This Day In History : October 26

1863 United Kingdom

The Football Association Formed

On October 26, 1863, The Football Association (FA) was formed in London, England. This event marked the official establishment of the rules for the game of football (soccer) and is considered a key moment in the development of the sport. The FA's formation helped standardize the rules, distinguishing it from rugby football, and laid the foundation for the modern game of soccer as we know it today.

Also on This Day in History October 26

Discover what happened on October 26 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, October 26
  • 1947 Hillary Clinton

    American politician, 67th United States Secretary of State, 44th First Lady of the United States

  • 1877 Max Mason

    American mathematical physicist, educator, and science administrator

  • 1940 Gennadi Strekalov

    Russian cosmonaut (Soyuz T-3, T-8, T-11, TM-21)

  • 1956 Stephen Gumley

    Australian businessman (1st CEO of Australian Defence Materiel Organisation)

  • 1972 Raveena Tandon

    Indian actress

Deaths on This Day, October 26
  • 1979 Park Chung-hee

    Korean general, politician, 3rd President of South Korea

  • 1923 Charles Proteus Steinmetz

    German-American electrical engineer (development of alternating current)

  • 1873 Joseph Saxton

    American inventor, watchmaker, and photographer

  • 1945 Alexei Krylov

    Russian engineer and mathematician

  • 1972 Igor Sikorsky

    Russian-American pioneer of aviation in both helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft

1936

The first electric generator at the Hoover Dam goes into operation

On October 26, 1936, the first electric generator at the Hoover Dam went into operation. This significant event marked the beginning of the dam's power generation capabilities, which would go on to provide electricity to a vast area including parts of Nevada, Arizona, and California. The Hoover Dam, a monumental engineering project, was constructed during the Great Depression and has since played a crucial role in water management and energy production in the American Southwest.
1905

First Soviet (workers' council) formed, St Petersburg, Russia

In October 1905, the first Soviet (workers' council) was formed in St. Petersburg, Russia. This was a significant event in Russian history as it marked the beginning of the Soviet system of governance, which played a crucial role in the 1917 Russian Revolution. The St. Petersburg Soviet was created by striking workers who sought to coordinate their activities and represent their interests, and it later became an influential political force in the lead-up to the Bolshevik takeover.
1968

Soviet Union launches spacecraft Soyuz 3

The Soviet Union launched the spacecraft Soyuz 3 on October 26, 1968. Soyuz 3 was a manned mission commanded by cosmonaut Georgi Beregovoi. Its primary objective was to perform a rendezvous and docking with the unmanned Soyuz 2 spacecraft, which had been launched the previous day. This mission was part of the Soviet Union's efforts in advancing manned space exploration during the space race era.
1976

Transkei gains independence

Transkei, a former Bantustan in South Africa, gained independence on October 26, 1976. It was one of several separate territories created under apartheid to house Black South Africans. However, its independence was not internationally recognized outside of South Africa. Transkei's status as an independent state was controversial and was seen by many as a tool of the apartheid regime to enforce racial segregation.
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