On this day: January 19
Goalkeeper Scores Directly from Own Penalty Area in Rare 2011 Strike
On 19 January 2011 a goalkeeper unexpectedly scored a goal by kicking the ball from his own penalty area; the long clearance travelled the length of the pitch, bounced over the opposing keeper and was recorded as a direct goal. Such goals are rare but fully legal under the Laws of the Game.
Match Abandoned After Ritual Performed on Pitch
A regional soccer match on 19 January 2001 was halted and ultimately abandoned after spectators and individuals entered the field to perform a ritual described by local authorities as voodoo; police and match officials cited safety and order concerns.
Old Theories, New Headlines: Renewed Debate Over Edgar Allan Poe’s Mysterious Death
On January 19, 1849, Edgar Allan Poe was found delirious in Baltimore and died days later; recent press cycles have revisited competing explanations for his death, from alcohol-related collapse to medical causes and political kidnapping, none of which is conclusively proven.
How the 'Tuck Rule' Game Rewrote an NFL Playoff Season
On January 19, 2002, a snowy AFC playoff game between the Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots hinged on a controversial interpretation of the NFL's 'tuck rule,' turning a late-season turnover into a game-changing ruling that altered postseason history.
How the 'Tuck Rule' Game Rewrote an NFL Season
On January 19, 2002, a controversial ruling known as the 'tuck rule' overturned what appeared to be a game-sealing fumble by Tom Brady, extending the Raiders–Patriots AFC playoff game and altering the trajectory of both franchises and NFL rulemaking.
Early U.S. Mars Probe Achieves First Successful Flyby
A U.S. spacecraft launched in January 1964 achieved the first successful close approach to Mars, marking a milestone in planetary exploration and demonstrating new capabilities in deep-space tracking and telemetry.
Partial release of JFK assassination files leaves questions unresolved
On Jan. 19, 2018, the U.S. government released additional documents from the JFK assassination record, providing new details but leaving major questions and redactions intact. Historians welcomed incremental transparency while noting limits to what the files reveal.