Historical Events
- Oct 1 Most of the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 came into force in the United Kingdom.
Inter-Korean Summit
Oct 2 President Roh Moo-hyun of South Korea walks across the Military Demarcation Line into North Korea on his way to the second Inter-Korean Summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il
- Oct 3 South Africa's Mark Boucher breaks Ian Healy's record to become the wicketkeeper with most dismissals in Test cricket (395); stumps Umar Gul off Paul Harris in 2nd innings of 1st Test win v Pakistan in Karachi
Sports History
Oct 4 Patrick Kane makes his NHL debut with the Chicago Blackhawks against the Minnesota Wild
Jones Admits Using Steroids
Oct 5 After years of angry denials, triple gold medal winning American sprinter Marion Jones admits she used steroids 2000-01; pleads guilty to lying to federal investigators; announces retirement in tearful apology; medals returned to USOC
Michael Clayton
Oct 5 Film "Michael Clayton", a legal thriller starring George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, and Tilda Swinton, is released
- Oct 6 Jason Lewis completes the first human-powered circumnavigation of the globe.
Senior Players Championship
Oct 7 Senior Players Championship Men's Golf, Baltimore CC: Loren Roberts wins his third of 4 Champions Tour major titles by 6 strokes from Tom Watson
- Oct 9 The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes at an all-time high
- Oct 9 “Low” single released by Flo Rida (Billboard Song of the Year 2008)
- Oct 13 17th College Football Holy War: Boston College beats Notre Dame 27-14 in South Bend
Film & TV History
Oct 14 "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" featuring Kim, Khloé, and Kourtney Kardashian premieres on the E! cable network in the US
- Oct 15 17 Activists in Aotearoa New Zealand arrested in the country's first post 9/11 anti-terrorism raids across the country
- Oct 15 Fox Business Network (FBN), American financial cable network is launched
- Oct 15 MLB National League Championship: Colorado Rockies beat Arizona Diamondbacks, 4 games to 0
Event of Interest
Oct 17 The Dalai Lama receives the United States Congressional Gold Medal
Event of Interest
Oct 18 After 8 years in exile, Benazir Bhutto returns to Pakistan. The same night, suicide attackers blow themselves up near Bhutto's convoy, killing over 100, including 20 police officers. Bhutto escapes uninjured.
- Oct 19 Bomb explosion rocks Glorietta 2, a shopping mall in Makati, the Philippines killing 11, injuring more than 100 people
- Oct 19 Patrick Kane scores his first NHL goal against José Théodore of the Colorado Avalanche
- Oct 20 6th Rugby World Cup Final, Stade de France, Saint-Denis: Springboks fullback Percy Montgomery lands 4/4 penalties as South Africa beats England, 15-6
F1 World Champion
Oct 21 Finnish Ferrari driver Kimi Räikkönen wins season ending Brazilian F1 Grand Prix to claim his first World Drivers Championship by 1 point from Lewis Hamilton
- Oct 21 MLB American League Championship: Boston Red Sox beat Cleveland Indians, 4 games to 3
- Oct 21 Tennessee Titans kicker Rob Bironas sets NFL record for most points scored in a game (no touchdowns) with 26 in 38-36 win over the Texans at Reliant Stadium, Houston
Raising Sand
Oct 23 Rounder Records releases "Raising Sand", a collaborative album by American bluegrass singer Alison Krauss and British rock vocalist Robert Plant; tops the chart in Norway, peaks at #2 in US, UK, and Sweden
- Oct 25 David Lang's "The Little Match Girl Passion" premieres at Carnegie Hall, New York City (Pulitzer Prize for Music 2008) [1]
- Oct 25 The first Airbus A380 passenger flight, operating for Singapore Airlines, with flight number SQ 380, flying scheduled service between Singapore and Sydney, Australia.
- Oct 26 Breeders' Cup Horse Racing, Monmouth Park; Day 1 winners: Maryfield, Nownownow, Corinthian
- Oct 27 Breeders' Cup Horse Racing, Monmouth Park; Day 2 winners: Indian Blessing, War Pass, Lahudood, Midnight Lute, Kip Deville, Ginger Punch, English Channel, Curlin
- Oct 28 "Bee Movie" premieres in the US and the UK
- Oct 28 Baseball World Series: Boston Red Sox beat Colorado, 4-3 in Game 4 at Coors Field, Denver to sweep the Rockies and win their 2nd title in 4 years; MVP: Boston 3rd baseman Mike Lowell
- Oct 29 Argentina elects its first female president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
- Oct 30 "Long Road Out of Eden" 7th studio album by the Eagles is released (Billboard Album of the Year 2008)
Famous Birthdays
- Oct 30 Christian Li, Chinese-Australian prodigy violinist, youngest artist (at 12) to sign contract with Decca Classics, born in Melbourne, Australia
Famous Weddings
Pamela Anderson
Oct 6 "Baywatch" actress Pamela Anderson (40) weds Rick Salomon (39) at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas
- Oct 6 TV talk show host Montel Williams (51) weds American Airlines flight attendant Tara Fowler (37) on a beach in Bermuda
Emmanuel Macron
Oct 20 Future French President Emmanuel Macron (30) marries teacher Brigitte Trogneux (54)
Famous Divorces
Reese Witherspoon
Oct 5 Actress Reese Witherspoon (30) divorces actor Ryan Phillippe (32) due to irreconcilable differences after 7 years of marriage
Kate Hudson
Oct 22 Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson (40) divorces actress Kate Hudson (28) due to irreconcilable differences after nearly six years of marriage
Famous Deaths
Al Oerter (1936-2007)
Oct 1 American discus thrower (Olympic gold 1956, 60, 64, 68), dies of heart failure aged 71
- Oct 1 Chris Mainwaring, Australian Rules Football wing (All Australian 1991, 96; West Coast Eagles), dies from drug overdose at 41
- Oct 1 Harry Lee, Sheriff of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana (b. 1932)
- Oct 1 Ned Sherrin, English broadcaster, author and stage director (b. 1931)
- Oct 1 Ronnie Hazlehurst, English conductor and TV theme song composer (Are You Being Served?), dies at 79
- Oct 2 (Elfriede) "Elfi" von Dassanowsky, Austrian-American opera singer, pianist, vocal coach, and film producer, dies of heart failure at 83
- Oct 2 Christopher Derrick, British writer, dies at 86
- Oct 2 Dan Keating, Irish politician (b. 1902)
- Oct 2 George Grizzard, American Emmy and Tony Award-winning actor (Wrong is Right, Bachelor Party, Attica), dies at 79
- Oct 2 Lady Katherine Brandram, Princess of Greece, the last surviving great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria, dies at 94
- Oct 2 Tex Coulter, American NFL defensive lineman (All Pro 1948, 51-52; Pro Bowl 1951-52; NY Giants), dies at 82
- Oct 3 M.N. Vijayan, Indian writer, orator, and academic, dies at 77
- Oct 5 Justin Tuveri, Italian veteran of the First World War (b. 1898)
- Oct 5 Walter Kempowski, German writer (German Chronicle), dies at 78
- Oct 6 Bud Ekins, American stuntman (b. 1930)
- Oct 6 Eric McCredie, Scottish pop bassist (Middle Of The Road - "Chirpy, Chirpy, Cheep Cheep"), dies at 62
- Oct 6 Laza [Lazar] Ristovski, Serbian keyboardist (Smak and Bijelo Dugme), dies from multiple sclerosis at 51
- Oct 7 George E. Sangmeister, American politician (Rep-D-Illinois 1989-95), dies at 76
- Oct 7 Norifumi Abe, Japanese motorcycle road racer, dies in road accident at 32
- Oct 9 Carol Bruce [Shirley Levy], American actress (Behind the Eight Ball; WKRP in Cincinnati - "Mother Carlson"), dies of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at 87
- Oct 9 Enrico Banducci, American nightclub owner (b. 1922)
- Oct 10 Mehmed Uzun, Contemporary Kurdish writer and novelist. (b. 1953)
- Oct 11 David Lee "Tex" Hill, World War Two fighter pilot, flying ace, 1st American Volunteer Group (b. 1915)
- Oct 11 Sri Chinmoy [Chinmoy Kumar Ghose], Indian guru, dies at 76
- Oct 11 Werner von Trapp, Austrian singer (Trapp Family Singers), dies at 91
- Oct 12 Kisho Kurokawa, Japanese architect (b. 1934)
- Oct 12 Lon "Lonny" Chapman, American actor (Investigator, For the People), dies from heart disease at 87
- Oct 13 Bob Denard, French mercenary (b. 1929)
- Oct 13 Tom Dawes, American rock musician and composer who wrote music for commercial jingles ("Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz” for Alka-Seltzer and “7Up, the Uncola”), dies at 64
- Oct 14 Big Moe [Kenneth Doniell Moore], American rapper (Screwed Up Click), dies of a heart attack at 33
- Oct 14 Frank Hauser, British theatrical director (Oxford Playhouse), dies at 85
- Oct 14 Oliver Chesterton, British businessman (Chestertons Estate Agency), dies at 94
- Oct 14 Raymond Pellegrin, French actor (Woman of Rome), dies at 82
- Oct 16 Barbara West, English survivor of the Titanic sinking, dies at 96
- Oct 16 Deborah Kerr, British actress (From Here to Eternity; The King and I; An Affair To Remember), dies from the effects of Parkinson's disease at 86
- Oct 16 Toše Proeski, Macedonian pop music singer-songwriter and musician, dies in a car crash in Croatia at 26
- Oct 17 Joey Bishop [Gottlieb], American TV talk show host (Joey Bishop Show) and member of the "Rat Pack" group of entertainers, dies at 89
- Oct 17 Robert A. Young, American politician (Rep-D-MO, 1977-87), dies at 83
- Oct 17 Teresa Brewer, American pop and jazz singer (Put Another Nickel In), dies at 76
- Oct 18 Alan Coren, English writer and satirist (b. 1938)
- Oct 18 Kumiko Ida, Japanese classical pianist, dies of meningitis at 38
- Oct 18 Lucky Dube, South African reggae musician, killed by carjackers at 43
- Oct 18 Vincent DeDomenico, American entrepreneur (b. 1915)
- Oct 18 William J. Crowe, American admiral and ambassador, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1985-89), dies at 82
- Oct 19 Jan Wolkers, Dutch sculptor and novelist (Brief American), dies at 81
- Oct 19 Michael Maidens, English footballer with Hartlepool United (b. 1987)
- Oct 19 Randall Forsberg, American nuclear freeze advocate, dies at 64
- Oct 19 Yolanda "LaLa" Brown, American R&B singer, shot and killed by an unknown gunman at a Milwaukee recording studio at 21
- Oct 20 Max McGee, American football wide receiver, punter (NFL C'ship 1961, 62, 65, 66, 67; Super Bowl I, II; Pro Bowl 1961; Green Bay Packers), dies at 75
- Oct 20 Paul Raven, British bass-player (Killing Joke, Ministry), dies of a heart attack at 46
- Oct 21 Paul Fox, English musician and singer (The Ruts), dies at 56
- Oct 21 Ronald B. Kitaj, American-British painter and graphic artist (pop art), dies at 74
- Oct 22 Ève Curie, French author and daughter of Madame Curie, dies at 102
- Oct 23 (Mustaf) "John" Ilhan, Turkish-Australian entrepreneur (Crazy John's mobile phones), dies of a hereditary heart condition at 42
- Oct 23 Lim Goh Tong, Malaysian Chinese businessman (Founder of Genting Group), dies at 89
- Oct 24 Alisher Saipov, Kyrgyz journalist
- Oct 24 Ian Middleton, New Zealand novelist (b. 1928)
- Oct 24 Petr Eben, Czech organ composer (b. 1929)
- Oct 26 Arthur Kornberg, American biochemist (1959 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovery of DNA polymerase), dies at 89
- Oct 26 Friedman Paul Erhardt, German-American TV chef (Chef Tell), dies at 63
- Oct 26 Khun Sa, Burmese warlord (b. 1934)
- Oct 26 Nicolae Dobrin, Romanian footballer (b. 1947)
- Oct 27 Pierre Janssen, Dutch art museum director, dies at 81
- Oct 28 Porter Wagoner, American country singer, discovered Dolly Parton ("Y'All Come"; "A Satisfied Mind"), dies of lung cancer at 80
- Oct 29 Christian d'Oriola, French fencer (4-time Olympic gold foils 1948, 52, 56), dies at 79
- Oct 30 John Woodruff, American athlete (Olympic gold 800m 1936), dies at 92
- Oct 30 Linda Stein, Ramones manager and real estate broker, murdered by her personal assistant at 62
- Oct 30 Peter Hoagland, American politician (Rep-D-Nebraska 1989-95), dies at 65
Robert Goulet (1933-2007)
Oct 30 American Tony and Grammy Award-winning singer, stage and screen actor (Camelot - "If Ever I Would Leave You"), dies of pulmonary fibrosis at 73
- Oct 30 Washoe, chimpanzee trained in American Sign Language (b. 1965)
- Oct 31 Ray Gravell, Welsh rugby union footballer (Wales and the British Lions), dies of a heart attack at 56
