October 18

Born in North Carolina in 1791, Blair co-founded the Washington Globe and became a leading voice in Democratic politics. He served as adviser to Presidents Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren, helping to shape the Democratic Party’s identity. Known for his editorial skill and political connections, Blair was integral in forming the party’s stance on issues like banking and westward expansion. During the Civil War, he advocated for the Union and counseled President Lincoln on border state diplomacy. His legacy continued through his sons’ political careers, cementing the Blair family’s role in American history.

Ramón Mercader was recruited by the Soviet NKVD and infiltrated Leon Trotsky's inner circle in Mexico. In August 1940, he fatally wounded Trotsky with an ice axe, acting on orders from Stalin's regime. Convicted of murder, Mercader served 20 years in a Mexican prison before being released and honored by the Soviet Union. He later settled in Cuba, where he lived until his death in 1978. Mercader's life story remains a chilling example of Cold War espionage and ideological warfare.

Bill King was an iconic American sportscaster whose career spanned over five decades. He provided play-by-play commentary for the Oakland Athletics and the Golden State Warriors, becoming known as 'The Voice of the Bay Area'. King's distinctive style and deep knowledge of the games endeared him to generations of fans. He also covered college sports and served as a mentor to young broadcasters. King died on October 18, 2005, leaving a lasting legacy in sports broadcasting.

Robert W. Farquhar (1932–2015) was an American aerospace engineer whose expertise in orbital mechanics shaped several space missions. He worked at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, contributing to early lunar and planetary probe designs. Farquhar developed innovative gravity-assist and weak stability boundary trajectory methods that enabled efficient interplanetary transfers. He served as the principal investigator for mission proposals to asteroids and comets, including plans for the ISEE-3 spacecraft. His work laid the groundwork for modern mission navigation and deep space exploration. Farquhar taught and mentored students in aerospace engineering and published key research in scientific journals. His contributions earned him recognition within the aerospace community. He passed away in 2015, remembered as a pioneer in mission trajectory planning.