Today In History
Historical Events
1268 – The Principality of Antioch, a crusader state, falls to the Mamluk Sultan Baibars in the Battle of Antioch
1291 – After 100 years of Crusader control, the last Crusader stronghold of Acre is reconquered and destroyed by the Mamluks under Sultan al-Ashraf Khalil
1889 – Jules Massenet’s opera “Esclarmonde” premieres in Paris
1896 – Khodynka Tragedy: A stampeding crowd on Khodynka Field, Moscow, during the coronation festivities for Russian Tsar Nicholas II, causes the deaths of an estimated 1,300 people
1899 – World Goodwill Day: 26 nations meet at the First Hague Peace Conference
Famous Birthdays
1921 – Anthony Epstein, English pathologist and virologist (co-discover of the Epstein–Barr virus), born in London, England (d. 2024)
1934 – Dwayne Hickman, American actor (The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis; How to Stuff a Wild Bikini), and network executive, born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2022)
1958 – Ray Donaldson, NFL center (Dallas Cowboys), born in Rome, Georgia
1970 – Vicky Sunohara, Canadian ice hockey forward (Olympic gold 2002 and 2006) and coach, born in Scarborough, Ontario
1988 – Taeyang [Dong Young-bae], Korean singer (Big Bang), born in Uijeongbu, South Korea
Famous Deaths
1812 – John Bellingham, English merchant who assassinated British Prime Minister Spencer Perceval, executed by hanging at 42 or 43
1995 – Elizabeth Montgomery, American actress (Bewitched – “Samantha* and “Serena”), dies of cancer at 62
2004 – Lincoln Kilpatrick, American actor (BJ-Leslie Uggams Show), dies at 72
2007 – Roy De Forest, American Funk and Nut Art movement painter, dies at 77
2018 – Philip Tabane, South African jazz guitarist, vocalist, and band leader (Malombo), dies at 84
Historical Events
1866 – Netherlands government of Isaäc Dignus Fransen De Putte resigns
1887 – Emmanuel Chabrier’s opera “Le roi malgré lui” (King, in spite of himself) premieres at the Opéra-Comique in Paris; after 3 performances the theatre burns down
1918 – TNT explosion in chemical factory in Oakdale, Pennsylvania, kills 200 people
1929 – MLB record 50 runs for a doubleheader: Brooklyn Robins beat Philadelphia Phillies, 20-16 in first game, Phillies win 8-6 in nightcap, at the Baker Bowl in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1965 – Gene Roddenberry suggests 16 names for Star Trek Captain; they include Kirk
1971 – US President Richard Nixon rejects 60 demands of Congressional Black Caucus
1990 – TV movie “Return To Green Acres” airs
2024 – Bayer Leverkusen become the first Bundesliga team in history to finish a German league season unbeaten after a 2-1 win at home against Augsburg
Famous Birthdays
1662 – George Smalridge, British Bishop of Bristol (Sixty Sermons Preach’d on Several Occasions), born in Lichfield, England (d. 1719)
1862 – Albert von Schrenk-Notzing, German psychologist who studied paranormal phenomena, born in Oldenburg, Germany Confederation (d. 1929)
1889 – Thomas Midgley, American chemist and inventor (leaded gasoline), born in Beaver Fall, Pennsylvania (d. 1944)
1891 – Rudolf Carnap, German American philosopher (German Logical Positivist), born in Ronsdorf, Germany (d. 1970)
1931 – Don Martin, American cartoonist “Mad’s Maddest Artist”, born in Paterson, New Jersey (d. 2000)
1949 – Hugo Sotil, Peruvian soccer striker (62 caps; Deportivo Municipal, Barcelona, Alianza Lima), born in Ica, Peru (d. 2024)
1949 – Jim McNeely, American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger (Mel Lewis; Stan Getz; Phil Woods), and educator, born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2025)
1951 – Mike Baird, American session drummer (Donna Summer; Rick Springfield; Eddie Money; Richard Marx; Kenny Rogers), born in South Gate, California
1957 – Michael Cretu, Romanian-German rocker (Enigma – “Sadeness, Part 1”), born in Bucharest, Romania
1992 – Adam Melchor, American singer-songwriter (Here Goes Nothing!), born in New Jersey
Famous Deaths
1160 – Erik IX Helgi, King of Sweden, dies at ~40
1848 – William Leidesdorff, Mixed-race early Californian businessman, dies at 37
1952 – Rossetter Gleason Cole, American composer (Heroes of Freedom), dies at 86
1955 – Edwin Scharff, German sculptor, and educator, deemed “entartete” (degenerate) by Nazi regime, dies at 68
1959 – Apsley Cherry-Garrard, British Antarctic explorer and survivor of the Terra Nova Expedition (The Worst Journey in the World), dies at 73
1961 – Henry O’Neill, American actor (“Lady Killer”; “Nothing But Trouble”), dies at 69
1974 – Tyree Glenn, American jazz and session trombonist and vibraphone player (Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong), dies of cancer at 61
2011 – Leonard Kastle, opera composer, librettist, director (The Passion of Mother Ann), and film maker (The Honeymoon Killers), dies at 82
2013 – Steve Forrest, American actor (SWAT), dies at 87
2013 – Colin Webb, British Fleet Street editor and journalist (Press Association), dies at 74