This Day In History October 14

1008 Birth of Emperor Go-Ichij? of Japan (d. 1036)

1095 Death of Margrave Leopold II of Austria (b. 1050)

1176 Death of William d’Aubigny, 1st Earl of Arundel, English politician

1216 King John lost his crown jewels in The Wash, probably near Fosdyke, perhaps near Sutton Bridge

1285 180 Jews refuse baptism in Munich Germany, they are set on fire.

1320 Death of Michael IX Palaeologus, co-ruling Eastern Roman Emperor

1350 Birth of Dmitry Donskoy, Grand Prince of Moscovy (d. 1389)

1490 Birth of Bernardo Pisano, Italian composer (d. 1548)

1491 Death of Fritz Herlen, German artist

1492 Christopher Columbus’s expedition makes landfall in the Caribbean. The explorer believes he has reached East Asia

1492 Columbus arrives in the Bahamas; the real Columbus Day.

1492 Death of Piero della Francesca, Italian painter

1518 Having been called to the offices of Cardinal Thomas Cajetan, Martin Luther refuses to retreat from the positions taken in his 95 theses on indulgences.

1537 Birth of Edward VI king of England (1547-53).

1558 Birth of Archduke Maximilian III of Austria (d. 1618)

1565 Death of Jean Ribault, French explorer and colonizer (b. 1520)

1576 Birth of Thomas Dudley, Massachusetts colonial magistrate (d. 1653)

1576 Death of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1527)

1590 Death of Kano Eitoku, Japanese painter (b. 1543)

1600 Death of Luis Molina, Spanish Jesuit (b. 1535)

1602 Birth of William Chillingworth, English churchman (d. 1644)

1609 “Three Blind Mice” published by London teenage songwriter Thomas Ravenscroft

1632 Death of Kutsuki Mototsuna, Japanese samurai commander (b. 1549)

1646 Death of Frantois de Bassompierre, Marshal of France (b. 1579)

1654 The Delft Explosion devastates the city in the Netherlands, killing more than 100.

1678 Death of Edmund Berry Godfrey, English magistrate (b. 1621)

1679 Death of William Gurnall, English writer (b. 1617)

1681 A London woman is publicly flogged for the crime of “involving herself in politics”

1685 Death of Christoph Ignaz Abele, Austrian jurist (b. 1628)

1694 Matsuo Basho greatest Japanese haiku poet, dies.

1702 Tsar Peter of Russia captures Schlnsselburg.

1709 After a democratic voting, La Villa de San Francisco de CuTllar was founded, which with time turned into San Felipe del Real Chihuahua and now it is known as the city of Chihuahua.

1710 Birth of Jonathan Trumbull, Governor of the Colony and the state of Connecticut (d. 1785)

1712 Birth of William Shippen, American physician and Contental Congressman (d. 1801)

1725 Birth of Etienne Louis Geoffroy, French pharmacist and entomologist (d. 1810)

1730 Death of King Frederick IV of Denmark (b. 1671)

1758 Death of Richard Molesworth, 3rd Viscount Molesworth, British field marshal (b. 1680)

1773 America’s first insane asylum opens for ‘Persons of Insane and Disordered Minds’ in Virginia

1775 The United States Navy is formed.

1776 British Brigade begins guarding Throgg Necks Road in the Bronx.

1792 First celebration of Columbus Day in the USA held in New York


1798 Birth of Pedro I first emperor of Brazil (1822-31), king of Portugal.

1801 Birth of Friedrich Frey-HerosT, Swiss Federal Councilor (d. 1873)

1810 First Oktoberfest: The Bavarian royalty invites the citizens of Munich to join the celebration of the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen.

1822 Second eruption of Galunggung (Java) destroys summit of mountain.

1823 Charles Macintosh of Scotland begins selling raincoats (Macs).

1823 Charles Macintosh, of Scotland, sells the first raincoat.

1840 Birth of Helena Modjeska Poland, Shakespearian actress (Juliet)/anti-Russian.

1844 Birth of George W Cable American writer (Northampton Years).

1845 Death of Elizabeth Fry, British social reformer and philanthropist (b. 1780)

1850 The first women’s medical college opens, in Pennsylvania.

1853 John Morrissey wins boxing title, when Yankee Sullivan leaves ring after 36th round to slug Morrissey’s fans.

1855 Birth of Arthur Nikisch Szent-Mikl=s Hungary, conductor (Berlin Philharmonic).

1859 Self-described “Emperor of the United States” Joshua A. Norton issues a decree dissolving the U.S. Congress

1860 Birth of Elmer A Sperry inventor (gyrocompass).

1860 British and French troops capture Peking.

1860 Sir Henry G W Smith leader of British-Indian forces, dies at age 73.

1862 JEB Stuart completes his “second ride around McClellan”.

1862 Major General Earl Van Dorn assumes command of Confederate troops in Missisippi.

1864 Roger Taney Supreme Court Chief Justice, dies at age 87.

1865 Birth of Arthur Harden, English chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1940)

1866 Birth of Ramsay MacDonald (Liberal) British Prime Minister (1924, 1929-35).

1870 Death of Robert E. Lee, American Confederate general (b. 1807)

1870 Robert E Lee, General of the Confederate Army, dies at age 63.

1872 Birth of Ralph Vaughan Williams Down Amp England, composer (Hugh the Drover).

1875 Birth of Aleister Crowley, English occultist and author (d. 1947)

1886 Hurricane and sea surge kills 250 at Indianola Texas.

1887 Birth of Paula von Preradovi? , Croatian-Austrian poet (d. 1951)

1891 Astronomical Society of France is inaugurated.

1892 The Pledge of Allegiance is first recited in unison by students in US public schools.

1894 Birth of Dr Charles Hodge California, NYU professor (Answers for Americans).

1896 Birth of Eugenio Montale Italy, poet/translator (Xenia-Nobel Prize 1975).

1898 Death of Calvin Fairbank, American abolitionist minister (b. 1816)

1899 Boer republic of South Africa declares war with England.

1901 President Theodore Roosevelt officially renames the “Executive Mansion” to the White House.

1904 Birth of Ding Ling, Chinese writer (d. 1986)

1906 Birth of Joe Cronin baseball (Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox, Senators, Most Valuable Player 1930, American League Pres).

1907 Chicago Cubs beat Detroit Tigers four games to 0 with one tie in fourth World Series.

1908 Birth of Ann Petry, American novelist (d. 1997)

1915 Death of Edith Cavell, English nurse (b. 1865)

1915 English nurse Edith Cavell executed by Germans in Belgium (WW II).

1915 Theodore Roosevelt criticizes US citzens with dual nationalities.

1915 World War I: British nurse Edith Cavell is executed by a German firing squad for helping Allied soldiers escape from Belgium

1916 Boston Red Sox beat Brooklyn Dodgers, four games to one in 13th World Series.

1917 Birth of Roque M�spoli, Uruguayan footballer

1918 Cloquet Minnesota and 25 other communities destroyed by forest fire, 559 die.

1918 First use of iron lung (Boston’s Children Hospital).

1920 Cleveland Indians beat Brooklyn Dodgers, five games to two in 17th World Series.

1920 Man O’War’s last race and win.

1921 Birth of Jaroslav Drobny Czech, hockey (Olympics-gold-1948), tennis (Wimb-1954).

1923 Birth of Jean Nidetch in Brooklyn, New York, USA; founded Weight Watchers.

1923 New York Giants’ Casey Stengel’s home run beats New York Yankees 1-0 in the world series (#20).

1924 Birth of Doris Grau, American actress (d. 1995)

1924 Death of Anatole France, French author, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1844)

1924 Sokolnicheskaya Radio begins broadcasting from Moscow.

1925 Birth of William Steinkraus; American equestrian jumper (Olympic-gold-1968).

1926 Birth of Hans Liebold in Germany; auto racer (Nardo, Italy).

1927 Hermann Gorner of Germany raises 24 men weighing 4,123 pounds on a plank with the soles of his feet.

1928 An iron lung respirator is used for the first time at Children’s Hospital, Boston

1928 An iron lung respirator is used for the first time at Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.

1929 Birth of Robert Coles in Milton, Massachusetts, USA; author (Pulitzer Prize 1973).

1931 First International Conference on Calendar Reform is held.

1932 Birth of Dick Gregory; comedian/political activist/dietician (Bahamian Diet).

1933 Alcatraz becomes a federal prison (unofficially).

1933 John Dillinger escapes from the Allen County, Ohio, jail.

1933 The United States Army Disciplinary Barracks on Alcatraz Island, is acquired by the United States Department of Justice

1934 Birth of Richard Meier, Americian architect

1935 Birth of Luciano Pavarotti, Italian tenor

1936 Birth of Tony Kubek; shortstop (New York Yankees)/sportscaster (NBC-TV).

1938 Filming starts on The Wizard of Oz

1940 Death of Tom Mix, American actor (b. 1880)

1941 Russian government moves from Moscow to Volga as Germans close in on Moscow.

1942 The USS Duncan is sunk by Japanese naval gunfire at the Battle of Cape Esperance

1942 US navy defeats Japanese in Battle of Cape Esperance.

1944 Birth of Angela Rippon, British television personality

1946 Death of Joseph Stilwell, U.S. general (b. 1883)

1947 Birth of Chris Wallace, American journalist

1948 Birth of Rick Parfitt; rocker (Status Quo – “The Wanderer”).

1948 Casey Stengel takes over as New York Yankees’ manager.

1950 Birth of Susan Anton, American actress

1951 Birth of Bernie Ruoff in West Germany; Canadian Football League kicker (Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Hamilton Tiger Cats).

1953 Birth of Serge Lepeltier, French politician

1953 “The Caine Mutiny Court Martial” opens at Plymouth Theatre, New York

1954 Death of George Welch, American pilot (b. 1918)

1955 Birth of Ante Gotovina, Croatian general

1956 Death of Don Lorenzo Perosi, Italian composer (b. 1872)

1957 Birth of Kristen Bjorn, British film director

1957 First commercial flight between California and Antarctica.

1958 Atlanta synagogue bombing

1958 Death of Gordon Griffith, American actor, director, and producer (b. 1907)

1959 At the national congress of APRA in Peru a group of leftist radicals are expelled from the party. They will later form APRA Rebelde.

1960 Cold War: Nikita Khrushchev pounds his shoe on a desk at United Nations General Assembly meeting to protest a Philippine assertion of Soviet Union colonialist policy being conducted in Eastern Europe

1960 Nikita Khrushchev pounds his shoe at United Nations General Assembly session.

1962 Birth of Sid Fernandez in Hawaii, USA; pitcher (New York Mets).


1962 US/USSR sign joint space effort in telecommunications and meteorology.

1963 Archaeological digs begin at Masada, Israel.

1963 Birth of Alan McDonald, Northern Irish footballer


1965 Death of Paul Hermann Mnller, Swiss chemist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1899)

1966 Birth of Brian Kennedy, Northern Irish musician and author

1967 Saint Louis Cardinals beat Boston Red Sox, 4 games to 3 in 64th World Series as Lou Brock steals a record 7 bases in one world series.

1967 Vietnam War: US Secretary of State Dean Rusk states during a news conference that proposals by the U.S. Congress for peace initiatives were futile because of North Vietnam’s opposition

1968 Birth of Hugh Jackman, Australian actor and singer

1968 Equatorial Guinea becomes independent from Spain

1968 Equatorial Guinea gains independence from Spain (National Day).

1968 Norma Enriqueta Basilio Satelo lights Olympic flame.

1968 (to October 27) The Games of the XIX Olympiad are held in Mexico City, Mexico.

1969 Birth of Kimberly Ann Grimm in Mount Lake Park, Maryland, USA; Miss Maryland-America (1991).

1969 Death of Sonja Henie, Norwegian figure skater (b. 1912)

1969 Soyuz 7 is launched.

1970 Birth of Kimberly Hoskins in Yuma, Arizona, USA; Miss Arizona-America (1991).

1970 Vietnam War: US President Richard Nixon announces that the United States will withdraw 40,000 more troops before Christmas

1971 Death of Dean Acheson, U.S. Secretary of State (b. 1893)

1971 Gene Vincent, rocker, dies at age 36.

1972 Birth of Irina Pantaeva, Russian supermodel and actress

1972 En route to her station in the Gulf of Tonkin, a racial brawl involving more than 100 sailors breaks out aboard the United States Navy aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk

1972 Goalie Billy Harris fails in first New York Islanders’ penalty shot.

1973 US President Richard Nixon nominates Gerald Ford to replace Spiro Agnew as Vice President.

1974 Birth of Stephen Lee, English snooker player

1974 First time Washington Capitals are shut out as they are beat 6-0 by Minnesota North Stars.

1975 Archbishop Oliver Plunkett becomes first Irish-born saint in seven centuries.

1975 Birth of Marion Jones, American athlete

1975 NASA launches space vehicle S-195.

1976 Birth of Sarah Lane, American television personality

1976 Hua Guo-feng succeeds Mao Tse-tung as chairman of China’s Communist Party.

1976 The People’s Republic of China announces that Hua Guofeng is the successor to the late Mao Tse-tung as chairman of Communist Party of China

1977 Birth of Young Jeezy, African-American rapper

1977 Psychic Romark attempts to drive blindfolded, smashes into cop van.

1977 “Throwaway Game” Catfish Hunter loses World Series 6-1 resting New York Yankees’ pitchers.

1977 US Supreme Court hears arguments in “reverse discrimination” case of Allan Bakke, white student denied admission to University of California Medical School.

1978 Death of Nancy Spungen, Girlfriend of Sex Pistol Sid Vicious b. 1958)

1978 Representatives of Israel and Egypt open talks in Washington.

1979 Birth of Jordan Pundik, American singer (New Found Glory)

1979 The lowest recorded non-tornadic atmospheric pressure, 87.0 kPa (870 mbar or 25.69 inHg), occurred in the Western Pacific during Typhoon Tip

1981 Birth of Shola Ameobi, English footballer

1982 38.6 cm (15.2 inches) of rainfall, Angoon, Alaska (state record).

1982 Birth of Molly Bennett, Irish singer

1982 Milwaukee Brewers’ Paul Molitor gets world series record five hits (World Series #79).

1983 Japan’s ex Prime Minister Tanaka Kakuei is found guilty of taking a $2 million bribe from Lockheed and is sentenced to 4 years in jail

1983 Japan’s former Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka is found guilty of taking a $2 million bribe from Lockheed, and sentenced to four years in jail.

1984 Birth of Matthew Dewey, Australian composer


1984 Death of Sir Anthony Berry, British politician (bombing) (born 1925).

1984 The Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) attempts to assassinate the British Cabinet in the Brighton hotel bombing.

1985 Death of Johnny Olson, American game show announcer (b. 1910)

1985 International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War receives Nobel Prize.

1986 Birth of Marcus T. Paulk, American actor.

1986 California Angels, within one pitch of pennant victory lose to Boston Red Sox.

1986 Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visit the People’s Republic of China.

1986 The Golden Horseshoe Revue show closes in Disneyland. It is the longest running show in history, at nearly 50,000 performances.

1987 Alfred M Landon, former Kansas Governor, dies at his Topeka home at 100.

1987 Birth of Noemi Batki; Italian diver.

1987 Death of Alf Landon, Governor of Kansas (b. 1887)

1987 Minnesota Twins beat Detroit Tigers for American League pennant.

1987 Philleo Nash, US Bureau of Indian Affairs (1961-67), dies at age 77.

1988 Death of Ruth Manning-Sanders, British children’s author (born 1895).

1988 Israel and China sign trade deal, plan diplomatic relations.

1988 NeXT launches its first public debut of the NeXT Computer at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco, California.


1988 Two Victoria Police officers are gunned down, execution style, in Australia.

1989 Herschel Walker is traded from Dallas Cowboys to Minnesota Vikings for 12 players.

1990 Birth of Henri Lansbury, English football player.

1991 Askar Akayev, previously chosen President of Kyrgyzstan by its Supreme Soviet, is confirmed president in an uncontested poll.

1991 Askar Akayev, previously chosen President of Kyrgyzstan by republic’s Supreme Soviet, is confirmed president in an uncontested poll

1992 Birth of Taylor Horn, American singer and actress.

1992 Expo 1992 closes in Seville, Spain.

1992 In Egypt, a magnitude 5.8 earthquake occurs. At least 552 people killed, more than 9,929 injured and 8,300 buildings damaged or destroyed in the Cairo area. Estimate of damage about US$300 million.

1992 In the Dominican Republic, Pope John Paul II congregates to celebrate the 500th anniversary on the meeting of two cultures.

1993 Death of Tofik Bakhramov, Russian football player (born 1926).

1994 NASA loses radio contact with the Magellan spacecraft as the probe descends into the thick atmosphere of Venus (the spacecraft presumably burned up in the atmosphere either October 13 or October 14)

1994 NASA loses radio contact with the Magellan spacecraft as the probe descends into the thick atmosphere of Venus (the spacecraft presumably burns up in the atmosphere either October 13 or October 14).

1995 Death of Johnny Gammage, African American motorist (from a scuffle in nearly all-white Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania).

1995 Walt Disney World in Florida welcomes its 500-millionth guest.

1996 Death of RenT Lacoste, French tennis player (born 1904).

1997 Birth of Prince Boris of Bulgaria, second in line to the Bulgarian throne.

1997 Death of John Denver, American musician (born 1943).

1997 Sidi Daoud massacre in Algeria: 43 are killed at a fake roadblock.

1997 Sidi Daoud massacre in Algeria; 43 killed at a fake roadblock

1998 Death of Matthew Shepard, American murder victim (b. 1976)

1998 The Congress of the United States passes the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

1998 U.S. Congress passes Digital Millennium Copyright Act

1999 Death of Wilt Chamberlain, American basketball player (born 1936).

1999 Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attempts to dismiss Army Chief General Pervez Musharraf and install ISI director Khwaja Ziauddin in his place. Senior Army generals refuse to accept the dismissal. Musharraf, who was out of the country, attempts to return in a commercial airliner. Sharif orders the Karachi airport to not allow the plane to land. The generals lead a coup d’Ttat, ousting Sharif’s administration and taking over the airport. The plane lands with only a few minutes of fuel to spare, and Musharraf takes control of the government.

1999 Pervez Musharraf takes power in Pakistan from Nawaz Sharif through a bloodless coup.

1999 The Day of 6 Billion: The 6 billionth human in the world is born.

1999 World population reaches six billion people, as the six billionth person (according to the United Nations) is born in Sarajevo, in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

2000 Death of Arthur Goldberg at age 59, of bone marrow failure. Goldberg was an attorney, CEO of Bally Entertainment.

2000 In Aden, Yemen, the USS Cole is badly damaged by two suicide bombers, killing 17 crew members and wounding at least 39

2001 Death of Lord Hailsham of Saint Marylebone, British lawyer and politician (born 1907).

2001 Prompted by a request from U.S. President George W. Bush, an episode of America’s Most Wanted features the 22 most wanted terrorists.

2001 War on Terrorism: Prompted by a request by US President George W. Bush, an episode of America’s Most Wanted aired featuring 22 most wanted terrorists


2002 Death of Ray Conniff, American musician and bandleader (born 1916).

2002 Massive bombs are detonated in two nightclubs in Kuta, Bali, killing 202 and injuring over 300.

2003 American author Susan Sontag is presented the Peace Prize of the Frankfurt Book Fair.

2003 Belarus mental hospital fire: Thirty patients die in a mental hospital fire in Randilovshchina, Belarus

2003 Death of Jim Cairns, Australian politician (born 1914).

2003 Michael Schumacher wins the 2003 FIA Formula One World Championship in Suzuka, Japan, beating Kimi RSikk�nen to the title.

2005 Death of C. Delores Tucker, American politician and civil rights activist (b. 1927)

2005 In San Jose, California, Disney Chief Executive Officer Robert Iger announces the availability of Disney- and ABC-owned TV show episodes through Apple Computer’s online iTunes store. Certain TV shows will be available for download for US$1.99 one day after initial airing on broadcast TV.

2005 The second Chinese human spaceflight Shenzhou 6 launched carrying Fèi Jùnl=ng and Niè H?ishèng for five days in orbit.

2005 The second Chinese spacecraft, Shenzhou 6, is launched, carrying Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng for five days in orbit.

2007 Death of Soe Win, Burmese politician (born 1948).

2007 Oracle announces a hostile bid of US$6.7 billion for BEA company.