On Oct. 28, 1989, the Oakland A’s wrapped up an earthquake-delayed sweep of the World Series over the San Francisco Giants.
Oct. 28 On this date in history:
In 1636, Harvard College, now Harvard University, was founded in Massachusetts.
In 1886, the Statue of Liberty, a gift of friendship from the people of France to the United States, was dedicated in New York Harbor by U.S. President Grover Cleveland.
In 1919, the U.S. Congress passed the Volstead Act, over President Woodrow Wilson’s veto, enforcing the constitutional amendment prohibiting the use of alcoholic beverages. This rang in the era of bootleg liquor when people whispered passwords through speak-easy doors, flappers ruled the dance floor and mobsters like Al Capone made millions from a thirsty public. The ban on booze lasted more than a decade until Congress repealed the law in 1933.
