APRIL 18TH
- TODAY IS NATIONAL ANIMAL CRACKERS DAY
- TODAY IS NATIONAL LINEMAN APPRECIATION DAY
BIRTHDAYS:
- CLARENCE DARROW (1857-1938)
- HAYLEY MILLS (1946, 72)
- JAMES WOODS (1947, 71)
- KENNY ORTEGA (1950, 68)
- RICK MORANIS (1953, 65)
- ERIC ROBERTS (1956, 62)
- JANE LEEVES (1961, 57)
- CONAN O’BRIEN (1963, 55)
- ERIC MCCORMACK (1963, 55)
- MARIA BELLO (1967, 51)
- ELI ROTH (1972, 46)
- MELISSA JOAN HART (1976, 42)
Image Source: Getty Images
ON THIS DAY:
- IN 1506, THE CORNERSTONE OF ST. PETER’S BASILICA IS LAID IN THE VATICAN
- IN 1676, NATIVES ATTACK THE TOWN OF SUDBURY, MASSACHUSETTS
- IN 1688, THE QUAKERS OF PENNSYLVANIA FORMALLY PETITION AGAINST SLAVERY
- IN 1775, PAUL REVERE MAKES HIS RIDES FROM CHARLESTON TO LEXINGTON
- IN 1783, THE FINAL DAY OF FIGHTING ENDS THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
- IN 1846, THE ROYAL EARL HOUSE PATENTS THE FIRST PRINTED TELEGRAPH MACHINE
- IN 1861, ROBERT E. LEE TURNS DOWN AN OFFER TO BE THE COMMANDER OF THE UNION ARMY IN THE CIVIL WAR
- IN 1862, BATTLES ARE FOUGHT IN NEW ORLEANS, FORT JACKSON AND FORT ST. PHILIP DURING THE CIVIL WAR
- IN 1865, GENERAL SHERMAN DEFEATS SURRENDERING GENERAL JOHNSON IN NORTH CAROLINA IN THE CIVIL WAR
- IN 1874, EXPLORER DAVID LIVINGSTONE IS LAID TO REST IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY
- IN 1902, DENMARK BEGINS USING FINGERPRINTS TO IDENTIFY CRIMINALS, THE FIRST COUNTRY TO DO SO LEGALLY
- IN 1906, THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE DESTROYS THREE QUARTERS OF THE CITY
- IN 1906, THE LOS ANGELES TIMES RUNS A STORY ON THE AZUSA STREET REVIVAL. IT IS CREDITED WITH TAKING THE PENTACOSTAL MOVEMENT TO A WORLDWIDE AUDIENCE
- IN 1912, THE 705 SURVIVORS OF THE TITANIC LANDS IN NEW YORK CITY ON THE RMS CARPATHIA
- IN 1923, THE YANKEES PLAY THEIR FIRST HOME GAME AT YANKEE STADIUM
- IN 1924, SIMON AND SCHUSTER PUBLISHES THE FIRST EVER CROSSWORD PUZZLE BOOK
- IN 1925, THE FIRST DAY OF THE CHICAGO WORLD’S FAIR OPENS
- IN 1934, THE FIRST LAUNDROMAT, CALLED “WASHETERIA” OPENS IN FORT WORTH, TX
- IN 1936, PAN AM BEGINS THE FIRST REGULAR FLIGHTS FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO HONOLULU
- IN 1942, THE ALLIES BOMB THE JAPANESE MAINLAND IN TOKYO FOR THE FIRST TIME
- IN 1945, PETE GRAY, AN OUTFIELDER WITH ONLY ONE ARM, BEGINS PLAYING FOR THE ST. LOUIS BROWNS
- IN 1955, NYC BEGINS INSTALLING “WALK / DON’T WALK” SIGNS IN INTERSECTIONS
- IN 1955, ALBERT EINSTEIN DIES OF AN ANEURYSM AT 76
- IN 1956, GRACE KELLY MARRIES PRINCE RAINIER III OF MONACO
- IN 1966, CELTIC BILL RUSSELL BECOMES THE FIRST BLACK HEAD COACH IN THE NBA
- IN 1966, THE ACADEMY AWARDS IS BROADCAST IN COLOR FOR THE FIRST TIME
- IN 1968, LONDON BRIDGE IS SOLD TO AN AMERICAN OIL COMPANY AND MOVED TO LAKE HAVASU, ARIZONA
- IN 1968, “THE BOYS IN THE BAND” DEBUTS IN NEW YORK CITY
- IN 1972, NORTHERN IRELAND REJECTS “THE WIDGERY REPORT” WHICH DETAILS THE EVENTS OF “BLOODY SUNDAY” WHICH THEY RENAME “THE WIDGERY WHITEWASH”
- IN 1975, JOHN LENNON RELEASES “STAND BY ME”
- IN 1977, ALEX HALEY WINS A PULITZER PRIZE FOR “ROOTS”
- IN 1978, THE US SENATE VOTES TO RETURN THE PANAMA CANAL TO PANAMA
- IN 1980, ZIMBABWE DECLARES INDEPENDENCE FROM THE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH AND ELECTS ROBERT MUGABE AS ITS FIRST PRIME MINISTER, LATER PRESIDENT
- IN 1981, THE PAWTUCKET RED SOX TIE THE ROCHESTER RED WINGS 2-2 IN THE LONGEST PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL GAME IN HISTORY WHICH RUNS 32 INNINGS
- IN 1983, A SUICIDE BOMBER KILLS 63 PEOPLE AT THE US EMBASSY IN LEBANON
- IN 1983, ALICE WALKER WINS A PULITZER PRIZE FOR “THE COLOR PURPLE”
- IN 1984, MICHAEL JACKSON’S HAIR CATCHES ON FIRE WHILE SHOOTING A PEPSI COMMERCIAL AND HE REQUIRES SURGERY TO REPAIR DAMAGE TO HIS SCALP
- IN 1985, WHAM! IS THE FIRST WESTERN ACT TO RELEASE AN ALBUM IN CHINA
- IN 1987, ARETHA FRANKLIN AND GEORGE MICHAEL HIT #1 WITH “I KNEW YOU WERE WAITING”
- IN 1989, SEVERAL THOUSAND STUDENTS GATHER IN TIENANMEN SQUARE TO MOURN THE DEATH OF A CHINESE REFORM LEADER EVENTUALLY LEADING TO THE TIENANMEN SQUARE MASSACRE
- IN 1990, THE SUPREME COURT RULES THAT POSSESSION OF VIEWING OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IS ILLEGAL EVEN IN THE PRIVACY OF YOUR OWN HOME
- IN 1992, DEF LEPPARD HAVE THE #1 ALBUM WITH “ADRENALIZE”
- IN 1994, “BEAUTY AND THE BEAST” OPENS ON BROADWAY
- IN 1994, “THE ARSENIO HALL SHOW” ANNOUNCES THIS WILL BE ITS FINAL SEASON
- IN 1994, FORMER PRESIDENT NIXON SUFFERS A FATAL STROKE AND DIES 4 DAYS LATER
- IN 1994, ROSANNE BARR DIVORCES TOM ARNOLD
- IN 1995, JOE MONTANA RETIRES FROM FOOTBALL
- IN 1996, “A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM” OPENS ON BROADWAY
- IN 1998, THE INDIANAPOLIS COLTS SELECT PAYTON MANNING AS THE FIRST PICK IN THE NFL DRAFT
- IN 1999, WAYNE GRETZKY PLAYS HIS FINAL GAME IN THE NHL
- IN 2001, KOBE BRYANT MARRIES VANESSA LAINE IN DANA POINT, CALIFORNIA
- IN 2004, EAMON HITS #1 WITH “F**K IT (I DON’T WANT YOU BACK)” WHICH HOLDS THE RECORD FOR THE MOST EXPLETIVES EVER FOR A #1 SONG
- IN 2005, REEBOK DROPS 50 CENT AS A SPOKESMAN AFTER COMPLAINTS FROM THE MOTHER OF A MAN WHO HE SHOT AND KILLED EARLIER IN LIFE
- IN 2007, THE SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS A PARTIAL BIRTH ABORTION BAN
- IN 2012, DICK CLARK SUFFERS A HEART ATTACK AND DIES AT 82
- IN 2013, MARVEL RELEASES “IRON MAN 3”
- IN 2014, AN AVALANCHE ON MOUNT EVEREST KILLS 12 CLIMBERS
- IN 2017, UNSEALED COURT DOCUMENTS REVEAL THE PRINCE DIED OF AN OPIOID OVERDOSE