Today In History
Historical Events
987 – Hugh Capet, is coronated as King of France, in Paris, after being elected by the nobility
1849 – French forces enter Rome to restore Pope Pius IX to power, providing a major obstacle to Italian unification
1884 – Dow Jones publishes its first stock index, the Dow Jones Transportation Average
1886 – In Germany, Karl Benz first drives the first automobile in Mannheim at a top speed of 16 km/h (10 mph)
1988 – Gene Nelson of the Oakland A’s becomes first AL pitcher to steal a base since 1973 in 9-8 win over Toronto Blue Jays
Famous Birthdays
1906 – Alberto Lleras Camargo, Colombian journalist and politician (President of Colombia, 1945-46 and 1958-62; Secretary General of the Organization of American States, 1948–54), born in Bogotá, Colombia (d. 1990)
1913 – Hugh Stirling Mackenzie, British Royal Navy officer, born in Inverness, Scotland (d. 1996)
1923 – Sue Ryder, Baroness Ryder of Warsaw and Cavendish, British volunteer with Special Operations Executive in the Second World War, born in Leeds, Yorkshire, England (d. 2000)
1959 – Stoyan Deltchev, Bulgarian gymnast (Olympic gold horizontal bar 1980), born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria
1970 – Shawnee Smith, American actress (Saw), born in Orangeburg, South Carolina
Famous Deaths
1863 – Little Crow [Ta-oya-te-duta], Mdewakanton Dakota leader (Treaty of Mendota), shot and killed by settlers at about 53
1863 – Elon John Farnsworth, American Brigadier General (Union Army), dies at the battle of Gettysburg at 25
1918 – Mehmed V, 35th Ottoman Sultan (1909-18), dies at 73
1994 – Pieter Hennipman, Dutch economist, dies at 85
2025 – David Mabuza, Deputy President of South Africa (2018-23), dies at 64
Historical Events
1849 – French forces enter Rome to restore Pope Pius IX to power, providing a major obstacle to Italian unification
1861 – Pony Express arrives in San Francisco with overland letters from New York
1876 – Montenegro formally declares war on the Ottoman Empire
1900 – Wimbledon Men’s Tennis: R.F. Doherty beats Sydney Smith 6-8, 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 for his 4th consecutive Wimbledon singles title
1940 – German occupiers forbid using Dutch royal names
1974 – Soviet spacecraft Soyuz 14 carries two cosmonauts to space station Salyut 3
1977 – Triple Crown champion Seattle Slew’s nine-race winning streak ends in the Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park, where he finishes fourth
2006 – US Open Women’s Golf, Newport CC: Annika Sörenstam wins her 10th and final major title by 4 strokes in a playoff with Pat Hurst
Famous Birthdays
1687 – Arnold Hoogvliet, Dutch poet (Abraham the Patriarch), born in Vlaardingen, Netherlands (d. 1763)
1871 – William Henry Davies, Welsh poet (Autobiography of a Super Tramp), born in Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales (d. 1940)
1927 – Ken Russell, British film director (Tommy; Altered States; Gothic), born in Southampton, Hampshire, England (d. 2011)
1940 – Lamar Alexander, American politician (U.S. Senator from Tennessee), born in Maryville, Tennessee
1941 – Wylie Walker Vale, American endocrinologist who discovered the stress hormone, born in Houston, Texas (d. 2012)
1950 – James Hahn, American politician and incumbent judge on the Los Angeles County Superior Court, born in Los Angeles, California
1951 – Mike Corby, English guitarist and keyboardist (The Babys- “Every Time I Think Of You”), born in Windsor, Berkshire, England
1961 – Pedro Romeiras, Portuguese dancer, born in Lisbon, Portugal
1966 – Neil O’Donnell, NFL quarterback (Pittsburgh Steelers) and broadcaster (WTVF, Nashville), born in Morristown, New Jersey
1997 – Mia McKenna-Bruce, English actress (Tracy Beaker; How to Have Sex), born in London
Famous Deaths
1704 – Sophia Alekseyevna, Regent of Russia (1682-89), dies at 46
1863 – Richard B. Garnett, American Confederate Brigadier General, killed during Pickett’s Charge, Battle of Gettysburg at 45
1863 – Samuel K. Zook, American Union general-major, dies of his wounds from the Battle of Gettysburg at 40
1890 – Gilman Marston, American Brigadier General (Union Army) and politician (R-NH), dies at 78
1978 – James Daly, American actor (Medical Center, Planet of the Apes), dies of heart failure at 59
1996 – B. Gerald Cantor, American investment banker, philanthropist and arts patron (Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation), dies at 79
2004 – Andrian Nikolayev, Soviet cosmonaut (Vostok 3), dies at 73
2004 – John Barron, British actor (Emergency – Ward 10; The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin), dies at 83
2018 – Robby Müller, Dutch cinematographer (Breaking the Waves, Dead Man, Korczak), dies at 78
2023 – Vince Tobin, American football coach (head coach Arizona Cardinals 1996-2000), dies at 79