Today In History
Historical Events
1926 – English long-distance runner Violet Piercy sets the first recognized female marathon record in 3:40:22 on the Polytechnic Marathon course between Windsor and London
1947 – First telescope lens 200 inches (508 cm) in diameter is completed
1988 – Discovery 7 returns to Earth after a 4-day excursion
1988 – WBMW-FM in Washington, D.C. changes its call sign to WJFK and begins airing The Howard Stern Radio Show
2018 – Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to Frances Arnold, Gregory Winter, and George Smith for their use of evolution to produce new enzymes and antibodies
Famous Birthdays
1901 – Jean Grémillon, French film director (Remorques, Light of Summer), born in Bayeux, France (d. 1959)
1954 – Stevie Ray Vaughan, American blues guitarist (Texas Flood; “Pride And Joy”; David Bowie – “Let’s Dance”), born in Dallas, Texas (d. 1990)
1966 – Frank Hannon, American blues and rock guitarist (Tesla – The Great Radio Controversy), born in Sacramento, California
1981 – Andreas Isaksson, Swedish soccer goalkeeper (133 caps; PSV, Kasımpaşa), born in Smygehamn, Sweden
1987 – Zuleyka Rivera, Puerto Rican beauty queen (2006 Miss Universe winner), actress and TV host, born in Cayey, Puerto Rico
Famous Deaths
1568 – Elisabeth of Valois, daughter of King Henry II of France and 3rd wife of Philip II of Spain, dies in childbirth at 23
1611 – Margarita of Austria, Queen of Spain and Portugal by marriage to King Philip III and II of Spain, dies at 26
1860 – Rembrandt Peale, American portrait and historical painter (Margaret Irvine Miller ,1805; Court of Death, 1820), and museum keeper (Baltimore), dies at 82
1953 – Arnold Bax, British composer known for his orchestral music (Tintagel), and memoirist (Farewell My Youth), dies of heart failure at 69
2018 – Leon M. Lederman, American experimental physicist (Nobel Prize in Physics, 1988 – for research on quarks and leptons) and author (The God Particle), dies from complications of dementia at 96
Historical Events
1247 – William II of Holland elected Roman Catholic anti-king of Germany
1605 – Sangley Rebellion: Overseas Chinese, known as the Sangley, rise up against Spanish authorities in Manila, Philippines. Spanish, local Japanese, and indigenous Tagalog forces massacre an estimated 20,000 ethnic Chinese.
1922 – Governor of Georgia names Progressive writer Rebecca Felton (87) to fill an unexpired term in the US Senate; she becomes the first woman in Congress, the oldest person, and the shortest-termed, as she serves only 24 hours in November
1953 – NY Yankees legendary center fielder Mickey Mantle hits a grand slam off Russ Meyer; Bronx Bombers hold on to win 11-7 against Brooklyn Dodgers in Game 5 of Baseball World Series; NY wins series, 4-2
1968 – US performs a nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
2008 – The $700 billion bailout bill for the US financial system is signed by President George W. Bush
2021 – Record rainfall in Europe as 36 inches (925 mm) of rain begin falling in the northern Italian town of Rossiglione
2024 – UK announces it is handing over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius
Famous Birthdays
1605 – Li Tzu-ch’eng, Chinese revolutionary who dethroned last Ming emperor, born in Mizhi, Shaanxi province, China (d. 1645)
1879 – Warner Oland, Swedish actor (The Jazz Singer, Charlie Chan), born in Nyby, Västerbottens län, Sweden (d. 1938)
1897 – Josephine Riley Matthews “Mama Jo”, African-American midwife (delivered over 1300 babies), born in Aiken, South Carolina (d. 1993)
1950 – John Patrick Shanley, American playwright and screenwriter (Doubt: A Parable; Moonstruck), born in the Bronx, New York
1959 – Fred Couples, American golfer (US Masters 1992; Senior Players C’ship 2011; Senior British Open 2012), born in Seattle, Washington
1963 – Dan Goldie, American tennis player and author (“The Investment Answer”, #1 NY Times bestselling book), born in Sioux City Iowa
1966 – Darrin Fletcher, American baseball catcher (MLB All Star 1994; Montreal Expos, Toronto Blue Jays) and broadcaster (Rogers Sportsnet), born in Elmhurst, Illinois
1966 – Frank Hannon, American blues and rock guitarist (Tesla – The Great Radio Controversy), born in Sacramento, California
1967 – Denis Villeneuve, French Canadian director (Arrival, Dune), born in Bécancour, Canada
1978 – Gerald Asamoah, German soccer forward (43 caps; Schalke 04 279 games, 44 goals), born in Mampong, Ghana
Famous Deaths
1283 – Dafydd ap Gruffyd, last monarch of Gwynnedd (North-Wales), dies
1564 – Christophorus Fabritius [Christoffel Smit], calvinist vicar, burned
1596 – Florent Chrestien, French writer and satirist, dies at 55
1611 – Margarita of Austria, Queen of Spain and Portugal by marriage to King Philip III and II of Spain, dies at 26
1629 – Giorgi Saakadze, Georgian military leader (b. 1570)
1929 – Gustav Stresemann, German chancellor (1923) who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1926, dies of a stroke at 51
1975 – Guy Mollet, French politician, Prime Minister of France (1956-57), dies of a heart attack at 69
1979 – Charles White, American artist (The Contribution of the Negro to American Democracy), dies at 61
1985 – Charles Collingwood, American news commentator (Chronicles), dies at 68
2019 – Philip Gips, American graphic artist and movie poster designer (Alien, Rosemary’s Baby), dies at 88 of complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia