Discover What Happened Today in History
Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov became the first person to exit a spacecraft and float in the vacuum of space. He spent 12 minutes outside the Voskhod 2 capsule, an event that marked a major milestone in human space exploration.
Two thieves disguised as police officers stole 13 works of art, including pieces by Vermeer and Rembrandt, from the Boston museum. It remains the largest unsolved art theft in history, with the artworks still missing.
Following France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, radical socialists and workers in Paris seized control of the city and declared a revolutionary government. The Commune, though short-lived, became a potent symbol for socialist and anarchist movements.
A natural gas leak caused a massive explosion that destroyed the New London School in Texas, killing over 295 students and teachers. The disaster led to widespread changes in safety regulations, including the odorization of natural gas.
In a significant baseball trade, the Oakland Athletics sent outfielder Lonnie Smith to the Cleveland Indians. Smith would later become a key player, winning three World Series titles and being named the 1980 NL Rookie of the Year.