History

On This Day June 18

Key Historical Events

  • 1812 – President James Madison signed the declaration of war on Great Britain, marking the official start of the War of 1812 austinpbs.org+15britannica.com+15fr.famousbirthdays.com+15.

  • 1815 – At the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon Bonaparte was decisively defeated by the Duke of Wellington and Prussian forces, ending his rule and the Napoleonic Wars tovima.com+1en.wikipedia.org+1.

  • 1873 – Susan B. Anthony was fined for voting illegally in the U.S. presidential election, a key moment in the women’s suffrage movement bleedcubbieblue.com+2en.wikipedia.org+2britannica.com+2.

  • 1979 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev signed the SALT II nuclear arms control treaty wsj.com+3apnews.com+3britannica.com+3.

  • 1983 – Sally Ride became the first American woman in space aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger brainyhistory.com+3apnews.com+3apnews.com+3.

  • 1986 – A tragic mid-air collision over the Grand Canyon killed 25 people apnews.com+1brainyhistory.com+1.

⚾ Highlights in Sports History

According to Bleed Cubbie Blue: Baseball History Unpacked:

  • In 1938, Babe Ruth signed on as coach for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

  • The 1953 Boston Red Sox had a remarkable 17-run inning, including three hits from Gene Stephens.

  • 1967 saw Houston Astro Don Wilson pitch a no-hitter.

  • In 1972, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld baseball’s antitrust exemption.

  • 1986: Don Sutton achieved his 300th career win.

  • 1996: Chicago Cubs rookie Brant Brown hit three homers in a single game.

  • And more modern-day moments involving interleague play, dramatic collisions, team relocations—and the passing of Hall of Famer Willie Mays in 2024 austinpbs.org+6bleedcubbieblue.com+6apnews.com+6.

🎂 Births

  • Paul McCartney (born 1942) – famed British musician of The Beatles britannica.com+1en.wikipedia.org+1.

  • Roger Ebert (born 1942) – acclaimed American film critic en.wikipedia.org+1britannica.com+1.

  • Blake Shelton (born 1976) – country singer and television personality .

🕊️ Notable Deaths

  • Willie Mays (1931–2024) – legendary baseball Hall of Famer fr.famousbirthdays.com.

  • Maxim Gorky (1868–1936) – influential Russian author onthisday.com+1famousbirthdays.com+1.

  • Ethel Barrymore (1879–1959) – Emmy‑winning American stage and film actress