TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011

Today is Tuesday, October 11, the 284th day of 2011. There are 81 days left in the year.

1737 ― Earthquake kills 300,000 and destroys part of Calcutta, India

1811 ― The Juliana, the first steam-powered ferryboat, begins operation

1890 ― First 100-yard dash under 10 seconds (John Owens 9-4/5 seconds, Washington, D.C.)

1923 ― German mark falls to 10 billion per dollar

1945 ― Chinese civil war begins, Chiang Kai-shek vs. Mao Tse-tung

1968 ― Panama revolts

1975 ― ``Saturday Night Live" premieres with guest host George Carlin

1981 ― Unknown rocker Prince opens for Rolling Stones at LA Coliseum

1986 ― Reagan and Gorbachev open talks at a summit in Reykjavik, Iceland

1987 ― 200,000 gays march for civil rights in Washington