22 fun facts for October, 17

Discover dozens of fun facts for this special day. Read the summary for a quick recap on what happened.
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Summary
October 17th is a day filled with interesting historical events, including the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, the Great Beer Flood of 1814, and the opening of the New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia. Additionally, several noteworthy individuals were born or made headlines on this day, such as Al Capone, Rita Hayworth, and Albert Einstein.
22 Fun facts
  1. October 17th is International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, initiated by the United Nations in 1992 to raise awareness and inspire action towards this global issue.
  2. On October 17, 1931, American gangster Al Capone was sentenced to 11 years in prison for tax evasion, which led to his downfall.
  3. In 1814, the Great Beer Flood occurred in London on October 17 when a huge beer vat exploded at Meux's Horse Shoe Brewery, causing a tidal wave of beer that claimed eight lives.
  4. On October 17, 1907, Marconi began radio's first regular broadcasting service, with the first official broadcast taking place in Italy.
  5. In 1979, on this day, the world's longest truss bridge, the New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia, was opened to traffic.
  6. October 17, 1919, marks the birth of one of the most well-known American writers, Rita Hayworth, who was also a talented actress and dancer.
  7. The controversial Hollywood sign was unveiled on October 17, 1923, originally representing a real estate advertisement for "Hollywoodland."
  8. On October 17, 1965, the New York World's Fair, a major international event drawing millions of visitors worldwide, closed its doors.
  9. The supersonic passenger aircraft Concorde made its first transatlantic crossing on October 17, 1969.
  10. The 17th of October is also National Pasta Day in the United States, celebrating one of the world's most loved and versatile foods.
  11. On this day in 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake struck Northern California, causing widespread damage and killing 63 people.
  12. In 1985, Leonard Ross, a 12-year-old Californian, became the youngest person to win Jeopardy!
  13. October 17, 1987, marks the first-ever World Series game played indoors when the Metrodome in Minneapolis hosted the Minnesota Twins and the St. Louis Cardinals.
  14. The first human-to-human heart transplant was performed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard in 1967, on October 17.
  15. On this day in 1933, Albert Einstein arrived in the United States, settling in Princeton, New Jersey, after fleeing Nazi Germany.
  16. In 1980, Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on October 17 for her humanitarian efforts in India and surrounding countries.
  17. On October 17, 1981, the NFL game between the Green Bay Packers and Washington Redskins went without a penalty being assessed, the first and only time in the sport's history.
  18. The first-ever recorded American college football game was played on October 17, 1842, between Amherst College and Williams College.
  19. The Gilbert and Ellice Islands became the separate nations of Kiribati and Tuvalu on October 17, 1978.
  20. On October 17, 1877, Thomas Edison's phonograph, the first device for recording and playing back sound, was successfully demonstrated in Menlo Park, New Jersey.
  21. On this day in 2001, Italian politician Silvio Berlusconi made headlines by suggesting that western civilization was superior to the Islamic world, sparking widespread debate and controversy.
  22. On October 17, 1933, Huey Pierce Long, otherwise known as "The Kingfish," became the only United States senator to be impeached.

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