Today In History
Historical Events
1821 – Fall of Tripolitsa: Greek forces massacre 6,000 to 15,000 Muslim and Jewish civilians during the Greek War of Independence
1982 – Columbia Records releases “The Nylon Curtain,” singer-songwriter Billy Joel’s eighth studio album
1990 – PBS begins an 11-hour miniseries on the Civil War
2017 – US President Donald Trump withdraws invitation to the White House for NBA champions Golden State Warriors after Stephen Curry says he doesn’t want to attend
2024 – Israel launches airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, killing more than 490 people
Famous Birthdays
1771 – Kōkaku [Morohito], 119th Emperor of Japan (1779-1817), born in Kyōto, Japan (d. 1840)
1897 – Walter Pidgeon, Canadian actor (Mrs Miniver, Madame Curie), born in Saint John, New Brunswick (d. 1984)
1916 – Aldo Moro, Italian Prime Minister (1963-68 and 1974-76), born in Maglie, Italy (d. 1978)
1984 – Nathan Jendrick, American fitness trainer, health instructor, and author, born in Tacoma, Washington
2002 – Maleah Joi Moon, American Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning singer and stage actress known for “Hell’s Kitchen”, born in Franklin Township, New Jersey
Famous Deaths
1764 – Robert Dodsley, English writer (b. 1703)
1835 – Vincenzo Bellini, Italian opera composer (La Sonnambula, Norma), dies at 33
1987 – O. B. McClinton, American country singer (Man needs a woman), dies at 47
2010 – Malcolm Douglas, Australian conservationist (b. 1941)
2017 – Charles Bradley, American RandB and funk singer, known as ‘The Screaming Eagle of Soul’, dies of stomach cancer at 68
Historical Events
1459 – Battle of Blore Heath in Staffordshire: an inferior Yorkist force defeats a larger Lancastrian force in a major battle of the English Wars of the Roses
1912 – First Mack Sennett “Keystone Comedy” movie releases “Cohen Collects a Debt”
1926 – “Upset of the Decade”: Gene Tunney defeats defending champion Jack Dempsey by 10-round unanimous decision at Sesquicentennial Stadium (later known as JFK Stadium) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for the world heavyweight boxing title
1962 – Dave Brubeck and Louis Armstrong debut songs from “The Real Ambassadors”, a jazz musical loosely based on their experiences touring for the US State Department, at the Monterey Jazz Festival in California; libretto written by Iola Brubeck, Dave’s wife
1962 – ABC’s first color TV series, “The Jetsons,” created by Hanna-Barbera, premieres
1967 – Greek Colonels’ regime frees former Prime Minister Georgios Papandreou
2019 – Haitian Senator Jean-Marie Ralph Féthière opens fire, hitting a journalist while leaving parliament in Port-au-Prince
2022 – Tennis great Roger Federer plays his final professional match during Laver Cup in London; teams with friend and rival Rafael Nadal but loses 6–4, 6–7 [9–11] to Americans Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe
Famous Birthdays
1816 – Julius White, American Brevet Major General (Union Army), born in Cazenovia, New York (d. 1890)
1907 – Duarte Nuno, Duke of Braganza, unfulfilled claimant to the throne of Portugal, born in Seebenstein, Austria (d. 1976)
1923 – Samuel V. Wilson, American ex-director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and former Army lieutenant general, born in Rice, Virginia (d. 2017)
1928 – Frank Foster, American jazz saxophonist, arranger, composer, band leader (Count Basie; The Loud Minority), and educator, born in Cincinnati, Ohio (d. 2011)
1938 – Romy Schneider, German-French actress (That Most Important Thing: Love; Death Watch), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1982)
1943 – Bob Clement, American politician (Rep-D-Tennessee), born in Nashville, Tennessee
1963 – Gabriele Reinsch, German athlete (women’s discus WR 76.80m 1988), born in Cottbus, Germany
1966 – Pete Harnisch, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 1991 Houston Astros; Baltimore Orioles, NY Mets, Cincinnati Reds), born in Commack, New York
1972 – Karl Pilkington, British radio producer, actor, podcaster, and author (An Idiot Abroad, The Ricky Gervais Show), born in Sale, England
1985 – Hasan Minhaj, American stand-up comedian (Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj), born in Davis, California
Famous Deaths
1910 – Tup Scott, Australian cricket batsman and captain (8 Tests, 1 x 100, HS 102; Victoria), dies of typhoid at 51
1972 – Calvin Frazier, American country and Detroit blues singer-songwriter and guitarist (“This Old World’s In A Tangle”), dies of cancer at 57
1992 – James Van Fleet, American US Army General (served during WWI, WWII, and Korean War), dies at 100
1999 – Ivan Goff, Australian screenwriter (Man of a Thousand Faces), dies at 89
2002 – Vernon Corea, Sri Lankan pioneer radio broadcaster, dies at 75
2017 – Charles Bradley, American RandB and funk singer, known as ‘The Screaming Eagle of Soul’, dies of stomach cancer at 68
2020 – Bobby Wilson, English tennis player (Wimbledon doubles 1960 runner-up), dies at 84
2025 – Danny Thompson, British double bassist (Blues Incorporated; Pentangle; Richard Thompson; John Martyn), dies at 86
2025 – Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Sheikh, Saudi Arabia’s grand mufti (1999-2025), dies in his 80s
2025 – Cecilio Lastra, Spanish boxer (WBA featherweight champion 1977–78), dies at 74