On this day...
1582 Last day of the Julian calendar in Italy, many Catholic countries
1636 1st code of law for Plymouth Colony
1864-National black convention meets (Syracuse NY)
1957-USSR launches Sputnik I, the 1st artificial Earth satellite
1966-Lesotho (Basutoland) gains independence from Britain (National Day)
1969-U.N. starts issuing postage stamps at Geneva headquarters
1970-Jan Stenerud of Kansas City Chiefs kicks 55-yard field goal
1970-Herbert Schmidtz makes highest parachute jump from a tower by leaping from a 1,984 ft TV mast in Tulsa, Oklahoma
1971-Borden's opens a turn-of-century ice cream parlor at Disney World
1976-Agriculture Secretary Earl Butz resigns due to telling a racial joke
1977-Pier 39 opens in SF
1978-Funeral services held for Pope John Paul I
1984-U.S. govt closes down due to budget problems
1985-Henry G Perry completes 157 day, 14,021 mile bicycle tour of Australia
1985-Shiite Muslims claim to have killed hostage William Buckley