1. In 1864, Union General William T. Sherman began his infamous "March to the Sea" from Atlanta, Georgia, eventually arriving in Savannah, Georgia, in December of that same year. Along the way, his troops would cross into Alabama on October 18, razing much of the state as they went.

2. In 1926, the University of Alabama's Denny Stadium (now known as Bryant-Denny Stadium) opened its gates for the first time. The inaugural game was played between the Crimson Tide and Mississippi College, resulting in a 31-0 Alabama victory.

3. On October 8, 1949, a hurricane made landfall in Mobile Bay, causing significant damage across the city of Mobile and the surrounding Gulf Coast region. The storm, known as Hurricane Gracie, is one of several major storms to have hit Alabama throughout history.

4. In 1970, former Alabama Governor George Wallace was shot and wounded while campaigning for the Democratic nomination for president in Maryland. The shooting left him paralyzed from the waist down, and ultimately contributed to his withdrawal from the presidential race.

5. On October 8, 2016, the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks by a score of 49-30. The win was just one in a long streak of victories dating back to the previous season, during which the Tide would go on to win the national championship.