BIG STUFF

October 18 in history:

The tale of a big whale was introduced on this date in 1851, when Herman Melville’s “Moby-Dick” was published in England.

The U.S. made a big purchase from Russia on October 18th, 1867:  Alaska.  The Alaska territory was more than half a million acres, about twice as large as Texas. The acquisition arranged by Secretary of State William Seward was derided with nicknames like “Seward’s Folly” and “Seward’s Icebox.”

Nicknamed after something else big and cold, Chicago Bears rookie William “The Refrigerator” Perry became an overnight star during a Monday Night Football game against Green Bay in October 1985.  The two head coaches in that contest both celebrated their birthdays that game week, on October 18th:  Mike Ditka of the Bears (1939), and Forrest Gregg of the Packers (1933).

Both Gregg and Ditka were still active players in the NFL during the 1970 season, when “Monday Night Football” made its debut. Announcer Keith Jackson, who handled the play-by-play for the Monday night games that first season, was born on this date in 1928.