October 20th
Month:
Day:
- 1817 The first Mississippi 'Showboat' departs from Nashville on its inaugural journey, marking an entertainment milestone.
- 1911 Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen begins his race to the South Pole, eventually becoming the first to reach it.
- 1944 Liquid gas tanks explode in Cleveland, Ohio, causing 135 deaths and leaving 3,600 people homeless.
- 1971 Rapper Snoop Dogg is born, going on to become a prominent figure in the music industry.
- 2011 Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is captured and subsequently killed by National Transitional Council Forces.
- 2003 A man survives going over Niagara Falls without safety devices, later being charged for the illegal stunt.
