1814 – The London Beer Flood occurred in London, killing 9 people on the 17th October 1814.
1860 – The Open Championship also known as the British Open golf tournament was held for the first time on the 17th October 1860.
1888 – Thomas Edison filed a patent for the Optical Phonograph (first movie) on the 17th October 1888.
1907 – Guglielmo Marconi‘s company began the 1st commercial transatlantic wireless service on the 17th October 1907, between Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada and Clifden, Ireland.
1919 – RCA was incorporated as the Radio Corporation of America on the 17th October 1919.
1931 – Al Capone was convicted of income tax evasion on the 17th October 1931.
1933 – Albert Einstein fled Nazi Germany and moved to the United States on the 17th October 1933.
1938 – Evel Knievel the American motorcycle stuntman was born on the 17th October 1938 (died 2007).
1942 – Gary Puckett the American singer-songwriter from Gary Puckett & The Union Gap was born on the 17th October 1942.
1943 – The Burma Railway also known as the Burma-Thailand Railway was completed on the 17th October 1943.
1956 – The 1st commercial nuclear power station was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in Sellafield, Cumbria, England on the 17th October 1956.
1956 – Donald Byrne and Bobby Fischer played a famous chess game called The Game of the Century on the 17th October 1956. Bobby Fischer beat Donald Byrne and won a Brilliancy prize.
1964 – Robert Menzies, the Prime Minister of Australia opened the artificial Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra, the capital of Australia on the 17th October 1964.
1965 ~ Rhys Muldoon the Australian actor, writer and director was born on the 17th October 1965, in Newcastle, New South Wales. Rhys Muldoon is best known as Sarge Leonard from the Lockie Leonard TV series.
1968 – Ziggy Marley the Jamaican singer-songwriter, guitarist, and voice actor was born on the 17th October 1968.
1969 – Wyclef Jean the Haitian-born American rapper and songwriter from the Fugees was born on the 17th October 1969.
1972 ~ Eminem the American rapper, songwriter, and record producer was born Marshall Bruce Mathers III, in St Joseph, Missouri, on the 17th October 1972. “Without Me” 2002 song by Eminem with over 653 million views on YouTube…
1979 – Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on the 17th October 1979.
1982 – Nick Riewoldt the Australian rules footballer was born on the 17th October 1982.
1989 – 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake (7.1 on the Richter scale) hit the San Francisco Bay Area and caused 63 deaths on the 17th October 1989.
1988 ~ DAMi iM the South-Korean born Australian piano teacher, singer and Australian X Factor winner was born on the 17th October 1988. Dami won the 5th series grand final of Australian X Factor with her mentor Dannii Minogue on the 28th October 2013.
1989 ~ Sophie Luck the Australian actress was born on the 17th October 1989. Sophie is best known for her roles on the television shows Blue Water High and Home and Away. See Sophie Luck’s official website: www.SophieLuck.com & Twitter: www.twitter.com/Sophie_Luck
2003 – Taipei 101, a 101 floor skyscraper in Taipei, became the world’s tallest highrise on the 17th October 2003, when a pinnacle was fitted on the top.
Today in History for October 17th ~ video presented by the Associated Press…