October 1......

October 1 is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 91 days remaining.

EVENTS

● 331 BC - Greek Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela.

● 959 - Edgar the Peaceable becomes king of all England.

● 965 - John XIII becomes Pope.

● 1189 - Gerard de Ridefort, grandmaster of the Templars since 1184 is killed in the Siege of Acre

● 1788 - Nguyen Hue declares himself emperor of Vietnam.

● 1791 - First session of the French Legislative Assembly.

● 1795 - Belgium is conquered by France.

● 1800 - Spain cedes Louisiana to France via the secret Treaty of San Ildefonso.

● 1811 - The first steamboat to sail the Mississippi River arrives in New Orléans, Louisiana.

● 1814 - Opening of the Congress of Vienna, intended to redraw the Europe's political map after the defeat of Napoléon the previous spring.

● 1827 - The Russian army under Ivan Paskevich storms Yerevan, ending a millennium of Muslim domination in Armenia.

● 1829 - South African College is founded in Cape Town, South Africa; later to separate into the University of Cape Town and the South African College Schools.

● 1843 - News of the World began publication in London.

● 1847 - German inventor and industrialist Werner von Siemens founds Siemens AG & Halske.

● 1854 - The watch company founded in 1850 in Roxbury by Aaron Lufkin Dennison relocates to Waltham, Massachusetts, to become the Waltham Watch Company, a pioneer in the American System of Watch Manufacturing.

● 1869 - Austria issues the world's first postcards.

● 1880 - John Philip Sousa becomes leader of the United States Marine Corps Band.

● 1880 - First electric lamp factory opened by Thomas Edison.

● 1885 - United States begins special-delivery mail service.

● 1886 - The U.S. mint in Carson City, Nevada, closes.

● 1887 - Balochistan conquered by the British Empire.

● 1890 - The Yosemite National Park is established by the U.S. Congress.

● 1891 - In the U.S. state of California, Stanford University opens its doors.

● 1894 - First meeting of The Owl Club of Cape Town.

● 1896 - The U.S. Post Office established Rural Free Delivery (RFD).

● 1898 - Czar Nikolay II expels Jews from major Russian cities.

● 1898 - The Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration is founded under the name k.u.k. Exportakademie.

● 1903 - Baseball: The Boston Americans lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-3 in the first game of the modern World Series.

● 1905 - František Pavlík is killed in a demonstration in Prague, inspiring Leoš Janáček to the piano composition 1. X. 1905.

● 1908 - Henry Ford introduced the Ford Model T automobile to the market; each car cost $825, it could be “painted any color as long as it was black.”

● 1910 - A large bomb destroys the Los Angeles Times building in downtown Los Angeles, California, killing 21.

● 1918 - World War I: Arab forces under T. E. Lawrence (a/k/a "Lawrence of Arabia") capture Damascus.

● 1926 - An oil field accident cost aviator Wiley Post his left eye, but he used the settlement money to buy his first aircraft.

● 1928 - The Soviet Union introduces its first Five-Year Plan.

● 1928 - The Dow Jones Industrial Average expanded from 20 to 30 stocks.

● 1931 - The George Washington Bridge linking New Jersey and New York opens.

● 1931 - The original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel is opened in New York.

● 1936 - General Francisco Franco is named head of the insurgent Nationalist government of Spain.

● 1938 - Germany annexes the Sudetenland.

● 1939 - British Prime Minister Winston Churchill during a radio broadcast described the Soviet Union as ''a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma''

● 1939 - After a one-month Siege of Warsaw, hostile forces entered the city.

● 1940 - The Pennsylvania Turnpike, often considered the first superhighway in the United States, opens to traffic.

● 1942 - USS Grouper torpedoes Lisbon Maru not knowing she was carrying British PoWs from Hong Kong

● 1943 - World War II: Naples falls to Allied soldiers.

● 1946 - Nazi leaders sentenced at Nuremberg Trials.

● 1949 - The People's Republic of China is declared by Mao Zedong.

● 1957 - British public gets 'Asian Flu' vaccine; A vaccine against the strain of influenza currently sweeping around the world is made available to the British public.

● 1957 - First appearance of "In God We Trust" on U.S. paper currency.

● 1958 - NASA created to carry out America's space program and replace NACA.

● 1960 - Cyprus gains its independence from the United Kingdom.

● 1960 - Nigeria gains independence from the United Kingdom.

● 1961 - East and West Cameroon merge as Federal Republic of Cameroon.

● 1961 - Baseball: Roger Maris sets new record for most home runs in a single season with 61, surpassing fellow Yankee Babe Ruth's previous mark of 60 that was set in 1927.

● 1962 - Mississippi race riots over first black student; Two people die and at least 75 are injured in rioting following the admission of James Meredith to the University of Mississippi.

● 1962 - Johnny Carson begins a 30-year run as the host of The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson at NBC.

● 1963 - California State Board of Education created.

● 1964 - The Free Speech Movement is launched on the campus of University of California, Berkeley.

● 1964 - Japanese Shinkansen ("bullet trains") begin high-speed rail service from Tokyo to Osaka.

● 1965 - Apostasia, a political move in Greece designed by the former King of Greece Constantine II and executed by a group of politicians (led by the later PM of Greece Constantine Mitsotakis) who have betrayed and overthrown the Prime Minister George Papandreou in Greece in favour of the formerly King of Greece.

● 1965 - General Suharto crushes an attempted coup in Indonesia.

● 1968 - The Guyanese government takes over the British Guiana Broadcasting Service (BGBS).

● 1969 - The Concorde supersonic transport plane breaks the sound barrier for the first time.

● 1970 - Mourners killed as Nasser is buried; Dozens are crushed in crowded Cairo streets as millions of Egyptians mourn the death of President Abdel Nasser.

● 1971 - Walt Disney World opens near Orlando, Florida, United States.

● 1975 - The Seychelles gain internal self-government. The Ellice Islands split from Gilbert Islands and take the name Tuvalu.

● 1975 - Thrilla in Manila: Muhammad Ali retains the world heavyweight boxing championship after defeating Joe Frazier in their third and arguably greatest fight in Manila, Philippines.

● 1977 - Brazilian soccer star Pelé retires.

● 1978 - The Voltaic Revolutionary Communist Party is founded.

● 1979 – Pope John Paul II arrived in Boston to begin his first trip to the United States.

● 1979 - The United States returns sovereignty of the Panama canal to Panama.

● 1979 - Activision founded

● 1982 - Helmut Kohl replaces Helmut Schmidt as Chancellor of Germany through a Constructive Vote of No Confidence.

● 1982 - EPCOT Center opens at Walt Disney World in Florida, United States.

● 1983 - Horizons opens at EPCOT Center, Walt Disney World in Florida, United States.

● 1985 - Riots erupt in Toxteth and Peckham; Police close off areas of Liverpool and London tonight after outbreaks of violence and vandalism.

● 1985 - The Israeli air force bombs PLO Headquarters in Tunis.

● 1986 - Former President Jimmy Carter's presidential library and museum were dedicated in Atlanta.

● 1988 - Mikhail Gorbachev is named head of the Supreme Soviet.

● 1989 - Thousands of East Germans received a triumphal welcome after the communist government agreed to let them flee to West Germany.

● 1992 - Cartoon Network debuts.

● 1993 - Polly Klaas is kidnapped by a knife-wielding Richard Allen Davis during a slumber party at her Petaluma, California, home; her body was found more than two months later; Davis will be sentenced to death for his murdering Klaas.

● 1994 - National Hockey League (NHL) team owners began a 103-day lockout of their players.

● 1995 - US convicts Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman of plotting holy war

● 2001 - Victoria Beckham's debut solo album is released.

● 2001 - The Supreme Court suspended former President Bill Clinton from practicing before the high court.

● 2001 - A Pakistan-based militant group attacked the state legislature in Indian-ruled Kashmir, killing 38 people.

● 2004 - British Prime Minister Tony Blair undergoes heart surgery

● 2004 - Baseball: Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki makes his 258th hit of the season, breaking George Sisler's 84-year-old single-season record.

● 2005 - Bombs rip through Bali restaurants; Almost exactly three years after a similar event, at least 26 people die and more than 50 are injured as the Indonesian resort island of Bali is hit by bomb blasts.

BIRTHS

● 1207 - King Henry III of England (d. 1272)

● 1471 - King Frederick I of Denmark (d. 1533)

● 1507 - Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola, Italian architect (d. 1573)

● 1540 - Johann Jakob Grynaeus, Swiss protestant clergyman (d. 1617)

● 1577 - Fidelis of Sigmaringen, Swiss friar, martyr, and saint (d. 1622)

● 1620 - Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem, Dutch painter (d. 1683)

● 1644 - Alessandro Stradella, Italian composer (d. 1682)

● 1671 - Guido Grandi, Italian mathematician (d. 1742)

● 1685 - Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor (d. 1740)

● 1691 - Arthur Onslow, English politician (d. 1768)

● 1730 - Richard Stockton, American attorney, signer of the Declaration of Independence (d. 1781)

● 1760 - William Thomas Beckford, English writer and politician (d. 1844)

● 1771 - Pierre Baillot, French violinist and composer (d. 1842)

● 1781 - James Lawrence, American naval officer (d. 1813)

● 1791 - Sergei Aksakov, Russian writer (d. 1859)

● 1835 - Ádám Politzer, Austrian physician (d. 1920)

● 1842 - Charles Cros, French poet and inventor (d. 1888)

● 1847 - Annie Besant, British theosophist writer, educator and politician (d. 1933)

● 1865 - Paul Abraham Dukas, French composer (d. 1935)

● 1881 - William Boeing, American engineer (d. 1956)

● 1885 - Louis Untermeyer, American author (d. 1977)

● 1878 - Othmar Spann, Austrian philosopher and economist (d. 1950)

● 1890 - Stanley Holloway, British actor (d. 1982)

● 1896 - Liaquat Ali Khan, first Prime Minister of Pakistan (d. 1951)

● 1896 - Ted Healy, American actor and comedian (d. 1937)

● 1899 - Ernest Haycox, American writer (d. 1950)

● 1900 - Tom Goddard, English cricketer (d. 1966)

● 1903 - Vladimir Horowitz, Ukrainian-born pianist considered one of the most accomplished players of the 20th century (d. 1989)

● 1904 - Otto Robert Frisch, Austrian-born physicist (d. 1979)

● 1904 - A.K. Gopalan, Indian communist leader (d. 1977)

● 1909 - Maurice Bardèche, French fascist, (d. 1998)

● 1909 - Sam Yorty, Mayor of Los Angeles, California (d. 1998)

● 1910 - Bonnie Parker, American outlaw (d. 1934)

● 1910 - Fritz Köberle, Austrian-Brazilian physician (d. 1983)

● 1910 - José Enrique Moyal, mathematical physicist (d. 1998)

● 1914 - Daniel J. Boorstin, American historian, writer, and Librarian of Congress (d. 2004)

● 1920 - Walter Matthau, American actor (d. 2000)

● 1921 - James Whitmore, American actor

● 1924 – James (Jimmy) Earl Carter, Jr. , 39th President of the United States, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize

● 1924 - Roger Williams, Pianist

● 1924 - William Hubbs Rehnquist , 16th Chief Justice of the United States in Milwaukee, WI (d. 2005)

● 1925 - Bob Boyd, baseball player (d. 2004)

● 1926 - Roger Williams, American pianist

● 1927 - Tom Bosley, American actor (''Happy Days'')

● 1928 - Laurence Harvey, Lithuanian-born actor (d. 1973)

● 1928 - George Peppard, American actor (d. 1994)

● 1930 - Naimatullah Khan, Pakistani politician and ex-mayor of Karachi

● 1930 - Sir Richard Harris, Irish actor (d. 2002)

● 1930 - Philippe Noiret, French actor

● 1931 - Sylvano Bussotti, Italian composer

● 1932 - Albert Collins, blues guitarist (d. 1993)

● 1935 - Julie Andrews, British actress and singer

● 1936 - Stella Stevens, American actress

● 1939 - George Archer, American golfer (d. 2005)

● 1942 - Frank Gardner, Australian formula one driver

● 1943 - Jean-Jacques Annaud, French film director

● 1943 - Jerry Martini, Rock musician (Sly and the Family Stone)

● 1943 - Angèle Arsenault, Canadian-Acadian singer and songwriter

● 1945 - Rod Carew, Panamanian Major League Baseball player and Hall of Fame member

● 1945 - Spider Sabich, American skiier (d. 1976)

● 1945 - Donny Hathaway, American soul musician and composer (d. 1979)

● 1946 - Dave Holland, Jazz bassist

● 1947 - Aaron Ciechanover, Israeli biologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry

● 1947 - Stephen Collins, American actor (''7th Heaven'')

● 1947 - Adriano Tilgher, Italian politician

● 1948 - Cub Koda, American singer (d. 2000)

● 1949 - Isaac Bonewits, American author

● 1950 - Randy Quaid, American actor

● 1952 - Jacques Martin, Canadian hockey coach and executive

● 1953 - John Hegley, British poet

● 1953 - Pete Falcone, baseball player

● 1954 - Martin Strel, Slovenian swimmer

● 1956 - Theresa May, British politician

● 1957 - Howard Hewett, R&B singer

● 1957 - Yvette Freeman, Actress (''ER'')

● 1959 - Youssou N'Dour, Senegalese singer

● 1962 - Esai Morales, American actor

● 1963 - Mark McGwire, baseball player

● 1964 - Christopher Titus, Actor

● 1964 - Harry Hill, British comedian

● 1964 - Jonathan Sarfati, Australian-born chess player, scientist, and author

● 1965 - Andreas Keller, German field hockey player

● 1965 - Cindy Margolis, Actress-model

● 1966 - George Weah, Liberian politician and footballer

● 1967 - Scott Young, American hockey player

● 1967 - Mike Pringle, professional football player

● 1968 - Jon Guenther, American author

● 1968 - Kevin Griffin, Rock musician (Better Than Ezra)

● 1969 - Igor Ulanov, National Hockey League defenseman

● 1970 - Alexei Zhamnov, Russian hockey player

● 1974 - Keith Duffy, Singer

● 1975 - Chulpan Khamatova, Russian actress

● 1976 - Dora Venter, Hungarian actress

● 1976 - Mandisa, American singer

● 1976 - Denis Gauthier, National Hockey League player

● 1977 - Jeffrey van Hooydonk, Belgian race car driver

● 1979 - Rudi Johnson, American football player

● 1979 - Gilberto Martínez. Costa Rican footballer

● 1981 - Júlio Baptista, Brazilian footballer

● 1982 - Haruna Babangida, Nigerian footballer

● 1982 - Sandra Oxenryd, Swedish singer

● 1985 - Dizzee Rascal, British musician

● 1985 - Ryo Miyamori, Japanese singer

● 1986 - Jurnee Smollett, Actress

● 1989 - Brie Larson, Actress

DEATHS

● 959 - King Edwy of England

● 1040 - Alan III, Duke of Brittany (poisoned) (b. 997)

● 1189 - Gerard de Ridefort, grandmaster of the Templars

● 1310 - Beatrice of Burgundy, Lady of Bourbon (b. 1257)

● 1404 - Pope Boniface IX (b. 1356)

● 1499 - Marsilio Ficino, Italian philosopher (b. 1433)

● 1500 - John Alcock, English Catholic bishop

● 1567 - Pietro Carnesecchi, Italian humanist (b. 1508)

● 1570 - Frans Floris, Flemish painter (b. 1520)

● 1574 - Marten Jacobszoon Heemskerk van Veen, Dutch painter (b. 1498)

● 1578 - Don John of Austria, military leader (b. 1547)

● 1609 - Giammateo Asola, Italian composer

● 1684 - Pierre Corneille, French author (b. 1606)

● 1693 - Pedro Abarca, Spanish theologian (b. 1619)

● 1708 - John Blow, British composer (b. 1649)

● 1768 - Robert Simson, Scottish mathematician (b. 1687)

● 1864 - Rose Greenhow, American Confederate spy (b. 1817)

● 1876 - James Lick, California land baron (b. 1796)

● 1901 - Abdur Rahman Khan, Afghan amir

● 1929 - Antoine Bourdelle, French sculptor (b. 1861)

● 1955 - Charles Christie, American film studio owner (b. 1880)

● 1958 - Robert Falk, Russian painter (b. 1886)

● 1975 - Al Jackson, American drummer (Booker T. & the M.G.'s) (b. 1935)

● 1984 - Walter Alston, baseball player (b. 1911)

● 1985 - E. B. White, American author (b. 1899)

● 1988 - Sacheverell Sitwell, English writer (b. 1897)

● 1990 - Curtis LeMay, American Air Force general (b. 1906)

● 1992 - Petra Kelly, German politician (b. 1947)

● 1994 - Paul Lorenzen, German philosopher (b. 1915)

● 1997 - Jerome H. Lemelson, American inventor (b. 1923)

● 1998 - Pauline Julien, French Canadian singer (b. 1928)

● 2000 - Reginald Kray, British gangster (b. 1933)

● 2000 - Robert Allen, pianist and songwriter (b. 1928)

● 2001 - Guy Beaulne, French Canadian actor and theatre director (b. 1921)

● 2002 - Walter Annenberg, American publisher and philanthropist (b. 1908)

● 2004 - Richard Avedon, American photographer (b. 1923)

● 2004 - Bruce Palmer, Canadian musician (Buffalo Springfield) (b. 1946)

HOLIDAYS AND OBSERVANCES

● RC Church - Feast days of Saint Thérèse de Lisieux; formerly of Saint Bavo and Saint Remigius

● Also see October 1 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

● People's Republic of China - National Day (1949)

● Republic of Cyprus - Independence Day (from Britain, 1960)

● Nigeria - Independence Day (from Britain, 1960)

● San Marino - two Captains Regent, elected by parliament, take office for six months.

● Tuvalu - Independence Day (from Gilbert Islands (Kiribati), 1975)

● French Republican Calendar - Cuve (Barrel) Day, tenth day in the Month of Vendémiaire

● World Vegetarian Day

● Singapore - Children's Day

● World Health Organization - World Hepatitis Awareness Day

● Ghana - Independence Day (from Britain, 1957)

FICTION

● In the first movie adaptation of Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the fictional character Willy Wonka gives an unprecedented tour of his chocolate factory on October 1 (year unspecified).


Click on this LINK to see original Wikipedia list with many having links with details.

Additional facts taken from:

The BBC Take on the day

On this day in the New York Times