Today in History - October 8th

1492 - Today in history, Columbus' fleet was about 400 sea miles from Puerto Rico.
1633 - On this day in history, Massachusetts Bay Colony formed its first government.
1769 - Today in history, Captain James Cook was the first European to land in New Zealand (Poverty bay). He also explored the rest of the Pacific, including the Hawaiian Islands.
1775 - On this day in history, officers decided to bar slaves & free blacks from the Continental Army.
1840 - Today in history, the 1st Hawaiian Constitution was proclaimed.

1860 - A telegraph line between LA & San Francisco opened. Nothing like email, it was still the fastest communication method of its day.
1873 - The first women's prison ran by women opened at Indiana Reformatory Institute, on this day in history.
1896 - Today in history, The Dow Jones started reporting an average of selected industrial stocks.
1917 - On this day in history, Trotsky was named chairman of The Petrograd Soviet.
1939 - Germany annexed Western Poland, on this day in history. Expansion and appropriation plans continued to go in favor of the Germans.
1941 - Today in history, the concentration camp Birkenau began construction.
2001 - On this day in history, U.S. President George W. Bush announced the establishment of the Office of Homeland Security.
2012 - Socialist Hugo Chávez was re-elected president of Venezuela for a fourth term, today in history.

CULTURE, LIFESTYLE - Today in History, October 8th

1886 - On this day in history, the debut of Sherlock Holmes' adventure "Noble Bachelor" took place.
1928 - Cole Porter & E Ray Goetz' musical "Paris" premiered in NYC, today in history.
1944 - On this day in history, The "Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet" debuted on CBS radio.
1970 - Soviet author Alexander I. Solzhenitsyn won The Nobel Prize for Literature, today in history.
1971 - On this day in history, John Lennon released his megahit "Imagine."
1976 - Today in history, The Sex Pistols signed with EMI.
1985 - Alain Boubil/Herbert Kretzner's "Les Miserables," premiered in London, on this day in history.
1990 - Today in history, US doctors Joseph E. Murray & E. Donnall Thomas won The Nobel Prize.

1908 - On this day in history, The NY Giants set season attendance record at 910,000 (broken in 1920).
1915 - Today in history, the Phillies won their first & only World Series game before 1980.
1928 - Eastern Soccer League formed in the US, today in history.
1957 - On this day in history, The Brooklyn Dodgers announced their move to Los Angeles.
1961 - Whitey Ford broke Babe Ruth's World Series record of 29 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, running his streak to 32, today in history.

1893 - On this day in history, painter and etcher of fame Orovida Camille Pissarro, was born in Epping, England.

1895 - Today in history, Juan Peron, Argentine President (1946-55, 1973-74) was born.

1939 - Paul Hogan, Australian actor (Crocodile Dundee, Lightning Jack) entered his first informal stage.

1943 - Chevy Chase was born in NYC, to become top comedian/actor (SNL, Vacation, Fletch, and Caddyshack).

1948 - Johnny Ramone [Cummings] was born in Long Island, New York, to lead musically as a rock guitarist (The Ramones).