Today is Thursday, October 18, the 292nd day of 2012. There are 74 days left in the year.
1685 ― Louis XIV revokes Edict of Nantes, outlaws Protestantism
1776 ― In a N.Y. bar decorated with bird tail, customer orders "cock tail"
1867 ― U.S. takes formal possession of Alaska from Russia ($7.2 million)
1890 ― John Owen is first man to run 100-yard dash in under 10 seconds
1912 ― Beginning of the first Balkan War
1922 ― British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) established
1960 ― In Britain, the News Chronicle & Daily Mail merge, and The London Evening Star merges with the Evening News
1962 ― Dr. Watson (U.S.) & Drs. Crick & Wilkins (Britain) win Nobel Prize for Medicine for work in determining structure of DNA
1968 ― U.S. Olympic Committee suspends Tommie Smith & John Carlos for giving "black power" salute as a protest during victory ceremony
1974 ― Chicago Bull Nate Thurmond becomes first in NBA to complete a quadruple double-22 pts, 14 rebounds, 13 assists and 12 blocks