1. On October 28, 1861, Confederate General Leonidas Polk led his troops in a surprise attack on Union troops at the Battle of Belmont in Mississippi County, Missouri. The battle is considered a Confederate victory, as they were able to force the Union troops to retreat.

2. On October 28, 1884, the Louisville Colonels baseball team won the American Association Championship, defeating the New York Metropolitans 3-0. This was the Colonels' first championship win.

3. On October 28, 1893, the Kentucky State Fairgrounds in Louisville held its first ever night horse race, using the newly invented electric lighting system. The event was a great success and helped pave the way for the widespread use of electric lighting in sports and entertainment.

4. On October 28, 1913, the Harlan County War began, a violent conflict between coal miners and coal company owners in southeastern Kentucky. The conflict lasted more than six months and resulted in the deaths of several miners and company employees.

5. On October 28, 1986, the University of Louisville announced that they would be partnering with Humana Inc. to establish the Humana Heart Institute, a cardiovascular research and treatment center. The Institute was opened in 1988 and has since become a world-renowned center for heart disease research and treatment.