Today In History
Historical Events
1942 – Mexico declares war on Nazi-Germany and Japan
1987 – 30 killed in a Texas tornado
1994 – Musical sequel “The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public” closes at Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, NYC, after 16 performances
1996 – “Tartuffe: Born Again” opens at Circle in the Square Theater, NYC; runs for 29 performances
1998 – Lewinsky scandal: a federal judge rules that United States Secret Service agents can be compelled to testify before a grand jury concerning the scandal, involving President Bill Clinton
Famous Birthdays
1914 – Vance Packard, American journalist and author (The Hidden Persuaders), born in Granville Summit, Pennsylvania (d. 1996)
1939 – Árni Egilsson, Icelandic classical and jazz bassist and composer, born in Reykjavík, Iceland
1955 – Jimmy Lyon, American guitarist (Eddie Money; The Greg Kihn Band), born in Tampa, Florida
1959 – Olin Browne, American golfer (US Senior Open 2011), born in Washington, D.C.
1971 – Corey Croom, NFL running back (NE Patriots)
Famous Deaths
1801 – Heinrich Gottfried Reichard, German composer, and translator, dies at 58
1842 – Jane Johnston Schoolcraft, Native American poet, dies at 42
1972 – Cecil Day-Lewis, Irish poet (British Poet Laureate 1968-72) and detective writer (Nicholas Blake), dies of cancer at 68
1999 – Alfred Kubel, German politician, dies at 89
2001 – Whitman Mayo, American actor (Grady Wilson-“Sanford and Son”), dies at 70
Historical Events
1842 – Farmers Lester Howe and Henry Wetsel discover Howe Caverns in New York state when they stumble upon a large gaping hole in the ground
1897 – Blackwall Tunnel officially opens beneath the River Thames in London
1939 – Germany’s Adolf Hitler and Italy’s Benito Mussolini sign the “Pact of Steel” formalizing the 1936 alliance known as the Rome-Berlin Axis
1945 – 6th US Marine division reaches suburbs of Naha Okinawa
1962 – New York Yankees outfielder Roger Maris walks five times, including a record four intentional walks, in a nine-inning game
1974 – Ruffian begins her racing career as a filly and dies 14 months later
2015 – Pakistan begin the first test-playing nation cricket tour of Zimbabwe since 2009
2022 – PGA Championship Men’s Golf, Southern Hills CC: 2017 champion Justin Thomas beats Will Zalatoris by 1 stroke in a 3-hole playoff after 54-hole leader Mito Pereira double bogeys the 72nd hole
Famous Birthdays
1759 – Gervais-François Couperin, French organist and composer, born in Paris, France (d. 1826)
1891 – Johannes R. Becher, German writer and politician, born in Munich (d. 1958)
1900 – Yvonne de Gaulle (née Vendroux), wife of Charles de Gaulle, born in Calais, France (d. 1979)
1907 – Hergé [Georges Prosper Remi], Belgian comic book creator (The Adventures of Tintin), born in Etterbeek, Belgium (d. 1983)
1922 – Quinn Martin [Irwin Martin Cohn], American television producer (The Fugitive; Cannon; The Streets of San Francisco; Barnaby Jones), born in New York City (d. 1987)
1924 – Charles Aznavour [Shahnour Vaghinag Aznavourian], French-Armenian singer (Monsieur Carnavel; She; Tin Drum), born in Paris, France (d. 2018)
1942 – Barbara Parkins, Canadian-American actress (Betty-Peyton Place, Asylum), born in Vancouver, British Columbia
1967 – John Vanderslice, American rock musician and producer, born in Gainesville, Florida
1973 – Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Danish actor (“Department Q: The Keeper of Lost Causes”; “Riders of Justice”), born in Rødovre, Denmark
1979 – Maggie Q [Margaret Quigley], American actress (Mission Impossible III, Nikita), born in Honolulu, Hawaii
Famous Deaths
748 – Genshō, 44th Empress of Japan (715-24) and 5th woman to rule Japan, dies at 67 or 68 (b. 680)
1545 – Sher Shah Suri, Afghan Emperor of Bihar and Hindustan, established Sur Dynasty, dies in battle (b. 1472 or 1486)
1910 – Jules Renard, French writer (Le plaisir the rompre), dies at 46
1922 – Ada Jane Jones, English-American popular singer, among the earliest female singers to be recorded, dies of kidney failure at 48
1928 – William Henry Temple Gairdner, British Christian missionary in Cairo, Egypt (Church Missionary Society). dies at 54
1943 – Helen Herron Taft, American First lady (1909-13) wife of President William Howard Taft, planted Washington’s cherry trees, dies at 81
1967 – Langston Hughes, American poet (Weary Blues), playwright (Mulatto), and librettist (Troubled Island), dies at 65
1971 – Frank Ottersen, Norwegian jazz violinist and saxophonist (Ding, Dong, Dang), dies at 50
2013 – Fusilier Lee Rigby, British Army soldier, murdered near the Royal Artillery Barracks in London by two Islamic terrorists, Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale
2017 – (Granville) “Mickey” Roker, American jazz drummer (Art Farmer; Milt Jackson; Dizzy Gillespie), dies suffering from diabetes and lung cancer at 84