This Day in History
15 Oct 1582
Gregorian calendar introduced in Spain Portugal and pontifical states after skipping 10 days after Oct 4 to sync the calendar
15 Oct 1674
Torsker witch trials begin largest witch trials in Sweden 71 beheaded and burned
15 Oct 1786
Earliest 32F (0C) recorded temperature in NYC
15 Oct 1964
American Al Oerter wins his third of 4 consecutive Olympic mens discus titles at the Tokyo Olympics beats Czech Ludvk Dank by 0.08m
More History
Clarence Thomas confirmed to the Supreme Court
After a bitter confirmation hearing the U.S. Senate votes 52 to 48 to confirm Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court.In July 1991 Thurgood Marshall the fi...
Funeral coaches exempted from car seat law
On October 15 2004 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration rules that hearse manufacturers no longer have to install anchors for child-safety seats...
Exotic dancer and spy Mata Hari is executed
Mata Hari the archetype of the seductive female spy is executed for espionage by a French firing squad at Vincennes outside of Paris.She first came to Paris i...
Draft card burning demonstrations staged across the country
In a demonstration staged by the student-run National Coordinating Committee to End the War in Vietnam some of the first public burnings of draft cards in the ...
Wayne Gretzky breaks NHL points record
On October 15 1989 28-year-old Los Angeles King Wayne Gretzky breaks Gordie Howes points record (1850) in the final period of a game against the Edmo...
Gerald Ford marries Elizabeth Bloomer
On October 15 1948 future President Gerald Ford marries Elizabeth Anne (Betty) Bloomer.The handsome blonde blue-eyed Ford grew up in Grand Rap...
Chiricahua Apache leader Victorio is killed south of El Paso Texas
The warrior Victorio one of the greatest Apache military strategists of all time dies on October 15 1880 in the Tres Castillos Mountains south of El Paso T...
A murderous husband is executed
Arthur Eggers who was convicted of killing his wife Dorothy because of her alleged promiscuity is executed in the gas chamber at San Quentin Prison. He prob...
Mikhail Gorbachev wins Nobel Peace Prize
Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev wins the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in ending Cold War tensions. Since coming to power in 1988 Gorbachev had undertaken to...
H L Hunley sinks during tests
On October 15 1863 the H.L. Hunley the worlds first successful combat submarine sinks during a test run killing its inventor and seven crew me...
High ranking Nazi leader Hermann G ring dies
On October 15 1946 Hermann Gring commander in chief of the Luftwaffe president of the Reichstag head of the Gestapo prime minister of Prussia chief f...
Hurricane on the Way? Don't Worry
October 15 1987 BBC weather forecaster Michael Fish became on this day the man who made the most spectacular mis-forecast in television history ...
1993 Praise for the end of apartheid
Nelson Mandela and F. W. de Klerk were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their work to end apartheid in South Africa....
1969: Millions march in US Vietnam Moratorium
Americans have taken part in peace initiatives across the United States to protest against the continuing war in Vietnam.The Peace Moratorium is believe...
1964: Khrushchev 'retires' as head of USSR
1964 Khrushchev retires as head of USSR Nikita Khrushchev has unexpectedly stepped down as leader of the Soviet Union.The official Soviet news ag...
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