Today In History
Historical Events
1850 – A Papal bull is issued, establishing the Roman Catholic hierarchy in England
1951 – USSR performs a nuclear test
1975 – OPEC announces a 15% increase in government revenue per barrel
2019 – Nancy Pelosi announces a formal impeachment inquiry into US President Donald Trump, arguing that he tried to enlist a foreign power for his own political gain
2024 – Former US retail giant Kmart confirms it is closing its last full-scale store in mainland US in Bridgehampton, New York
Famous Birthdays
1801 – Mikhail Ostrogradsky, Russian physicist and mathematician, born in Poltava Governorate, Russian Empire (d. 1862)
1833 – Henry Alanson Barnum, American Brevet Major General (Union Army), born in Jamesville, New York (d. 1892)
1912 – Donald “Don” Porter, American actor (Gidget, The Ann Sothern Show), born in Miami, Oklahoma (d. 1997)
1939 – Sonny Turner, American singer (The Platters, 1959-70 – “With This Ring”, The Metrotones), born in Fairmont, West Virginia (d. 2022)
1959 – Denis “Piggy” D’Amour, Canadian heavy metal guitarist and songwriter (Voivod), born in Quebec (d. 2005)
Famous Deaths
768 – Pepin III, the short, King of France, dies at 53
1621 – Jan Karol Chodkiewicz, Polish military commander (b. 1560)
1875 – William Walker, American composer (The Southern Harmony), dies at 66
2001 – Sir Ruthven Wade, British Air Chief marshal (Royal Air Force), dies at 81
2017 – Albert Innaurato, American playwright and stage director (Age in Soho; Gemini), dies at 70
Historical Events
366 – Liberius ends his reign as Catholic Pope
1786 – African American slave and poet Jupiter Hammon delivers his “Address to the Negroes of the State of New York” speech advocating emancipation at a meeting of the African Society in New York
1941 – Bomb explodes in German headquarters at Hotel Continental in Kiev
1971 – Houston Astros beat San Diego Padres 2-1 in 21 innings
1978 – Ron Guidry beats Cleveland 4-0, raising his record to 23-3 with an ERA of 1.74
1985 – A relay swim team completes the fastest English Channel crossing in 15 hours and 30 minutes
1991 – Robin Yount is the 37th player to hit 2,000 singles
2022 – Post-tropical storm remnant of Hurricane Fiona makes landfall near Whitehead, Nova Scotia, with sustained wind speeds of 165 km/h (103 mph); the strongest low-pressure system in Canadian history affects the four provinces of Atlantic Canada, as well as Quebec, causing major flooding and knocking out power to 80% of Nova Scotia and 95% of Prince Edward Island
Famous Birthdays
1848 – Pieter Lodewijk Tak, Dutch journalist (The Chronicle; Het Volk), and politician, born in Middelburg, Netherlands (d. 1907)
1860 – S. R. Crockett, Scottish novelist (The Stickit Minister), born in Duchrae, Balmaghie, Kirkcudbrightshire (d. 1914)
1883 – Franklin Clarence Mars, American business magnate, founder of Mars Inc. (Mars bar, MandM’s), born in Pope County, Minnesota (d. 1934)
1914 – Hein Jordans, Dutch conductor, born in Venlo, Limburg, Netherlands (d. 2003)
1935 – Lawrence Urquhart, British businessman and CEO of Burmah Castrol, Scottish Widows, and BAA Ltd, born in Liverpool, England (d. 2025)
1938 – Steve Douglas [Kreisman], American session and touring saxophonist and flautist (Phil Spector; Duane Eddy; Beach Boys), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 1993)
1940 – Barbara “Bibs” Allbut, American rock vocalist (Angels – “My Boyfriend’s Back”), born in Orange, New Jersey (d. 2021)
1947 – Erik Hivju, Norwegian actor (The Last Place on Earth, Borgen skole), born in Norway
1965 – Sean McNabb, American rock bassist (Quiet Riot; Great White; Rough Cutt; House of Lords), born in South Bend, Indiana
1983 – Randy Foye, American basketball player, born in Newark, New Jersey
Famous Deaths
1732 – Reigen [Satohito], 112th Emperor of Japan (1663-87), dies at 78
1855 – Alexandre Stiévenard, French violinist, guitarist and composer, dies at 86
1924 – William Laurel Harris, American mural painter (Church of Saint Paul the Apostle in NY), dies of a stroke at 54
1975 – Clive Morton, British actor (Goodbye Mr Chips, Moonraker), dies at 71
1981 – Brahmarishi Hussain Sha, Indian religious leader and scholar (head of Sri Viswa Viznana Vidya Adhyatmika Peetham in Pithapuram), dies at 76
1983 – Mohammed Roem, Indonesian politician (as Foreign Minister negotiated Roem–Van Roijen Agreement that led to independence), dies at 75
1991 – Peter Bellamy, English folk singer, commits suicide at 47
1997 – Jonathon Silver, entrepreneur/arts patron, dies at 47
2003 – Rosalie Allen, American country singer, yodeler, and disc jockey, dies of congestive heart failure at 79
2021 – Waka Nathan, New Zealand rugby union flanker (14 Tests; Auckland RU), dies at 81