On October 20, 1933 American scientist, Thomas Hunt Morgan, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine. Morgan’s discoveries revealed that chromosomes contain genes that are the basis of heredity. Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Dr. Joyce Brothers, born October 20, 1927, was called the “face of psychology” for her many appearances on talk shows in the 1960s, hosting her own in the following two decades. Many supported her efforts to dispel myths about psychology and promote mental health. Image from LOC via Wikimedia Commons, public domain in the US.

One of the first powderpuff football games was played on October 20, 1945 at Eastern State Teacher’s College in Madison, South Dakota. Image of Eastern State Women’s Football Team – October 20, 1945 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Mickey Mantle was born on October 20, 1931 in Spavinaw, Oklahoma. Out of the 40 total World Series Championship appearances by The New York Yankees, Mantle appeared in 12 or 30% of them. Image: Mickey Mantle by Bowman, 1953 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Born October 20, 1882 Bela Lugosi acted on the stage and in silent films in Europe and in the US. He first appeared in the role of Dracula on Broadway in 1927 and starred in the film version in 1931, the same year that he became a citizen of the US. Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain in the US.

On October 20, 1950, American musician Tom Petty was born in Gainesville, Florida. His song “American Girl” was recorded on July 4, 1976. Image of Tom Petty c. 1980 via Alamy

A portrait of American composer Charles Ives… It took Ives over one and a half decades to complete A Symphony: New England Holidays which includes parts titled: Washington’s Birthday, The Fourth of July and others. He was born on October 20, 1874 in Danbury, Connecticut. Image: Charles Ives in 1889 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

On October 20, 1964 President Herbert Hoover died in his suite at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. He was 90 years old. Photo of former President Herbert Hoover at a dedication ceremony in 1961 at the Herbert Hoover Dike on Lake Okeechobee in Florida. Major levees, constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, were named in honor of Hoover in commemoration of his efforts to protect lives from flooding. Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

On October 20, 1777, Robert Howe, a veteran of The French & Indian War, became a Major General in the Continental Army. He was the only person from North Carolina to achieve the rank of Major General in the Continental Army. A few years later in 1781, Howe was ordered by George Washington to quell a mutiny that occurred in New Jersey. He ended the rebellion quickly after having members of the mutiny form a firing squad who executed their two ringleaders. Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain