1672 – States of Holland declares “Eternal Edict” void
1782 – William Petty becomes Prime Minister of Great Britain following the death of Charles Watson-Wentworth
1911 – Chicago White Sox pitcher Ed Walsh halts Ty Cobb’s 40-game hitting streak as Cobb goes 0 for 4 in a 7-3 win over Detroit Tigers at Bennett Park
1920 – The provisional government of Siberia’s Maritime Province agrees to hand over parts of the strategic oil- and coal-rich Sakhalin Islands to Japan
1942 – US air offensive against Nazi Germany begins
1942 – 1st American bombing missions over Nazi Germany-occupied Europe (WWII)
1953 – Imre Nagy succeeds Matyas Rákosi as premier of Hungary
1964 – Beachboys’ “I Get Around” reaches #1
1992 – John Phillips, rocker (Mamas and Papas), undergoes a liver transplant
2006 – Richard Branson sells Virgin Mobile to NTL for £962.4 million
Author: gil7
Today in History for 4th July 2024
Historical Events
1875 – White Democrats kill several blacks in terrorist attacks in Vicksburg
1888 – 1st organized rodeo competition held, Prescott, Arizona
1910 – “Fight of the Century”: Jack Johnson beats James J. Jeffries by TKO in 15 in Reno, Nevada to retain his world heavyweight boxing title
1954 – FIFA World Cup Final, Wankdorf Stadium, Bern, Switzerland: Helmut Rahn scores twice as West Germany beats Hungary, 3-2
1987 – Wimbledon Women’s Tennis: Martina Navratilova earns 8th Wimbledon singles title with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Steffi Graf
2006 – Space Shuttle program: STS-121 Mission – Space Shuttle Discovery launches at 18:37:55 UTC.
Famous Birthdays
1895 – Eric Marx, South African cricket all-rounder (3 Tests, 3 wickets; 240 on FC debut for Transvaal), born in Johannesburg, South Africa (d. 1974)
1896 – Mao Dun [Shen Dehong], Chinese writer (Midnight), born in Tongxiang, China (d. 1981)
1905 – Dante Fiorillo, American composer, born in New York City (d. 1970)
1937 – Thomas Nagel, American philosopher and University Professor of Philosophy and Law Emeritus at New York University, born in Belgrade, Kingdom of Yugoslavia
1957 – Princess Chulabhorn of Thailand, the youngest daughter of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit, born in Amphorn Sathan Residential Hall Dusit Palace, Bangkok
1964 – Mark Whiting, American filmmaker and actor, born in Birmingham, Michigan
Famous Deaths
1901 – John Fiske [Edmund Fisk Green], American historian and philosopher, dies at 59
1923 – Florimond Fonteyne, Belgian priest and politician (Volkseeuw), dies at 67
1985 – Jan de Quay, Dutch politician (KVP, Prime Minister of the Netherlands 1959-63), dies at 83
1999 – Ronny Graham [Stringer], American composer, lyricist, screenwriter (M*A*S*H (TV series), and actor (Chico and the Man; Mel Brooks films), dies of liver disease at 79
2021 – Dicky Maegle [born Moegle], American College Football HOF halfback (Rice Uni; Pro Bowl 1955, SF 49ers) and broadcaster (color announcer Houston Oilers), dies at 86
2022 – Hank Goldberg, American sports broadcaster (radio colour commentator Miami Dolphins 1978-92; ESPN2, ESPN Radio), dies from chronic kidney disease at 82
Famous Deaths for 3rd July 2024
1932 – Arthur Hawley Scribner, American magazine and book publisher, dies at 73
1969 – Hermann Grabner, Austrian composer, dies at 83
1982 – Henry King, US film director (Song of Bernadette, Gunfighter), dies at 96
1984 – Raoul Salan, French Army general and leader of OAS; Secret Army Organization (Algeria), dies at 85
1995 – Bert Hardy, English photographer (Picture Post), dies at 82
1996 – Pim Jacobs, Dutch jazz pianist, TV host and actor (Gilas), dies at 61
1998 – George Lloyd, English composer (The Serf; Pervigilium Veneris (The Vigil of Venus); John Socman), dies at 85
2000 – Harold Nicholas, American dancer known as one of the world’s greatest dancers (Nicholas Brothers), dies of heart failure at 79
2001 – Delia Derbyshire, English musician and composer (Doctor Who theme, White Noise), dies of renal failure at 64
2013 – Radu Vasile, Prime Minister of Romania (1998-99), dies at 70
Historical Events for 3rd July 2024
1861 – Colonel Jackson receives his commission as brigadier general
1907 – Pope decree forbids modernization of theology
1936 – Wimbledon Men’s Tennis: Home favourite Fred Perry beats Gottfried von Cramm of Germany 6-1, 6-1, 6-0 for his third straight Wimbledon singles title
1946 – 1st Dutch government of Louis Beel forms
1963 – In New Zealand, a National Airways Corporation Dakota DC-3 crashes in the Kaimai Ranges; all 23 passengers and crew are killed in New Zealand’s worst internal civil aviation accident
1981 – NYC transit fare rises from 60 cents to 75 cents, new brass Y-cut-out token
1994 – US Senior Open Men’s Golf, Pinehurst Resort: South African Simon Hobday wins by 1 stroke from Graham Marsh of Australia and Jim Albus
2001 – At a meeting of its oil ministers, OPEC agrees to maintain current production quotas; ministers indicate that, if Iraqi oil returns to the market, they may cut production in response to maintain their desired level of prices
2015 – Adelaide Crows Australian Rules Football coach Phil Walsh is murdered by his son Cy at his Somerton Park home
2019 – US produces the most waste per head globally and recycles the least at 35% according to new research by Verisk Maplecroft, Germany recycles the most at 68%
Today in History for 3rd July 2024
Historical Events
1814 – Americans capture Fort Erie, Canada (War of 1812)
1890 – Idaho admitted as 43rd US state
1959 – Wimbledon Men’s Tennis: American-based Peruvian Alex Olmedo wins his only Wimbledon title beating Rod Laver of Australia 6-4, 6-3, 6-4
1976 – Adolfo Suárez becomes premier of Spain
1988 – US Vincennes in Strait of Hormoez shoots Iran Airbus A300, kills 290
1999 – Wimbledon Women’s Tennis: Lindsay Davenport beats Steffi Graf 6-4, 7-5 for her only Wimbledon singles title
Famous Birthdays
1907 – Arthur Staal, Dutch architect (Group ’32), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1993)
1913 – William Deakin, British historian and warden (St Anthony’s College Oxford), born in London (d. 2005)
1920 – Louise Allbritton, American actress (The Egg and I, Stage Door, Got a Secret), born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (d. 1979)
1940 – Lance Larson, American swimmer (Olympic gold 4x100m freestyle relay, silver 100m freestyle 1960; WR 100m butterfly 58.7s 1960), born in Monterey Park, California (d. 2024)
1946 – Johnny Lee [Ham], American country music singer (“Lookin’ For Love”), born in Texas City, Texas
1961 – Vince Clarke [Martin], British rock keyboardist, and songwriter (Depeche Mode; Erasure), born in South Woodford, Essex, England
Famous Deaths
1863 – Alonzo Cushing, American Union officer, dies at the Battle of Gettsburg at about 22
1904 – Edouard Beaupré, Canadian giant and strongman (b. 1881)
1918 – Mehmed V, 35th Ottoman Sultan (1909-18), dies at 73
1966 – André Gailhard, French classical music composer, dies at 81
1985 – Cooney Weiland, Canadian ice hockey coach (Stanley Cup 1941 Boston Bruins; Harvard Uni) and NHL forward (Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings), dies at 80
1993 – Don Drysdale, American Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher (World Series 1959, 63, 65; 9 x MLB All Star; Cy Young Award 1962; Brooklyn/LA Dodgers), dies of a heart attack at 56
Famous Deaths for 2nd July 2024
1591 – Vincenzo Galilei, Italian composer (b. 1520)
1863 – Stephen Hinsdale Weed, US Union brigadier general, dies in battle at 28
1943 – Caroline Yale, American educator who revolutionized the teaching of hearing-impaired students, dies at 84
1987 – Michael Bennett, American theater director and choreographer (Chorus Line), dies of AIDS at 44
1990 – Snooky Lanson [Roy Landman], American singer (Your Hit Parade; 5 Star Jubilee), dies at 76
1994 – Marion Williams, American gospel singer (Stars of Faith), dies of diabetes at 66
1994 – Andrés Escobar, Colombian soccer defender (51 caps, World Cup own goal vs US; SA Atlético Nacional), dies of a gunshot wound at 27
1995 – Gervase Jackson-Stops, British architectural adviser to the National Trust, dies at 48
2015 – Charlie Sanders, American football player (Detroit Lions), dies at 68
2020 – Nikolai Kapustin, Russian jazz pianist and composer, dies at 82
Historical Events for 2nd July 2024
1816 – French frigate “La Méduse” runs aground under incompetent leadership of Viscount of Chaumareys, 400 passengers evacuated. 150 men, 1 woman are left on “la Machine,” a poorly provisioned raft. 13 days later only 15 survivors remain, inspires Théodore Géricault’s painting “The Raft of the Medusa”
1900 – First flight of Zeppelin LZ-1, a dirigible airship designed by Graf Ferdinand von Zeppelin, at Lake Constance near Friedrichshafen, Germany
1949 – “Red Barber’s Clubhouse” sports show premieres on CBS (later NBC) TV
1964 – US President Lyndon B. Johnson signs Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act into law
1986 – General strike against Pinochet regime in Chile
1988 – Wimbledon Women’s Tennis: Germany’s Steffi Graf beats Martina Navratilova 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 for the 3rd leg of her Golden Slam
1993 – Royals Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri is renamed Kauffman Stadium shortly before the death of MLB Kansas City Royals team owner Ewing Kauffman
2004 – ASEAN Regional Forum accepts Pakistan as its 24th member.
2005 – Live 8 concert at Hyde Park, London, England; performers include Paul McCartney, U2, Coldplay, Elton John, Sting, Madonna, The Who, Pink Floyd, and R.E.M.
2016 – Large lorry bomb in Baghdad kills at least 125 people and wounds 150, Islamic State claims responsibility
Today in History for 2nd July 2024
Historical Events
1561 – Menas, Emperor of Ethiopia, defeats a revolt in Emfraz
1867 – 1st US elevated railroad begins service, NYC
1906 – Yanks win by forfeit for the 1st time
1934 – General Lazaro Cardenas elected president of Mexico
1949 – “High Button Shoes” closes at Century Theater NYC after 727 performances
2005 – Wimbledon Women’s Tennis: Venus Williams beats fellow American Lindsay Davenport 4-6, 7-6, 9-7 for the 3rd of her 5 Wimbledon singles titles
Famous Birthdays
1652 – Guillielmus “Willem” Kerricx, Flemish sculptor (Rozenkrans), born in Dendermonde, East Flanders (d. 1719)
1919 – Jean Craighead George, American writer (Julie of the Wolves), born in Washington, D.C. (d. 2012)
1925 – Patrice Lumumba [Isaïe Tawosa], Congolese politician and independence leader who was the 1st Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1960), born in Onalua, Belgian Congo (d. 1961)
1955 – Kevin Michael Grace, Canadian journalist, born in Toronto, Ontario
1981 – Alex Koroknay-Palicz, American youth rights activist, born in Kalamazoo, Michigan
1984 – Maarten Martens, Belgian footballer and coach (AZ Alkmaar), born in Eeklo, Belgium
Famous Deaths
1857 – Carlo Pisacane, Italian patriot and revolutionary, killed leading an uprising (b. 1818)
1903 – Ed Delahanty, American Baseball HOF left fielder (NL batting champion 1899; NL home run leader 1893, 96; 3 × NL RBI leader; Philadelphia Phillies), dies intoxicated falling into Niagara Falls at 35
1988 – Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, American blues, jazz, and RandB alto saxophonist, dies of a heart attack at 70
1994 – Andrés Escobar, Colombian soccer defender (51 caps, World Cup own goal vs US; SA Atlético Nacional), dies of a gunshot wound at 27
1994 – Ralph Rinzler, American folklorist (Greenbriar Boys), dies at 59
2015 – Charlie Sanders, American football player (Detroit Lions), dies at 68
Famous Deaths for 1st July 2024
1681 – Oliver Plunkett, Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and last Catholic martyr (later beatified) to die in England, hanged, drawn and quartered for treason at Tyburn at 55
1925 – Erik Satie, French pianist and composer (Music In The Shape OF A Pear; Dreamy Fish), dies at 59
1943 – Koen Limperg, Dutch resistance fighter (census bureau), executed
1974 – Kick Smit, Dutch soccer striker and manager (29 caps; HFC Haarlem), dies at 62
1983 – Erich Juskowiak, German footballer, dies at 56
1996 – Michael Fraser, British Conservative Party political administrator, dies at 80
2008 – John Pont, American college football coach (Miami, Yale, Northwestern, Indiana), dies at 80
2008 – Mel Galley, English guitarist (Whitesnake; Phenomena), dies of esophageal cancer at 60
2009 – Mollie Sugden, English actress (Are You Being Served?), dies at 86
2020 – Hugh Downs, American TV journalist (20/20, Concentration), dies at 99
Historical Events for 1st July 2024
1816 – French frigate Medusa wrecked; basis of Géricault’s painting “Raft of the Medusa”
1859 – 1st intercollegiate baseball game, Amherst beats Williams 66-32 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts
1901 – Wimbledon Men’s Tennis: Arthur Gore beats defending 4-time champion R.F. Doherty 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-4 for his 1st of 3 Wimbledon singles titles
1904 – III Summer (Modern) Olympic Games open in St Louis, the first held in the United States
1911 – The German gunboat ‘Panther’ arrives off Agadir allegedly to protect German interests and nationals in Morocco
1915 – Australia begins Commonwealth Lighthouse Service
1936 – Watchfulness Committee forms in Amsterdam
1974 – 1st Laura Ashley store in the US opens (San Francisco)
1994 – Russian spacecraft Soyuz TM-19 launches from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
2005 – Texas Rangers pitcher Kenny Rogers is suspended for 20 games and fined $50k for shoving a cameraman – sentence later overturned