Once Upon A Time – April 17 – 1895 – Treaty Of Shimonoseki Is Signed Ending First Sino-Japanese War

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 Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Queen Elizabeth II sign ‘Proclamation of the Constitution Act’, establishes Charter of Rights and Freedoms as part of the country’s new Constitution

Historical Events Today Events in 2023

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 releases his 1st solo album “McCartney”

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

Famous Weddings

1929 Baseball great Babe Ruth (34) marries 2nd wife Claire Merritt Hodgson (31)

1941 American actress Doris Day (19) weds trombonist Albert Jorden

1943 Actress Claire Trevor (34) weds Navy lieutenant Cyclos William Dunsmoore in Tijuana, Mexico