April 19, 1993: The federal government has had enough of David Koresh, the gun nut, bigamist, pedophile, and, 51 days earlier, ordered of the murder of 4 government agents.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (since amended to "Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives," but usually retaining the ATF abbreviation) ends their sieges, and moves into his compound outside Waco, Texas.
Knowing that the game is up, Koresh decides that he will never be taken alive. He carries out his messianic complex, but uses a method more devilish than heavenly: He starts a fire that results in the death of 76 people, including himself, and 25 children.
The event becomes a flashpoint for America's radical right-wingers, who thought he had the right to have whatever firearms he wanted under the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. He didn't: He was not a member of a well-regulated militia. And even if he had been, stories of the cult he was running, the Branch Davidians, had already gotten out, exposing his other crimes.
Two years later, to the day, right-wing extremists struck back against the federal government, in Oklahoma City.
This was a Monday, usually a travel day in Major League Baseball, and so only 3 games were played:
* The Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago White Sox, 6-0 at Fenway Park in Boston. John Dobson pitched a 3-hit shutout.
* The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Cleveland Indians, 7-1 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium.
* And the Seattle Mariners beat the Detroit Tigers, 10-6 at Tiger Stadium in Detroit.
The NBA was wrapping up its regular season, and 2 games were played that night. The Houston Rockets beat the Phoenix Suns, 111-97 at what was then named the America West Arena in Phoenix. Hakeem Olajuwon scored 30 points.
And the Seattle Supersonic beat the San Antonio Spurs, 96-89 at the Seattle Center Coliseum.
Two Stanley Cup Playoff series began on that night. The Detroit Red Wings beat the Toronto Maple Leafs, 6-3 at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.
And the Vancouver Canucks beat the Winnipeg Jets, 4-2 at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver.