Today In History - October 11

1737 An earthquake kills 300,000 people in Calcutta, India
1776 Brigadier General Arnold's Lake Champlain fleet is defeated by British
1797 British naval forces defeat the Dutch off Camperdown, the Netherlands
1811 The Juliana, the first steam-powered ferryboat, begins operation
1864 Slavery is abolished in Maryland
1865 President Johnson paroles Alexander Stephens
1890 The first 100 yard dash run in under 10 seconds: John Owens
1890 The Daughters of the American Revolution are founded
1919 The first transcontinental air race ends
1922 The first woman FBI "special investigator" is appointed: Alaska Davidson
1927 Lou Gehrig is elected MVP
1932 The first political telecast: Democratic National Committee at CBS, in New York City
1936 The first radio quiz show premieres: "Professor Quiz"
1945 Chinese civil war begins, Chiang Kai-Shek Vs Mao Tse-Tung
1961 Leonard "Chico" Marx (Marx Brothers), dies at 74
1962 The first appearance of a Gabor sister: The Merv Griffin Show
1962 The second Vatican Council is convened by Pope John XXIII
1968 The Panama revolt begins
1971 Frank McGee becomes the news anchor of the Today Show
1975 "Saturday Night Live" premieres with the controversial guest host George Carlin
1977 Soyuz 25 returns to Earth
1978 Aristides Royo is elected president of Panama
1980 Cosmonauts Popov and Ryumin set space endurance record of 184 days
1981 Unknown rocker Prince opens for the Rolling Stones at the LA Coliseum
1983 The last hand-cranked telephones in the US went out of service when 440 telephone customers in Bryant Pond, Maine, were switched to direct-dial
1984 NASA launches space vehicle S-208
1984 VP candidate debate: Geraldine Ferraro (D) Vs George Bush (R)
1985 President Reagan bans the importation of South African Krugerrands
1986 President Reagan and Gorbachev open talks at a summit in Reykjavik, Iceland
1987 200,000 gays gather and march for civil rights in Washington
1990 Octavio Paz wins Nobel Prize for literature
1990 The cost of crude oil hits a record $40.42 per barrel (the good old days…)
1991 Redd Foxx dies at 68 from a heart attack
1991 Anita Hill testifies that Clarence Thomas sexually harassed her
1991 Chip Beck ties the PGA lowest 18-hole score of 59

Today In History - October 11

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Famous Persons Born on This Date in History