Good morning. Today a handshake with history comes with a little Halloween spirit: a magician, a basketball pioneer, a crowd of Beatles fans and a journey into space.
Then we’ll turn back to 2007, when the Red Sox had just finished a remarkable October, a dance was moving up and down living rooms, and the Federal Reserve was weighing the economy.
📅 On This Day — October 31
1864 — Nevada joins the Union. President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Nevada the 36th state during the Civil War.
1926 — Houdini’s final curtain. Escape artist Harry Houdini died at age 52, leaving a legacy of illusions and seemingly impossible escapes.
1950 — Earl Lloyd makes NBA history. Playing for the Washington Capitols, Lloyd became the first Black player to appear in an NBA game.
1963 — Beatlemania meets Ed Sullivan. At London’s Heathrow Airport, the television host saw fans greeting the Beatles. Their American television appearances would follow the next year.
2000 — A crew sets out for the space station. A Soyuz spacecraft launched Expedition 1, the first crew headed to live aboard the International Space Station.
⏪ REWIND: 2007
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Imagine a neighborhood getting ready for trick-or-treaters: porch lights flicker on, costumes wait by the door, and a familiar song might still be playing inside. Across the country, there were serious headlines too.
📰 The Headlines
A rate cut as the housing market shifts
On October 31, the Federal Reserve lowered its target federal funds rate by a quarter of a percentage point, to 4.5%. The central bank pointed to strains in financial markets and a deepening housing correction as it considered the outlook for the economy.
That target is a rate used between banks, not a promise of the rate a family would see on a mortgage. For readers following the news in 2007, the decision was one more sign that housing and finance were changing.
🎬 At the Movies
A scary movie leads the weekend
For the domestic box-office weekend of October 26–28, 2007, Saw IV ranked first, earning $31,756,764. It opened ahead of Dan in Real Life and 30 Days of Night.
A horror sequel at the top just before Halloween gave moviegoers a very different kind of seasonal tradition: the one where some people would rather look away than watch what comes next.
🎵 On the Charts
“Crank That (Soulja Boy)” — Soulja Boy Tell’em
The song held No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 dated October 27, 2007, the chart just before our Rewind date.
For some listeners, a song also brings back the moves that went with it. This one could turn a room into a dance floor—and leave everyone comparing who remembered the steps.
🏁 In Sports
Boston finishes the sweep
On October 28, three days before our Rewind date, the Boston Red Sox beat the Colorado Rockies 4–3 in Game 4 to win the World Series four games to none.
A championship is measured in games and runs, but fans often remember the final out, the people beside them and the feeling that followed.
📺 On Television
A few choices from that Wednesday’s network evening:
ABC — Pushing Daisies
CBS — Criminal Minds
NBC — Life
FOX — Back to You
Four different ways to settle in after the doorbell stopped ringing. Which would you have chosen?
🏰 Disney Vault
Halloween at the Magic Kingdom
In 2007, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party was scheduled at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom on October 31. Guests were invited to dress in costume and trick-or-treat in the park, with a parade and fireworks on the program.
It was a chance to put a Disney spin on an old neighborhood ritual: costumes, candy and the excitement of being out after dark.
❤️ Health Snap
A simple handwashing habit
The CDC recommends washing hands with soap and clean running water, scrubbing for at least 20 seconds. It’s especially useful before eating or preparing food.
Think of it as a small pause between the busy parts of the day—one that can help reduce the spread of germs.
🎂 October 31 Birthdays
Jane Pauley — turns 76 (1950). The journalist and former Today co-anchor was turning 57 on our 2007 Rewind date. For many viewers, her voice is part of the familiar rhythm of morning television.
Peter Jackson — turns 65 (1961). The filmmaker behind The Lord of the Rings trilogy was turning 46 in 2007. His screen adventures gave audiences a world worth revisiting.
Vanilla Ice — turns 59 (1967). Born Robert Van Winkle, the rapper associated with “Ice Ice Baby” was turning 40 in 2007. A few notes can be enough to send listeners straight back to another era.
Know someone with an October 31 birthday? Forward this edition and ask which song, show or Halloween memory they would add to their own time capsule.
A magician leaves a lasting mystery. A basketball player opens a door. A crew sets out for a home in orbit.
Different stories, different years, and still a shared pleasure in looking back together.
If this edition brought somebody to mind, send it their way. And if someone shared it with you, subscribe free to Yesterday Today for another date with the past.
Until tomorrow,
Yesterday Today
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