What are the important events that happened on October 31? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
October 31: Facts & Myths About This Day
October 31 is the 304th day of the year 2017 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 61 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Tuesday.
Under the Julian calendar, this day is October 18, 2017 – a Tuesday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?
When this day started, 419,280 hours has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.
Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘trihectatetragon’ day.
Hey! How’s your lovelife today? Get the Star Lovers Report
and discover the secrets of a better relationship. Start to seize love opportunities in your life. Try it today! (Sponsored link)
Scorpio is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Opal is the modern birthstone for this month. Jasper is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.
According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 111 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.
The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 1,775 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.
Are you not curious to find out some fun facts about your birthday? Find out ‘who shares my birthday’
and what was the number one song on your day of birth. (Sponsored link)
October 31 Historical Events
- 1861 –American Civil War: Citing failing health, Union General Winfield Scott resigns as Commander of the United States Army.
- 1876 –A monster cyclone ravages India, resulting in over 200,000 deaths.
- 1913 –The Indianapolis Street Car Strike and subsequent riot begins.
- 1941 –After 14 years of work, Mount Rushmore is completed.
- 1944 –Dr. jur. Erich Göstl, a member of the Waffen SS, is awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross, to recognise extreme battlefield bravery, after losing his face and eyes during the Battle of Normandy.
- 1954 –Algerian War of Independence: The Algerian National Liberation Front begins a revolt against French rule.
- 1959 –Lee Harvey Oswald attempts to renounce his American citizenship at the US Embassy in Moscow, USSR.
- 1961 –In the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin’s body is removed from Lenin’s Tomb.
- 1999 –EgyptAir Flight 990 traveling from New York City to Cairo crashes off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, killing all 217 on-board.
- 2000 –Soyuz TM-31 launches, carrying the first resident crew to the International Space Station. The ISS has been continuously crewed since.
Who were born on October 31?
- 1424 –King Wladyslaw III of Poland (d. 1444)
- 1711 –Laura Bassi, Italian scholar (d. 1778)
- 1888 –Napoleon Lapathiotis, Greek poet (d. 1944)
- 1920 –Dick Francis, British jockey-turned-novelist (d. 2010)
- 1926 –Jimmy Savile, English entertainer (d. 2011)
- 1947 –Frank Shorter, American runner
- 1963 –Fred McGriff, American baseball player
- 1966 –Adam Horovitz (Adrock), American rapper (Beastie Boys)
- 1973 –Paul Abrahams, English footballer
- 1980 –Marcel Meeuwis, Dutch footballer
Who died on October 31?
- 1659 –John Bradshaw, English judge (b. 1602)
- 1723 –Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (b. 1642)
- 1926 –Harry Houdini, Hungarian-born American magician (b. 1874)
- 1983 –George Halas, American professional football coach and team owner (b. 1895)
- 1988 –John Houseman, Romanian-born American actor and director (b. 1902)
- 1998 –Elmer Vasko, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1935)
- 2000 –Ring Lardner, Jr., American screenwriter (b. 1915)
- 2005 –Hal Anger, American biophysicist (b. 1920)
- 2009 –Tom Wheatcroft, English businessman (b. 1922)
- 2010 –Theodore Sorensen, American lawyer and special counsel to John F. Kennedy (b. 1928)
Share or Link to This Page: