Today In History
Historical Events
1896 – 30th Belmont: Henry Griffin aboard Hastings wins in 2:24.5
1943 – 99th Pursuit Squadron flies 1st combat mission (over Italy)
1978 – Columbia Records releases Bruce Springsteen fourth studio album “Darkness on the Edge of Town”
1985 – RJ Reynolds Company proposed a merger with Nabisco
2024 – Chinese spacecraft Chang’e-6 successfully lands on the far side of the Moon on a mission to analyse and collect rock samples
Famous Birthdays
1715 – Herman-François Delange, Belgian composer, born in Liège, Dutch Republic (d. 1781)
1903 – Mario Pilati, Italian composer, born in Naples, Kingdom of Italy (d. 1938)
1906 – (Abraham) “Albert” Sandler, British violinist and ‘light music’ orchestra leader, born in Mile End Old Town, London (d. 1948)
1955 – Gary Grimes, American actor (Summer of ’42, Class of ’44), born in San Francisco, California
1970 – B-Real [Louis Freese], American rapper (Cypress Hill), born in Los Angeles, California
Famous Deaths
1802 – Pemulwuy [Bembilwuyam] Indigenous Australian (Bidjigal) who resisted colonization, shot to death, his head later sent to Joseph Banks (b. c. 1750)
1962 – Vita Sackville-West, English novelist, poet (The Land) and gardener (Sissinghurst), dies at 70
1962 – Fran Saleški Finžgar, Slovene folk writer (Our Blood, Service Girls), dies at 91
1972 – Franz Philipp, German composer, dies at 81
2012 – Kathryn Joosten, American actress (Desperate Housewives), dies of lung cancer at 72
Historical Events
193 – Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is assassinated 66 days into his reign
1619 – England and the Netherlands sign treaty about trading in the Indies
1858 – Donati Comet 1st seen named after its discoverer
1913 – 1st strike settlement mediated by US Department of Labor – railroad clerks
1946 – Italian plebiscite chooses republic over monarchy (National Day)
1950 – St Louis Browns pitcher Harry Dorish swipes home vs Washington Senators
1971 – European Cup Final, Wembley Stadium, London: Ajax beats Panathinaikos, 2-0; Dutch champions begin 3-year period of domination
2002 – 56th Tony Awards: “Thoroughly Modern Millie” (musical) and “The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?” (play) win
Famous Birthdays
1840 – Thomas Hardy, poet and novelist (Far from the Madding Crowd), born in Higher Bockhampton, Dorset (d. 1928)
1899 – Lotte Reiniger, German animator and film director (The Adventures of Prince Achmed, Aladdin and the Magic Lamp), born in Charlottenburg, Germany (d. 1981)
1909 – Robin Orr, Scottish organist, composer, and educator (St. John’s College; Glasgow University), born in Brechin, Scotland (d. 2006)
1913 – Bert Farber, American orchestra leader (Arthur Godfrey, Vic Damone), born in Brooklyn, New York City (d. 2005)
1920 – Yolande Donlan, British-American actress (Jigsaw, Expresso Bongo, Penny Princess), born in Jersey City, New Jersey (d. 2014)
1936 – Sally Kellerman, American actress (M*A*S*H (film); Back to School; The Player), and singer, born in Long Beach, California (d. 2022)
1951 – Jeanine Pirro, American lawyer, television host (Justice with Judge Jeanine), and first woman to be elected as the District Attorney of Westchester County (1994-2005), born in Elmira, New York
1953 – Cornel West, American philosopher, activist and author, born in Tulsa, Oklahoma
1956 – Mani Ratnam [Gopala Ratnam Subramaniam], Indian film director, screenwriter and producer (Guru, Anjali), born in Madurai, India
1989 – Steve Smith, Australian cricket batsman and captain (HS 239; NSW CA), born in Sydney, Australia
Famous Deaths
1567 – Shane O’Neill, Irish chieftain
1750 – Johann Valentin Rathgeber, German organist, Benedictine priest, choirmaster, and composer (Augsburger Tafel-Confect), dies of gout at 68
1812 – Jan William de Winter, Dutch admiral (commanded Dutch navy in Battle of Campertown), dies at 51
1833 – Simon Byrne, Irish bare-knuckle boxer (Irish heavyweight champion), dies as a result of boxing match injuries at 27
1901 – George Leslie Mackay, Canadian missionary (b. 1844)
1967 – Benno Ohnesorg, German student (b. 1940)
1977 – Stephen Boyd [William Millar], Irish actor (Fantastic Voyage, Ben-Hur), dies of a heart attack at 45
1993 – French JFM of Thiel, Dutch 2nd chamber chairman (1963-72), dies at 86
1997 – Charles Jones, Canadian contemporary classical composer and music educator, dies at 86
2003 – Fred Blassie, American professional wrestler, manager and subject of “My Breakfast with Blassie”, dies of heart and kidney failure at 85