Today In History
Historical Events
1516 – Duke Wilhelm IV of Bavaria endorses “The German Beer Purity Law” (Reinheitsgebot) and adds to it standards for the sale of beer in Bavaria, ensuring beer is only brewed from three ingredients: water, barley, and hops
1949 – Netherlands annex several German territories, including Elten and Tuddern, as apart of post-Wold War II border adjustments
1977 – Czech chess master, Vlastimil Hort, plays 201 games simultaneously; won-174, drew-17, lost-10
2012 – Rangers F.C. owner, Craig Whyte, is banned for life from any involvement in Scottish football
2019 – At least 54 jade miners buried by a mudslide in Kachin state, Myanmar
Famous Birthdays
1725 – Saint Gerard Majella, Catholic saint, born in Muro, Naples, Italy (d. 1755)
1881 – Claude Carter, South African cricket spin bowler (19 Tests, 28 wickets, BB 6/50; Natal, Transvaal), born in Durban, South Africa (d. 1952)
1900 – Henry Barraud, French composer, born in Bordeaux, France (d. 1997)
1918 – James Kirkup, British travel writer, poet and novelist (African in Greenland), born in South Shields, England (d. 2009)
1960 – Jodie Mudd, American golfer (Players C’ship 1990), born in Louisville, Kentucky
Famous Deaths
1762 – Johann Samuel Endler, German composer, musician, and conductor, dies at 67
1986 – Jim Laker, English cricket spin bowler (46 Tests; 193 wickets; world best 19-90 4th Test v Australia 1956), dies from complications of gall bladder surgery at 64
1992 – Satyajit Ray, Indian director (Distant Thunder, Agantuk), dies at 70
2006 – Johnnie Checketts, New Zealand fighter pilot, dies at 94
2025 – Jonnie Boer, Dutch chef with three Michelin Stars and a pioneer of the New Nordic food movement, dies of a pulmonary embolism at 60
Historical Events
1851 – Canada issues its first postage stamp, a Three-Pence Beaver
1918 – Zeebrugge Raid: Dover Patrol attempted to block Belgian port of Bruges-Zeebrugge to prevent German U-boats from leaving port
1942 – 4-day allied bombing on Rostock, Germany begins
1950 – NBA Championship: Minneapolis Lakers beat Syracuse Nationals, 110-95 to take series, 4 games to 2
1958 – Robert Kurka’s “The Good Soldier Schweik”, with libretto written by Abe Meeropol, premieres at the New York City Opera
1963 – Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick’s musical “She Loves Me”, based on the film “The Shop Around the Corner”, opens at Eugene O’Neill Theater, NYC; runs for 302 performances and a Tony Award for Jack Cassidy
2013 – “Star Trek Into Darkness” directed by J. J. Abrams starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto premieres in Sydney
2017 – Adam Ondra sets a new highpoint for the Project indoor sport route in Stockholm, Sweden
Famous Birthdays
1185 – Afonso II, 3rd King of Portugal (1211-23), born in Coimbra, Kingdom of Portugal (d. 1223)
1649 – Andreas Kneller, German composer, born in the Free Imperial City of Lübeck, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1724)
1813 – Stephen A. Douglas, American politician, US senator from Illinois (Lincoln-Douglas debates), born in Brandon, Vermont (d. 1861)
1818 – John Gill Shorter, American politician (17th Governor of Alabama), born in Monticello, Georgia (d. 1872)
1907 – Lee Miller, American photographer (War correspondent for Vogue in WWII), born in Poughkeepsie, New York (d. 1977)
1937 – Don Massengale, American golfer (PGA C’ship 1967 runner-up), born in Jackson, Texas (d. 2007)
1939 – Bill Hagerty, British journalist and editor of The People (1991-92), born in Ilford, England (d. 2025)
1961 – George Lopez, Mexican-American actor and comedian, born in Mission Hills, Los Angeles
1968 – Stan Frazier, American drummer, record producer, and singer-songwriter (Sugar Ray, 1986-2012 – “Every Morning”), born in Newport Beach, California
1981 – Joanna Krupa, Polish-American supermodel, actress and television personality (The Real Housewives of Miami, Top Model), born in Warsaw, Poland
Famous Deaths
1014 – Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, dies in battle at Clontarf at 72 or 73
1728 – Tomás de Torrejón y Velasco, Spanish organist, composer (La púrpura de la rosa), and maestro de capilla (Catedral de Lima, Peru, 1676-1707), dies at 83
1792 – Karl Friedrich Bahrdt, German theologian and adventurer, dies at 50
1823 – Joseph Nollekens, English sculptor (portrait busts, patronized by George III), dies at 85
1986 – Harold Arlen [Hyman Arluck], American popular song composer (“Over the Rainbow”; “It’s Only A Paper Moon”; “Stormy Weather”), dies of cancer at 81
1986 – Otto Preminger, Austro-Hungarian-American theatre and film director, producer (Laura; Advise and Consent; Anatomy of A Murder), and actor (Stalag 17), dies of lung cancer at 80
1999 – Tullio Pandolfini, Italian water polo athlete (Olympic gold, 1948), dies at 84
2011 – Max van der Stoel, Dutch politician and Minister of Foreign Affairs (PvdA), dies at 86
2022 – Orrin Hatch, American politician (US Senator from Utah (R), 1977-2019) longest-serving Utah US Senator, dies at 88
2025 – Jonnie Boer, Dutch chef with three Michelin Stars and a pioneer of the New Nordic food movement, dies of a pulmonary embolism at 60