Historical Events
Sports History
Oct 3 American tennis star Billie Jean King becomes first female athlete to win $100,000 in prize money in a single year; wins the $4,000 Virginia Slams Tournament in Phoenix, Arizona
F1 World Champion
Oct 3 US Formula 1 Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, New York: French driver François Cevert wins the race, his Tyrell-Ford teammate Scotsman Jackie Stewart finishes to claim his second Formula 1 World Drivers Championship by 29 points over Swede Ronnie Peterson
- Oct 4 Borden's opens a turn-of-century ice cream parlor at Disney World
- Oct 4 KMPH TV channel 26 in Visalia-Fresno, CA (IND) begins broadcasting
- Oct 4 USSR performs underground nuclear test
- Oct 5 A new sitting of the Northern Ireland parliament at Stormont begins, though the Social Democratic and Labour Party remain absent due to its continuing protest against Internment
- Oct 6 MLB National League Championship: Pittsburgh Pirates beat San Francisco Giants, 3 games to 1
The French Connection
Oct 7 "The French Connection" directed by William Friedkin and starring Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider and Fernando Rey premieres in the US (Academy Awards Best Picture 1972)
Meeting of Interest
Oct 7 Northern Ireland Prime Minister Brian Faulkner meets with British Prime Minister Edward Heath; they agree to send an additional 1,500 British Army troops to Northern Ireland
- Oct 7 Terence McNally's play "Where has Tommy Flowers gone?" premieres in NYC
Imagine
Oct 8 Apple Records releases John Lennon's second solo studio album, "Imagine" in UK; it tops the charts in US, UK, Australia, and 3 other countries
- Oct 8 John Lennon releases his megahit single "Imagine"
- Oct 8 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
World Series
Oct 11 Baltimore 3B Brooks Robinson sets Baseball World Series record; reaches base 5 straight times in Orioles 11-3 win over Pittsburgh Pirates in Game 2 at Memorial Stadium
- Oct 11 Frank McGee becomes news anchor of Today Show
- Oct 11 Switzerland recognizes North Vietnam
Music History
Oct 12 Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar", starring Jeff Fenholt and Ben Vereen opens at Mark Hellinger Theatre, NYC; runs for 711 performances
TV Show Appearance
Oct 14 John Lennon and Yoko Ono appear on "Dick Cavett Show"
World Series
Oct 17 Baseball World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates beat Baltimore Orioles, 2-1 at Memorial Stadium to claim championship. 4-3; MVP: Pirates outfielder Roberto Clemente
- Oct 17 Cleveland Metroparks' Rocky River Nature Center opens
- Oct 17 It is estimated today that approximately 16,000 households were withholding rent and rates for council houses as part of the campaign of civil disobedience against internment organised by the Social Democratic and Labour Party, Northern Ireland
- Oct 19 A group of Northern Ireland Members of Parliament begin a 48 hour hunger strike against the policy of Internment
- Oct 19 Last issue of "Look" magazine is published
Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death
Oct 20 Melvin Van Peebles' musical "Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death" opens at Barrymore Theater, NYC; runs for 325 performances
- Oct 20 The Nepal stock exchange collapses.
Event of Interest
Oct 20 US Senator Edward Kennedy calls for a withdrawal of British troops from Northern Ireland and all-party negotiations to establish a United Ireland
Nobel Peace Prize
Oct 20 West German Chancellor Willy Brandt is awarded Nobel Peace Prize
- Oct 21 "To Live Another Summer" opens at Helen Hayes NYC for 173 performances
Nobel Prize in Literature
Oct 21 Nobel prize for literature awarded to Pablo Neruda
- Oct 21 USSR performs nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in northeast Kazakhstan
- Oct 21 William H Rehnquist & Lewis F Powell nominated to US Supreme Court by Nixon, following resignations of Justices Hugo Black & John Harlan
- Oct 22 USSR performs nuclear test
- Oct 23 Three Catholic civilians are shot dead by the British Army during an attempted robbery in Newry, County Down
- Oct 23 Two female members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) are shot dead by the British Army in the Lower Falls area of Belfast
- Oct 23 WXLT (now WWSB) TV channel 40 in Sarasota-Bradenton, FL (ABC) begins
- Oct 24 A member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) is shot dead by undercover Royal Ulster Constabulary officers during a bomb attack in Belfast
- Oct 24 Harry Drake sets longest arrow flight by a footbow (1 mile 268 yds)
- Oct 24 President of Sinn Féin Ruairi O'Brady, addresses a party conference in Dublin and proclaims that the North of Ireland must be made ungovernable as a first step to achieve a united Ireland
- Oct 24 Texas Stadium opens-Cowboys beat Patriots 44-21
- Oct 25 A man dies two days after being shot during an Irish Republican Army attack on the British Army in Belfast
- Oct 25 Belgium & People's Republic of China establish diplomatic relations
- Oct 25 General Meeting of UN agrees to admit People's Republic of China
- Oct 25 United Nations votes to expel the Chinese Nationalist ruled Taiwan and admit the Communist People's Republic of China
- Oct 26 An Assembly, attended only by Nationalist politicians, and acting as an alternative to Stormont, meet in Dungiven Castle
- Oct 26 UN votes to replace Taiwan with China
- Oct 27 Gerard Newe becomes the first Catholic to serve in any Northern Ireland government since 1920; Newe was appointed to try to improve community relations
- Oct 27 Republic of Congo-Kinshasa becomes Republic of Zaire
- Oct 28 John Lennon and Yoko Ono record the single "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" in NYC
Britain Joins the European Community
Oct 28 The British Parliament debates the European Communities principle of membership and votes 356 to 244 in favour of joining, requiring a new law to be drafted and a later final vote on joining
- Oct 28 United Kingdom becomes the 6th nation to have a satellite in orbit with the launch of Prospero
200 Motels
Oct 29 Frank Zappa's musical mockumentary "200 Motels", starring The Mothers of Invention, Theodore Bikel, and Ringo Starr premieres in Beverly Hills, California
On the Town
Oct 31 Revival of Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden and Adolph Green's musical "On the Town" opens at Imperial Theater, NYC; runs for 65 performances
- Oct 31 The Irish Republican Army (IRA) explode a bomb at the Post Office Tower in London
Famous Birthdays
Tiffany Darwish (52 years old)
Oct 2 American pop and rock singer ("I Think We're Alone Now"), born in Norwalk, California
- Oct 3 Kevin Richardson, American pop singer (Backstreet Boys - "Quit Playing Games With My Heart"), born in Lexington, Kentucky
- Oct 3 Sean Duffy, American politician (Rep-R-Wisconisn), TV commentator and reality TV personality, born in Hayward, Wisconsin
- Oct 3 Wil Cordero, Puerto Rican baseball utility (MLB All Star, Silver Slugger Award 1994; Montréal Expos), born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
- Oct 4 Friderika Bayer [Ilona Csukáné], Hungarian pop and gospel singer, born in Budapest, Hungary
- Oct 5 Chad Lewis, American football tight end (Philadelphia Eagles), born in Fort Dix, New Jersey
- Oct 5 Chris Whitney, American basketball guard (Wash Wizards), born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky
- Oct 5 Dan Plante, American ice hockey player (NY Islanders), born in St Louis, Missouri
- Oct 5 Mauricio Pellegrino, Argentine soccer defender (3 caps; Vélez Sarsfield, Valencia) and manager (Valencia, Estudiantes, Independiente, Alavés, Southampton, Cádiz), born in Córdoba, Argentina
- Oct 6 Alan Stubbs, English soccer manager with Hibernian, Rotherham, St. Mirren; centre-back Bolton Wanderers 202 games, Celtic, Everton, born in Kirkby, England
- Oct 6 Chris Hudson, NFL strong safety (Jacksonville Jaguars)
- Oct 6 Lola Dueñas, Spanish actress
- Oct 6 Phil Bennett, British racing driver
- Oct 7 Daniel Boucher, Québécois musician, born in Montreal, Quebec
- Oct 7 Johnnie Morton, American NFL wide receiver (Detroit Lions), born in Inglewood, California
- Oct 8 Monty Williams, American basketball coach (NBA Coach of the Year 2022, Phoenix Suns 2019-23; New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans 2010-15; Detroit Pistons), born in Fredericksburg, Virginia
- Oct 8 Nate Miller, American NFL and WLAF guard (Frankfurt Galaxy, Atlanta Falcons), born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
- Oct 8 Val St. Germain, Canadian football tackle (Grey Cup 2007 Saskatchewan Roughriders; CFL East All-Star 1998, 2003; CFL West All-Star 1999), born in Ottawa, Ontario
- Oct 9 Simon Atlee, British fashion photographer (d. 2004)
- Oct 10 Corey Louchiey, American NFL offensive tackle (Buffalo Bills), born in Greenville, South Carolina
- Oct 10 Evgeny Kissin, Russian concert pianist, born in Moscow
- Oct 10 Ian Bennett, English football goalkeeper (Birmingham City), born in Worksop, England
- Oct 11 Natalie Jay, English actress (Baywatch), born in Hendon, London
- Oct 11 Petra Haden, American musician (The Rentals), born in Manhattan, New York
- Oct 12 Ahn Jae Wook, South Korean actor, composer and singer, born in Donam-dong, Seongbuk District, Seoul, South Korea (d. 1971)
- Oct 12 Bronzell Miller, American WLAF linebacker (Amsterdam Admirals), born in Federal Way, Washington (d. 2013)
- Oct 12 Tony Fiore, American baseball player, born in Oak Park, Illinois
- Oct 13 Billy Bush, American radio and TV host, born in Manhattan, New York
- Oct 13 Irv Smith, American NFL tight end (New Orleans Saints), born in Trenton, New Jersey
Sacha Baron Cohen (52 years old)
Oct 13 British comedian and actor (Ali G, Borat), born in London, England
- Oct 14 Frank Wycheck, American football tight end (Pro Bowl 1998, 99, 2000; Washington Redskins, Houston/Tennessee Oilers-Titans), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2023)
- Oct 14 Jorge Costa, Portuguese soccer defender and manager (50 caps; FC Porto), born in Porto, Portugal
- Oct 15 Andy Cole, English soccer striker (15 caps; Newcastle United, Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Fulham), born in Nottingham, England
- Oct 15 Annbjørg Lien, Norwegian folk fiddler and nyckelharpa player, born in Ålesund, Norway
- Oct 15 Roland McGhee, American long jumper, born in Flint, Michigan
- Oct 16 Chad Gray, American heavy metal singer (Hellyeah; Mudvayne), born in Latham, Illinois
- Oct 16 David Johnson, cricketer (Karnataka fast bowler, India 1996-)
- Oct 16 Greg Jeffries, NFL cornerback (Detroit Lions)
- Oct 16 Simon Shanks, NFL inside linebacker (Arizona Cardinals)
- Oct 17 Byron Chamberlain, American football tight end (Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings), born in Honolulu, Hawaii
- Oct 17 Chris Kirkpatrick, American pop countertenor ('N Sync - "I Thought She Knew"), born in Clarion, Pennsylvania on
- Oct 17 Ernest Dixon, NFL linebacker (New Orleans Saints)
- Oct 17 Henry McMillian, NFL defensive tackle (Seattle Seahawks)
- Oct 17 Martin Heinrich, American politician (Senator-D-New Mexico 2013-), born in Fallon, Nevada
- Oct 18 Bob Whitfield, NFL tackle (Atlanta Falcons), born in Carson, California
- Oct 18 Yoo Sang-chul, South Korean soccer midfielder (124 caps; 2002 FIFA World Cup All-Star Team; Ulsan Hyundai), born in Seoul, South Korea (d. 2021)
- Oct 20 Dannii Minogue, Australian singer, sister of Kylie Minogue, born in Melbourne, Victoria
- Oct 20 Eddie Jones, American NBA guard/forward (LA Lakers), born in Pompano Beach, Florida
- Oct 20 Kenneth Choi, American actor (Sons of Anarchy; The Wolf of Wall Street; The Last Man on Earth), born in Chicago, Illinois
- Oct 20 Kimberly Po, American tennis player (1991 Futures-Evansville IN), born in Los Angeles, California
Snoop Dogg (52 years old)
Oct 20 American rapper ("What's My Name"; "Drop It Like It's Hot"), born in Long Beach, California
- Oct 21 Astrella Celeste [Leitch] Scottish-American composer and Donovan's daughter, born in Beverly Hills, California
- Oct 21 Damien Martyn, cricketer (WA & Australian middle-order batsman)
- Oct 21 Jade Jagger, daughter of Mick & Bianca Jagger, born in Paris, France
- Oct 21 Nick Oliveri, American rock bassist and singer (Queens Of The Stone Age, 1998-2004), born in Los Angeles, California
- Oct 21 Paul Norman Telfer, Scottish footballer
- Oct 21 René Ponk, soccer player (FC Utrecht)
- Oct 21 Shane Hannah, NFL guard (Dallas Cowboys)
- Oct 21 Thomas Ulsrud, Norwegian curler (World C'ship gold [skip] 2014; Olympics silver 2010), born in Oslo, Norway (d. 2022)
- Oct 22 Amanda Coetzer, South African tennis player (World #3 1997; Hopman Cup 2000 [Wayne Ferreria]; US Open doubles 1993 runner-up), born in Hoopstad, South Africa
- Oct 22 Jennifer Lee (née Rebecchi), American BAFTA and Academy Award-winning screenwriter and director (Frozen; Frozen II), born in Providence, Rhode Island
- Oct 24 Dervla Kirwan, Irish TV and stage actress, born in Churchtown, Dublin
- Oct 24 Mike Verstegen, American NFL guard (New Orleans Saints), born in Appleton, Wisconsin
- Oct 25 Athena Chu, Hong Kong actress (A Chinese Odyssey), born in Hong Kong
- Oct 25 Craig Robinson, American actor (The Office, Killing It), born in Chicago, Illinois
- Oct 25 Geoffrey Prommayon, Thai-American soccer player (PSV), born in Udon Thani, Thailand
- Oct 25 Lee Gissendaner, NFL/WLAF receiver (Minnesota Vikings, Scottish Claymores), born in Akron, Ohio
- Oct 25 Midori [Gotō], Japanese-American concert violinist (Avery Fisher Prize, 2001), music education advocate, and teacher, born in Osaka, Japan
Pedro Martínez (52 years old)
Oct 25 Dominican Baseball HOF pitcher (8 × MLB All-Star; World Series 2004; Cy Young Award 1997, 99, 2000; Triple Crown 1999; Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox), born in Manoguayabo, Dominican Republic
- Oct 25 Simon Charlton, English footballer (Southampton), born in Huddersfield, England
- Oct 26 Anthony Rapp, American singer and actor, born in Joliet, Illinois
- Oct 26 Ronnie Irani, English cricketer (Essex all-rounder, England 1996), born in Leigh, Lancashire, England
- Oct 26 Vijay Iyer, American jazz composer, pianist, and bandleader (Uneasy; Far From Over), born in Albany, New York
- Oct 27 Jade Arcade, American comics artist and writer, born in Nashville, Tennessee
- Oct 27 Jorge Soto, Peruvian soccer midfielder (101 caps; Sporting Cristal), born in Lima, Peru
- Oct 27 Mike Ricci, Canadian NHL center (Colorado Avalanche), born in Scarborough, Ontario
- Oct 27 Theodoros Zagorakis, Greek soccer midfielder (120 caps; Kavala, PAOK, Leicester City, AEK Athens, Bologna) and politician (Member European Parliament), born in Kavala, Greece
- Oct 28 John Coker, NBA center (Phoenix Suns)
- Oct 28 Nicole Green, 400m runner, born in Springfield, Ohio
- Oct 29 Daniel J. Bernstein, American professor and cryptologist, born in East Patchogue, New York
- Oct 29 Greg Blewett, Australian cricketer (Aust batsman, century on Test debut 1995)
- Oct 29 Ma Huateng [Pony Ma], Chinese entrepreneur (Tencent), born in Chaoyang District, Shantou
- Oct 29 Matthew Hayden, Australian cricket batsman (103 Tests, 8,625runs @ 50.73, 30 x 100, HS 380; 161 ODIs, 10 x 100; Queensland CA, Hampshire CCC, Northamptonshire CCC, Chennai Super Kings, Brisbane Heat), born in Kingaroy, Australia
- Oct 29 Valérie Masson-Delmotte, French climate scientist (co-chair 2021 report Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), born in Nancy, France
Winona Ryder (52 years old)
Oct 29 American actress (Heathers, Edward Scissorhands), born in Winona, Minnesota
- Oct 30 Edward "Ted" Murphy, American rower (Olympic 5th 1996), born in Boston, Massachusetts
- Oct 30 Henry Ford, NFL defensive end (Houston/Tennessee Oilers), born in Fort Worth, Texas
- Oct 31 Alphonso Ford, American basketball guard (EuroLeague Top Scorer, All-EuroLeague First Team 2001, 03; Olympiacos, Montepaschi Siena), born in Greenwood, Mississippi (d. 2004)
- Oct 31 Ian Walker, English footballer, born in Watford, Hertfordshire, England
- Oct 31 Tom Smith, Scottish rugby union loosehead prop (61 Tests, 6 British & Irish Lions; Glasgow Warriors, Caledonia Reds, Northampton Saints RUFC), born in London, England (d. 2022)
Famous Weddings
Lorne Michaels
Oct 5 Television producer Lorne Michaels (26) weds comedy writer Rosie Shuster (21)
Steve Garvey
Oct 27 Baseball player Steve Garvey (22) weds Cyndy Truman
Famous Deaths
- Oct 2 Bola de Nieve [Ignacio Jacinto Villa Fernández], Cuban singer, pianist and songwriter, dies at 60
- Oct 3 Leah Baird, American actress and screenwriter (Jungle Bride), dies of anemia at 88
- Oct 3 Seán Ó Riada [John Reidy], Irish composer (Mise Éire), traditional music revivalist, and bandleader (Ceoltóirí Chualann), dies at 40
- Oct 4 Edit Angold, German actress (Suspense, Molly, Blue Angel), dies at 76
- Oct 8 Johanna Bordewijk-Roepman, Dutch composer, dies at 79
- Oct 10 Christopher Dark [Alfred Francis DeLeo], American character actor, (World Without End; The Time Tunnel), dies of a heart attack at 51
- Oct 10 John Cawte Beaglehole, New Zealand historian (b. 1901)
- Oct 11 Chester Conklin, American actor (Every Day's a Holiday, Greed), dies at 85
- Oct 11 Chesty Puller, US Marine Corps lieutenant general and the most decorated Marine in history, dies at 73
- Oct 12 Dean Acheson, American statesman and U.S. Secretary of State (1949-53), dies at 78
- Oct 12 Gene Vincent [Vincent Eugene Craddock], American rock guitarist and vocalist ("Be-Bop-A-Lula"), dies of bleeding ulcers at 36
- Oct 13 Stafford Smythe, Canadian NHL executive (President Toronto Maple Leafs 1961–69, 1970-71), dies from an acute stomach ulcer at 50
- Oct 14 Norman Steenrod, American mathematician (algebraic topology), dies at 61
- Oct 15 Sylvester Magee, last living American slave and oldest person who ever lived, dies at 130
- Oct 19 Alberto Pirelli, Italian industrialist, dies at 89
- Oct 19 Betty Bronson, actress (Naked Kiss), dies after brief illness at 64
- Oct 21 Raymond Hatton, American actor (Girls in Prison, Lady Killer), dies of a heart attack at 84
- Oct 21 Shiga Naoya, Japanese novelist (Road Through Dark Night), dies at 88
- Oct 24 Carl Ruggles, American composer (Evocations), dies at 95
- Oct 24 Chuck Hughes, Detroit Lion collapses during game and later, dies
- Oct 24 Fernand Quinet, Belgian composer, cellist and conductor (La Guerre), dies at 73
- Oct 25 Albert van Dalsum, Dutch actor and director (Wilton's Zoo; Little Rascal), dies at 82
- Oct 26 Robert Gordon, American silent film actor (Hearts and Spangles; King of the Pack), dies at 76
- Oct 26 Vincent Coleman, American actor (For the Freedom of Ireland, Salome), dies at 71
- Oct 28 Yves de La Casiniere, French composer, dies at 74
- Oct 29 Duane Allman, American rock guitarist (The Allman Brothers Band), dies in a motorcycle accident at 24
- Oct 30 Osvald Chlubna, Czech organist, composer, and musicologist, dies at 78
- Oct 31 Gerhard von Rad, German old testament expert (Deuteronomium), dies at 70
