On this day: February 18
Referee Awards Goal After Dream Inspired Call in 1935 Match
On 18 February 1935 a British referee reportedly awarded a goal after saying he had dreamed the ball had crossed the line; accounts of the incident circulated in contemporary newspapers but details and motivations remain disputed.
CIA Files Reveal Longstanding Plotting Against Fidel Castro
Declassified CIA documents released in February 2000 expose multiple Cold War-era schemes to assassinate or destabilize Cuban leader Fidel Castro, revealing covert collaborations, unconventional methods, and internal debates within U.S. intelligence over moral and legal limits.
1982 Tylenol Poisonings Mark First Known Deadly Product Tampering Case
In late 1982, cyanide-laced capsules of Extra-Strength Tylenol caused seven deaths in the Chicago area, becoming the first widely recognized case of lethal product tampering in the United States and prompting major changes in packaging and federal regulation.
First recorded automobile bank robbery, February 18, 1909
On February 18, 1909, a gang used multiple automobiles to rob a bank in Russell, Kansas—an early documented instance where motor vehicles enabled a getaway, marking a shift in criminal tactics as cars spread across the United States.
CIA Acknowledges Use of Psychological Profiling on U.S. Citizens
In February 1993 the CIA confirmed it had employed psychological profiling techniques involving U.S. persons, acknowledging an intelligence practice that raised legal and civil-liberties concerns and prompted Congressional scrutiny.
1933 Report Linked Diet Pills to a Fatal Reaction — the First Documented Alarm
On February 18, 1933, medical journals and newspapers reported a case tying a slimming patent medicine to a fatal cardiac reaction, an early documented warning about the risks of diet pills and stimulant-containing remedies.
FDA Withdraws Drug After Reports of Fatal Side Effects
On February 18, 1997, U.S. regulators announced a recall and market withdrawal of a prescription drug following accumulating reports linking the medication to fatal adverse reactions. The action halted distribution and prompted reviews of safety monitoring and prescribing guidance.
Clyde Tombaugh’s 1930 Discovery of Pluto
On February 18, 1930, American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh identified a ninth planet—later named Pluto—using photographic plates at Lowell Observatory, marking a major milestone in 20th-century planetary astronomy.
Clyde Tombaugh Discovers Pluto, Expanding the Solar System
On February 18, 1930, amateur astronomer Clyde Tombaugh identified a ninth planetary body—later named Pluto—at Lowell Observatory using photographic plates and meticulous blink-comparison techniques, marking a major moment in 20th-century astronomy.
Dale Earnhardt Sr. killed in last-lap crash at 2001 Daytona 500
NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. died on Feb. 18, 2001, after a last-lap collision in the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, a moment that shocked motorsports and prompted major safety reforms.