1747 – Simon Fraser, 12th baron Lovat, Scottish Jacobite (last man beheaded in England), beheaded for treason at 80
1852 – John Howard Payne, American actor, playwright (Fair Warning), author and creator of the hit song “Home! Sweet Home!”, dies at 60
1862 – George W Johnson, US planter/Confederate (gov-Ky), dies at about 50
1882 – Dante Gabriel Rossetti, English Pre-Raphaelite poet and painter, dies at 53
1984 – Basil Henry Blackwell, British publisher, dies
2002 – Leopold Vietoris, Austrian mathematician (b. 1891)
2005 – Andrea Dworkin, American radical feminist (Pornography: Men Possessing Women), dies of heart failure at 58
2011 – Sidney Lumet, American film director (Group, Pawnbroker, Fail Safe), dies of lymphoma at 86
2019 – Marilynn Smith, American golfer, co-founder LPGA (Titleholders Championship 1963-64), dies at 89
2020 – Dmitri Smirnov, Russian-British classical composer (Solo for Harp; Thel; Red Bells), and teacher, dies of COVID-19 at 71
Author: gil7
Historical Events for 9th April 2025
1941 – PGA establishes Golf Hall of Fame
1945 – World War II: The Battle of Königsberg, East Prussia, ends.
1965 – Beatles “Ticket to Ride” single is released in UK
1977 – Communist party in Spain allowed legally after 40 years
1986 – TV show “Dallas” announces it will revive killed Bobby Ewing character
1992 – Florida drops rape charges against NY Mets Gooden, Boston and Coleman
2000 – 64th US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: Fijian Vijay Singh wins by 3 strokes from Ernie Els of South Africa
2013 – The French Senate approves a bill for same-sex marriage
2017 – Suicide car bombing in Mogadishu, Somalia kills at least 17, Al-Shabaab group claim responsibility
2018 – Fleetwood Mac announce new members Neil Finn and Mike Campbell after firing long-standing member Lindsey Buckingham
Today in History for 9th April 2025
Historical Events
1935 – Stanley Cup Final, Montreal Forum, Montreal, Quebec: Montreal Maroons beat Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-1 for 3-0 series sweep; Maroons last defunct team to win the Cup
1947 – Atomic Energy Commission confirmed
1954 – 7th Cannes Film Festival: “Gate of Hell” directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa wins the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film
1976 – “All the President’s Men”, directed by Alan J. Pakula, based on the non-fiction book by journalists Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward detailing their Watergate investigation, starring Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford, is released
2022 – Joel Embiid is named the NBA scoring champion, averaging 30.6 points per game
2024 – A group of older Swiss women win a landmark climate change case at the European Court of Human Rights, ruling the women’s rights had been violated by not fully addressing climate change
Famous Birthdays
1806 – Isambard Kingdom Brunel, British engineer (SS Great Britain, Great Western Railway), born in Portsmouth, England (d. 1859)
1915 – Albert Rémy, French actor (Grand Prix, The 400 Blows, The Train), born in Sèvres, Seine, France (d. 1967)
1933 – Gian Maria Volontè, Italian actor (Fistful of Dollars), born in Milan, Italy (d. 1994)
1939 – Michael Learned, American actress (Olivia in The Waltons, Nurse), born in Washington, D.C.
1943 – Terry Knight [Knapp], American rock singer, manager, and record producer (Grand Funk Railroad), born in Lapeer, Michigan (d. 2004)
1966 – Oliver Barnett, American NFL defensive end (SF 49ers), born in Louisville, Kentucky
Famous Deaths
1553 – Francois Rabelais, French author (Gargantua, Pantagruel), dies at 49
1914 – Eben Sumner Draper, American businessman and politician (44th Governor of Massachusetts), dies at 55
1994 – Keith Watson, British comic strip artist (Dan Dare), dies at 59
2001 – Willie Stargell, American Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder/1st baseman (7 x MLB All Star; World Series 1971, 79 [MVP]; Pittsburgh Pirates), dies from a stroke at 61
2006 – Robin Orr, Scottish composer, dies at 96
2021 – Ramsey Clark, American lawyer, US Attorney General (1967-69) and activist, dies at 93
Famous Deaths for 8th April 2025
217 – Caracalla, Roman emperor (198-217), murdered at 29
1725 – John Wise, American clergyman and political activist who protested against British taxes, dies at 73
1844 – Ignaz Franz von Mosel, Austrian composer, dies at 72
1974 – James Charles McGuigan, Catholic cardinal archbishop of Toronto, dies at 79
1984 – Pyotr Kapitsa, Russian physicist (Nobel 1978), dies at 89
1990 – Doreen Sloane, English actress (Coronation Street), dies of cancer at 56
1995 – Maurice Allom, English cricketer (14 Test wickets-NZ debut hat-trick), dies at 89
2001 – Frank Annunzio, American politician (Rep-D-IL, 1965-93), dies of Parkinson’s disease at 86
2013 – Annette Funicello, American actress (Mickey Mouse Club; Beach Blanket Bingo), and singer (“Tall Paul”). dies from multiple sclerosis complications at 70
2021 – Diána Igaly, Hungarian sport shooter (Olympic gold women’s skeet 2004; bronze 2000), dies from COVID-19 at 56
Historical Events for 8th April 2025
1802 – French Protestant church becomes state-supported and -controlled
1913 – China’s National Assembly opens in Peking, the first free democratic parliament in Chinese history
1945 – 1945 NFL Draft: Charley Trippi from University of Georgia first pick by Chicago Cardinals
1965 – India and Pakistan forces engage in a border fight
1975 – 47th Academy Awards: “The Godfather Part II”, Ellen Burstyn and Art Carney win
1989 – Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo is arrested in Mexico and charged with kidnapping, murder of DEA agent Enrique Camarena, drug trafficking and other crimes
1994 – MLB outfielder Darryl Strawberry enters Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, California for substance abuse rehabilitation
1994 – Atlanta Brave Kent Mercker no-hits Dodgers, 6-0
2006 – 159th Grand National: 11–1 Irish shot Numbersixvalverde, ridden by Niall Madden wins by 6 lengths from defending champion Hedgehunter
2013 – 163 people are killed and 50,000 are displaced after tribal violence erupts in Darfur, Sudan
Today in History for 8th April 2025
Historical Events
1766 – 1st fire escape patented, wicker basket on a pulley and chain
1869 – American Museum of Natural History opens in New York City
1979 – 205th and final episode of “All in the Family”; followed by “Archie Bunker’s Place” for 4 seasons
1993 – Indians’ Carlos Baerga is 1st to switch hit HRs in same inn (vs Yanks)
2000 – 153rd Grand National: Irish 10/1 shot Papillon, ridden by jockey Ruby Walsh and trained by his father Ted Walsh wins by 1¼ lengths from Mely Moss
2016 – 31st Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees: Chicago, Cheap Trick, Deep Purple, Steve Miller, and N.W.A
Famous Birthdays
1756 – Joseph Gehot, Belgian composer, born in Brussels, Belgium (d. 1820)
1865 – Ted Wainwright, English cricket all-rounder (5 Tests; Yorkshire CCC), born in Sheffield, England (d. 1919)
1893 – Grace Cunard, American silent screen actress (Untamed, Resurrection), born in Columbus, Ohio (d. 1967)
1905 – George Baxter, French actor (Flying Saucer, Lili, Caged), born in Paris, France (d. 1976)
1955 – Barbara Kingsolver, American novelist (The Poisonwood Bible), born in Annapolis, Maryland
1972 – Katrina Powell, Australian field hockey striker (252 caps; Olympic gold 1996, 2000; World Cup gold 1998; Champions Trophy gold 1997, 99, 2003) and coach (Australia women), born in Canberra Australia
Famous Deaths
1931 – Eric Axel Karlfeldt, Swedish poet (Nobel Prize for Literature 1931), dies at 66
1969 – Arthur Walter Kramer, American composer, dies at 78
1981 – Omar Bradley, American WWII General (Invasion of Normandy) and 1st Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1949-53), dies of cardiac arrhythmia at 88
1982 – Katherine Rawls, American diver (Olympic silver 3m springboard 1932, 36) and swimmer (Olympic bronze 4×100m freestyle 1936), dies from cancer at 64
1992 – Daniel Bovet, Swiss-Italian pharmacologist (1957 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, discovered chemotherapeutic agents including antihistamines0, dies at 85
1993 – Arleen Whelan, American film actress (Kidnapped), dies of a stroke at 78
Famous Deaths for 7th April 2025
1498 – Charles VIII, King of France (1483-98) who invaded Italy, dies after hitting his head on a door lintel at 27
1871 – Alexander of Wales, British Prince, son of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, dies at 1 day old after born prematurely
1880 – Isaac M. St. John, American Brigadier General (Confederate Army), dies at 52
1881 – Pierre Napoleon Bonaparte, Corsican representative of the people, dies at 65
1936 – Marilyn Miller [Mary Ellen Reynolds], American Broadway dancer, singer, and actress (Ziegfeld Follies), dies from complications of nasal surgery at 37
1939 – Joseph Lyons, 10th Prime Minister of Australia (1932-39), dies at 59
1970 – Josina Machel, Mozambican independence activist, and wife of Mozambique’s 1st president Samora Machel, dies at 25
1984 – Frank Church, American lawyer and politician (United States Senator from Idaho), dies at 59
2009 – Philip Moore [Lord Moore of Wolvercote], British Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II, dies at 88
2023 – Lasse Wellander, Swedish session and touring guitarist (Abba), dies of cancer at 70
Historical Events for 7th April 2025
1498 – Crowd storms Savonarola’s convent San Marco Florence, Italy
1862 – Grant defeats Confederates at Battle of Shiloh, Tenn, Island #10 falls
1917 – J.M. Barrie’s play “The Old Lady Shows Her Medals” premieres in London
1976 – Chinese Politburo fires vice-premier Deng Xiaoping
1985 – Nabisco Dinah Shore Women’s Golf, Mission Hills CC: Alice Miller shoots a final round 67 (−5) to win her only major title, 3 strokes ahead of Jan Stephenson of Australia
1996 – Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya hits the fastest ODI fifty off 17 balls vs Pakistan in Singapore
1997 – Howard Stern Radio Show premieres in Ft Myers , Florida on WRXK 96.1 FM
2018 – Vegas Golden Knights suffer a 7-1 end of regular season defeat at Calgary but finish with an NHL expansion team record 51 victories; previous record 33 by Anaheim Ducks and Florida Panthers 1993-94
2020 – China ends its lockdown of Wuhan, the city at the center of the COVID-19 pandemic after 76 days as the country reports no new deaths for the 1st time
2020 – Australia’s highest court overturns the child sexual abuse conviction of Catholic Cardinal George Pell
Today in History for 7th April 2025
Historical Events
1118 – Pope Gelasius II is excommunicated by Holy Roman Emperor Henry V, forcing him to flee Rome and rule in exile
1584 – Ieper surrenders to Duke of Parma
1933 – University Bridge, Seattle opens for traffic
1959 – Radar 1st bounced off Sun, Stanford Calif
1963 – Yugoslavia proclaimed a Socialistic republic
1970 – MLB Milwaukee Brewers (former Seattle Pilots) 1st game, lose to Angels 12-0
Famous Birthdays
1775 – Francis Cabot Lowell, American mill owner (founded 1st raw cotton-to-cloth textile mill), born in Newburyport, Massachusetts (d. 1817)
1916 – Anthony Caruso, American character actor best known for playing villains (The Desperate Mission, The Wonderful County), born in Frankfort, Indiana (d. 2003)
1929 – “Crazy” Joe Gallo, American mobster, born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1972)
1960 – Tracy Silverman, American contemporary classical and jazz acoustic and electric 6-string violinist (Turtle Island String Quartet), composer, and pedagogue, born in Peekskill, New York
1964 – Joe Durant, American golfer (4 PGA Tour titles), born in Pensacola, Florida
1972 – Lovett Purnell, American NFL football wide receiver, 1996-2001 (New England Patriots, and 2 other teams), born in Seaford, Delaware
Famous Deaths
1614 – El Greco, Greek-born artist working in Spain (b. 1541)
1651 – Lennart Torstenson, Swedish soldier and engineer (b. 1603)
1920 – Karl Binding, German jurist whose writings were used to justify the Holocaust, dies at 79
1936 – Marilyn Miller [Mary Ellen Reynolds], American Broadway dancer, singer, and actress (Ziegfeld Follies), dies from complications of nasal surgery at 37
1997 – Sam Parks Jr., American golfer (US Open 1935), dies at 87
2021 – James Hampton, American actor (F Troop – “Bugler Dobbs”; Teen Wolf), writer, and director, dies from Parkinson’s disease complications at 84
Famous Deaths for 6th April 2025
1520 – Raphael Sanzio, Italian painter and master builder (Sistine Madonna, School of Athens), dies on his 37th birthday
1593 – John Greenwood, English Separatist Puritan, hanged for “devising and circulating seditious books” at about 37 (d.1556, exact date uncertain)
1935 – Edward Arlington Robinson, American poet, dies
1985 – Mark Lothar [Lothar Hundertmark], German composer (The Story of the Lazy Bear), dies at 82
1992 – Isaac Asimov, Russian-American scientist and sci-fi writer (I Robot; Foundation Trilogy), dies from kidney failure at 72
1994 – Dick Cary, American jazz musician, dies at 77
2011 – Nabi Bux Khan Baloch, Pakistani Sindhi scholar (compiled first Sindhi-English dictionary), dies at 93
2018 – Daniel Akaka, American educator and politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Hawaii), dies at 93
2020 – Fred Singer, Austrian-American physicist and climate change doubter, dies at 95
2021 – Hans Küng, Swiss theologian and critic of the Vatican, dies at 93