On that night, science fiction was fact
Pre-war tempers were easily cracked
In the end, though relieved
Many were still quite peeved
That they’d thought that the Martians attacked

Event: Orson Wells presents a radio broadcast of H.G. Wells’ novel The War of the Worlds. Because part of the show was presented in news bulletin format, many listeners believed that the events being described were real.
Year: 1938
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_of_the_Worlds_%28radio_drama%29

‘Fore the battle, he did Caesar see
And for him there’d be no victory
‘Twas the end of the show
For poor Brutus and co.
But ’twas good news for Mark Antony

Event: Octavian and Mark Antony defeat Brutus at the Second Battle of Philippi
Year: 42 B.C.
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Philippi

When informed that the people want bread
She suggested they try cake instead
They were words none too smart
From an Austrian tart
In the end, well, they cost her her head

Event: Marie Antoinette (who probably never actually said “Let them eat cake!” but presumably demonstrated her lack of interest in the plight of the common people in various other less quotable ways) is executed during the French Revolution
Year: 1793
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Antoinette

Though the series cannot be called great
You could say that it must have been fate
That the famed “Eight Men Out”
With a first-inning rout
Blew it all for the Sox in Game Eight

Event: The Cincinnati Reds win the World Series over the Chicago White Sox, eight of whom were latter banned for intentionally playing to lose in exchange for money (or for knowing about the fix and saying nothing)
Year: 1919
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1919_World_Series
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sox_scandal

A dimension not unlike our own
But the puns there may cause you to groan
Like the alien plan
To do naught but serve man
That’s the twist in this mad Twilight Zone

Event: The premiere of the original Twilight Zone TV series
Year: 1959
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twilight_Zone_%281959_TV_series%29