Today In History
Historical Events
1795 – Hedges Treaty: Bataafse Republic becomes French vassal state
1968 – Earthquake kills 47 in Japan
1974 – USSR performs nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in northeast Kazakhstan
2019 – British people get drunk more than any other nation, 51 times a year according to the Global Drug Survey, with English-speaking countries drinking the most
2020 – 118-year old American department store JC Penney files for bankruptcy
Famous Birthdays
1782 – John Sell Cotman, English water color artist, born in Norwich, England (d. 1842)
1887 – Jakob van Hoddis [Hans Davidsohn], German Jewish expressionist poet, born in Berlin, Germany (d. 1942)
1964 – John Salley, NBA star (Detroit Pistons)
1968 – Chingmy Yau, Hong Kong actress (Naked Killer), born in Hong Kong
1977 – Emilíana Torrini, Icelandic singer and songwriter (“Jungle Drum”; “Gollum’s Song”), born in Kópavogur, Iceland
Famous Deaths
1620 – William Adams, English navigator, first ever Western Samurai who life was the basis for novel “Shōgun”, dies in Japan at 55
1955 – James Agee, American author (African Queen, Death in Family), dies at 45
1977 – Edouard Van Remoortel, Belgian conductor (St Louis Symphony, 1958-62), dies at 50
2018 – Michael Slive, American college sports executive (Commissioner SEC 2002-15), dies of prostate cancer at 77
2019 – Bob Hawke, Australian politician and 23rd Prime Minister of Australia (Labor: 1983-91), dies at 89
Historical Events
1891 – George A. Hormel establishes George A. Hormel and Company (Hormel Foods Corporation) in Austin, Minnesota
1920 – French heroine Joan of Arc is canonized as a saint by Pope Benedict XV
1920 – Spanish matador Joselito (José Gómez Ortega) is fatally gored in his last bullfight, by “Bailador” the bull, in Talavera de la Reina, Spain
1941 – Italian army under Aosta surrenders to Britain at Amba Alagi, Ethiopia
1957 – Pope Pius XII publishes encyclical Invicti Athletae
1981 – “Bette Davis Eyes” by Kim Carnes hits #1 for next 9 weeks
1993 – Judd Nelson pleads no contest to kicking Kim Evans in the head
1998 – 123rd Preakness: Kent Desormeaux aboard Real Quiet wins in 1:54.80
Famous Birthdays
1804 – Elizabeth Palmer Peabody, American educator, founder of first English-language kindergarten in the US, born in Billerica, Massachusetts (d. 1894)
1906 – Ernie McCormick, Australian cricket fast bowler (12 Tests, 36 wickets, BB 4/101; Victoria), born in Melbourne, Australia (d. 1991)
1916 – Ephraim Katzir, biophysicist and President of Israel (1973-78), born in Kiev, Russian Empire (d. 2009)
1935 – Jimmy LIndley, English jockey (2,000 Guineas 1963, 66; St Leger 1964) and broadcaster (BBC), born in Sutton-in-Ashfield, England (d. 2022)
1954 – Joseph Polchinski, American leading theoretical physicist (multiverse), born in White Plains, New York (d. 2018)
1975 – Tony Kakko, Finnish power metal singer-songwriter and keyboard player (Sonata Arctica), born in Kemi, Finland
1978 – Vincent Larusso, American actor (Mighty Ducks; D2; D3), born in Livingston, New Jersey
1980 – Michael Ryan, American ice hockey player and coach (Springfield Thunderbirds), born in Boston, Massachusetts
1985 – Anja Mittag, German soccer striker (158 caps; Turbine Potsdam, FC Rosengård; Olympic gold 2016), born in Chemnitz, Germany
1998 – Ariel Waller, Canadian child actress (Cinderella Man, Life with Derek), born in Toronto, Ontario
Famous Deaths
1703 – Charles Perrault, French author and fairy tale writer (Tales of Mother Goose), dies at 75
1904 – N I Bobrikov, Russian governor-general in Finland, dies
1932 – William Pember Reeves, politician/poet, dies
1944 – George Ade, American playwright, writer and humorist (Counsel Widow, Fables in Slang), dies at 78
1978 – William Steinberg, German-American conductor (Pittsburgh Symphony, 1952-76; Boston Symphony, 1969-71), dies at 78
1981 – Ernie Freeman, American RandB and pop musician (“Raunchy”), session pianist, arranger, and music director (Reprise Records; Liberty Records), dies of a heart attack at 58
2003 – Mark McCormack, American businessman (b. 1930)
2009 – Ashley Massaro, American model, professional wrestler and winner of WWE Diva Search (2005), commits suicide at 39
2015 – Dean Potter, American free climber and BASE jumper, dies in a wingsuit flying accident at Yosemite National Park, aged 43
2025 – Brian Glanville, British journalist and football writer (The Sunday Times, 1958–92; World Soccer magazine), dies at 93