The first recorded April Fools' Day prank was pulled in 1627 by a madcap Irishman named Edmund O'Neely. The founding prankster's brother, Timothy, had been down on his luck, so O'Neely decided to cheer him up with some old-fashioned springtime shenanigans.
He coaxed Timothy to go on a carriage ride in the countryside and asked his brother if he wouldn't mind driving since Edmund's carpal tunnel-addled wrist was acting up. Timmy grabbed the reins, urged the horses to giddy up and was promptly catapulted off his seat because wily Edmund had unhitched the horses from the buggy. (photo: Spike Medford/Getty Images)