EXPLORERS
On Jan. 18, 1912, English explorer Robert F. Scott and his expedition reached the South Pole, only to discover that Roald Amundsen had beaten them to it. (Scott and his party perished during the return trip.)
WAR!
1862 Confederate Territory of Arizona is formed.
1919 the Paris Peace Conference, held to negotiate peace treaties ending World War I, opened in Versailles, France.
1943 During World War II, the Soviets announced they had broken through the long Nazi siege of Leningrad (it was another year before the siege was fully lifted).
2003 Top U.N. officials warned Iraq it was running out of time to cooperate and avoid war. Protesters nationwide and overseas demonstrated in opposition to possible war in Iraq.
DISASTERS
1915 Train crashes at Colima-Guadalajara Mexico, about 600 die.
1947 Small river steamer sank on Yangtze River, kills 400.
1988 Airliner crashes in SW China, killing all 108 on board.
EXPLORERS
1778, English navigator Capt. James Cook reached the Hawaiian Islands, which he dubbed the "Sandwich Islands."
UFOs
1644 Perplexed Pilgrims in Boston reported America's 1st UFO sighting.
KAISERS
1871 William I of Prussia was proclaimed German Emperor in Versailles, France.
EXHIBITIONS
1733 1st polar bear exhibited in America (Boston).
DRUGS
1990 Washington DC, Mayor Marion Barry arrested in drug enforcement sting.
JEWS
1943 Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto begin resistance of Nazis.
RATIONING
1943 A wartime ban on the sale of pre-sliced bread in the U.S. — aimed at reducing bakeries' demand for metal replacement parts — went into effect.
LOTTERIES
1986 New York Lotto pays $30.5 million to one winner (#s are 19-20-27-34-41-46).
PROGRESS
1911 1st shipboard landing of a plane (Tanforan Park to USS Pennsylvania).
SERIAL KILLERS
In 1967, Albert DeSalvo, who claimed to be the "Boston Strangler," was convicted in Cambridge, Mass., of armed robbery, assault and sex offenses. (Sentenced to life, DeSalvo was killed in prison in 1973.)
CIVIL RIGHTS
1949 1st US Congressional standing committee headed by Negro (W Dawson).
1966 Robert C Weaver, confirmed as 1st black cabinet member (HUD).
RUNAWAY PROSECUTORS
1990 A jury in Los Angeles acquitted former preschool operators Raymond Buckey and his mother, Peggy McMartin Buckey, of 52 child molestation charges.
PRO WRESTLING
1971 Ivan Koloff beats Bruno Sammartino in NY, to become WWF champ.
MUSIC
1980 Pink Floyd's "The Wall" hits #1.
POPES
1998 Pope John Paul II named 22 new cardinals, including Archbishop Francis Eugene George of Chicago and James Francis Stafford, the former archbishop of Denver.
SPORTS
1951 NFL rules tackles, guards & centers ineligible for forward pass.
DEATH PENALTY
2007 Truck driver Tyrone Williams was spared the death penalty and sentenced in Houston to life in prison for his role in the deaths of 19 illegal immigrants crammed in a sweltering tractor-trailer.
FINANCE
1980 Gold reaches $1,000 an ounce.
1991 Eastern Airlines goes out of business after 62 years.
DIVORCE
1996 Lisa Marie Presley filed for divorce from Michael Jackson in NY.
BIRTHDAYS
Movie director John Boorman is 75. Singer-songwriter Bobby Goldsboro is 67. Comedian-singer-musician Brett Hudson is 55. Actor-director Kevin Costner is 53. Country singer Mark Collie is 52. Actress Jane Horrocks is 44. Comedian Dave Attell is 43. Actor Jesse L. Martin ("Law & Order") is 39. Rapper DJ Quik is 38. Rock singer Jonathan Davis (Korn) is 37. Singer Christian Burns (BBMak) is 35. Actor Derek Richardson is 32. Actor Jason Segel is 28. Actress Samantha Mumba is 25.
DEATH
1862 the 10th president of the United States, John Tyler, died in Richmond, Va., at age 71.
1936 author Rudyard Kipling died in Burwash, England.
1991 Nita Krebs actor (Munchkin-Wizard of Oz), dies of heart attack at 85
1996 Minnesota Fats [Rudolf Wanderone Jr], billiard hustler, dies at 82
1997 Paul Tsongas (Senator-D-MA), dies at 55
January 18, the 18th day of 2008. There are 348 days left in the year.
compiled by Mondoreb
[images:
Sources:
* Today in History
* Today in History
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
