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:
1723 – Benjamin Franklin arrived in Philadelphia at the age of 17.
1848 – The steamboat SS California left the New York Harbor to set sail for San Francisco, CA via Cape Horn. The trip took 4 months and 21 days. The steamboat arrived in San Francisco on February 28, 1849.
1866 – The Reno Brothers pulled the first train robbery in America near Seymour, IN. The got away with $10,000.
1872 – Fredrick Wurzburg opened Wurzburg Dry Goods, which later became Wurzburg’s Department Store in downtown Grand Rapids, MI.
1880 – The National League kicked the Cincinnati Reds out for selling beer.
1889 – Thomas Edison showed his first motion picture.
1927 – The first prominent “talkie” movie, “The Jazz Singer”, premiered.
1945 – Billy Sianis and his pet billy goat were ejected from Wrigley Field during Game 4 of the 1945 World Series.
1960 – The movie “Spartacus”, starring Kirk Douglas in the title role, premiered in theaters.
1961 – President John F. Kennedy urged American families to build or buy bomb shelters to protect themselves in the event of a nuclear exchange with the Soviet Union.
1972 – Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore was officially dedicated.
1975 – The Detroit Lions played their first Football game in their new home — the Pontiac Silverdome. (They would play their final game there on January 6, 2002.) The Silverdome was demolished in the Winter of 2017.
1979 – Pope John Paul II became the first pontiff to visit the White House.
1991 – Elizabeth Taylor married Larry Fortensky. The ceremony was held at Michael Jackson’s estate near Los Angeles, CA. It was Taylor’s 8th marriage and Fortensky’s 3rd.
1992 – Ross Perot appeared in his first paid broadcast on CBS-TV after entering the U.S. Presidential race.
1995 – 51 Pegasi was discovered to be the second major star, apart from the Sun, to have a planet orbiting around it.
1998 – Matthew Shepard, a college student in Wyoming, was beaten to death for being gay.
1998 – The band Alabama received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2004 – The Syfy network TV series “Ghost Hunters” premiered. It ran until October 26, 2016.
2007 – Jason Lewis completed the first human-powered circumnavigation of the globe.
2010 – Instagram was officially launched. Two years later it was purchased by Facebook for $1 billion.
2015 – Rock Band 4 was released for Playstation 4 and Xbox One.
2018 – The United States Senate confirmed Brett Kavanaugh as a Supreme Court Associate Justice.
BIRTHDAYS:
Jack Cullen – 86 years old (1939) – Baseball player
Richard Delgado – 86 years old (1939) – Lawyer and academic
Sheila Greibach – 86 years old (1939) – Computer scientist and academic
John J. LaFalce – 86 years old (1939) – Captain, lawyer, and politician
Lloyd Doggett – 79 years old (1946) – Lawyer and politician
Lonnie Johnson – 76 years old (1949) – Inventor
Thomas McClary – 76 years old (1949) – R&B singer-songwriter and guitarist
Leslie Moonves – 76 years old (1949) – Businessman
David Brin – 75 years old (1950) – Physicist and author
Kevin Cronin – 74 years old (1951) – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
Bill Buford – 71 years old (1954) – Author and journalist
David Hidalgo – 71 years old (1954) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist
Tony Dungy – 70 years old (1955) – Football player and coach
Kathleen Webb – 69 years old (1956) – Author and illustrator
Oil Can Boyd – 66 years old (1959) – Baseball player
Brian Higgins – 66 years old (1959) – Politician
Walter Ray Williams – 66 years old (1959) – Jr. , American bowler
David Baker – 63 years old (1962) – Biologist and academic
Rich Yett – 63 years old (1962) – Baseball player
Elisabeth Shue – 62 years old (1963) – Actress
Tom Jager – 61 years old (1964) – Swimmer and coach
Matthew Sweet – 61 years old (1964) – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
Peg O'Connor – 60 years old (1965) – Philosopher and academic
Steve Scalise – 60 years old (1965) – Lawyer and politician
Rubén Sierra – 60 years old (1965) – Puerto Rican-American baseball player
John McWhorter – 60 years old (1965) – Academic and linguist
Jacqueline Obradors – 59 years old (1966) – Actress
Tommy Stinson – 59 years old (1966) – Singer-songwriter and bass player
Bob May – 57 years old (1968) – Golfer
Amy Jo Johnson – 55 years old (1970) – Actress
Darren Oliver – 55 years old (1970) – Baseball player
Jeff B. Davis – 52 years old (1973) – Comedian, actor, and singer
Rebecca Lobo – 52 years old (1973) – Basketball player and sportscaster
Jeremy Sisto – 51 years old (1974) – Actor, producer, and screenwriter
Brett Gelman – 49 years old (1976) – Actor and comedian
Melinda Doolittle – 48 years old (1977) – Singer-songwriter
Jamie Laurie – 48 years old (1977) – Singer-songwriter
Wes Ramsey – 48 years old (1977) – Actor
Richard Seymour – 46 years old (1979) – Football player
Will Butler – 43 years old (1982) – Musician and composer
Joanna Pacitti – 41 years old (1984) – Singer-songwriter
Sylvia Fowles – 40 years old (1985) – Basketball player
Meg Myers – 39 years old (1986) – Singer-songwriter and guitarist
Olivia Thirlby – 39 years old (1986) – Actress
Trey Edward Shults – 37 years old (1988) – Film director
Quincy Acy – 35 years old (1990) – Basketball player and coach
Jordan Hamilton – 35 years old (1990) – Basketball player
Roshon Fegan – 34 years old (1991) – Actor, rapper, and dancer
Josh Archibald – 33 years old (1992) – Canadian-American ice hockey player
Jourdan Miller – 32 years old (1993) – Fashion model
Jake Guentzel – 31 years old (1994) – Ice hockey player
Trevor Lawrence – 26 years old (1999) – Football player
Jazz Jennings – 25 years old (2000) – Internet personality
Kyle Pitts – 25 years old (2000) – Football player
Addison Rae – 25 years old (2000) – Social media personality, dancer, and singer
Bronny James – 21 years old (2004) – Basketball player
TODAY IS:
- World Architecture Day: Take a tour of some of your local works of interesting architecture, from skyscrapers to modern homes, and learn about famous architects like Frank Lloyd Wright.
- National Mad Hatter Day: Celebrate silliness on this day devoted to John Tenniel’s Mad Hatter from Alice and Wonderland by getting weird, hosting an afternoon tea, and enjoying life.
- National Noodle Day: Spaghetti, ramen, ziti, egg noodles…most of the best foods are noodles. Try a new kind today, or go out and treat yourself to one of the world’s favorite dishes.
- World Cerebral Palsy Day: Join or host an event, or donate your time or money to understanding cerebral palsy and supporting research and resources for this sometimes debilitating disease.
- National Coaches Day: The guiding mentors who shape athletes, instilling skills, resilience, and teamwork, elevating sportsmanship to unparalleled heights.
- National Transfer Money to Your Daughter Day: There's nothing quite like the feeling of helping someone you love achieve their goals. A little support goes a long way!
- National Physician Assistant Day: PA Week is a special time to spotlight the critical role of Physician Assistants (PAs) in healthcare. Every year, from October 6th to 12th, we shine a light on these healthcare heroes. The week starts on October 6th, a significant date marking the graduation of the first PA class in...
- National German-American Day: Rich heritage thrives, blending Old World traditions with New World spirit, weaving a cultural tapestry enduring.
- National Child Health Day: Ensuring a bright future through proper nutrition, access to healthcare, and nurturing environments fosters lifelong well-being.
- National Badger Day: Donate to resources for badgers, and see if you can find somewhere to view these wonderful creatures yourself and raise awareness about their role on Earth.
- National Consignment Day: Autumn is a great time to sort through that fall and winter wardrobe and consider which clothes will be great for the upcoming season and which ones are no longer useful or in style. Rather than just throwing them out, National Consignment Day provides an ideal opportunity to pass on...
- National Orange Wine Day: With colors from pale peach to dark amber, orange wine is as stunning in the glass as it is bold on the tongue. Offering a unique feeling in the mouth and a wide spectrum of flavors, orange wine deserves to be celebrated – and that’s what National Orange Wine Day...
- National Plus Size Appreciation Day: Focus on celebrating the beauty of people of all shapes and sizes, focusing on body positivity, and pushing away the societal norms that indicate people need to be skinny. Despite the stigmas of society, this day is about promoting self-love and compassion. Take some time to join in on the fun...
- Inbox Zero Day: Busy office workers, business executives and even just average people can easily get overwhelmed by the abundance of emails they have just sitting in their email inboxes. Inbox Zero Day is meant to encourage people to find freedom from the tyranny of their email inboxes! History of Inbox Zero Day...
- National Depression Screening Day: A quiet mood that lingers. Trouble sleeping. Losing interest in things once loved. These signs can sneak up slowly. National Depression Screening Day shines a light on them. It encourages people to pause and reflect. Are these just bad days—or something more? Quick, private screenings help sort that out. They’re...
- International Dysgraphia Awareness Day: International Dysgraphia Awareness Day invites us into a celebration of different writing minds. It explains dysgraphia as a condition that affects letter formation, spelling, spacing, and written flow. Community members—families, teachers, therapists—gather to share tools that build writing confidence. Games, advice, and playful writing prompts help writers find strength in...
- National Energy Geek Day: National Energy Geek Day is a spirited celebration of the professionals who dedicate their work to making homes more energy-efficient, healthier, and safer. These individuals, often referred to as "energy geeks," include energy raters, auditors, and builders who focus on improving the performance and comfort of living spaces. Their efforts often...
- World Habitat Day: Get involved building houses for those in need on World Habitat Day by joining your local Habitat for Humanity and providing this much-needed resource for others.
- World Day of Bullying Prevention: If you see bullying, step up and tell an adult or step in if possible. Bullying comes in many forms, from cyber bullying to teasing to physical bullying.
- Mid-Autumn Festival: During this enchanting celebration, families gather under the moonlit sky to relish delightful treats, share laughter, and celebrate unity and abundance.
- National Manufacturing Week: National Manufacturing Week shines a spotlight on the manufacturing sector's vital role in the economy. Celebrated with events and activities, this week underscores the industry's contributions to innovation and job creation. It involves various organizations sharing data and insights, which helps highlight manufacturing's impact on daily life and the economy. This...
- 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.
- International Plasma Awareness Week: International Plasma Awareness Week is a global call to celebrate how plasma donors make a real impact on treatment. It brings focus to life-saving plasma donation and how this unique part of blood becomes medicine for people with rare and serious conditions. Donors’ actions echo far beyond the clinic. Each session...
- Rtveli: Rtveli is a vibrant grape harvest festival celebrated across Georgia. It is a joyful blend of hard work and celebration. It's a time when people unite to collect the fruits of their labor and honor the cultural heritage of winemaking that has been cherished for generations. The festival extends beyond...
- National Curry Week: Savor vibrant spices and rich blends, an aromatic dance on your palate, igniting a culinary journey of delight.
- World Space Week: Did you know that there's a whole week each year dedicated solely to celebrating the wonders of space? World Space Week, held annually in the autumn, turns eyes skyward to appreciate science and technology's roles in improving our lives through space exploration. How to Celebrate World Space Week Here are some...
- Celebrate Community Week: Fostering collaboration and proactive volunteering, Celebrate Community Week brings people together from all over the globe with a common purpose – to serve their communities and make the world a better, more beautiful place! How to Celebrate Community Week Join a Celebrate Community Week Event Working together to make a positive impact...
- National Midwifery Week: Midwifery is a practice that has been around since ancient times, where an experienced person is called upon to assist and lead when a woman is giving birth. Having evolved over the years, midwives are now extremely skilled and go through rigorous training to give compassionate and competent care to...
- National Spinning and Weaving Week: Two different crafts that often go together, spinning and weaving are ancient practices that are still relevant in modern times to producing all sorts of textiles and fabrics. Spinning in the process of spinning raw fibers, like cotton or wool, into threads. Weaving uses the threads or yarn to layer...
- Mental Illness Awareness Week: Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) is an annual event that highlights mental health issues. It takes place during the first week of October and aims to educate and reduce stigma around mental illnesses. This initiative brings together individuals and organizations across the nation, highlighting the urgent need for dialogue and...
- 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.
- Active Aging Week: This seven-day campaign works to improve society’s messages around the topic of aging, promoting the positive aspects and contributions that older adults can have in communities. Get excited and get on board personally with Active Aging Week or encourage an older adult friend or family member to participate! History of Active...
- 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.
- International Week of Happiness at Work: You spend so much time working, it’s important to cultivate happiness there. Take the pledge to make your office life happier for you and those around you.
- 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!
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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.
1 Comment
What a lovely thing to do Scott. I often check your blog. I do think your blogs are extraordinarily interesting and you yourself…very charming. Keep them coming.