Today in History - October 18th


  • 1648 - On this day in history, the first US labor organization formed (Boston Shoemakers).
  • 1767 - The boundary between MD & PA, Mason Dixon line, was agreed upon.
  • 1862 - Morgan's raiders capture federal garrison at Lexington, KY: In May, Morgan's raiders captured two Union trains at Cave City, paroled everyone on board, returned one of the trains and sent the occupants back to Louisville.
  • 1863 - Battle of Charlestown, WV: The Battle of Charlestown was a small engagement between Confederacy and Union forces on October 18, 1863, at Charleston, West Virginia, as part of the Bristoe and Mine Run Campaigns, resulting in a Confederate victory.

  • 1867 - Today in history, US took formal possession of Alaska from Russia ($7.2 million)
  • 1898 - The American flag raised in Puerto Rico.
  • 1942 - On this day in history, Hitler ordered allied commandos to be killed.
  • 1945 - Nazi war-crime trial opened in Nuremberg.

SPORTS - Today in History, October 18th

  • 1873 - Columbia, Princeton, Rutgers & Yale set rules for collegiate football.
  • 1889 - First all-NYC World Series and NY Giants (NL) played Brooklyn (AA).
  • 1890 - John Owen was the first man to run the 100-yard dash in under 10 seconds.
  • 1953 - Today in history, Willie Thrower became the first black NFL quarterback in modern times.
  • 1955 - Track & Field named Jesse Owens all-time track athlete.
  • 1968 - US Olympic Committee suspended Tommie Smith & John Carlos for giving "black power" salute as a protest during victory ceremony.
  • 1977 - Reggie Jackson hit 3 consecutive homers tying Ruth's series record, today in history.

SCIENCE, INVENTIONS, PATENTS - Today in History, October 18th

  • 1878 - Edison made electricity available for household usage.
  • 1892 - First commercial long-distance phone line opened (Chicago-NY).
  • 1954 - Texas Instruments announced the first Transistor radio.
  • 1955 - University of California discovered anti-proton, on this day in history.
  • 1962 - Dr. Watson (US) & Drs. Crick & Wilkins (Britain) won The Nobel Prize for Medicine for work in determining structure of DNA.

CULTURE, LIFESTYLE - Today in History, October 18th

  • 1776 - In a NY bar decorated with bird tail, customer ordered "cock tail."
  • 1910 - Edward Forster published "Howards End."
  • 1967 - Walt Disney's "Jungle Book" is released

HISTORY OF MUSIC - Today in History, October 18th

  • 1946 - Aaron Copland's Third Symphony premiered.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS - October 18th

  • 1794 - Ferdinand Lukas Schubert, composer.
  • 1920 - Melina Mercouri, Greek actress and political activist.
  • 1921 - Jesse Helms, (Senator-D/R-North Carolina).
  • 1922 - Little Orphan Annie, comic strip character.
  • 1926 - Chuck Berry, St Louis, rocker (Roll over Beethoven).
  • 1927 - George C. Scott, Wise, Virginia, American actor/director (Patton, Dr. Strangelove).
  • 1939 - Lee Harvey Oswald, New Orleans, Louisiana, assassin (JFK).
  • 1950 - Wendy Wasserstein, American playwright.
  • 1956 - Martina Navratilova, Revnice. Czech Republic, tennis (Wimbledon 1989,79,82-87).
  • 1960 - Jean-Claude Van Damme, Brussels Belgian, actor (Kickboxer, No Retreat).
  • 1961 -  Wynton Marsalis, New Orleans, LA, jazz trumpeter (Grammy 1983).