January 18th
1778
Captain James Cook became the first European to visit the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii).
1788
The First Fleet, carrying convicts and sheep, arrived in Australia's Botany Bay.
1862
John Tyler, the 10th president of the United States, died in Richmond, Va., at age 71.
1919
The World War I peace conference opened in Versailles, France.
1912
The ill-fated Scott expedition reached the South Pole, only to discover Amundsen had been there first.
1936
Author Rudyard Kipling died in Burwash, England, at age 70
1943
The Nazi siege of Leningrad was broken.
1951
The NFL passed a rule that said that a tackle, guard or center was not eligible to catch a forward pass.
1958
Willie O'Ree made his NHL debut with the Boston Bruins. He was the first black player to enter the league
1974
The first episode of "The Six Million Dollar Man" aired.
1975
"The Jeffersons" debuted on CBS-TV
1990
Washington, D.C., Mayor Marion Barry was arrested for drug possession in an FBI sting. (He was later convicted of a misdemeanor.)
1993
All 50 states joined in the observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.
Birthdays
55 Ted DiBiase Professional Wrestler ("The Million Dollar Man")
54 Kevin Costner Actor
48 Mark Messier Hockey Hall of Famer
44 Dave Attell Comedian
38 Jonathan Davis Rock singer (Korn)
25 Kristy Lee Cook Country singer ("American Idol")
80 Thomas Watson 1/18/1854 - 12/13/1934 American telephone pioneer/shipbuilder
66 Oliver Hardy 1/18/1892 - 8/7/1957 American comic movie actor
82 Cary Grant 1/18/1904 - 11/29/1986 English/American actor