12 History Lessons + 7 Births & 7 Deaths for October 8, 2025
Today’s History:
- 1871 – Great Chicago Fire begins, ultimately killing ~300 and destroying 17,000+ buildings.
- 1871 – Peshtigo Fire rages in Wisconsin, the deadliest wildfire in U.S. history (estimated 1,200–2,500 deaths).
- 1912 – First Balkan War begins as Montenegro declares war on the Ottoman Empire.
- 1918 – U.S. Corporal Alvin C. York’s heroics in the Meuse–Argonne lead to the Medal of Honor.
- 1919 – World’s first transcontinental air race launches from New York and San Francisco.
- 1948 – World’s first implanted internal pacemaker is used (on Arne Larsson).
- 1956 – Don Larsen throws the only perfect game in World Series history.
- 1967 – Che Guevara is captured in Bolivia; executed the next day.
- 1998 – U.S. House authorizes an impeachment inquiry into President Bill Clinton.
- 2001 – Milan’s Linate Airport runway collision kills 118.
- 2005 – 7.6 Kashmir earthquake devastates Pakistan-administered Kashmir; ~79,000–86,000 killed.
- 2010 – Liu Xiaobo awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Today’s Birthdays:
- 1941 – Jesse Jackson, civil rights leader and minister (84).
- 1943 – Chevy Chase, comedian/actor (“SNL,” “Fletch”) (82).
- 1943 – R. L. Stine, author of “Goosebumps” (82).
- 1949 – Sigourney Weaver, actor (“Alien,” “Ghostbusters”) (76).
- 1970 – Matt Damon, actor/screenwriter (“Good Will Hunting”) (55).
- 1980 – Nick Cannon, TV host/comedian (“The Masked Singer”) (45).
- 1985 – Bruno Mars, singer-songwriter (40).
Today’s Deaths:
- 1793 – John Hancock, American Founding Father and Massachusetts governor (56).
- 1869 – Franklin Pierce, 14th U.S. President (64).
- 1967 – Clement Attlee, UK prime minister (84).
- 1992 – Willy Brandt, German chancellor, Nobel Peace laureate (78).
- 2011 – Al Davis, longtime Oakland/LA Raiders owner (82).
- 2011 – Mikey Welsh, former Weezer bassist (40).
- 2023 – Burt Young, actor (“Rocky”) (83).
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