October 20 in Pop Culture History
1720 – Caribbean pirate Calico Jack Rackham, one of the first pirates to use the “Jolly Roger”, was captured by the Royal Navy.
1803 – The United States Senate ratified the Louisiana Purchase.
1818 – The Convention of 1818 was signed between the US and the UK which settled the Canada/United States border on the 49th parallel for most of its length.
1873 – Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and Rutgers universities drafted the (American) Football rules.
1944 – Liquid natural gas exploded from storage tanks in Cleveland, killing 130 people.
1951 – CBS began using the “Eyeball” logo.
1962 – #1 Hit October 20, 1962 – November 2, 1962: Bobby “Boris” Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers – Monster Mash
1968 – Jacqueline Kennedy married Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis.
1973 – #1 Hit October 20, 1973 – October 26, 1973: The Rolling Stones – Angie
1977 – Lynyrd Skynyrd members Ronnie Van Zandt, Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines died in a plane crash. None were aged 27.
1979 – #1 Hit October 20, 1979 – November 2, 1979: Herb Alpert – Rise
1981 – Two police officers and a Brinks armored car guard were killed during an armed $1.6 million robbery in Rockland County, New York, carried out by members of the Black Liberation Army and Weather Underground.
1990 – #1 Hit October 20, 1990 – October 26, 1990: James Ingram – I Don’t Have the Heart
1991 – The Oakland Hills, California firestorm killed 25 people.
2001 – Concert For New York: A Tribute To Heroes was broadcast on VH1, and other networks. It raised funds for the families of those killed by the September 11 terrorist attacks.
2011 – The National Transitional Council rebel forces captured (in hiding) Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi in his hometown of Sirte.
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