Today is Wednesday, October 17, the 291st day of 2012. There are 75 days left in the year.
1492 ― Columbus sights isle of San Salvador (Watling Island, Bahamas)
1860 ― First pro golf tournament held (Scotland) (Willie Park wins)
1871 ― President Grant suspends writ of habeas corpus
1918 ― Yugoslavia proclaims itself a republic
1931 ― Al Capone convicted of tax evasion, sentenced to 11 years in prison
1933 ― Albert Einstein arrives in the U.S., a refugee from Nazi Germany
1945 ― Juan Peron becomes dictator of Argentina
1959 ― Queen Elizabeth is fined $140 for withdrawing her race horse
1967 ― The play "Hair" is first performed
1979 ― Mother Teresa of India, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize