Today In History
Historical Events
1494 – On his second voyage to the New World, Christopher Columbus sights Jamaica and lands at Discovery Bay
1864 – Battle of Wilderness, Virginia (Germanna Ford, Wilderness Tavern)
1938 – MLB Philadelphia Phillies Harold Kelleher pitcher faces 16 batters in 6th, as Cubs score 12 runs, both marks are NL records off one hurler in a single inning
1990 – 35th Eurovision Song Contest: Toto Cutugno for Italy wins singing “Insieme: 1992” in Zagreb
1991 – A riot breaks out in the Mt. Pleasant section of Washington, D.C. after Salvadoran man is shot by police
Famous Birthdays
1883 – Charles “Chief” Bender, American Baseball HOF pitcher (only indigenous American in BHOF; World Series 1910, 11, 13; no-hitter 1910; Philadelphia A’s), born in Crow Wing County, Minnesota (d. 1954)
1915 – Richard Rovere, American political journalist (Goldwater Caper), born in Jersey City, New Jersey (d. 1979)
1924 – Leopoldo Torre Nilsson, Argentine film director (Monday’s Child), born in Buenos Aires, Argentina (d. 1978)
1950 – Googoosh [Faegheh Atashin (فائقه آتشین)], Persian singer and actress, born in Sarcheshmeh Street, Tehran, Iran
1982 – Jay Bothroyd, English footballer (striker for J1 League club Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo), born in London
Famous Deaths
1945 – Peter Van Pels, Jewish Refugee (b. 1926)
1964 – Howard Zahniser, American environmental activist (father of Wilderness Act), dies of heart failure at 58
1995 – Anthony Wagner, English Officer of Arms at the College of Arms and author on heraldry, dies at 86
2000 – Gino Bartali, Italian cyclist (Tour de France 1938, 48; Giro d’Italia 1936-7, 46), dies of a heart attack at 85
2012 – Raman Surendranath, Indian cricket fast bowler (11 Tests, 26 wickets), dies at 75
Historical Events
1863 – Irish boxer Joe Coburn KOs American Mike McCoole in the 67th round in his first defense of Heavyweight C’ship of America in Charlestown, Maryland
1916 – US Marines invade Dominican Republic, stay until 1924
1917 – St Louis Browns pitcher Ernie Koob no-hits Chicago White Sox, 1-0 at Sportsman’s Park III
1948 – First squadron of jet aircraft boards a carrier
1955 – US performs nuclear test at Nevada test Site
1956 – The first World Judo Championships are held in Tokyo
1961 – Alan Shepard becomes the first American in space aboard Freedom 7
2006 – The government of Sudan signs an accord with the Sudan Liberation Army
Famous Birthdays
1869 – Hans Pfitzner, German composer (Palestrina), born in Moscow, Russia (d. 1949)
1883 – Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell, British general, born in Colchester, Essex, England (d. 1950)
1887 – Mervyn S. Bennion, United States Navy officer (Captain of USS West Virginia), WWI veteran, and Medal of Honor recipient, born in Vernon, Utah Territory (d. 1941)
1907 – Benny Baker, American actor (18 Again, Sting II, Thunderbirds), born in St Joseph, Missouri (d. 1994)
1950 – Googoosh [Faegheh Atashin (فائقه آتشین)], Persian singer and actress, born in Sarcheshmeh Street, Tehran, Iran
1966 – Mike Stapleton, Canadian NHL center (Winnipeg Jets), born in Sarnia, Ontario
1972 – Travis Jervey, American football running back (Super Bowl XXXI Green Bay Packers; Pro Bowl 1997), born in Columbia, South Carolina
1977 – Zolani Marali, South African boxer (IBO World Super Bantamweight title 2003–04; IBO Super Featherweight title 2009), born in Mdantsane, South Africa (d. 2022)
1978 – Bruno Cheyrou, French footballer, born in Suresnes, France
1994 – Celeste [Epiphany Waite], British singer (Not Your Muse), born in Culver City, California
Famous Deaths
1582 – Charlotte de Bourbon, Princess of Orange, dies
1765 – August Friedrich Graun, German organist and composer, dies at about 67 (exact birthday uncertain, c. 1698)
1871 – Howard B. Cushing, American military officer, dies fighting Apaches in Arizona at 32
1972 – [Reverend] Gary Davis, American blues and folk guitarist (A Little More Faith), dies of a heart attack at 76
1979 – Shirley O’Hara, actress (Wild Party), dies at 68
2001 – (Wilson) “Boozoo” Chavis, American zydeco pioneer, accordion player, singer-songwriter, and bandleader, dies following a heart attack at 70
2006 – Naushad Ali, Indian composer, and Hindi film music director, dies at 86
2008 – Irv Robbins, Canadian-American entrepreneur (co-founded the Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlor chain), dies at 90
2017 – Adolph Kiefer, American swimmer (Olympic gold 100m backstroke 1936), dies at 98
2018 – Stanley Falkow, American microbiologist (molecular mechanisms of infectious diseases), dies at 84