APRIL 17, 2020
Today is:
National Cheeseball Day — Who doesn’t love these puffed grain balls covered in neon yellow cheese?
National Kickball Day — A playground classic for years. Line up and pick your teams! There’s nothing like the sound of the big rubber ball when it’s kicked.
International Haiku Poetry Day — Try writing your own 5-7-5 syllable poem: Start a line with five. Next one seven syllables. Five more gives haiku.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
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ALEXANDER CARTWRIGHT (1820-1892) — American firefighter; considered to be the inventor of baseball. |
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J.P. MORGAN (1837-1913) — American banker and financier. One of the figureheads of America’s “Gilded Age” |
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“ROWDY” RODDY PIPER (1954-2015) — Canadian professional wrestler and actor. |
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SEAN BEAN (1959) — English actor (Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, The Martian) |
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BOOMER ESIASON (1961) — American former football player (quarterback) and sports commentator. |
TODAY IN HISTORY
1861 – Virginia’s secession convention votes in favor of secession, becoming the 8th state to join the Confederate States of America. | ![]() |
1907 – The Ellis Island immigration center processes its highest one day total: 11,747 people. | ![]() |
1961– The Bay of Pigs Invasion begins with a group of CIA-backed Cuban exiles land on the island and attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro. | ![]() |
1970 – Apollo 13 returns to Earth after an in flight disaster nearly killed all aboard on their mission to the moon. | ![]() |