Monthly Archives: October 2021

Great Chicago Fire erupts on the city’s southwest side 150 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 8 1871)

1870s


Video: 'The Fire Begins — The Great Chicago Fire: A Chicago Stories Special'

(Sunday, October 8, 1871, about 8:30 p.m. local time; during the Great Chicago Fire) — The Great Chicago Fire, a conflagration that burned in the American city of Chicago over three days, started tonight in or around a small barn belonging to the O’Leary family that bordered the alley behind 137 DeKoven Street, a neighborhood southwest of the city center. Continue reading Great Chicago Fire erupts on the city’s southwest side 150 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 8 1871) →

U.S. President Reagan gives three former presidents a personal send-off as America’s emissaries to Sadat funeral 40 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 8 1981)

1980s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'President Reagan’s Remarks with 3 Former Presidents on Anwar Sadat’s Funeral on October 8, 1981'

(Thursday, October 8, 1981, Reagan spoke at 7:20 p.m. EDT; during the Assassination of Anwar Sadat) — U.S. President Ronald Reagan hosted all three living former presidents — Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter — at the White House tonight, expressing a “heartfelt thanks” to his three living predecessors “for undertaking this sad mission” to attend the funeral of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. Continue reading U.S. President Reagan gives three former presidents a personal send-off as America’s emissaries to Sadat funeral 40 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 8 1981) →

John Lennon, Yoko Ono hold news conference in Syracuse to promote Ono’s art exhibit ‘This Is Not Here’ 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 8 1971)

1970s, Popular Music 1970s, The Beatles 1970s


Video: 'This Is Not Here: Yoko Ono and John Lennon Press Conference October 8 1971'

(Friday, October 8, 1971, around 2:00 p.m. EDT) — Former Beatle John Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, held a news conference this afternoon at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York, to promote Ono’s retrospective exhibition, This Is Not Here, which was due to open to the public October 9, 1971, and will run until October 27, 1971. Continue reading John Lennon, Yoko Ono hold news conference in Syracuse to promote Ono’s art exhibit ‘This Is Not Here’ 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 8 1971) →

War in Afghanistan begins as U.S. and Britain launch air strikes 20 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 7 2001)

2000s, 9/11


Video: 'Bombing Afghanistan - Oct 7, 2001 - NBC News Special Report'

(Sunday, October 7, 2001, 9:00 p.m. Afghanistan Time, during the United States invasion of Afghanistan, part of the War in Afghanistan and the War on Terror) — The United States, supported by Britain, began Operation Enduring Freedom, launching bombs and cruise missiles tonight against Taliban military and communications facilities and suspected terrorist training camps. Continue reading War in Afghanistan begins as U.S. and Britain launch air strikes 20 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 7 2001) →

Egypt’s President Anwar Sadat fatally wounded in assassination attempt 40 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 6 1981)

1980s


Video: Assassination of Anwar El Sadat

(Tuesday, October 6, 1981, 12:40 p.m. Egypt Standard Time; during the Assassination of Anwar Sadat) — President Anwar el-Sadat of Egypt was shot and killed today by members of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, dressed in military uniforms, who hurled hand grenades and fired AK-47 assault rifles and Port Said submachine guns at him as he watched a military parade commemorating Operation Badr, during which the Egyptian Army had crossed the Suez Canal and taken back a small part of the Sinai Peninsula from Israel at the beginning of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Continue reading Egypt’s President Anwar Sadat fatally wounded in assassination attempt 40 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 6 1981) →

Barry Bonds breaks MLB season home run record, and then some 10 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 5 2001)

2000s


Video: 'Barry Bonds 71st homerun 2001 ESPN Telecast'

(Friday, October 5, 2001, 8:14 p.m. PDT) — San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds, 37, became baseball’s record single-season home run hitter tonight when he struck his 71st and 72nd homers of the season at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco. Continue reading Barry Bonds breaks MLB season home run record, and then some 10 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 5 2001) →

Clyde Pangborn and Hugh Herndon Jr. complete first nonstop flight across Pacific Ocean 90 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 5 1931)

1930s


Video: 'Pacific Conquered - the first non-stop trans-Pacific flight, 1931'

(Monday, October 5, 1931, 7:14 a.m. PST) — Clyde Pangborn and Hugh Herndon Jr. completed the first nonstop flight across the Pacific Ocean, making a controlled crash landing of their red Bellanca J-300 Long Distance Special, the Miss Veedol, today on a strip cut out of the sagebrush on Fancher Field near what is now East Wenatchee, Washington, 41 hours and 13 minutes after taking off from Misawa, Japan. Continue reading Clyde Pangborn and Hugh Herndon Jr. complete first nonstop flight across Pacific Ocean 90 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 5 1931) →

‘Piano Concerto in B Flat’ by Freddy Martin #1 in USA 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 4 1941)

1940s, Popular Music 1940s

(Saturday, October 4, 1941) — “Piano Concerto in B Flat” by Freddy Martin peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for the first of eight consecutive weeks (October 4/11/18/25, November 1/8/15/22, 1941). Continue reading ‘Piano Concerto in B Flat’ by Freddy Martin #1 in USA 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 4 1941) →