| Vol 8, No 102 | April 12, 1965 | Monday Evening |
(1980) 
Playing for the National League Houston Astros, where there is no designated hitter, Nolan Ryan blasted a 3-run home run against future Hall-of-Fame pitcher Don Sutton and the Los Angeles Dodgers. This was the first of only two home runs of Ryans career, and accounted for half of his 6-RBIs in his 1980 season with the Astros. Ryan left the game leading 5-4, but the Astros eventually lost to the Dodgers 6-5 in 17 innings.
(1999)
Boxcar Willie (Lecil Travis Martin) died on this date in Branson, Missouri at age 67. He was born in Sterrett in Ellis County in 1931, and became a regular on the Grand Ole Opry. He was one of the originals to settle and popularize Branson as an entertainment mecca.
On this date in 1919, Broadway actress Ann Miller was born in Chireno (Nacogdoches Co). Miller starred in forty movies and made numerous television shows. She had been a tap dancer since she was a young child. It was Ann who discovered Lucille Ball while visiting a San Francisco nightclub.
(1965)
On this date in 1965, the Houston Astros play their first official home game in the new Astrodome, losing to Philadelphia 2-0 before a home crowd of 42,652. Only six times their first year did the Astros every again approach that attendance number. The team finished their first as the Houston Astros with a win-loss record of 65-97.
(1836)
On this date in 1836, following victories at the Alamo, Refugio, and Goliad, Santa Anna and his army at the Brazos, located Thompson's Ferry. Using an English speaking soldier out of uniform to trick the ferry attendant on the other side to pole the ferry across, Santa Anna takes control of his ferry, and the Mexican Army overcome a major barrier in their pursuit of the Texas army, now in retreat.
(1861)
On this date in 1861, Captain Doubleday of the United States Army, fired the first shots of the Civil War at Fort Sumter, South Carolina. A force of Confederate soldiers were making their attack on the Fort when Captain Abner Doubleday (yes the same man who is credited with inventing baseball) fired on them. 34 hours later, Fort Sumter surrendered, but for the next four days the Union forces tried to retake the fort.
(1927)
On this date in 1927, an F5 tornado touched down just northwest of Rocksprings, and began the violent march into the small town in the Western Hill Country. The tornado destroyed 235 of Rockspring's 247 buildings and killed 74 people, almost 1/3 of the population. Clearing Rocksprings, it continued southeastward for another estimated 50 miles.