Historical Events
- Oct 1 Cosmonauts Ryumin & Popov break space endurance record of 176 days
Holmes vs. Ali
Oct 2 38-year-old Muhammad Ali comes out of a two-year retirement to challenge undefeated world heavyweight champion Larry Holmes at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas. Ali is pounded unmercifully for ten rounds before his corner throws in the towel.
Baseball Record
Oct 4 Future Baseball Hall of Fame 3rd baseman Mike Schmidt's 2-run homer off Stan Bahnsen in 11th inning gives Philadelphia, 6-4 win v Montreal and NL East title; Schmidt's 48th of the season; breaks Eddie Mathews' single-season MLB record for 3rd basemen
F1 World Champion
Oct 5 Australian Williams driver Alan Jones wins the United States East Grand Prix to claim his first Formula 1 World Drivers Championship; wins by 13 points from Nelson Piquet of Brazil
- Oct 5 Formal opening of meditation hall of Zenshin Temple in Riverdale, the Bronx NYC
- Oct 6 Guyana adopts constitution
Music History
Oct 6 John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols) sentenced to 3 months imprisonment on assault charges
- Oct 7 Belgium 3rd government of Martens resigns
- Oct 8 British Leyland starts selling Mini Metro
- Oct 8 USSR & Syria sign peace treaty
- Oct 8 USSR performs nuclear test
- Oct 9 1st consumer use of home banking by computer by United American Bank in Knoxville, Tennessee
- Oct 9 Nobel prize for literature awarded to Czesław Miłosz
- Oct 10 4,500 die when a pair of earthquakes strikes NW Algeria
Private Benjamin
Oct 10 Comedy film "Private Benjamin" is released starring Goldie Hawn
- Oct 10 MLB American League Championship: Kansas City Royals beat New York Yankees, 3 games to 0
- Oct 10 Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope network dedicated
- Oct 10 Yanks lose 4-2 & are swept by Royals in AL Championship series
- Oct 11 Cosmonauts Popov & Ryumin set space endurance record of 184 days
- Oct 11 Dallas Mavericks open debut NBA season with a 103-92 victory against interstate rival San Antonio Spurs at Reunion Arena
- Oct 11 USSR performs nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya USSR
- Oct 12 "Your Arm's Too Short to Box With God" closes at Ambassador Theater, NYC, after 149 performances
- Oct 12 7 stabbed at Blood, Sweat & Tears concert in Los Angeles
- Oct 12 MLB National League Championship: Philadelphia Phillies beat Houston Astros, 3 games to 2
Country Music Association Awards
Oct 13 14th Country Music Association Awards: Barbara Mandrell, Emmylou Harris, and George Jones win
- Oct 13 Unprovoked slayings of 6 blacks in Buffalo, NY
- Oct 14 Phils rally from 4-0 deficit to beat the Royals, 7-6 to take WS opener
Event of Interest
Oct 14 Presidential nominee Ronald Reagan promises to name a woman to the US Supreme Court
Brigadoon
Oct 16 Revival of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's musical "Brigadoon" opens at Majestic Theater, NYC; runs for 133 performances
- Oct 17 1st-class debut of Mike Whitney, NSW v Qld (2-52 & 1-39)
- Oct 18 Bernard Slade's stage comedy "Romantic Comedy", closes at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, NYC, after for 396 performances
- Oct 18 Brooke Alexander, 18, of Hawaii, crowned Miss World USA
- Oct 18 Detroit blocks 21 Atlanta shots setting NBA record (double OT)
- Oct 19 Steve McPeak rides 101'9" unicycle
The Wanderer
Oct 20 Geffen Records release their first album, Donna Summer's "The Wanderer"
- Oct 21 "Banjo Dancing" opens at Century Theater NYC for 38 performances
- Oct 21 Baseball World Series: Philadelphia Phillies beat KC Royals, 4-1 at Veterans Stadium to secure series, 4-2; first championship in franchise history; MVP: Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt
Election of Interest
Oct 21 Mikhail Gorbachev elected member of Politburo
Event of Interest
Oct 23 Nikolai Tikhonov succeeds Alexei Kosygin as Premier of the Soviet Union, due to illness
- Oct 23 Rick McCosker (168) and John Dyson (152) make record 319 opening stand in a Sheffield Shield cricket match for NSW v WA in Sydney
- Oct 24 Great Britain performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
- Oct 24 Iraqi troops occupies Khorramshar
(Just Like) Starting Over
Oct 24 John Lennon releases single "(Just Like) Starting Over" in UK
- Oct 24 Polish government legalizes independent labor union Solidarity
Boxing Title Fight
Oct 25 American Mike Weaver KOs local favourite Gerrie Coetzee in 13 rounds in Sun City, South Africa for WBA heavyweight boxing title
#1 in the Charts
Oct 25 Barbra Streisand's "Guilty" album goes #1 for 3 weeks & her single "Woman In Love," goes #1 for 3 weeks
New York City Marathon
Oct 26 New York City Marathon: Grete Waitz of Norway wins for 3rd straight year in 2:25:41.3; Alberto Salazar claims men's event in 2:09:41
- Oct 26 St Louis Cardinals sack Baltimore Colt QBs an NFL record tying 12 times
- Oct 27 American Dave Gryllis sets world bicycle speed record of 94.37 kph
- Oct 27 MLB Houston Astros owner John McMullen replaces GM Tal Smith with Al Rosen
The Ayatollah Votes
Oct 27 William Safire’s column entitled "The Ayatollah Votes" is published in the New York Times, and was later quoted in a campaign ad for Ronald Reagan in that year's presidential election
- Oct 30 Honduras and El Salvador sign a peace treaty ending the "Football War"
- Oct 30 NASA launches Flt Satcom-4
- Oct 31 Julian Nott sets world hot-air balloon altitude record (16,806 m)
- Oct 31 Polish government recognizes Solidarity trade union
- Oct 31 Senegal routes troops to Gambia due to Libyan threat
Famous Birthdays
- Oct 2 Shane Andrus, National Football League kicker
- Oct 3 Danny O'Donoghue, Irish rock singer-songwriter (The Script - "For The First Time"), born in Dublin, Ireland
- Oct 4 Jimmy Workman, American actor (Pugsley-Addams Family Films), born in Fairfax, Virginia
- Oct 4 Nick Mohammed, English actor (Ted Lasso), born in Leeds, England
- Oct 4 Sarah Fisher, American auto racer and team owner (first woman to claim a pole position in a major American open-wheel race, IRL 2002), born in Columbus, Ohio
- Oct 4 Tim Peper, American actor
- Oct 4 Tomáš Rosický, Czech soccer midfielder (105 caps; Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal), born in Prague, Czech Republic
- Oct 5 Paul Thomas, American bassist (Good Charlotte), born in Waldorf, Maryland
- Oct 6 Abdoulaye Méïté, French footballer
- Oct 6 Elvis Hammond, Ghanaian footballer (Woking), born in Accra, Ghana
- Oct 7 Edison Chen, Canadian-born actor, born in Vancouver, British Columbia
Nick Cannon (43 years old)
Oct 8 American actor, rapper ("Love Don't Cost a Thing"; "Gigilo"), and television personality (America's Got Talent; The Masked Singer), born in San Diego, California
- Oct 8 The Miz [Michael Gregory Mizanin], American professional wrestler, born in Parma, Ohio
- Oct 9 Henrik Zetterberg, Swedish ice hockey player, born in Njurunda, Sweden
- Oct 9 Ibrahim Fazeel, Maldivian footballer (Victory Sports Club), born in Malé, Maldives
- Oct 10 Julié Pomagalski, French snowboarder (World C'ship gold snowboard cross 1999), born in La Tronche, France (d. 2021)
- Oct 10 Sherine [Abdel-Wahab], Egyptian singer, born in Cairo, Egypt
- Oct 10 Tim Maurer, American singer (Suburban Legends)
- Oct 11 Nyron Nosworthy, English-Jamaican footballer, born in Brixton, England
- Oct 12 Ledley King, English soccer defender (England 21 caps), born in London, England
- Oct 13 Ashanti [Douglas] American singer ("Always On Time"), born in Glen Cove, Long Island, New York
- Oct 13 Jon Micah Sumrall, American singer (Kutless), born in Ashland, Oregon
- Oct 13 Magne Hoseth, Norwegian footballer, born in Averøy, Norway
- Oct 13 Scott Parker, English soccer midfielder (18 caps; Charlton, West Ham, Fulham) and manager (Fulham, AFC Bournemouth), born in Lambeth, England
- Oct 14 Ben Whishaw, English actor (A Very English Scandal), born in Clifton, England
- Oct 14 Niels Lodberg, Danish footballer
- Oct 14 Paul Ambrosi, Ecuadorian footballer
- Oct 14 Terrence McGee, American football player
- Oct 15 Siiri Nordin, Finnish singer (Killer), born in Helsinki, Finland
- Oct 15 Tom Boonen, Belgian cyclist (2005 World Road Race Champion), born in Mol, Belgium
- Oct 16 Jeremy Jackson, actor (Shout, Baywatch), born in Newport Beach, California
- Oct 16 Mary Halvorson, American avant-garde jazz guitarist (Meltframe) and composer (Belladonna), born in Brookline, Massachusetts
- Oct 16 Sue Bird, American basketball guard (record 508 WNBA games, Seattle Storm; Olympic gold 2004, 08, 12, 16, 20), born in Syosset, New York
- Oct 16 Timana Tahu, Australian Rugby League player, born in Melbourne, Australia
- Oct 16 Yordan Kamdzhalov, Bulgarian conductor (Genesis Orchestra), born in Targovishte, Bulgaria
- Oct 17 Alessandro Piccolo, Italian racing driver
- Oct 17 Ekaterina Gamova, Russian volleyball player
- Oct 19 Benjamin Salisbury, actor (Brighton Sheffield-Nanny), born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Oct 20 Gary Jarman, English musician (The Cribs), born in Wakefield, England
- Oct 21 Brian Pittman, American Christian rock bassist (Relient K), born in Canton, Ohio
Kim Kardashian (43 years old)
Oct 21 American media and TV personality (Keeping Up with the Kardashians) and businesswoman, born in Los Angeles, California
- Oct 22 Garrett Tierney, American rock bassist (Brand New), born on Long Island, New York
- Oct 23 Eun Sun Kim, South Korean conductor (San Francisco Opera), born in Seoul, South Korea
- Oct 23 Pedro Liriano, Dominican baseball player, born in Fantino, Dominican Republic
- Oct 24 James Killian, American football player, born in Caldwell, Kansas
- Oct 24 Matthew Amoah, Ghanaian footballer, born in Tema, Greater Accra, Ghana
- Oct 24 Monica, American (The Boy is Mine), born in Atlanta, Georgia
- Oct 24 Zac Posen, American fashion designer, born in New York City
- Oct 25 Ilana Goldfogel, American pairs skater (with partner Erik Schulz), born in Denver, Colorado
- Oct 25 Mehcad Brooks, American actor (Necessary Roughness) and fashion model, born in Austin, Texas
- Oct 26 Cristian Chivu, Romanian footballer, born in Reșița, Romania
- Oct 27 Missy Mazzoli, American classical composer (Breaking the Waves; The Listeners), and pianist, born in Lansdale, Pennsylvania
- Oct 27 Tanel Padar, Estonian singer-songwriter (46th Eurovision Song Contest winner, 2001 - "Everybody"), born in Uhtna, Estonia
- Oct 28 Alan Smith, English soccer midfielder (19 caps; Leeds United, Manchester United, Newcastle United), born in Rothwell, England
- Oct 28 Christy Hemme, American pro wrestling broadcaster and wrestler (WWE Diva Search 2004), born in Poway, California
- Oct 28 Dimitri Liakopoulos, Greek actor
- Oct 28 Kanzi, Bonobo, most literate non-human, born at Georgia State University
- Oct 29 B.J. Sams, American NFL player, born in New Orleans, Louisiana
- Oct 29 Ben Foster, American actor, born in Boston, Massachusetts
- Oct 29 Miguel Cotto, Puerto Rican boxer (1st Puerto Rican first four-weight world champion), born in Providence, Rhode Island
- Oct 30 Choi Hong-man, South Korean kickboxer and mixed martial artist, born in Jeju, South Korea
- Oct 30 Sarah Carter, Canadian actress (Falling Skies), born in Toronto, Ontario
- Oct 31 Alondra de la Parra, Mexican-American conductor (Queensland Symphony, 2015-present), and founder and artistic director of the New York-based Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas (2004-11), born in New York City
- Oct 31 Eddie Kaye Thomas, American actor (American Pie, American Wedding), born in New York City
- Oct 31 Samaire Armstrong, American actress (It's A Boy Girl Thing), born in Tokyo, Japan
Famous Weddings
- Oct 4 American "The Princess Bride" actor Chris Sarandon (38) weds second wife, American fashion model Lisa Cooper; divorce in 1989
Dustin Hoffman
Oct 12 Oscar-winning actor Dustin Hoffman (43) weds businesswoman Lisa Gottsegen (26) in Roxbury, Connecticut
Rod Taylor
Oct 15 Actor Rod Taylor (50) weds Carol Kikumura
Al Sharpton
Oct 31 American Baptist minister Al Sharpton (26) weds American back-up singer (to James Brown) Kathy Jordan; separate in 2004
Famous Divorces
Dustin Hoffman
Oct 6 Oscar-winning actor Dustin Hoffman (43) divorces actress Anne Byrne (37) after 11 years of marriage
- Oct 9 Princess Caroline of Monaco divorces Philippe Junot
Famous Deaths
- Oct 2 Valentin Varlamov, Russian cosmonaut, dies at 46
- Oct 6 Jean Robic, French road cyclist (Tour de France 1947; World C'ship gold cyclo-cross 1950), dies in a road accident at 59
- Oct 6 Josephine "Hattie" Jacques, British comedy actress (Carry on films, Hancock's Half Hour), dies of a heart attack at 58
- Oct 6 Ray Walker, actor (Baby Take a Bow), dies
- Oct 7 Jan Cox, Belgian-American Expressionist painter, dies at 61
- Oct 8 Maurice Martenot, French cellist, WWI radio telegrapher, and instrument inventor (ondes Martenot), dies at 81 [1]
- Oct 10 Walter Keeton, cricketer (opening bat in 2 Test for Eng 1934-39), dies
- Oct 10 William "Billie" Thomas, American child actor (Buckwheat- Our Gang), dies of a heart attack at 49
- Oct 13 Philip "Gabby" Pahinui, Hawaiian slack-key guitarist and singer, dies of a heart attack at 59
- Oct 14 Oscar Alemán, Argentine jazz and swing guitarist, and singer ("Rosa Madreselva"), dies at 71
- Oct 14 S N Banerjee, cricketer (one Test for India), dies
- Oct 15 Apostolos Nikolaidis, Greek footballer and volleyball player (b. 1896)
- Oct 15 Mikhail Lavrentyev, Russian hydrodynamicist and mathematician, dies at 79
- Oct 16 Carl Romme, Dutch politician, Minister of Social Affairs (KVP), dies at 83
- Oct 21 Hans Asperger, Austrian pediatrician and eponym of Asperger syndrome, dies at 74
- Oct 24 Leonid Georiyevich Ivanov, Russian cosmonaut (Soyuz 33), dies at 30
- Oct 25 Víctor Galíndez, Argentine boxer (WBA light heavyweight title 1974-79), dies in stock-car race pit area accident at 31
- Oct 25 Virgil Fox, American organist, dies at 68
- Oct 26 Marcello Caetano, last Portuguese prime minister of the Estado Novo regime (1968-1974), dies in exile of a heart attack at 74
- Oct 27 John Van Vleck, American physicist, mathematician, and Nobel Laureate who pioneered the modern quantum mechanical theory of magnetism, dies at 81
- Oct 27 Judy LaMarsh, Canadian lawyer, politician (Member of Parliament, 1960-68), author, and broadcaster (CBC Radio), dies of pancreatic cancer at 55
- Oct 27 Steve Peregrin Took, English musician (Tyrannosaurus Rex), dies of a drug overdose at 31
- Oct 28 Leon Janney (Ramon), American actor (Charly, Stolen Paradise, Hawk), dies of cancer at 63
