Today In History
Historical Events
1960 – Sirimavo Bandaranaike becomes the world’s first female elected head of government, as Prime Minister of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)
1972 – Bloody Friday: within the space of 75 minutes, the Provisional Irish Republican Army explode twenty-two bombs in Belfast; six civilians, two British Army soldiers and one UDA volunteer were killed, 130 injured
1976 – 9th San Diego Comic-Con International opens at El Cortez Hotel
1976 – Christopher Ewart-Biggs, British Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, and his secretary Judith Cook are assassinated by a bomb planted by the Provisional IRA in his car in Dublin
1977 – Sanjiva Reddy is elected sixth President of India unopposed
Famous Birthdays
1895 – H G “Nummy” Deane, South African cricket batsman (17 Tests [12 as captain], 3 x 50; Natal, Transvaal), born in Eshowe, South Africa (d. 1939)
1926 – Queenie Watts [Mary Spenton], British singer and actress (Up the Junction, Holiday on the Buses), born in London, England (d. 1980)
1935 – Julian Pettifer, English TV journalist, born in Malmesbury, Wiltshire
1947 – Jimmy Duncan, American politician (Rep-R-Tennessee 1988-2019), born in Lebanon, Tennessee
1963 – Giant Silva [Paulo Silva], Brazilian mixed martial artist and 7ft 2in professional wrestler, born in São Paulo, Brazil
Famous Deaths
1880 – Hiram Walden, American politician, dies at 79
1979 – Ludwig Renn, German writer, dies at 90
1986 – Virginia Hewitt, American actress (Carol-Space Patrol), dies of cancer at 60
1995 – Edwin “Russell” House, American saxophonist, dies at 65
2010 – Luis Corvalán, Chilean communist leader (b. 1916)
Historical Events
1930 – US Veterans Administration forms
1948 – WSPD TV channel 13 in Toledo, OH (NBC) begins broadcasting
1972 – In New York 57 murders occur in 24 hours
1980 – Jean-Claude Droyer climbs Eiffel Tower in 2 hrs 18 mins
1983 – World’s lowest-ever natural temperature is recorded: -89.2°C (-128.6°F; 184.0 K) at the Soviet Vostok Station in Antarctica, surpassing record at same location set in 1960
1995 – Brian Lara completes a pair for West Indians vs. Kent
1995 – KC Royals set club record of 22 singles in 15 innings
2024 – Copa America: Argentina defeats Columba 1-0 to win record 16th title in a delayed match in Miami
Famous Birthdays
1797 – Franz Schoberlechner, Austrian composer, born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1843)
1896 – Jean Rivier, French composer and educator (Paris Conservatory, 1946-66), born in Villemonble, France (d. 1987)
1901 – Allyn Joslyn, American actor (They Won’t Forget; Cafe Society), born in Milford, Pennsylvania (d. 1981)
1929 – Helen Merrill [Jelena Ana Milcetic], American jazz vocalist and standards singer, born in New York City
1940 – Denis Menke, American baseball infielder (MLB All Star 1969, 70; Milwaukee Braves, Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds), born in Bancroft, Iowa (d. 2020)
1942 – Mike Hegan, American baseball utility (MLB All Star 1969 NY Yankees; World Series 1972 Oakland A’s), born in Cleveland, Ohio (d. 2013)
1949 – Ludmila Smirnova, Russian pairs figure skater (Olympic silver USSR 1972; World C’ship silver x 5), born in Moscow, Russia
1973 – Stephen Clarke, Canadian swimmer (Olympic bronze 1992, 96), born in Sutton Coldfield, England
1973 – Ali Landry, American actress and pageant winner (Miss USA 1996), born in Cecilia, Louisiana
1992 – Jessica Barden, English actress (The End of the F***ing World), born in Northallerton, England
Famous Deaths
1891 – Franco Faccio, Italian composer and conductor, dies at 51
1928 – Ellen Alice Terry, British Shakespearean actress and director (Imperial Theatre), dies at 81
1952 – Silvio Cator, Haitian athlete and long jumper (Olympic silver 1928), dies at 51
1957 – Bernard Spooner, American businessman, head of the Spooner Armor Company (armored vests manufacturer), dies at 67
1962 – G. M. Trevelyan [George Macaulay Trevelyan], British historian and academic, dies at 86
1968 – Ruth St. Denis, American modern dance pioneer and teacher (Dances of the 5 Senses), dies at 91
1973 – Russell Hardie, American actor (Sequoia, In Old Kentucky), dies after long illness at 69
1990 – Sacha Piteoff, Swiss-French actor and stage director, dies of heart failure at 70
2015 – Theodore Bikel, Austrian-American stage and screen singer and actor (The Sound of Music; Fiddler On The Roof; The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming; 200 Motels), folk singer (co-founder Newport Folk Festival), and political activist, dies at 91
2022 – Uwe Seeler, German soccer striker (72 caps West Germany; Hamburger SV 476 games, 404 goals), dies at 85