Today In History
Historical Events
1652 – Ingen Ryuki is invited to become abbot of Sofukuji Temple in Nagasaki
1864 – -16] Atlanta Campaign: Battle of Resaca, Georgia
1943 – German and Italian forces in Africa surrender
1991 – Apple releases Macintosh operating System 7, codenamed the “Big Bang”
1995 – Chelsi Smith, 21, of USA, crowned 44th Miss Universe Shanna Lynn Moakler, (19-NY), replaces Chelsi Smith as Miss USA
Famous Birthdays
1883 – Henk Sneevliet, Dutch Communist, editor (Spartacus) and WWII resistance fighter, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1942)
1903 – Alfred Pugsley, English civil engineer (R101 airship), born in London, England (d. 1998)
1912 – Helen Craig, American actress (Snake Pit, They Live by Night), born in San Antonio, Texas (d. 1986)
1927 – Clive Barnes, British-American drama critic (NY Times, 1978-2008; NY Post, 1965-77), born in London, England (d. 2008)
1944 – Son Sook, South Korean screen and theatre actress (Volcano, Guest, Mother), radio host, and politician, born in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea
Famous Deaths
1831 – Christian Gottfried Körner, German lawyer, dies at 74
1921 – Jean Aicard, French poet and novelist (Jeune Croyances), dies at 73
1972 – Dan Blocker, American actor (Cimarron City – “Tiny”; Bonanza – “Hoss”), dies of a pulmonary embolism at 43
1974 – Denny Shute, American golfer (British Open 1933, PGA C’ship 1936-37), dies at 69
2001 – R.K. Narayan, Indian novelist (Malguidi Days), dies at 94
Historical Events
1654 – Venetian fleet under Norwegian Admiral Cort Adeler beats Turkish fleet the near the Dardanelles, sinking 15 Turkish galleys
1861 – Queen Victoria announces Britain’s position of neutrality during the US Civil War
1927 – VVOG soccer team forms in Harderwijk
1940 – Aviation pioneer Igor Sikorsky pilots first untethered test flight of his VS-300 helicopter in Stratford, Connecticut
1941 – Willy Lewis’ US jazz band performs in Switzerland
1954 – Chinese Middle School students in Singapore take part in anti-National Service riots
1955 – Mickey Mantle hits 3 consecutive HRs of at least 463′
1993 – CBS’ soap opera “Knots Landing” ends 14 year-run with 334th show in Netherlands and US
Famous Birthdays
1655 – Innocent XIII [Michelangiolo dei Conti], Italian 244th Pope (1721-24) tried to introduce frugal measures and end nepotism, born in Poli, Papal States (d. 1724)
1883 – Georgios Papanicolaou, Greek-American doctor, cytopathologist, and inventor of the Pap smear, born in Kymi, Greece (d. 1962)
1901 – Witold Pilecki, Polish WWII resistance fighter (volunteered to go to Auschwitz, Witold’s Report), born in Olonets, Russian Empire (d. 1948)
1931 – Eileen Diss, British theatrical designer (August, Secret Places, Betrayal), born in London (d. 2024)
1940 – Richard Brooks, American soul singer (Impressions, 1958-62 – “Gypsy Woman”), and songwriter (“For Your Precious Love”), born in Chattanooga, Tennessee (d. 2023)
1944 – Betsy Finley Ashton, American broadcast journalist, author and lecturer, born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
1959 – Paul Pesco, Eurasian American session guitarist, singer-songwriter and record producer, born in Canandaigua, New York
1962 – Sean McDonough, American sports newscaster
1964 – Tom Verica, American actor, director and producer (How to Get Away with Murder, Bridgerton), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1965 – Chris Washburn, American NBA player, born in Hickory, North Carolina
Famous Deaths
1835 – John Nash, British town planner/architect (Regent’s Park), dies
1882 – Jules Nicolas Crevaux, French naval doctor and explorer (French Guiana and the Amazon), murdered on the Pilcomayo River at 35
1962 – Frank Jenks, American stage and screen actor (Colonel Flack, Zombies on Broadway), dies of cancer at 59
1970 – William Dobell, Australian portrait artist, dies at 70
2001 – Jason Miller, American actor and writer (Exorcist, Light of Day), dies at 62
2002 – Ruth Cracknell, Australian actress (Mother and Son), dies at 76
2019 – Jerome Callet, American musician and designer of brass instruments, dies at 89
2020 – Rolf Hochhuth, German playwright (Der Stellvertreter), dies at 89
2023 – Keiko Tanaka-Ikeda, Japanese gymnast (World C’ship gold balance beam 1954; Olympic bronze team 1964; first Japanese female to win a world title), dies at 89
2025 – José Mujica, 40th President of Uruguay (2010-2015), champion of the poor, and former urban guerrilla with the Tupamaros, dies at 89