The Great Chicago Fire broke out on October eighth

Today is Tuesday, October eighth, the 282nd day of 2024. There are 84 days left within the 12 months.

Today in history:

The Great Chicago Fire began on October 8, 1871; During the three-day fire, greater than 300 people died and greater than 17,000 buildings were destroyed.

Also on this date:

In 1956, Don Larsen pitched the one perfect game in a World Series when the New York Yankees defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers 2-0 in Game 5.

In 2002, a federal judge approved President George W. Bush's request to reopen West Coast ports, ending a 10-day lockout that cost the U.S. economy an estimated $1 billion to $2 billion a day.

In 2005, an estimated 86,000 people died in a magnitude 7.6 earthquake on the Pakistan-India border.

In 2016, Donald Trump vowed to proceed his campaign after many Republicans urged him to desert his presidential bid following the discharge of a 2005 video through which he made lewd comments about women and appeared to condone sexual assault.

In 2020, authorities in Michigan announced that six men had been charged with conspiring to kidnap Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in response to what they saw as “unchecked power.”

In 2022, an explosion caused the partial collapse of a bridge connecting the Crimean peninsula to Russia, damaging a key supply artery for the Kremlin's war effort in southern Ukraine.

Today's birthdays:

  • Actor Paul Hogan is 85.
  • Civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson is 83 years old.
  • Comedian Chevy Chase is 81.
  • Author RL Stine is 81.
  • Actress Sigourney Weaver is 75.
  • The musician Robert “Kool” Bell (Kool & the Gang) is 74.
  • Producer and director Edward Zwick is 72.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott is 69.
  • Comedian Darrell Hammond is 69.
  • Actress Kim Wayans is 63.
  • Gospel singer CeCe Winans is 60.
  • Olympic gold medal swimmer Matt Biondi is 59 years old.
  • Actress Karyn Parsons is 58.
  • Singer and producer Teddy Riley is 57.
  • Actor Matt Damon is 54.
  • Actor and TV presenter Nick Cannon is 44.
  • Singer-songwriter Bruno Mars is 39.
  • Actor Angus T. Jones is 31.
  • Actress and singer Bella Thorne is 27.

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