In the anniversaries of October 14, these events that happened on a day like today in Argentina and in the world are unique:
1934. Horacio Accavallo was born
Horacio Accavallo was born in Lanús. Of humble origins, Roquiño is Argentina’s second world boxing champion. In 1966, twelve years after the title achieved by Pascual Pérez, he defeated the Japanese Katsuyoshi Takayama in Tokyo, in the fight for the flyweight title of the World Boxing Association and the World Boxing Council. The Argentine won on points in a split ruling and retained his crown until 1968, when he retired after three successful defenses. He died on September 14, 2022.
1944. Rommel’s suicide
Accused of participating in the plot to kill Hitler, Erwin Rommel, nicknamed the Desert Fox for his skill in Egypt against British troops, committed suicide. He was one of the most brilliant strategists of World War II. He expressed his ideas in the book The Infantry on the Attack, from 1937. In the middle of the war, he was personified in the cinema by Erich von Stroheim, in the film Five Tombs in Cairo, directed by Billy Wilder in 1943, and which occurred during the Egyptian campaign; and in 1953 by James Mason in The Desert Rats.
1962. The missile crisis
The missile crisis began, the highest moment of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. A North American U-2 plane captured photographic material proving the existence of a Soviet missile platform in Cuba. The government of John F. Kennedy imposed a blockade on the island and the increase increased. There were thirteen days of tension until Nikita Khrushchev agreed to withdraw and the United States agreed not to invade Cuba and dismantle its base in Turkey.
1980. Farewell to Oscar Alemán
Oscar Alemán died, at the age of 71. Born in Chaco, he stood out as a guitarist of great excellence. He played in France in the 1930s, where he met Josephine Baker, Louis Armstrong and Django Reinhardt. Back in Argentina, he established himself as the country’s leading jazz guitarist.
1992. José MarÃa Muñoz died
José MarÃa Muñoz died at the age of 68. Argentina’s most famous soccer announcer for decades promoted the athletic event known as the Mayan Festival, every May 25. He was linked to the military dictatorship for his fierce defense of ‘ 78 World Cup and his messages against the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, whose visit coincided with the youth world cup won by the U-19 team led by Diego Maradona in Japan in September 1979.
2001. The angry vote
The legislative elections gave a victory to Peronism and the government of Fernando de la Rúa was further weakened. This is the first time that senators will be directly voted for. This is how Eduardo Duhalde and Raúl AlfonsÃn arrived in the Upper House, among others. The innovation of the day is the angry vote. Wide swathes contest when voting. In the City of Buenos Aires the Alliance won, but strictly speaking it was the second: the blank and contested vote was greater than that obtained by the duo formed by Rodolfo Terragno and Vilma Ibarra.
2012. Baumgartner’s jump
Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner made history in Roswell, New Mexico, by falling from a capsule from the stratosphere, after climbing in a helium balloon. It was pulled from a height of 39 thousand meters at a speed of 1,357 kilometers per hour and broke the sound barrier without mechanical assistance, something that has never been done before. Two years later, Alan Eustace surpassed him by jumping from 41 thousand meters.
2019. Condemnations of Catalan secessionists
Spain’s Supreme Court has given a decision in the most important case since the failed coup of 1981: the Catalan independence attempt, which consisted of an illegal referendum in 2017. Twelve indicted nationalist leaders were found guilty of the crimes of rebellion, sedition and embezzlement. The crime of rebellion was dismissed and nine of them received sentences of between 9 and 13 years in prison. The government of Pedro Sánchez pardoned those convicted in 2021.
In addition, it is World Organ, Tissue and Transplant Donation Day, which seeks to encourage the importance of donation; and World Spirometry Day.
