October 17

This Day in History

Also on This Day

Lead Story
Capone goes to prison, 1931
American Revolution
Americans win more than a battle at Saratoga, 1777
Automotive
OPEC states declare oil embargo, 1973
Civil War
The Confederate's James Longstreet returns to command, 1864
Cold War
U.S. aid to Contras signed into law, 1986
Crime
A shoemaker leads German soldiers in a robbery, 1906
Disaster
Loma Prieta earthquake strikes near San Francisco, 1989
General Interest
Patriot victory at Saratoga, 1777
Algerians massacred in Paris, 1961
OPEC enacts oil embargo, 1973
Earthquake rocks San Francisco, 1989
Hollywood
Benji debuts, 1974
Literary
Nathanael West is born, 1903
Music
R&B legends the Drifters earn a #1 pop hit with "Save the Last Dance For Me", 1960
Old West
The first resolution formally creating the Texas Rangers is approved, 1835
Presidential
Ford explains his pardon of Nixon to Congress, 1974
Sports
Olympic protestors stripped of their medals, 1968
Vietnam War
President Johnson goes to Asia, 1966
World War I
Serbia and Greece declare war on Ottoman Empire in First Balkan War, 1912
World War II
Konoye government falls, 1941

General Interest

Oct 17, 1989:

Earthquake rocks San Francisco

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The deadliest earthquake to hit the San Francisco area since 1906 strikes at 5:04 p.m. and lasts for 15 seconds. The quake measured 7.1 on the Richter scale, and its aftermath was witnessed on live television by millions of people watching the third game of the World Series of baseball between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics, held at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The tremor hit moments before the start of the game, and sportscasters were soon performing the duties of news anchors as they reported on the resulting pandemonium in the stadium. The earthquake killed a total of 63 people, while more than 3,000 others were injured and more than 100,000 buildings were damaged.

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This Week in History, Oct 17 - Oct 23

Oct 17, 1777
Patriot victory at Saratoga
Oct 17, 1961
Algerians massacred in Paris
Oct 17, 1973
OPEC enacts oil embargo
Oct 17, 1989
Earthquake rocks San Francisco
Oct 18, 1469
Ferdinand and Isabella marry
Oct 18, 1860
Peking's Summer Palace destroyed
Oct 18, 1898
U.S. takes control of Puerto Rico
Oct 18, 1931
Edison dies
Oct 19, 1812
Napoleon retreats from Moscow
Oct 19, 1935
Ethiopia stands alone
Oct 19, 1989
Guildford Four are cleared
Oct 20, 1827
Battle of Navarino
Oct 20, 1935
Mao's Long March concludes
Oct 20, 1944
MacArthur returns
Oct 20, 1973
Sydney Opera House opens
Oct 20, 2011
Libyan Dictator Moammar Gadhafi is Killed
Oct 21, 1797
USS Constitution launched
Oct 21, 1805
Battle of Trafalgar
Oct 21, 1959
Von Braun moves to NASA
Oct 22, 1797
The first parachutist
Oct 22, 1975
Gay sergeant challenges the Air Force
Oct 23, 42 B.C.
Brutus commits suicide
Oct 23, 1855
Rival governments in bleeding Kansas
Oct 23, 1983
Beirut barracks blown up

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