This Day in History – April 18, 2011

1775 Paul Revere & William Dawes warn “the British are coming!” 1902 Denmark is 1st country to adopt fingerprinting to identify criminals 1906 San Francisco earthquake & fire kills nearly 4,000 & destroys 75% of the city 1906 San Francisco Earthquake (one of the most significant earthquakes of all time) kills over 700 people 1909 Joan of Arc declared a saint 1924 1st crossword puzzle book published (Simon & Schuster) 1925 World’s fair opens in Chicago 1934 1st “Washateria” (laundromat) opens (Fort Worth TX) 1942 “Stars & Stripes” paper for US armed forces starts 1945 Clandestine Radio 1212, after broadcasting pro-nazi propoganda for months used their influence to trap 350,000 German army group B troops 1945 1 armed outfielder, St Louis Brown Pete Gray, 1st game he goes 1 for 4 1946 League of Nations dissolves (3 months after the UN starts) 1946 Jackie Robinson debuts as 2nd baseman for the Montréal Royals 1955 1st “Walk”/”Don’t Walk” lighted street signals installed 1963 Dr James Campbell performed the 1st human nerve transplant 1968 London Bridge is sold to US oil company (to be erected in Arizona) 1987 An unconscious skydiver is rescued by another diver in mid-air 1990 Supreme Court rules that states could make it a crime to possess or look at child pornography, even in one’s home 1991 Census Bureau says it failed to count up to 63 million in 1990 census 1993 Beirut-hostage Terry Anderson marries Madeleine Bassil 1993 David Lee Roth arrested in New York NY for purchasing marijuana for $10 1994 Arsenio Hall announces he will end his show in May 1994 1994 Former President Richard Nixon suffers a stroke & dies 4 days later 1994 Lebanon drops relations with Iran 1995 Houston Post folds after 116 years 1995 Quarterback Joe Montana announces his retirement from football]]]]> ]]>