October 7th
Today in 1746,Mary Hamilton went on trial in London for "aggravated polygamy." She was accused of marrying 14 women while disguised as a man.
Today in1806, carbon paper was patented in London by inventor Ralph Wedgwood.
Today in1816, the first double-decked steamboat, the Washington,arrived in New Orleans.
Today in 1849,writer Edgar Allen Poe died in Baltimore. He was 40. He was never able to overcome his alcoholism and had just a week before been found in a delirious condition outside a saloon, uttering "Lord, help my poor soul."
Today in 1916,in the most lopsided football game on record, Georgia Tech humbled Cumberland University, 222-0.
Today in 1919,the KLM Royal Dutch Airline was founded. It is the world's oldest commercial airline.
Today in 1955,Annette Funicello officially debuted as a Mouseketeer on "The Mickey Mouse Club.” In 1992, Funicello was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and afterwards, fought to raise money for research for the crippling disease. She died of complications from the disease in April 2013.
Today in 1956,a US House subcommittee officially began investigations of allegedly rigged TV quiz shows.
Today in 1959,the film, "Pillow Talk," starring Rock Hudson and Doris Day,opened in theaters nationwide.
Today in 1960,Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy and Republican nominee Richard Nixon held the second of their televised debates. People who listened on the radio thought Nixon won. But those who watched on TV felt JFK’s was the winner, based on his confident “body language.”
Today in 1967,Sid Bernstein, the promoter for the Beatles' 1964 concerts at Carnegie Hall in New York,offered the group an unprecedented $1-million to perform another concert. They turned him down.
Today in 1968,the Motion Picture Association of America adopted the film rating system. The initial ratings were G, M (which became PG), R and X. PG-13 was added in 1986 and NC-17 came in 1990.
Today in 1977,the film, "Oh, God!" starring George Burns, John Denver and Teri Garr,opened in theaters.
Today in 1983,the James Bond film, "Never Say Never Again" – and starring Sean Connery –opened in theaters nationwide.
Today in1984,Walter Payton passed Jim Brown as NFL's career rushing leader for most 100-yard games.
Today in 1985,Lynette Woodard, the captain of the women's basketball team that won the Gold medal at the 1984 Olympics of Los Angeles,was chosen as the first woman to ever play for the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team.
Today in 1985,terrorists hijacked the Italian cruise ship, the Achille Lauro, demanding the release of prisoners held by Israel.
Today in 1988,Robin Givens filed for divorce from boxer Mike Tyson after 8-months of marriage – and a disastrous interview with Barbara Walters.
Today in 1988,the movie, "Gorillas In The Mist," starring Sigourney Weaver,opened in theaters nationwide.
Today in 1993,author Toni Morrison was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature,becoming the first Black American and the eighth womanto be so honored.
Today in 1994,President Clinton ordered Army troops on alert and dispatched an aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulfafter Iraqi troops were spotted moving south toward Kuwait. Later that day, President Clinton also held a press conference in which he expressed frustration over failures in his legislative agenda, blaming Republicans for "trying to stop it, slow it, kill it or just talk it to death."
Today in 1995,New York's Central Park was transformed into a giant open-air cathedral as Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass before an audience of 200,000.
Today in 1995,actress Mary Steenburgen married actor Ted Danson. They’re still together!
Today in 1996,a number of the NFL's top quarterbacks joined the "Rock the Vote" roster of recording artists working to educate young Americans about political issues. Jeff Blake of the Cincinnati Bengals, Drew Bledsoe of the New England Patriots, Jim Kelly of the Buffalo Bills, Rick Mirer of the Seattle Seahawks, and Steve Young of the San Francisco 49ers were among the celebrities who participated in public service announcements.
Today in 1998,"Charmed,” starring Shannen Doherty, Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs,premiered on WB.
Today in 1999,American Home Products Corp.resolved one of the biggest product liability cases everby agreeing to pay up to $$3.75-billion to settle claims that the fen-phen diet drug combination caused dangerous heart valve problems.
Today in 2001,the US and Great Britain began air strikes in Afghanistan in response to that state's support of terrorismand Osama bin Laden. The act was the first military action taken in response to the terrorist attacks on the U.S. on September 11, 2001.
Today in 2003,Randy Quaid received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Today in 2003,a gubernatorial recall election was held in California. Governor Gray Davis was kicked and Arnold Schwarzenegger became governor.
Today in 2004,Billy Bob Thornton got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Today in2009,a digital version of psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung's“Red Book” was published 48 years after his death. It contains personal notes on his subconscious during the period in which he developed his principal theories.
Today in 2013,James Rothman, Randy Schekman and Thomas C. Südhof won the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work on transport systems in cells.
Today in 2014, Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura win the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics for inventing blue light emitting diodes.
Today in 2015,President Barack Obama apologized to Doctors without Borders President and the President of Afghanistan for the bombing of a hospital in Kunduz.
Today in 2016,videotape of then-candidate Donald Trump boasting of groping and kissing women without their consent was released.
Today in 2017,Rapper Nelly was arrested for rape in Auburn, Washington.
Today in 2018,China confirmed it had detained Interpol chief Meng Hongwei,who resigned from his position after being reported missing. Charges were later dropped when the accuser refused to cooperate. The following January, Nelly filed a lawsuit against the woman.
Today in2018, a limousine crash killed 20 people, including two pedestrians in Schoharie, New York.