5 Absolutely Eerie Things That Happened on Friday the 13, The Scariest Day of The Year

Known as one of the unluckiest days of the year, people view Friday the 13^th as a holiday that's best avoided, and for such an unlucky holiday, there have certainly been some eerie instances that happened on the day. Here are five spooky things that have happened on Friday the 13^th.

October 13, 1307-The Fall of the Knights Templar

In what is probably most commonly theorized to be the start of the unfortunate holiday, the capture, torture, and killing of the legendary Knights Templar is an early example of misfortune on the holiday. According to the History Channel, about 600 of the knights, including their leader Jacques de Molay, were arrested by French officials and charged with heresy, homosexuality, and financial corruption.

After their arrest, the group were subject to medieval torture and fed barely anything, leading to many to falsely confess to the charges within weeks. Although most recanted, many were still held for two years. France's King Philip had 50 knights burned at the stake in 1310, and Pope Clement V dissolved the order two years later.

March 13, 1964-A Disturbing Murder Goes Unreported

Bar Manager Kitty Genovese was stabbed and raped by Winston Moseley in Queens as she returned home from work. To make matters worse, 38 people saw the attack happening and failed to report it to the police. according to The New York Times. Despite hearing Genovese scream that she'd been stabbed, many people said they didn't want to get involved. A detective told The Times that a call may have saved Genovese's life. People didn't exit their homes to see what had happened until an ambulance came to take Genovese.

October 13, 1972-Flight Crash in the Andes (And Another in Moscow)

A group of Uruguayan rugby players suffered a plane crash in the Chilean Andes. While 27 of the original 45 survived the initial crash, only 16 ultimately survived when they were rescued 72 days later. Eight others were killed during an avalanche and some succumbed to illness brought on by the lack of food and cold. The survivors did everything they could to survive, including cannibalizing their less-fortunate friends.

If that crash wasn't freaky enough, another flight went down that same day near Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, killing 174 people. The reason for the crash has never been determined, some citing a mechanical malfunction and others saying the pilot lost control due to a lightning strike.

August 13, 1899-Alfred Hitchcock is Born

While not inherently eerie, it's hard not to think of fear when it comes to Hitchcock. The master filmmaker's Friday the 13^th birth couldn't be more fitting. The iconic director was a pioneer in the horror and thriller genres, directing many classics like Psycho, The Birds and Rear Window.

September 13, 1996-Tupac Shakur Dies

Rapper Tupac Shakur died by gunshot from a still-unknown shooter after leaving a Mike Tyson boxing match in Las Vegas. While many theories have popped up over the years, there has never been an official ruling on who killed Shakur. Due to the unsolved nature of the case, many conspiracy theories have popped up over the years including theories that Pac is actually still alive and has fled the United States.