Today In History
Historical Events
1919 – Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, that when light passes a large body, gravity will bend the rays confirmed by Arthur Eddington’s expedition to photograph a solar eclipse on the island of Principe, West Africa
1943 – Algiers Allied Planning Conference between Winston Churchill, George C. Marshall and General Dwight D. Eisenhower finalizes the plan for the Italian Campaign
1969 – Britain’s Trans-Arctic expedition makes 1st crossing of Arctic Sea ice
1970 – Soviet dissident Zhores Medvedev is arrested and taken to a psychiatric hospital in Kaluga sparking protests
1983 – Indianapolis 500: Tom Sneva wins his first Indy 500; represents record 7th Indy victory for chief mechanic George Bignotti
Famous Birthdays
1929 – Peter Higgs, English theoretical physicist (Nobel Prize for Physics, 2013), born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England (d. 2024)
1946 – Fernando Buesa Blanco, Spanish politician, member of the Basque Parliament (1984-2000) and Deputy General of Álava (1987-91), born in Bilbao, Spain (d. 2000)
1962 – Eric Davis, American baseball outfielder (World Series 1990 Cincinnati Reds; MLB All-Star 1987, 89; Gold Glove 1987, 88, 89), born in Los Angeles, California
1970 – Natarsha Belling, Australian news presenter, born in Mudgee, Australia
1983 – Richard Jackson, American actor (Ryan Meyers-Saved by the Bell), born in Redlands, California
Famous Deaths
1973 – P. Ramlee, Malaysian film actor, director, singer and songwriter, dies of a heart attack at 44
1996 – Jeremy Sinden, English actor (Chariots of Fire, Ascendancy, Harem), dies at 45
1998 – Eric Atkinson, West Indian cricket fast bowler (8 Tests, 25 wickets, BB 5/42; Barbados), dies at 70
2021 – Keith Mullings, American boxer (WBC and lineal light middleweight titles 1998), dies at 53
2024 – Manfred Wolke, German boxer (Olympic gold GDR welterweight 1968), dies at 81
Historical Events
1328 – French King Philip VI of Valois crowned at the Cathedral in Reims, France
1592 – The Korean navy, led by Admiral Yi Sun-sin, repels a Japanese fleet in the Battle of Sacheon, the first use of a Korean Turtle Ship
1943 – Algiers Allied Planning Conference between Winston Churchill, George C. Marshall and General Dwight D. Eisenhower finalizes the plan for the Italian Campaign
1954 – British runner Diane Leather becomes first woman to run the mile in under 5 minutes; 4:59.6 at Alexander Sports Ground in Birmingham, England
1954 – French Championships Women’s Tennis: Maureen Connolly retains her title; beats Ginette Bucaille of France 6-4, 6-1
1982 – Pentagon plans first strategy to fight a nuclear war
2004 – World War II Memorial is dedicated in Washington, D.C.
2012 – Thousands march in protest in Johannesburg against Brett Murray’s controversial painting “The Spear”, part of the artist’s Hail to the Thief II exhibition that criticizes South Africa’s ruling party
Famous Birthdays
1810 – Erasmus Darwin Keyes, American banker, businessman and Major General (Union Army), born in Brinfield, Massachusetts (d. 1895)
1853 – Francesco Fanciulli, American-Italian composer, born in Porto Santo Stefano, Grand Duchy of Tuscany (d. 1915)
1876 – Jan Ingenhoven, Dutch composer and conductor, born in Breda, Netherlands (d. 1951)
1922 – Iannis Xenakis, Greek-French composer, music theorist, and architect who helped revolutionize 20th century classical music (Metastaseis), born in Brăila, Romania (d. 2001)
1931 – Jalna Hanmer, American-British feminist campaigner, scholar and co-founder of Women’s Aid, born in Walla Walla, Washington (d. 2023)
1939 – Al Unser, American auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1970-71, 78, 87), born in Albuquerque, New Mexico (d. 2021)
1959 – Juliano Mer-Khamis, Israeli actor, director, filmmaker and political activist, born in Nazareth, Israel (d. 2011)
1965 – Jammo Myllys, Finnish hockey goaltender (Finland World C’ship gold 1995), born in Savonlinna, Finland
1970 – Natarsha Belling, Australian news presenter, born in Mudgee, Australia
1982 – Nataliya Dobrynska, Ukrainian heptathlete (Olympic gold 2008), born in Yakushyntsi, Vinnytsia Oblast, Ukraine
Famous Deaths
1405 – Philippe de Mézières, advisor to Charles V of France
1750 – Giuseppe Porsile, Neapolitan composer, dies at 70
1814 – Joséphine de Beauharnais, Empress of France (1804-14) and Queen of Italy (1805-10) as the first wife of Napoleon I, dies of pneumonia at 50
1883 – Marianne, Princess of the Netherlands, wife of Prince Albert of Prussia (dissolved 1849), Dutch unconventional princess who left her marriage, dies at 73
1885 – Alfred Meissner, Austrian poet (Ziska), dies at 62
1921 – Horace Porter, American Brigadier General (Union Army), dies at 84
1935 – Josef Suk, Czech violinist (Bohemian String Quartet, 1891-1933), composer (Asrael Symphony; Ripening; Serenade for Strings), and educator, dies at 61
1973 – Voltaire “Volly” De Faut; American jazz reed player (New Orleans Rhythm Kings; Jean Goldkette), dies at 69
1973 – P. Ramlee [Teuku Puteh], Malaysian actor, filmmaker, pop singer and musician, dies of a heart attack at 44
1977 – Ba Maw, Burmese politician, lawyer, and first Burma Premier (1937-9), dies at 84