Historical Events
- America Online (AOL) begins service in Japan
Sports History
Baseball honors Jackie Robinson by retiring #42 for all teams
Volcano
Disaster film "Volcano" directed by Mick Jackson, and starring Tommy Lee Jones and Anne Heche premieres in South Korea
- Fire sweeps through a campsite of Muslims making the Hajj pilgrimage; the official death toll is 343.
- Howard Stern Radio Show premieres in Charlotte NC on WXRC 95.7 FM
Famous Birthdays
- Ashleigh Gardner, Australian cricket all-rounder (12-165 Ashes Test v England 2023 best by an Australian; WT20 World Cup 2018, 20, 23; WODI World Cup 2022; NSW), born in Sydney, Australia
Maisie Williams (27 years old)
English actress (Game of Thrones), born in Bristol, England
- Toheeb Jimoh, English actor (Ted Lasso), born in England
Famous Deaths
- Sam Moskowitz, American writer and historian of science fiction, dies at 76
- Zdenek Mlynar, Czech politician (secretary of the Czechoslovak communist party, 1968–70), dies at 66
Died in 1997 1997 Highlights
About April 15, 1997
Day of the Week: Tuesday
How Long Ago? 27 years and 13 days
Leap Year: No
Generation: Generation Z
Chinese Zodiac: Ox
Star Sign: Aries
Music Charts
#1 Song: Can't Nobody Hold Me Down - Puff Daddy (Featuring Mase)
#1 Song: I Believe I Can Fly - R. Kelly
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