Here’s a brief look back in time for this day, April 15.
In 1912, British ocean liner RMS Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage to New York City. The once-thought unsinkable ship carried 2,200 passengers and crew when it sank in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. An iceberg had ruptured the ship’s lower hull, causing water to rapidly rush into essential compartments. Within minutes, frigid water began flooding the lower-class cabins, which contained dozens of passengers. Due to a shortage of lifeboats, only 700 passengers were able to get out alive; the other 1,200 either went down with the ship or froze to death. The Titanic broke in half as it descended to the bottom of the Atlantic, where it remains today covered in rust and coral.
In 1947, Jackie Robinson breaks the color barrier by signing to join the Brooklyn Dodgers as a infielder and outfielder. Robinson had excelled at sports during his collegiate years at UCLA, but unfortunately had to drop out due to financial difficulties. After spending a couple of years in the U.S. military, he got back into sports by competing in the minor baseball league where he shined on the field. After signing on with the Dodgers though, he still encountered intense racial discrimination from fans and players alike. He’d help get the Dodgers to the World Series six times during his tenure, winning one of them in 1955. Robinson passed away of a heart attack at the age of 53 in 1972. His famed player number, 42, is retired 50 years later in 1992.
In 2013, two bombs explode near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. It was believed that the bombs were planted in trash cans as the runners began approaching the conclusion of the beloved tradition. Three people were killed and around 260 were injured from the blast. A manhunt for the suspects began. Terrorism suspects Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and his older brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev were found in a carjacked SUV driving around a Boston suburb later that same day. The hostage they took escaped as the brothers stopped at a nearby gas station, later calling the police. A shootout ensues, injuring both brothers. Tamerlan died in a nearby hospital, while Dzhokhar escaped with gunshot wounds. He was found a few days later in a boat located within someone’s backyard and was taken into custody. He was convicted on all 30 counts related to domestic terrorism and sentenced to death. He’s currently awaiting execution at ADX Florence, a federal supermax prison in Colorado.