Holidays
Columbus Day
Celebrating Christopher Columbus landing on one of the Bahama Islands on October 12, 1492.
The first Columbus Day celebration took place on October 12, 1792 in New York.
Columbus is often credited as the first European to reach the Americas, however, there's evidence that the Vikings may have reached the Americas about 500 years earlier.
What Happened On
USS Cole Bombing
October 12, 2000
Suicide bombers from Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda explode a small craft next to the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Cole in Yemen killing 17 sailors.
Rutan Long-EZ plane of the type Denver crashed in
Rutan Long-EZ plane of the type Denver crashed in
John Denver Killed in Plane Crash
October 12, 1997
Singer John Denver is killed when his small aircraft he was piloting crashed off the coast of California. The cause of the accident was Denver's inability to switch fuel tanks while in flight. Denver had purchased the plane from an individual who built it from a kit. The builder had placed the fuel switch behind the pilot, as opposed to its intended position between the pilot's legs. This prevented the pilot from switching tanks while strapped in and required the pilot to twist their body 90° to reach the switch. Denver apparently lost control while trying to switch fuel tanks and crashed. Even though Denver was aware of the switch location and that he was low on fuel in his primary tank, he chose to fly anyway, believing he could fly on autopilot while switching tanks.
Denver was not legally permitted to fly at the time due to previous drunk driving arrests. However, he had no alcohol in his system at the time of the accident.
He is known for his songs, Rocky Mountain High (1972), Thank God I'm A Country Boy (1975, #1), and he wrote Leaving On A Jet Plane (1969).
Photo Credit: Christie Jenkins Photography
Photo Credit: Christie Jenkins Photography
Actor Kills Himself with Blank Gun
October 12, 1984
Jon-Erik Hexum shoots himself while playing Russian Roulette with a blank gun on the set of the TV series Cover Up. He was unaware that the explosion from blanks is deadly at close range. He died six days later from his injuries.
Abby Road cover showing the "Funeral Procession"
Abby Road cover showing the "Funeral Procession"
PAUL IS DEAD
October 12, 1969
A Detroit disc jockey and his radio audience determine from "clues" found in Beatles' songs and album covers that Paul McCartney had died in an car accident in 1967. The rumor claimed that McCartney, after an argument with his bandmates, sped off in his car, crashed, and was decapitated. The remaining Beatles then substituted him with an orphan they had trained to impersonate him. Feeling guilty about their actions, they left clues in their songs and album covers.
One of the clues were the words "I buried Paul" spoken by John Lennon at the end of the song Strawberry Fields Forever, which the Beatles recorded in November and December of 1966. Lennon claimed the words were actually "Cranberry sauce".
Other clues came from the Abbey Road album cover, claiming it depicted a funeral procession: Lennon, dressed in white, symbolizing the heavenly figure; Ringo Starr, dressed in black, symbolized the undertaker; George Harrison, in denim, represents the gravedigger; and McCartney, barefoot and out of step with the others, symbolized the corpse.
The Volkswagen's license plate was "28IF" which would have been McCartney's age "IF" he had still been alive.
Also, the left-handed McCartney holds a cigarette in his right hand indicating it was an impostor in the photo.
The rumors were wrong of course.
The book Turn Me On, Dead Man: The Beatles and the "Paul Is Dead" Hoax, documents the hoax.
Khrushchev at a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly
Khrushchev at a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly
Khrushchev Shoe Incident
October 12, 1960
At a United Nations conference, Premier of the Soviet Union Nikita Khrushchev takes off his shoe and pounds a conference table. (Note: Although commonly believed and reported, there is much debate as to whether he actually pounded the table with his shoe or just waved it in the air.)
Dillinger Escapes Prison
October 12, 1933
The notorious criminal John Dillinger is broken out of prison by the Pierpont Bunch, which Dillinger had just helped escape from prison. They impersonated Indiana State Police officers, claiming they had come to extradite Dillinger to Indiana. When the sheriff asked for their credentials, Pierpont shot him dead, then released Dillinger from his cell. They then formed the famous Dillinger Gang.
American children reciting the Pledge of Allegiance with the Bellamy Salute in 1941
American children reciting the Pledge of Allegiance with the Bellamy Salute in 1941
Bellamy Salute For the American Flag
October 12, 1892
The Bellamy Salute is first demonstrated as the proper way to salute the American flag when reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. This was done in conjunction with the "National School Celebration of Columbus Day," celebrating the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus reaching the Americas. However, leading up to World War II, the Bellamy Salute lost favor because of its similarity to salutes adopted by Italian fascists and Nazis. Propagandists would photograph Americans who were opposed to entering the war, such as Charles Lindbergh, giving the Bellamy Salute, but leave out the American flag, making it look like they were giving a Nazi salute. It was officially replaced with the hand-over-heart salute by an act of Congress in 1942.
The Bellamy Salute is named after Francis Bellamy, the author of the Pledge of Allegiance, who designated it as the proper way to salute the flag when reciting the pledge.
The original Bellamy Salute started with a military salute (extended right hand at forehead with palm down), and as the words "to my Flag" were spoken, the right hand was extended palm upwards towards the flag, dropping to the side at the end of the pledge. But, the palm-up gesture was difficult to perform for many people, so it was replaced with a palm-down salute.
Pipe Wrench Patented
October 12, 1869
D.C. Stillson of Massachusetts patents his pipe wrench. It was the first practical pipe wrench design and is still in use today, and is properly called a "Stillson Wrench."
Three Blind Mice
October 12, 1609
The nursery rhyme Three Blind Mice, together with music, was published in London in the book Deuteromelia or The Seconde part of Musicks melodie. Thomas Ravenscroft was the editor of the book, and possibly the author of the rhyme.
It is believed to be the first printed secular song.
The original lyrics are:
Three Blinde Mice,
Three Blinde Mice,
Dame Iulian,
Dame Iulian,
the Miller and his merry olde Wife,
shee scrapte her tripe licke thou the knife.
The modern version is:
Three blind mice. Three blind mice.
See how they run. See how they run.
They all ran after the farmer's wife,
Who cut off their tails with a carving knife.
Did you ever see such a sight in your life
As three blind mice?
Columbus Reaches the Americas
October 12, 1492
Christopher Columbus reaches one of the Bahama Islands, naming it San Salvador.
On his first day in the Americas, he enslaved six natives, writing in his journal that he believed they would make good servants.
Columbus is often credited as the first European to reach the Americas, however, there's evidence that the Vikings may have reached the Americas about 500 years earlier.
Is Anyone Out There?
October 12, 1992
NASA, using two giant radio-telescopes in California and Puerto Rico, begins scanning the skies for signs of alien life.
First Pig-to-Human Liver Transplant
October 12, 1992
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center performs the operation on a 26-year-old woman. She died shortly thereafter.
First U.S. Vice President Appointed Under the 25th Amendment
October 12, 1973
Gerald Ford is appointed the position of U.S. Vice President after the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew.
Ford then became president the following year when President Nixon resigned.
First Woman U.S. Ambassador
October 12, 1949
Eugenie Anderson is nominated by U.S. President Harry S. Truman as ambassador to Denmark. She was sworn in on the 28th.
She was later appointed by U.S. President John F. Kennedy to be ambassador to Bulgaria (1962-1964).
Birthdays
The Human Caterpillar
Prince Randian
Born October 12, 1871 d. 1934
Guyanese-born American performer. He was a famous limbless sideshow performer of the early 1900s, best known for his ability to roll cigarettes with his lips. He was born without arms or legs due to having tetra-amelia syndrome. He was also able to paint and write by holding a brush or stylus with his lips and could shave himself by securing a razor in a wooden block. He fathered five children with his wife.
He was brought to the United States by P.T. Barnum at the age of 18, and was a popular Coney Island carnival and circus attraction for 45 years where he performed under the names Pillow Man, The Snake Man, The Human Torso, The Human Caterpillar, among others.
He was featured in the 1932 film Freaks, in which he is seen lighting up a cigarette with a match.
Kirk Cameron
Born October 12, 1970
American actor. TV: Growing Pains (Mike Seaver).
Susan Anton
Born October 12, 1950
American actress, Miss California. (1969). Film: Goldengirl (1979). TV: Baywatch.
Luciano Pavarotti
Born October 12, 1935 d. 2007
Italian tenor, one of "The Three Tenors." He was caught lip-syncing during a live BBC radio performance (1992).
First U.S. Public Official in Space
Jake Garn (Edwin Jacob Garn)
Born October 12, 1932
American politician, U.S. Senator (1974-93, R-Utah). He was the first U.S. public official in space (1985, aboard the space shuttle Discovery). During his space flight, he was the subject of medical experiments on space motion sickness. He experienced such severe space sickness that a scale for space sickness was jokingly based on him - with "one Garn" equal to the highest possible level of space sickness.
Dick Gregory (Richard Claxton Gregory)
Born October 12, 1932 d. 2017
American comedian, civil rights activist, anti-Vietnam War activist, diet-mix salesman.
Elmer Ambrose Sperry
Born October 12, 1860 d. 1930
American engineer. Inventor of the gyro-compass (1910) and founder of Sperry Electric Co. (1888).
Pedro I
Born October 12, 1798 d. 1834
founder and first Emperor of the Empire of Brazil (1822-31).
Edward VI
Born October 12, 1537 d. 1553
King of England (1547-53). He was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour.
Deaths
Wilt Chamberlain
Died October 12, 1999 b. 1936
American basketball Hall of Famer. Considered the greatest defensive player in history, and holder of numerous pro basketball records, including most points in a game (100 in 1962). He also played with the Harlem Globetrotters (1958-59).
John Denver (Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr.)
Died October 12, 1997 b. 1943
American Grammy-winning singer. Music: Rocky Mountain High (1972), Thank God I'm A Country Boy (1975, #1), and wrote Leaving On A Jet Plane (1969).
He died when the small aircraft he was piloting crashed off the coast of California. The cause of the accident was Denver's inability to switch fuel tanks while in flight. Denver had purchased the plane from an individual who built it from a kit. The builder had placed the fuel switch behind the pilot, as opposed to its intended position between the pilot's legs. This prevented the pilot from switching tanks while strapped in and required the pilot to twist their body 90° to reach the switch. Denver apparently lost control while trying to switch fuel tanks and crashed. Even though Denver was aware of the switch location and that he was low on fuel in his primary tank, he chose to fly anyway, believing he could fly on autopilot while switching tanks.
Denver was not legally permitted to fly at the time due to previous drunk driving arrests. However, he had no alcohol in his system at the time of the accident.
Jay Ward
Died October 12, 1989 b. 1920
American animation producer, cartoon producer of such characters as Rocky the Flying Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose.
First African-American Military Pilot
Eugene Bullard
Died October 12, 1961 b. 1895
American aviator. He was the first African-American military pilot. He was living in France in 1914 at the outbreak of World War I and signed up for the French Foreign Legion where he was wounded and cited for acts of valor and was awarded the croix de guerre. In 1916, he volunteered for the French Air Service where he took part in over 20 combat missions. When the U.S. entered the war, he tried to join the United States Army Air Service, but was turned down because he was black. He also served in the French infantry during World War II.
First Tarzan of Film
Gordon Griffith
Died October 12, 1958 b. 1907
American actor. One of the first child actors, he became the first actor to portray Tarzan in film after appearing as the child Tarzan in Tarzan of the Apes (1918). Elmo Lincoln played Tarzan as an adult in the film, making him the first to portray an adult Tarzan. Griffith would also play Tarzan's son, Korak, in the 15 episode serial The Son of Tarzan (1920).
He also appeared as Tom Sawyer in Huckleberry Finn (1920).
Robert E. Lee (Robert Edward Lee)
Died October 12, 1870 b. 1807
American soldier. He turned down the command of the U.S. Army to become commander of the Virginian forces during the Civil War.
Willie Shoemaker
Died October 12, 2003 b. 1931
American horse jockey. All-time leader in wins (8,833) and four time winner of the Kentucky Derby (also the oldest winner, age 54 in 1986). In 1991, he rolled his Ford Bronco II, leaving him a quadriplegic. He sued Ford and won a $1,000,000 settlement.
Leon Ames (Leon Waycoff)
Died October 12, 1993 b. 1902
American actor. TV: Mister Ed (1963-65, neighbor Gordon Kirkwood). He was one of the 19 founders of the Screen Actors Guild (1933) and served as its president (1957-58).
Sonja Henie
Died October 12, 1969 b. 1912
Norwegian figure skater, actress. A 10-time world champion (1927-36), she won the Norwegian championship at age 11, the world title at age 13, and Olympic gold medals in 1928, 1932, and 1936.
George Schwartz Welch
Died October 12, 1954 b. 1918
American WWII flying ace. He was one of the few U.S. pilots to engage the Japanese during the attack on Pearl Harbor, claiming two kills, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. It has been alleged he broke the sound barrier in a dive two weeks before Chuck Yeager (note: Yeager's feat was during level flight). However, Welch never claimed this and some historians discredit this claim. Welch was portrayed in the film Tora! Tora! Tora (1970) by Rick Cooper.
Tom Mix
Died October 12, 1940 b. 1880
American silent film western actor. His action-packed films set the pattern for future westerns.
Anatole France (Jacques Anatole Thibault)
Died October 12, 1924 b. 1844
French Nobel-winning author. Writings: Penguin Island (1908), The Gods Are Athirst (1912), and Revolt of the Angels (1913).
Maximilian II
Died October 12, 1576 b. 1527
Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (1564-76).
John IV
Died October 12, 642 b. ????
religious leader, 72nd Pope (640-642).
Honorius I
Died October 12, 638 b. ????
religious leader, 70th Pope (625-638).