Today in History for 18th April 2026

[CoM Moderators]

Historical Events

1868 - San Francisco Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals forms in San Francisco, California
1950 - 1st opening night-game, Cards beat Pirates, 4-2
1963 - Dr. James Campbell performs the first human nerve transplant
1974 - Red Brigade kidnaps Italian attorney general Mario Sossi
1996 - In Lebanon, at least 106 civilians are killed when the Israel Defense Forces accidentally shell the UN compound at Quana.

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Famous Birthdays

1918 - Róbert Zimonyi, Hungarian rowing coxswain (Olympic gold USA men's eight 1964; bronze Hungary coxed pair 1948), born in Sárvár, Hungary (d. 2004)
1925 - Bob Hastings, American actor (McHale's Navy; All in the Family), born in Brooklyn, New York City(d. 2014)
1946 - Tommy Shannon [Smedley], American blues-rock bassist (Johnny Winter; Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble), born in Tucson, Arizona
1950 - Kenny Ortega, American film and television producer (High School Musical trilogy), born in Palo Alto, California
1966 - Valeri Kamensky, Russian NHL left wing (Avalanche, Olympic silver 1998), born in Voskresensk, Russia

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Famous Deaths

1587 - John Foxe, English historian (Book of Martyrs), dies
1674 - John Graunt, English statistician and founder of science of demography, dies at 53
1960 - Emory Johnson, American actor and director (Phantom Express, Shield of Honor), dies at 66
1974 - John Henry Lewis, American boxer (World Light-Heavyweight champion, 1935-38), dies of emphysema and Parkinson's at 59
1997 - Edward Barker, English cartoonist, dies at 46

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[+ Charlie]

"Twas the 18th of April in '75, hardly a man is now alive, who remembers that famous day and year." (From The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere)