Once Upon A Time – April 17 – 1875 – Modern Snooker Invented By Sir Neville Chamberlain, A Bored British Officer In Jabalpur, India

1387 Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales” characters begin their pilgrimage to Canterbury (according to scholars)

1492 Christopher Columbus signs a contract with the Spanish monarchs to find the “Indies” with the stated goal of converting people to Catholicism. This promises him 10% of all riches found and the governorship of any lands encountered.

1895 Treaty of Shimonoseki is signed ending the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-95)

1961 1,400 Cuban exiles land in Bay of Pigs in a doomed attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro

1982 Proclamation of the Constitution Act by Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau

Historical Events Today
Today in Film & TV
2011 “Game of Thrones”, based on the fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin premieres on HBO

Today in Music
1970 Paul McCartney’s 1st solo album “McCartney” is released

Today in Sport
1976 NL greatest comeback: trailing 12-1, Philadelphia Phillies beat Chicago Cubs, 18-16 in 10 innings at Wrigley Field; Mike Schmidt hits 4 consecutive HRs

2012
The 8th century St. Cuthbert Gospel, Europe’s oldest intact book, is purchased by the British Library for 9 million pounds

1875
Modern Snooker invented by Sir Neville Chamberlain, a bored British officer in Jabalpur, India