October 08
1869
The 14th president of the United States, Franklin Pierce, died in Concord, N.H.
1871
The Great Fire of Chicago started. That same day in Peshtigo, Wis., the worst forest fire in U.S. history also began.
1934
Bruno Hauptmannn was indicted for the murder of Charles Lindbergh’s baby.
1945
President Harry Truman announced the U.S. would share the secret of the atomic bomb only with Great Britain and Canada.
1956
Don Larsen of the New York Yankees pitched the first and only perfect game in a World Series.
2004
Martha Stewart began her prison sentence at Alderson Federal Prison Camp.
2005
A 7.6 magnitude earthquake centered in the Pakistani-controlled part of the Kashmir region killed more than 80,000 and injured 65,000.
Birthdays
Desmond Tutu
1931—, South African religious leader.
James Whitcomb Riley
poet (1849)
Niels Bohr
atomic physicist (1885)
Elijah Muhammad
black nationalist leader (1897)
Vladimir Putin
political figure (1952)
Yo-Yo Ma
cellist (1955)
Sherman Alexie
writer (1966)
Rachel McAdams
actor (1976)