On this day: April 17
Inmate Allegedly Escapes by Mailing Himself Out of Jail
In April 2013, a prison inmate in Utah is reported to have escaped custody by hiding inside a large box and having it shipped out of the facility. Authorities later located and re-arrested the man; details and motives reported at the time remain limited.
Deadly Explosion Levels West, Texas Fertilizer Plant
On April 17, 2013, a massive explosion at the West Fertilizer Company in West, Texas, killed at least 15 people, injured more than 160, and destroyed homes and businesses in the surrounding community, prompting federal investigations into storage of ammonium nitrate and emergency response failures.
The First Official World Chess Championship: Steinitz vs. Zukertort, 1886
In 1886 Wilhelm Steinitz and Johannes Zukertort contested the first widely recognized World Chess Championship match, played across three U.S. cities and marking a turning point in competitive chess and the public's view of the game.
Deadly Explosion Levels West, Texas Fertilizer Plant
A massive blast tore through the West, Texas fertilizer plant on April 17, killing multiple people, injuring dozens, and destroying nearby buildings; the explosion raised urgent questions about storage, safety regulation, and emergency preparedness in small industrial towns.
Birth of the Modern World Championship: Steinitz vs. Zukertort, 1886
On April 17, 1886, the first widely recognized World Chess Championship match began in the United States, pitting Wilhelm Steinitz against Johannes Zukertort in a multi-city contest that set the pattern for modern title matches.
Pioneering Facial Reconstruction Surgery Performed on April 17, 1917
On April 17, 1917, surgeon Harold Gillies performed one of the first documented successful facial reconstruction operations on a British soldier disfigured in World War I, marking a turning point in plastic surgery and wartime medical care.