1845- Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven is first published. One of Poe’s most famous literary pieces, the haunting narrative poem talks of a distraught lover’s encounter with a talking raven. While considered relatively mild in modern society, in an era where the pen held the power now possessed by modern cinema, Poe’s masterpiece caused much fright to its readers.

1916- German zeppelins bomb Paris, France for the first time. One of the new warfare techniques introduced by World War I, aerial bombings of European cities left a swathe of destruction and resulted in the deaths of  innocent civilians. Able to store large payloads of bombs, massive German blimps threatened the safety of millions across Europe.

1936- The first players, including legend Babe Ruth, are elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. While Ruth’s career ended in 1935, his stellar performances earned him a lasting reputation as one of baseball’s all-time greats. Over the course of his career, the “Sultan of Swat” recorded 714 home runs, 2,213 runs batted in, and 2,062 bases on balls.