Paul Layendecker’s “WAY BACK WHEN” for Friday, Oct. 31, 2025
1517 Reformer Martin Luther started the Protestant reformation when he nailed his 95 theses against the corruption of the papacy in Rome to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg. October 31st was commemorated annually as Reformation Day.
1941 The Mount Rushmore memorial was completed. Work had begun in 1927 by sculpture Gutzon Borglum who died in March of 1941 leaving his son to complete the task. The sculpture features the 60-foot-tall heads of U.S. Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln.
1968 U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson announced the U.S. would cease the bombing of North Vietnam, just before the Presidential election.
Music History:
1969 David Bowie appeared at a Halloween night at General Gordon, Gravesend, England. The gig lasted about 15 minutes, after Bowie sang ‘Space Oddity’ to everyone’s delight and then dragged a stool on stage, along with a huge book. He then sat and read poems and was booed off stage.
Notable Birthdays today:
Morning host Jane Pauley 75
Actress Deidre Hall 78
Former CBS Anchor Dan Rather 94
Credit to:
Thisdayinmusic.com and Thisdaytrivia.com
