Today In History
Historical Events
1910 – 1st Israeli kibbutz Deganya Alef, is founded at Umm Juni, Ottoman Empire
1939 – NHL Babe Seibert Memorial Game: All-Stars beat Montreal 5-3
1942 – Branch Rickey is named president and general manager of Brooklyn Dodgers
2006 – Lula da Silva is elected President of Brazil, defeating Geraldo Alckmin in the second round
2008 – The 10th-century Archimedes Palimpsest, featuring lost works of Archimedes, is made freely available on the web 10 years after being bought by an unknown tech figure
Famous Birthdays
1934 – (Willem) “Pim” Jacobs, Dutch jazz pianist, composer (with wife Rita Reys – Marriage in Modern Jazz), and TV presenter (Music for Everyone), born in Hilversum, Netherlands (d. 1996)
1940 – Galen Weston, English-Canadian multi-millionaire industrialist, born in Marlow, England
1941 – Brian Yuile, New Zealand cricket all-rounder (17 Tests, 34 wickets, 1 x 50; Central Districts), born in Palmerston North, New Zealand
1944 – Fausto Leali, Italian entertainer, born in Nuvolento, Brescia, Italy
1980 – Ben Foster, American actor (Hell or High Water, 3:10 to Yuma), born in Boston, Massachusetts
Famous Deaths
1911 – Joseph Pulitzer, Hungarian-American publisher (St Louis Post-Dispatch, NY World) and Democratic politician whose bequest founded the Columbia School of Journalism and the Pulitzer Prize, dies at 64
1936 – Ramiro de Maeztu, Spanish writer (Don Quixote and Celestine), dies at 61
1992 – Adrienne Canivez, wife of Victor of Vriesland, dies
1996 – J. Edward Day, 55th U.S. Postmaster General (1961), dies at 82
2005 – Lloyd Bochner, Canadian actor (Point Blank, Dynasty, Batman), dies of cancer at 81
Historical Events
1872 – J. S. Risdon of Genoa, Illinois, patents the metal windmill
1881 – Judge (U.S. magazine) first published
1888 – Lord Salisbury grants Cecil Rhodes charter for British South Africa Company
1889 – Stanley Park dedicated in Vancouver, British Columbia
1949 – White Sox trade catcher Joe Tipton to the Philadelphia Athletics for second baseman Nellie Fox
1983 – 550,000 Dutch demonstrate against cruise missiles
1985 – Major General Samuel K. Doe is announced the winner of the first multiparty election in Liberia
1994 – NY Lotto pays $60+ million
Famous Birthdays
1816 – Ferdinand II, German prince of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry and King of Portugal (1837-53), born in Palais Coburg, Vienna, Austrian Empire (d. 1885)
1903 – Vivian Ellis, English composer, born in Hampstead, London (d. 1996)
1920 – Baruj Benacerraf, Venezuelan-American immunologist (Nobel 1980 – discovery of genes that regulate immune responses and of the role that some of these genes play in autoimmune diseases), born in Caracas, Venezuela (d. 2011)
1926 – Necmettin Erbakan, 1st Islamist Prime Minister of Turkey (1996-97), born in Sinop, Turkey (d. 2011)
1941 – Ernie Accorsi, American football executive (GM Baltimore Colts 1982-83, Cleveland Browns 1985-92, NY Giants ), born in Hershey, Pennsylvania (d. 2026)
1945 – Melba Moore [Beatrice], American singer and actress (Ellis Island), born in New York City
1948 – Kate Jackson, American actress (Rookies, Charlie’s Angels), born in Birmingham, Alabama
1971 – Winona Ryder, American actress (Heathers, Edward Scissorhands), born in Winona, Minnesota
1971 – Daniel J. Bernstein, American professor and cryptologist, born in East Patchogue, New York
1980 – B.J. Sams, American football running back (First-team All-Pro 2004, 05; NFL punt return yards leader 2004; Baltimore Ravens), born in New Orleans, Louisiana
Famous Deaths
1822 – Dirk van Hogendorp, Dutch military man, politician and colonial administrator (Lieutenant-governor of East-Java, 1974-98; Minister of War, 1806-07), dies at 61
1873 – John of Saxony, King of Saxony (1854-73), dies at 71
1920 – Ernst Perabo, German-American composer and pianist, dies at 74
1924 – Frances Hodgson Burnett, British-American playwright and children’s author (“The Secret Garden”; “Little Lord Fauntleroy”), dies at 74
1927 – Leonard Nelson, German philosopher (Nelson-Friessche Schule), dies at 45
1933 – Albert Calmette, French physician, bacteriologist and immunologist (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin), dies at 70
1947 – Theodore Holland, British composer, dies at 69
1965 – Bill McKechnie, American Baseball HOF manager (World Series 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates, 1940 Cincinnati Reds) and coach (World Series 1948 Cleveland Indians), dies at 79
1969 – Vic Richardson, Australian cricket batsman and captain (19 Tests, 1 x 100, HS 138; South Australia) and SANFL player (Magarey Medal 1920 Sturt FC), dies at 75
2004 – Edward Oliver LeBlanc, Dominican politician, dies at 81