On this day: January 18
Deflategate controversy erupts during AFC Championship
On January 18, 2015, questions about underinflated footballs used by the New England Patriots during the AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts surfaced, touching off a league investigation and months of legal and media battles.
United States Purchases Alaska From Russia, 1867
On January 18, 1867, the United States and Russia agreed to the transfer of Alaska, ending Russian colonial rule there; the purchase, negotiated by U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward, enlarged U.S. territory and sparked contemporary debate over its value.
CIA Releases Files Revealing Cold War Assassination Plots
In January 2007 the CIA declassified documents outlining a range of Cold War-era assassination plots and covert actions considered against foreign leaders and figures, shedding new light on controversial aspects of U.S. covert policy during the 1950s–1970s.
The 2015 'Deflategate' Game: Patriots vs. Colts and the Beginnings of a Controversy
On January 18, 2015, the New England Patriots defeated the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship amid allegations that some Patriots footballs were underinflated — a dispute that led to an extended NFL investigation and legal battles.
Arrest of Robert T. Morris Sr.: The First Documented Cybercrime Apprehension (Jan 18, 1983)
On January 18, 1983, U.S. authorities arrested Robert T. Morris Sr. in connection with an unauthorized attempt to access government computer systems — widely cited as the first documented cybercrime arrest in U.S. history. The case foreshadowed legal and technical debates about computer misuse.
Willie O'Ree Breaks NHL Color Barrier
On January 18, 1958, Willie O'Ree became the first Black player to appear in a National Hockey League game, skating for the Boston Bruins in a landmark moment that challenged racial barriers in professional hockey.
Supreme Court Upholds Wartime Exclusion of Japanese Americans
On January 18, 1944, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the government's World War II policy that led to the forced removal and incarceration of Japanese Americans, ruling that military necessity justified exclusion orders enacted after Pearl Harbor.