Prof Frank McDonough

A nice night. x

PHOTO OF THE DAY. Ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev’s legs (1961) 📷 Richard Avedon

PERSON OF THE DAY. 30 October 1960. Argentinian football star Diego Maradona was born in Buenos Aires. He’s regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time. He was one of the 2 joint winners of the FIFA Player of the 20th Century award (along with Pele).

FACT OF THE DAY. 30 October 1974. Muhammad Ali beat George Foreman by a knockout in the 8th Round to regain the World Heavyweight Championship, in the “Rumble in the Jungle” in Zaire. Before the fight Foreman was seen as unbeatable. It was Ali’s greatest triumph.

PHOTO OF THE DAY The Beatles photographed in EMI House, Manchester Square, London in 1963 (above) and 1969 (below). 📷 Angus McBean

PERSON OF THE DAY. 29 October 1988. Sebastian Coe and Steve Cram re-ran the famous 367 metre “Chariots of Fire” race at Trinity College, Cambridge. The “Court Run” involved running around Great Court within the length of time that it takes the College clock to strike the hour of 12 noon. Coe won.

FACT OF THE DAY. 29 October 1929. “Black Tuesday”. This was the day the Wall Street Stock Market suffered its most devastating fall. It was followed by the “Great Depression” of the 1930s, which had a huge impact on trade and international upheaval around the world.

PHOTO OF THE DAY. The Beatles photographed in London's Hyde Park for the cover of the Beatles For Sale album (1964). 📷 Robert Freeman

FACT OF THE DAY. 28 October 1886. Statue of Liberty was dedicated in what is now known as Liberty Island in New York City Harbour by US President Grover Cleveland. The 151-foot high statue was a gift from the people of France. It was designated as a national monument in 1924.

PERSON OF THE DAY. 28 October 1914. American medical researcher Dr Jonas Salk was born in New York City. He created the 1st approved polio vaccine in 1955. Polio cases fell from 58,000 per year in 1952 to 6,000 by 1958. Salk’s vaccine was replaced by a new one developed by Albert Sabin in 1962.

PHOTO OF THE DAY. One of London’s last horse-drawn Hansom cabs (1946).📷 Reuben Saidman

FACT OF THE DAY. 27 October 939. King Æthelstan died (aged about 45). He was son of King Edward the Elder and King of the English from 927 to 939. Historians view him as 1st King of England and one of the greatest Anglo-Saxon kings. He never married, had no children. He was succeeded by Edmund.

PERSON OF THE DAY. 27 October 1975. Bruce Springsteen became the 1st rock star to appear simultaneously on the covers of Time and Newsweek magazines. The articles were written in response to the breakthrough success of his critically acclaimed album Born to Run, released two months earlier.

PHOTO OF THE DAY: Audrey Hepburn shopping in a supermarket in LA with her pet deer (1958). 📷 Bob Willoughby

PERSON OF THE DAY. 26 October 1952. Hattie McDaniel died (aged 59). She was best known for her role as "Mammy" in Gone with the Wind for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and thereby became the 1st African-American to win an Oscar.

FACT OF THE DAY. 26 October 1965. The Beatles received MBE’s from Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. John Lennon later claimed they smoked pot in the toilets but George Harrison later commented: “John made that up. It never happened.”

PHOTO OF THE DAY. Pablo Picasso (1962). 📷 Arnold Newman

FACT OF THE DAY. 25 October 2004. John Peel died suddenly from a heart attack (aged 65) while on holiday in Peru. He was a champion of new rock talent especially acts outside the traditional commercial mainstream. He was the longest serving original BBC Radio 1 DJ, broadcasting from 1967 to 2004.

PERSON OF THE DAY. 25 October 1881. Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga, Spain. He’s one of the most influential artists of the 20th century and is best known for co-founding the Cubist movement. Picasso is the best selling artist, based on sales of his works at auctions.

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PHOTO OF THE DAY. Mae West the elephant takes an apple from a tram driver along Grays Inn Road, London (1936) 📷 Getty Archive

FACT OF THE DAY. 24 October 1901. Annie Edson Taylor (aged 63), became the 1st person to survive a trip over Niagara Falls in a wooden barrel with a cushioned interior. She was recovered from the bottom of the falls, 20 minutes after the feat, bleeding from the head, but otherwise uninjured.

PERSON OF THE DAY. 24 October 2005. American civil rights activist Rosa Parks died (aged 92). Her refusal to give up her seat to a white passenger during the 1955 Montgomery Alabama segregated bus protest was a pivotal moment in the history of the American civil rights movement.

PHOTO OF THE DAY. London in the snow (1963). 📷 London Transport

PERSON OF THE DAY. 23 October 1940. Pelé (Edson Arantes do Nascimento) was born in Três Corações, Brazil. His total of 1,278 goals in 1,363 games, including friendlies, is a Guinness World Record. Pelé is the 2nd all-time leading goalscorer for Brazil with 77 goals in 92 games.

FACT OF THE DAY. 23 October 1843. Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square, London, was finally completed. It commemorates Horatio Nelson’s victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. It was constructed between 1840 and 1843 to a design by William Railton at a cost of £47,000 (£2.8 million now).

PHOTO OF THE DAY. Napoleon's death mask, cast in bronze, was created 40 hours after his death (1821). 📷 google images

PERSON OF THE DAY. 22 October 1972. England’s star goalkeeper Gordon Banks lost sight in his right eye in a car crash. At the time he was England’s undisputed No 1 and one of the finest goalkeepers in the world. He never played for England again.

FACT OF THE DAY. 22 October 1877. An explosion at Blantyre mine in Scotland, killed 207 miners, including a boy aged just 11. It’s thought firedamp in the pit was ignited by a naked flame and caused the huge explosion. It’s Scotland’s worst mining disaster.

PHOTO OF THE DAY: A mine rescue worker silently contemplates the Aberfan Disaster (1966). 📷 Getty images