1296 – Edmund Crouchback, English prince and son of Henry III of England, dies at 51
1667 – Francesco Sforza Pallavicino, Italian theologist and historian (Istoria del Concilio di Trento), dies at 59
1885 – Julius Benedict, German opera composer (Protoghesi), dies at 80
1893 – Mary Ann Shadd Cary, American-Canadian anti-slavery campaigner, suffragist and 1st African American newspaper publisher (“The Provincial Freeman”), dies of stomach cancer at 69
1908 – Luca Fumagalli, Italian pianist and composer (Luigi XI), dies at 71
1913 – Chris von der Ahe, German entrepreneur and owner of St. Louis Brown Stockings, dies at 61
1992 – Max Lerner, American journalist (NY Post) and educator, dies at 88
2004 – Ronald Reagan, 40th US President (Republican: 1981-89) and actor (Bedtime for Bonzo), dies at 93
2005 – Susi Nicoletti, German actress (b. 1918)
2012 – Barry Unsworth, English novelist (Sacred Hunger), dies from lung cancer at 81
Author: gil7
Historical Events for 5th June 2025
754 – Friezen robbers murder Bishop Boniface (later Saint) and over 50 companions near Dokkum
1909 – Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, home of the Indy 500, holds its first competition – a hot air balloon race
1927 – French Championships Men’s Tennis: Hometown favourite Rene Lacoste wins 2nd of 3 French titles; beats Bill Tilden 6-4, 4-6, 5-7, 6-3, 11-9
1945 – Benjamin Britten’s opera “Peter Grimes” premieres in London
1953 – US Senate rejects China People’s Republic membership to UN
1956 – “Milton Berle Show” last airs on NBC-TV
1993 – Somali warlord Aidids murders 23 Pakistani
1994 – French Open Men’s Tennis: In an all-Spanish final Sergi Bruguera beats Alberto Berasategui 6-3, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 for his second French title
2003 – A severe heat wave across Pakistan and India reaches its peak, as temperatures exceed 50°C (122°F) in the region
2017 – Puerto Rico declares its Zika virus epidemic over
Today in History for 5th June 2025
Historical Events
1257 – Kraków, Poland, receives city rights.
1507 – England and Netherlands sign trade agreement
1915 – 47th Belmont: George Byrne aboard The Finn wins in 2:18.6
1948 – “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky: A Cowboy Legend” single released by Stan Jones
1998 – A strike begins at the General Motors parts factory in Flint, Michigan, that quickly spreads to five other assembly plants (the strike lasted seven weeks)
Famous Birthdays
1695 – Johann Conrad Schlaun, German baroque architect (Schloss Münster), born in Nörde, Warburg, Germany (d. 1773)
1765 – Johann Gottlieb Friedrich von Bohnenberger, German mathematician, born in Simmozheim (d. 1831)
1884 – Claude Jennings, Australian cricket batsman (6 Tests, HS 32; South Australia, Queensland), born in Melbourne, Australia (d. 1950)
1931 – Jerzy Prokopiuk, Polish philosopher and anthroposopist, born in Warsaw (d. 2021)
1952 – Monnette Sudler, American jazz guitarist (Sounds of Liberation), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2022)
Famous Deaths
1568 – Willem Key, Flemish Renaissance painter, dies at about 47
1906 – Eduard von Hartmann, German philosopher known for “Philosophy of the Unconscious”, dies at 64
1939 – Elijah Beardsworth, British world quick shaving champion, dies
1970 – “Jopie” Pengel [Johan A], Premier of Suriname (1963-69), dies at 54
1997 – J Anthony Lukas, writer (Pulitizer, Common Ground), suicide at 64
Famous Deaths for 4th June 2025
1922 – William Halse Rivers, British psychologist/anthropologist, dies
1925 – Pierre Louÿs, French writer (Aphrodite), dies at 54
1942 – Reinhard Heydrich, German Nazi leader (head of Bohemia and Moravia and the Reich Main Security Office), dies a from an infection while recovering from injuries a week after an assassination attempt at 38
1972 – Godfried Devreese, Belgian violist, conductor, and composer (Elf Dance; Gothic Symphony), dies at 79
1979 – Herman Shumlin, American Broadway producer, director and actor (Watch on the Rhine), dies at 80
1985 – John Ringling North, American circus director (Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus from 1937-43), dies at 81
1989 – Dik Browne, American cartoonist (Hi and Lois, Hagar the Horrible), dies at 71
2006 – Eric Molobi, South African activist (ANC, Kagiso Trust), dies at 58
2015 – Albert West [Albertus Westelaken], Dutch pop singer (The Shuffles – “Cha-La-La, I Need You”; Stars on 45), dies at 65
2024 – John Todd, Australian Football HOF coach (6 × WAFL Premierships; AFL: West Coast Eagles) and half-forward (Sandover Medal 1955), dies at 86
Historical Events for 4th June 2025
1917 – Most Excellent Order of British Empire inaugurated by King George V to recognise the efforts of his people in WWI
1932 – Chilean coup led by Colonel Marmaduke Grove against President Juan Esteban Montero
1947 – US House of Representatives approves Taft-Hartley act
1964 – Test Cricket debut of Geoff Boycott v Australia at Trent Bridge, 48
1973 – A patent for the ATM is granted to Don Wetzel, Tom Barnes and George Chastain
1988 – French Open Women’s Tennis: Steffi Graf dominates Natalia Zvereva of Belarus 6-0, 6-0; shortest women’s singles Grand Slam final in Open Era; 32 minutes
1989 – Eastern Europe’s first partial free elections in 40 years held in Poland, Solidarity Party comes to power
2018 – “Ocean’s 8” film premieres, directed by Gary Ross starring Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway and Rihanna
2020 – UN report criticizing human rights violations in the Philippines, including deaths of 8,000 during its war on drugs, a day after county’s House of Representatives passed new anti-terrorism law
2023 – Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Zippel’s musical “Bad Cinderella” closes at Imperial Theatre, NYC, after 85 performances; 1st time in 43 years that Webber is without a show on Broadway
Today in History for 4th June 2025
Historical Events
1824 – First free press (without government approval) founded in Australia – the Hobart Town Gazette by ex-convict Andrew Bent
1850 – Empire Engine Company No. 1 organized, in San Francisco, California
1928 – French Championships Men’s Tennis: Henri Cochet wins his 2nd of 4 home titles; beats countryman René Lacoste 5-7, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3
1963 – First broadcast of “Pop Go the Beatles” on BBC radio
2024 – US President Joe Biden introduces immediate restrictions on the southern border, limiting illegal migrant crossings to 2,500 a day
Famous Birthdays
1922 – Irwin Bazelon, American composer (Duo for Viola), born in Evanston, Illinois (d. 1995)
1928 – Lloyd Lambert, American bassist (Guitar Slim), born in Thilbodaux, Louisiana (d. 1995)
1929 – Karolos Papoulias, President of Greece (2005-15), born in Ioannina, Greece (d. 2021)
1970 – Gary Lynagh, Australian rower (World C’ship gold Lwt quad scull 1991, Lwt double scull 1992, 93), born in Brisbane, Australia
1972 – Derian Hatcher, American ice hockey defenseman (NHL All Star 1997 Dallas Stars), born in Sterling Heights, Michigan
Famous Deaths
1809 – Nicolai Arbraham Abildgaard, Danish painter/architect, dies at 65
1997 – Johnny “Hammond” Smith, American jazz and bop organist (Wild Horses Rock Steady), dies of cancer at 63
2007 – Freddie Scott, American singer and songwriter (“Cry To Me”), dies at 74
2013 – Cornelius “Nini” Harp, American doo-wop singer (The Marcels – “Blue Moon”), dies at 73
2018 – Georgann Johnson, American actress (Marge-Mr Peepers, Star Trek, Midnight Cowboy), dies at 91
Famous Deaths for 3rd June 2025
1864 – Peter A. Porter, US Union colonel (8th NY), dies in the Battle of Cold Harbour at 36
1900 – Mary Kingsley, English ethnographer and explorer who became the first European to enter parts of Gabon, Africa, dies of typhoid at 37
1981 – Eric Dalton, South African cricket batsman (15 Tests, top score 117), dies at 74
1983 – Ypk van der Fear, Dutch writer (Reade Runen), dies at 75
1986 – Arthur Charles Ernest Hoérée, Belgian-French composer, dies at 89
1987 – Will Sampson, American-Muscogee rodeo performer, actor (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest: The Yellow Rose; The White Buffalo), and painter, dies of post-surgery kidney failure at 54
1998 – Joseph C. Harsch, American newscaster (Background), dies at 93
2000 – William E. Simon, American businessman, US Secretary of Treasury under Nixon, dies at 72
2014 – Elodie Lauten [Genevieve Schecroun], French-American composer (The Death of Don Juan), dies of cancer at 63
2022 – John Porter, American politician (Rep-R-IL, 1980-2001), dies at 87
Historical Events for 3rd June 2025
1098 – Crusaders seize Antioch after a five-month siege during the First Crusade
1539 – Spanish conquistador Hernando De Soto claims Florida for Spain
1944 – Generals Giraud and de Gaulle reach agreement on constitution
1949 – Dragnet is 1st broadcast on radio (KFI in Los Angeles)
1956 – KGUN TV channel 9 in Tucson, AZ (ABC) begins broadcasting
1961 – “Wildcat” closes at Alvin Theater NYC after 172 performances
1965 – Gemini 4 launches; second US two-man flight (McDivitt and White); mission includes first US spacewalk
1972 – French Open Women’s Tennis: American icon Billie Jean King wins her only French singles title; beats Evonne Goolagong of Australia 6-3, 6-3
2007 – USS Carter Hall (LSD-50) engages with pirates after they board Danish ship Danica White off the coast of Somalia
2018 – Golden State guard Stephen Curry breaks Ray Allen’s NBA Finals record for most 3-pointers with 9 in the Warriors 122-103 Game 2 win over Cleveland Cavaliers
Today in History for 3rd June 2025
Historical Events
1906 – Belgian King Leopold II claims Congo as his private possession
1932 – John McGraw, who came to NY in 1902, resigns as manager of Giants
1968 – Poor Peoples March on Washington, D.C.
2010 – Canadian sportscaster Ron MacLean saves a man from drowning in the Delaware River in Philadelphia
2019 – US President Donald Trump begins a three-day visit to the UK by calling London Mayor Sadiq Khan “a stone cold loser” after Khan called Trump’s language that of a 20th century fascist
Famous Birthdays
1540 – Charles II Archduke of Austria, born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1590)
1910 – Paulette Goddard [Marion Levy], American actress (Great Dictator), born in Whitestone Landing, Long Island (d. 1990)
1931 – Raúl Castro, Cuban revolutionary, politician (First Secretary 2011-21) and brother of Fidel Castro, born in Biran, Holguin, Cuba
1958 – Ibrahim Hussein, Kenyan marathon runner (Boston Marathon-1988, 91, 92), born in Kapsabet, Kenya
1968 – Saffron [Samantha Sprackling], Nigerian-British singer (Republica), born in Lagos, Nigeria
Famous Deaths
1898 – Samuel Plimsoll, English politician and social reformer (invented Plimsoll line for ships), dies at 74
1992 – William Gaines, American publisher (Mad Magazine), dies at 70
2004 – Quorthon [Thomas Forsberg], Swedish heavy and Viking metal musician, and record producer (Bathory), dies of a congenital heart issue at 38
2011 – Jack Kevorkian, American pathologist and right-to-die activist, dies of a thrombosis at 83
2018 – Miguel Cardinal Obando y Bravo, Nicaraguan clergyman (Archbishop of Managua, 1970-2005; 1st Central American cardinal, 1985), dies at 92
Famous Deaths for 2nd June 2025
1948 – Viktor Brack, German Nazi physician and war criminal, executed by hanging at 43
1961 – George S. Kaufman, American playwright (This is Show Business), dies at 72
1976 – Juan José Torres, former President of Bolivia, assassinated in the frame of Operation Condor
1987 – Andres Segovia, Spanish classical guitarist and composer, dies at 94
1993 – French JFM of Thiel, Dutch 2nd chamber chairman (1963-72), dies at 86
2006 – Keith Smith, English professional rugby player (b. 1952)
2009 – David Eddings, American fantasy writer (Belgariad, Malloreon), dies at 77
2015 – Irwin Rose, American biologist (Nobel Prize Chemistry 2004), dies at 88
2020 – Wes Unseld, American Basketball HOF center (NBA C’ship, Finals MVP 1978; NBA MVP 1969; 5 x NBA All-Star; Washington Bullets) and coach (Washington Bullets), dies from pneumonia at 74
2020 – Arrogate, American thoroughbred racehorse (Breeders’ Cup Classic, World’s Best Racehorse 2016; Pegasus World Cup, Dubai World Cup 2017), dies at 7