Today in History for Oct. 12, 2014

Sir William Phips

Oct. 12, 1492 - Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer, sighted Watling Island in the Bahamas. He believed that he had found Asia while attempting to find a Western ocean route to India. The same day he claimed the land for Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain.

Oct. 12, 1692 – The Salem Witch Trails ended as Massachusetts Gov. William Phips wrote the Privy Council of King William and Queen Mary saying that he had stopped the proceedings and referred to "what danger some of their innocent subjects might be exposed to, if the evidence of the afflicted persons only did prevail," that is, "spectral evidence."

Oct. 12, 1824 – During his tour of the United States, the Marquis de Lafayette arrived in the District of Columbia.

Oct. 12, 1832 – Revolutionary War soldier and Georgia Governor John Clarke passed away from yellow fever at the age of 66 at St. Andrews Bay in present-day Bay County, Fla. Clarke County, Ala. was named in his honor on Dec. 10, 1812. He was originally buried at St. Andrews Bay, but his grave was moved to Marietta National Cemetery in Georgia in 1923.

Oct. 12, 1862 - Confederate cavalry leader General J.E.B. Stuart crossed the Potomac River after looting Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

Oct. 12, 1870 - General Robert Edward Lee, the commander of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, passed away peacefully at the age of 63 at his home in Lexington, Virginia. Lee suffered a stroke on September 28, 1870, and lingered for two weeks before passing away.

Oct. 12, 1890 – The New York Sun newspaper published an illustration of outlaws Rube Burrow and Joe Jackson having a gun battle with a posse on Sun Mountain in North Alabama.

Oct. 12, 1896: The Alabama Girls’ Industrial School opened its doors as the first state-supported industrial and technical school devoted to training girls to make a living. The school later became known as Alabama College, and is now the University of Montevallo.

Oct. 12, 1906 – Baseball Hall of Famer Joe Cronin was born in San Francisco, Calif.

Oct. 12, 1914 – Conecuh County’s Nicholas Stallworth, the son of Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Stallworth was badly bruised and cut after being run down by a runaway horse.

Oct. 12, 1918 – During World War I, Army Pvt. Thomas V. Salter of Atmore, Ala. “died from disease.”

Oct. 12, 1929 - The Philadelphia Athletics scored 10 runs in a single inning of a World Series game against the Chicago Cubs. They went on to win the game by two runs, taking a 3-1 lead in the series. They won the championship, their first since 1913, in the fifth game.

Oct. 12, 1948 – During their first meeting, new town officials took over in the Town of Castleberry, Ala. during a town council meeting. New town officials including Mayor Forrest Castleberry and aldermen Joe H. Carr, H.S. Green, Haskew Page Jr., L.H. Riggs and L.H. Wilson. Green was elected mayor pro tem, and Wilson was re-elected as clerk-treasurer.

Oct. 12, 1979 – “The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy,” the first of five books in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy comedy science fiction series by Douglas Adams, was published.

Oct. 12, 1984 – Wilcox Academy beat Sparta Academy, 14-12, in Camden, Ala. Sparta’s touchdowns were scored by Jim Marino on a two-yard run and on a 62-yard pass from Jeff Walker to Al Etheridge.

Oct. 12, 1984 – In one of the biggest football games ever played in Conecuh County, Ala., No. 2-ranked Repton beat No. 1-ranked McKenzie, 12-7, in Repton. Repton’s first touchdown came on a one-yard run by John Thompson Jr. with 4:25 to go in the first quarter. Repton’s winning touchdown came on a two-yard run by Winston Davison with 10:38 left in the game. McKenzie’s only touchdown came on a one-yard run by David Crittenden with 4:23 left in the third quarter. Stacey Reid added the extra point.

Oct. 12, 1986 - Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears became the first NFL player to accumulate 20,000 yards.

Oct. 12, 1991 - Nirvana's album, "Nevermind" was certified gold by the RIAA.

Oct. 12, 1997 - Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions passed Jim Brown and moved into fourth place on the NFL's all-time rushing list with 12,513 yards.

Oct. 12, 1997 - Eddie Murray of the Minnesota Vikings set an NFL record when he kicked his 235th consecutive extra point.

Oct. 12, 2010 - The Texas Rangers won the first playoff series in franchise history when they defeated the Tampa Devil Rays.

Oct. 12, 2012 – The Old Robbins Hotel in Beatrice, Ala. was destroyed by fire.