Today In History
Historical Events
1920 – Westinghouse radio station in East Pittsburgh, KDKA begins broadcasting, with presidential and local election returns
1954 – Strom Thurmond is the 1st US Senator elected by write-in vote, representing South Carolina
1996 – Miami Heat’s Pat Riley becomes eighth coach to win 800 games in 97-95 win at Indiana; milestone accomplished 2 weeks shy of his 15th coaching anniversary, faster than any coach in NBA history
2004 – George W. Bush is re-elected as President of the United States, defeating Democrat candidate John Kerry
2012 – Breeders’ Cup Horse Racing, Santa Anita Racetrack; Day 1 winners: Hightail, Calidoscopio, Flotilla, Beholder, Zagora, Royal Delta
Famous Birthdays
1846 – Antonio Peña y Goñi, Spanish composer, born in San Sebastián, Spain (d. 1896)
1902 – Marius Holtrop, Dutch economist and President of Netherlands Bank (DNB), 1946-67, born in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1988)
1956 – Dale Brown, American aviator and novelist, born in Buffalo, New York
1977 – Randy Harrison, American actor (Justin Taylor in “Queer as Folk US”), born in Nashua, New Hampshire
1980 – Kim So-yeon, South Korean actress (Iris, The Penthouse: War in Life), born in Seoul, South Korea
Famous Deaths
472 – Olybrius, emperor of Western Roman Empirre (April-November. 472), dies of dropsy at about 41 (born c. 430)
1845 – Chretien Urhan, French violinist and composer, dies at 55
1993 – P A Jacob Mees, Dutch banker (Mees and Hope), dies at about 86
2010 – Clyde King, American baseball pitcher (Brooklyn Dodgers, Cincinnati Redlegs), manager (SF Giants, Atlanta Braves, NY Yankees) and executive (GM NY Yankees 1984-86), dies at 86
2015 – Raul Rekow, American percussionist and conguero (Santana, 1976-2013), dies of cancer at 61
Historical Events
1327 – King Alfonso IV of Aragon crowned
1813 – Treaty of Fulda signed in Germany after Battle of Leipzig
1889 – North Dakota becomes 39th and South Dakota becomes 40th state in the United States
1903 – Lyceum Theater (New Lyceum) opens at 149 W 45th St NYC
1920 – Westinghouse radio station in East Pittsburgh, KDKA begins broadcasting, with presidential and local election returns
1954 – Charles Diggs Jr is elected Michigan’s 1st black congressman to the House of Representatives
1959 – Charles Van Doren confesses during a congressional investigation that TV quiz show “Twenty-One” was fixed
2014 – New York City Marathon: Wilson Kipsang of Kenya wins in 2:10:59; compatriot Mary Keitany wins first of 3 straight women’s titles in 2:25:07
Famous Birthdays
1894 – Alexander Lippisch, German scientist and pioneer of aerodynamics, born in Munich, Germany (d. 1976)
1920 – Bill Mazer, American sports broadcaster (New York institution in sports reporting; sports trivia expert), born in Iziaslav, Ukraine (d. 2013)
1939 – Pauline Neville-Jones, English politician and diplomat, born in Birmingham, England
1944 – Jeffrey Alan Hoffman, American NASA astronaut (STS 51-D, 35, 46, 61, 75) and MIT professor, born in Brooklyn, New York
1953 – Rick Meagher, Canadian ice hockey center (NHL Frank J. Selke Trophy 1990; St. Louis Blues captain), born in Belleville, Ontario
1959 – Peter Mullan, Scottish actor and filmmaker (The Magdalene Sisters), born in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
1960 – Bruce Baumgartner, American wrestler (Olympic gold 1984, 92), born in Haledon, New Jersey
1962 – Mireille Delunsch, French soprano, born in Mulhouse, France
1963 – Ines Diers, German swimmer (GDR Olympic gold 400m, 4x100m relay 1980), born in Rochlitz, Sachsen, Germany
1998 – Jordan Love, American football quarterback (Green Bay Packers 2020-present), born in Bakersfield, California
Famous Deaths
1588 – Wilhelmus Damasi, theologist/1st bishop of Roermond, dies at 63
1843 – Esaias Tegnér, Swedish writer considered the father of modern Swedish poetry (Frithjof’s Saga), dies at 63
1977 – Hans Erich Nossak, German writer, dies at 76
1989 – Hermann Bengtson, German historian (Greeks Ancient Times), dies at 80
1991 – Fran Stevens, singer, dies of cancer in Bronx NY at 72
2011 – Sickan Carlsson, Swedish actress and singer (b. 1915)
2020 – Baron Wolman, American photographer, founding chief photographer for Rolling Stone, dies of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) at 83
2021 – Ronnie Wilson, American RandB keyboardist (Gap Band – “Burn Rubber On Me”), dies at 73
2023 – Yuri Temirkanov, Russian conductor (Kirov Opera and Ballet Theatre, 1976-88; Baltimore Symphony, 2000-06), dies at 84
2025 – Sara Banerji, British novelist (Cobweb Walking, The Wedding of Jayanthi Mandel), dies at 93