali defeated Joe Frazier in a boxing match in Manila, Philipines.

1979 – Pope John Paul II began his first pastoral visit to the United States.

1980 – Robert Redford became the first male to appear alone on the cover of “Ladies’ Home Journal.” He was the only male to achieve this in 97 years.

1982 – Sony launched the first consumer compact disc player (model CDP-101).

1982 – Disney’s EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow) Center opened in Orlando, FL. Walt Disney came up with the concept.

1992 – The Cartoon Network debuted.

1994 – The National Hockey League began a 103 day lockout of its players.

1995 – Jurors in the O.J. Simpson murder trial reached a verdict of “not guilty”. They deliberated for only four hours. The decision was made public the next day.

1995 – Nearly $1 million was raised at the Farm Aid concert in Louisville, KY. Musicians that performed were Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Hootie and the Blowfish, and The Dave Matthews Band.

1996 – Animal Planet debuted on cable systems.

1996 – A federal grand jury indicted Theodore Kaczynski in the 1994 “Unabomber” slaying of an ad executive.

1998 – John Fogerty received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

2001 – Mark McGwire retired from baseball on his 38th birthday.

2001 – The Supreme Court disbarred former President Bill Clinton from practicing law.

2004 – After being dormant for almost 20 years, Mt. St. Helens erupted in a small explosion of steam and ash. No deaths, injuries or damage were reported.

2009 – David Letterman admitted on TV’s “The Late Show” that he had extramarital affairs with women he worked with at CBS.

2010 – The movie about Facebook, “The Social Network”, premiered in theaters.

2013 – The Affordable Care Act website (Obamacare) went online. The website immediately had issues.

BIRTHDAYS:

Chen-Ning Yang – 103 years old (1922) – Chinese-American physicist, academic, and Nobel Prize laureate

Phyllis Chesler – 85 years old (1940) – Feminist psychologist

Marc Savoy – 85 years old (1940) – Accordion player, created the Cajun accordion

Herb Fame – 83 years old (1942) – R&B singer

Jerry Martini – 82 years old (1943) – Saxophonist

Rod Carew – 80 years old (1945) – Panamanian-American baseball player and coach

Tim O'Brien – 79 years old (1946) – Novelist and short story writer

Buzz Capra – 78 years old (1947) – Baseball player and coach

Stephen Collins – 78 years old (1947) – Actor and director

Yvette Freeman – 75 years old (1950) – Actress

Mark Helias – 75 years old (1950) – Bassist and composer

Randy Quaid – 75 years old (1950) – Actor

Earl Slick – 73 years old (1952) – Rock guitarist and songwriter

Pete Falcone – 72 years old (1953) – Baseball player

Miguel Lopez – 72 years old (1953) – Salvadorian-American soccer player

Howard Hewett – 70 years old (1955) – Singer-songwriter

Jeff Reardon – 70 years old (1955) – Baseball player

Brian P. Cleary – 66 years old (1959) – Author and poet

Joshua Wurman – 65 years old (1960) – Scientist, Doppler on Wheels inventor, and storm chaser

Rico Constantino – 64 years old (1961) – Wrestler and manager

Esai Morales – 63 years old (1962) – Actor

Mark McGwire – 62 years old (1963) – Baseball player and coach

Cindy Margolis – 60 years old (1965) – Actress and model

Mike Pringle – 58 years old (1967) – American-Canadian football player

Scott Young – 58 years old (1967) – Ice hockey player and coach

Kevin Griffin – 57 years old (1968) – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer

Jon Guenther – 57 years old (1968) – Author and engineer

Jay Underwood – 57 years old (1968) – Actor and pastor

Zach Galifianakis – 56 years old (1969) – Actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter

Joseph Patrick Moore – 56 years old (1969) – Musician, composer, and producer

Ori Kaplan – 56 years old (1969) – Israeli-American saxophonist and producer

Christian Borle – 52 years old (1973) – Actor and singer

John Mackey – 52 years old (1973) – Composer

John Thomson – 52 years old (1973) – Baseball player and coach

Sherri Saum – 51 years old (1974) – Actress

Antonio Roybal – 49 years old (1976) – Painter and sculptor

Katie Aselton – 47 years old (1978) – Actress

Nicole Atkins – 47 years old (1978) – Singer-songwriter

Leticia Cline – 47 years old (1978) – Model and journalist

Curtis Axel – 46 years old (1979) – Wrestler

Ryan Pontbriand – 46 years old (1979) – Football player

Sarah Drew – 45 years old (1980) – Actress

David Yelldell – 44 years old (1981) – German-American soccer player

Beck Bennett – 41 years old (1984) – Actor and comedian

Matt Cain – 41 years old (1984) – Baseball player

Jurnee Smollett – 39 years old (1986) – Actress

Matthew Daddario – 38 years old (1987) – Actor

Brie Larson – 36 years old (1989) – Actress

Robbie Ray – 34 years old (1991) – Baseball player

Daniel Gafford – 27 years old (1998) – Basketball player

Luna Blaise – 24 years old (2001) – Actress and singer

Livvy Dunne – 23 years old (2002) – Gymnast and social media personality

Priah Ferguson – 19 years old (2006) – Actress

TODAY IS:

National Poetry Day: Stringing words like pearls, creating a dance of emotions and thoughts on paper, poetry weaves magic that speaks to the heart.
World Sake Day:
National Green City Day:
International Coffee Day: Give your business to a local coffee shop, sign up for a coffee subscription, or try making a new kind of coffee at home with an espresso machine of some kind.
National Hair Day: Those strands on your head, like nature's crown, expressing personality and style, making each day a new canvas.
National Homemade Cookies Day: Cookies are fun and easy to make, so why not bake a batch to enjoy and share with family and friends on National Homemade Cookies Day!
International Music Day: By this one common thread that has the power to bring all humans, societies and cultures together, International Music Day seeks to gather, connect and promote musicians around the world.
World Vegetarian Day: Explore the vegetarian cuisine for a day, and see if this lifestyle could help you improve your health, happiness, and the environment all at once.
Sausage Day:
National Black Dog Day:
International Raccoon Appreciation Day: Mischievous little bandits with a penchant for late-night snack raids and trash can acrobatics — nature's comedians at their finest.
ROK Alliance Day:
Bring Your Bible to School Day: Open up honest conversations by Bringing Your Bible to School, an sharing your personal faith with others who are interested in hearing it.
Model T Day:
International Day of Older Persons: With increasing lifespans, it grows more and more important to think about and appreciate the place and contributions of older persons in our lives and society.
Lincolnshire Day: Honor the uprising of Roman Catholics against the Church of England in the county of Lincolnshire, England in the 1530s by brushing up on your history.
CD Player Day: Dig out your old discman or boombox and pop in a CD from that nostalgic era between cassettes and digital music, when little discs held the whole world of music.
National Lace Day: With its intricate patterns and delicate touch, it's fashion's secret weapon, adding elegance and charm wherever it appears.
Willy Wonka Day:
National Fire Pup Day:
World Postcard Day: Small, vivid windows into distant places, postcards encapsulate tales of exploration, offering snapshots of unique cultures and landscapes.
World Bluegrass Day:
National Pumpkin Spice Day:
International Gaucher Day: Creating awareness for a rare genetic condition, sparking compassion for those facing unique health challenges every day.
International Ethical Hackers Day:
Ukraine Defender Day: Honoring the courage and sacrifice of Ukraine's defenders fosters national pride and unity among its citizens.
China National Day:
World Animal Week: Shining light on the silent plight, voices unite for the voiceless, fostering compassion, a global symphony against neglect.
BPD Awareness Week: Raising understanding about a mental health condition, fostering empathy for those navigating the complexities of BPD.
Rtveli:
Fiesta de San Pacho:
National Vegetarian 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.
Walk Your Dog Week: Take your dog out for a long walk and give you both some exercise, or volunteer to walk shelter dogs at a rescue or humane society—maybe you’ll take one home!