Today in history: Oct. 31
Major events that happened around the world on this day in history.
1517: Martin Luther
In 1517, Martin Luther sent his 95 Theses denouncing what he saw as the abuses of the Catholic Church, especially the sale of indulgences, to the Archbishop of Mainz, Germany (by some accounts, Luther also posted the Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg), marking the start of the Protestant Reformation.
1926: Harry Houdini
In 1926, magician Harry Houdini died in Detroit of peritonitis resulting from a ruptured appendix.
1941: Mount Rushmore National Memorial
In 1941, work was completed on the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota, begun in 1927.
1964: Theodore C. Freeman
In 1964, Theodore C. Freeman, 34, became the first member of NASA's astronaut corps to die when his T-38 jet crashed while approaching Ellington Air Force Base in Houston.
1968: Lyndon Johnson
In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered a halt to all U.S. bombing of North Vietnam, saying he hoped for fruitful peace negotiations.
1984: Indira Gandhi
In 1984, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two Sikh (seek) security guards.
1999: EgyptAir Flight 990
In 1999, EgyptAir Flight 990, bound from New York to Cairo, crashed off the Massachusetts coast, killing all 217 people aboard.
2005: President George W. Bush & Samuel Alito
In 2005, President George W. Bush nominated Judge Samuel Alito (ahl-EE'-toh) to the Supreme Court.
2009: Anthony Sowell
Ten years ago: A registered sex offender was arrested in Cleveland after police found six decomposing bodies at his home. (Authorities turned up the bodies of 11 women at the home of Anthony Sowell, who was convicted and sentenced to death in 2011.)
2009: New York Yankees
Ten years ago: The New York Yankees won Game 3 of the World Series, defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 8-5 to give New York a 2-1 Series lead.
2014: SpaceShipTwo
Five years ago: Commercial space tourism suffered a huge setback when a prototype passenger rocket, Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo, exploded during a test flight, scattering debris over the Mojave Desert and killing one pilot while seriously injuring the other.
2018: Red Sox Parade
One year ago: Huge crowds of fans cheered as the Red Sox rumbled through downtown Boston aboard duck boats to mark the team's fourth World Series championship in the past 15 years.
2018: Willie McCovey
One year ago: Baseball Hall of Famer Willie McCovey, a star first baseman and outfielder who played for the San Francisco Giants for 19 of his 22 major league seasons, died at the age of 80.
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