On this day
Revisit the music, news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.
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New Jersey investigators say they will probe allegations that Communications Workers of America Local 1032 falsified voter registration forms during recent drive to register state workers in Mercer County (New Jersey Daily Briefing) (S)
Gov Christine Todd Whitman has avidly sought support of New Jersey's black clergy in state where urban vote has proved crucial in recent elections; Whitman is trying to cut into Democrats' core of black voters, and is seeking to overcome ugly memory of her former campaign manager Ed Rollins' claims that black ministers were bought off during 1993 election; her efforts seem to have paid off; Leroy I Robinson, state Republican Party's campaign coordinator in black community, says Rev Reginald T Jackson, executive director of Black Ministers Council of New Jersey, will announce his endorsement of Whitman on Oct 23 (M)
Stephanie Vincent, student at United States Merchant Marine Academy, charges that school failed to take appropriate action against male student who sexually assaulted her in her dorm room; Francis Crowley has been charged with two counts of felony assault by police but is still permitted to attend school (M)
Prime-television television programs set in New York City prove to be popular with people in Boise, Idaho; photo (M)
DIFFICULT RIDE -- Rail service from Connecticut to New York City came to a jarring halt when two commuter trains pulled down a milelong stretch of power lines. B6. WHITMAN ASSAILED -- Governor Whitman's opponent demanded that the Governor suspend her chief of staff over allegations of impropriety. B4.
Music on My Birthday
The Top 50 albums for the chart week of October 22, 1997, covering October 23, 1997.
Janet
Soundtrack
LeAnn Rimes
Boyz II Men
Soundtrack
1997Nick Bosa, American football player[†]
Nicholas John Bosa is an American professional football defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and was selected second overall by the 49ers in the 2019 NFL draft. Bosa was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and helped his team reach Super Bowl LIV. In 2022, he won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. He is the son of former NFL defensive end John Bosa and younger brother of current NFL defensive end Joey Bosa.
1997Élie Okobo, French basketball player[†]
Élie-Franck Okobo is a French professional basketball player for AS Monaco of the French LNB Pro A and the EuroLeague. A 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) tall combo guard, the Bordeaux native began his club career at age 16. Okobo subsequently competed for the youth team of Élan Béarnais Pau-Lacq-Orthez, reaching the LNB Espoirs title game in 2016. In the 2016–17 season, he assumed a greater role with the senior team, and in the following year, he became a regular starter.
1997Jaydn Su'A, New Zealand rugby league player[†]
Jaydn Su'A is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row forward for the St George Illawarra Dragons in the National Rugby League (NRL).
1997Minnie, Thai singer[†]
Nicha Yontararak, known professionally as Minnie, is a Thai singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress based in South Korea. She is a member of South Korean girl group I-dle, which debuted as (G)I-dle on May 2, 2018 under Cube Entertainment. Minnie made her solo debut with the extended play Her on January 21, 2025.
1997Bert Haanstra, Dutch director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1916)[†]
Albert Haanstra was a Dutch director of films and documentaries. His documentary Glass (1958) won the Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject in 1959. His feature film Fanfare (1958) was the most visited Dutch film at the time, and has since only been surpassed by Turkish Delight (1973).
In 1997, the world population was approximately 5,924,787,816 people[†]