October 23 is the 296th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 69 days remain until the end of the year.
We have some interesting facts & historic events all about October 23rd, including areas in religion, crime, health and more.
Keep reading for more interesting facts about October 23rd in history!
Table of Contents
Global Celebrations
- National TV Talk Show Host Day
- National Boston Cream Pie Day
- National Mole Day
- National iPod Day
- National Make a Difference Day
Historic Events
What Happened On This Day – October 23
2002: Dubrovka Theater Hostage Crisis
About 50 Chechen rebels led by Movsar Barayev took over the Dubrovka Theater in Moscow during the performance of Nord-Ost, a musical. The rebels took about 850 hostages and demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya. The siege lasted for about 3 days and ended after Russian security forces released a chemical gas in the theater. All of the rebels and about 170 hostages died during the siege.
2001: Apple announces the first iPod Player
The iPod is the world’s best-selling portable media player. Already 6 years after its initial launch, Apple announced that 100 million devices had been sold. The company has been criticized for its aggressive policies forcing users to use only original batteries and preventing them from freely sharing content with others.
1998: Swatch Announces Internet Time
The Swiss watch company invented a new unit of time called the .beat, which corresponds to 1 minute and 26.4 seconds. Under the Internet Time system, a day is divided into 1000 .beats.
1983: Beirut Barracks Bombing
Two bombs exploded in front of American and French barracks during the Lebanese Civil War, killing about 300 French and American military personnel. Islamic Jihad took responsibility for the bombings.
1964: Jean-Paul Sartre Turns Down Nobel Prize
The French existentialist philosopher and writer published a letter in the newspaper Le Figaro to explain why he did not want to accept the Nobel Prize for Literature he had been awarded the day before on October 22. In his letter, he said he did not want to take sides in the East and West struggle of the Cold War, by accepting an award that was given out by Western institutions.
2001: iPod launches
1942: During WWII, Britain launched major offensive at El Alamein, Egypt.
Famous Birthdays
Births On This Day, October 23
1959: “Weird Al” Yankovic, American singer-songwriter, comedian, actor
1957: Paul Kagame, Rwandan politician, 6th President of Rwanda
1942: Michael Crichton, American author, screenwriter, director, producer
1940: Pelé, Brazilian footballer
1925: Johnny Carson, American television host
Heartbreaking Deaths
Deaths On This Day, October 23
2000: Yokozuna, American wrestler
1957: Christian Dior, French fashion designer, founded S.A.
1950: Al Jolson, Lithuanian/American singer, actor
1921: John Boyd Dunlop, Scottish businessman, co-founded Dunlop Rubber
1915: W. G. Grace, English cricketer
