Today In History
Historical Events
1961 – The Beatles meet future manager Brian Epstein after a lunch time performance at The Cavern Club in Liverpool, England
1968 – Ian Paisley and Ronald Bunting lead a Loyalist march to the Diamond area of Derry, North Ireland
1985 – Russia’s Garry Kasparov, at 22, becomes the youngest World Chess Champion with a 13-11 win over fellow countryman Anatoly Karpov
1992 – Howard Stern Radio Show begins broadcast in Las Vegas, Nevada on KFBI
1999 – TAESA Flight 725 crashes a few minutes after leaving Uruapan Airport en route to Mexico City, killing 18 people
Famous Birthdays
1898 – Leonard Carmichael, American Psychologist and secretary of the Smithsonian Institution (1953-64), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1973)
1943 – Lee Graziano, American rock drummer (American Breed), born in Chicago, Illinois
1951 – Hetty de Boer-Jongkind, Dutch medical astrologist and founder (Vakvereniging Medical Astrology), born in Amsterdam (d. 1993)
1964 – Robert Duncan McNeill, American television director and actor (Lt. Tom Paris in “Star Trek: Voyager”), born in Raleigh, North Carolina
1978 – Sisqó [Mark Althavean Andrews], American singer (Dru Hill, Unleash the Dragon), born in Baltimore, Maryland
Famous Deaths
1801 – Carl Stamitz, German violin virtuoso, and composer, dies at 56
1809 – Paul Sandby, English cartographer and landscape painter, dies at about 78 [exact birthdate uncertain, c. 1731]
1862 – John Bordenave Villepigue, American Brigadier General (Confederate Army), dies at 32
2004 – Edward “Ed” Kemmer, American actor (Space Patrol, Lux Video Theatre), dies at 83
2016 – Zoltán Kocsis, Hungarian pianist, conductor and composer, dies of cancer at 64
Historical Events
1813 – During Creek War General Andrew Jackson, responding to White Stick Creek Indian plea at Fort Leslie, drives off attacking force of Red Stick Creek Indians at Talladega, Alabama
1927 – Pastor of Have begins blessing of motorcars and motors
1938 – Kristallnacht begins: pogrom against Jews in Germany and Austria – first large-scale physical act of anti-Jewish violence, begins
1965 – San Francisco Giants outfielder Willie Mays named National League MVP
1965 – Hurricane hits north east US/Canada
1968 – Ian Paisley and Ronald Bunting lead a Loyalist march to the Diamond area of Derry, North Ireland
1979 – False alarm of a Soviet ballistic missile attack by US NORAD system after technician fails to code a test properly
2005 – Venus Express mission of the European Space Agency is launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan
Famous Birthdays
1837 – Gerrit Jan van Heek, Dutch textile manufacturer and politician, born in Enschede, Netherlands (d. 1915)
1905 – Roger Edens, American songwriter (“Moses Supposes”, “Our Love Affair”), film score producer (MGM Studios – “Freed Unit”), and arranger (Ethel Merman; Judy Garland), born in Hillsboro, Texas (d.1970)
1919 – Sol K. Bright, Hawaiian steel-guitar player, singer (Hollywaiians), and songwriter (Hawaiian Cowboy), born in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii (d. 1992)
1931 – Tommy Greenhough, English cricketer (English leg-spinner in 4 Tests 1959-60), born in Rochdale, Lancashire (d. 2009)
1939 – Paul Cameron, American psychologist and sex researcher, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1942 – Stuart Lipton, English real estate developer (Stanhope plc, 22 Bishopsgate), born in England
1970 – Domino [Damian Siguenza], American Hip Hop Producer, born in San Francisco, California
1971 – David Duval, American golfer (British Open 2001), born in Jacksonville, Florida
1981 – (Susan) “Scottie” Thompson, American actress (NCIS), born in Richmond, Virginia
1988 – Nikki Blonsky, American actress (Hairspray), born in Great Neck, New York
Famous Deaths
1623 – William Camden, English historian, antiquarian, and author (Britannia, Annales), dies at 72
1641 – Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Austria, Governor of the Spanish Netherlands, Cardinal of the Holy Catholic Church and military commander during the Thirty Years’ War, dies at 32
1770 – John Campbell, 4th Duke of Argyll, Scottish politician
1919 – Eduard Müller, Swiss politician, President of the Swiss Federal Council, dies at 70
1978 – Joe Wong, actor (Ken Murray Show), dies at 75
1992 – Charles Fraser-Smith, English inventor (man who never was), dies
2003 – Art Carney, American Emmy and Oscar winner actor (The Honeymooners – “Ed Norton”; Harry and Tonto -“Harry”), dies of natural causes at 85
2008 – Preacher Roe, American baseball pitcher (5 × MLB All-Star Brooklyn Dodgers; NL strikeout leader 1945 Pittsburgh Pirates), dies at 92
2021 – Max Cleland, American Vietnam War veteran and politician (U.S. Senator from Georgia, 1997-2003), dies of congestive heart failure at 79
2022 – Einārs Gņedojs, Latvian soccer defender (18 caps; FK Zvejnieks Liepāja, FC Skonto Rīga), dies at 57