1589 – Spanish troops conquer Geertruidenberg after the garrison of English and Dutch troops surrenders
1957 – Jordan’s Arabist government of Suleiman Nabulsi is forced to resign after escalating policy disputes with the royal family
1964 – Demolition begins in Upper Manhattan, New York City on Polo Grounds sports stadium (home to MLB Giants, 1891-1957, Mets, 1962-63, and NFL Jets, 1960-63) to clear way for housing project
1968 – 40th Academy Awards: “In the Heat of the Night”, Rod Steiger and Katharine Hepburn win
1979 – Soyuz 33 launched with a Russian and a Bulgarian
2005 – At 16 years, 271 days James Vaughan scores for Everton in a 4-0 win against Crystal Palace at Goodison Park; becomes youngest goalscorer in EPL history
2016 – 80th US Masters Tournament: England’s Danny Willett wins his first major title, 3 strokes ahead of Lee Westwood and defending champion Jordan Spieth
2024 – South Korea’s liberal opposition party wins landslide majority in the country’s general election – a defeat for President Yoon Suk Yeol, amid claims he was brought down by a spring onion
Author: gil7
Today in History for 10th April 2026
Historical Events
1916 – The Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA) is founded in New York City
1962 – Houston Colt .45s make their MLB debut with an 11-2 win over the Chicago Cubs at Colt Stadium; outfielder Román Mejías hits a pair of 3-run homers
1974 – Golda Meir resigns as Israel’s Prime Minister
2005 – At 16 years, 271 days James Vaughan scores for Everton in a 4-0 win against Crystal Palace at Goodison Park; becomes youngest goalscorer in EPL history
2010 – Polish Air Force Tu-154M crashes near Smolensk, Russia, killing all 96 people on board including President Lech Kaczyński
Famous Birthdays
1569 – Emilia van Nassau, daughter of William I of Orange and Anna of Saxony, born in Cologne, Germany (d. 1629)
1704 – Benjamin Heath, English classical scholar, born in Exeter, Devon, England (d. 1766)
1833 – James Edward Rains, American lawyer and Brigadier General (Confederate Army), born in Nashville, Tennessee (d. 1862)
1970 – Enrico Ciccone, Canadian NHL defenseman (Chicago Blackhawks), born in Montreal, Quebec
1987 – Hayley Westenra, New Zealand soprano and UNICEF ambassador, born in Christchurch, New Zealand
Famous Deaths
1956 – Clarence Beaumont, 1st batter in 1st World Series, dies at 75
1968 – Gustavs Celmins, Latvian politician, dies at 69
1989 – Joan Barry, dies at 85
1992 – Cecil “Cec” Linder, Polish-Canadian actor (Goldfinger, Quatermass and the Pit), dies at 71
2010 – Ryszard Kaczorowski, Polish statesman is killed in the crash of a Polish Air Force Tu-154 at 90
Famous Deaths for 9th April 2026
491 – Zeno, Eastern Roman Emperor (474-75, 476-91), dies at 66
1483 – Edward IV, King of England (1461-70, 71-83), dies of unknown causes at 40
1917 – Edward Thomas, poet, killed in WW I
1948 – Jorge Eliécer Gaitán, Colombian politician (b. 1903)
1978 – Vivian McGrath, Australian tennis player (Australian C’ship 1937), dies at 62
1991 – Maurice Binder, American photographer and film title designer (James Bond Movies), dies at 73
2011 – Jerry Lawson, American electronic engineer, considered the ‘the father of the video game cartridge, dies from complications of diabetes at 70
2013 – Emilio Pericoli, Italian pop singer (“Al di là”, “Quando, quando, quando”), dies at 85
2015 – Pim Lier, Dutch lawyer and illegitimate son of Prince Consort Henry, dies at 96
2025 – David Sassoon, Iraqi-British fashion designer best known for dressing Princess Diana, dies at 92
Historical Events for 9th April 2026
1917 – Battle of Arras begins
1973 – Otto Kerner, former governor of Illinois, convicted for his role in an illegal racetrack scheme
1980 – Los Angeles Kings tie NHL record with two shorthanded playoff goals (vs NY Islanders)
1984 – 56th Academy Awards: “Terms of Endearment”, Robert Duvall and Shirley Maclaine win
1992 – Record 18 golfers shoot in 60s in Masters round 1 (old record 12)
1992 – William O Studeman, becomes deputy director of CIA
2021 – Uganda opposition party National Unity Platform Party, headed by Bobi Wine, claims 623 people have been abducted and tortured by the government of President Yoweri Museveni
2023 – Kuwaiti media outlet, Kuwaiti News unveils virtual news presenter on Twitter speaking Arabic, using artificial intelligence (although China was the 1st in 2018)
Today in History for 9th April 2026
Historical Events
1595 – Spanish Mendaña and Queirós Expedition departs Callao, Peru, led by Alvaro de Mendan accompanied by 378 men, women and children in four ships to colonise the Solomon Islands (find Marquesas instead)
1914 – “World, the Flesh and the Devil,” the first color film, is shown in London
1973 – Otto Kerner, former governor of Illinois, convicted for his role in an illegal racetrack scheme
2017 – Suicide car bombing in Mogadishu, Somalia kills at least 17, Al-Shabaab group claim responsibility
2024 – Simon Harris becomes Ireland’s youngest taoiseach at 37 after the resignation of Leo Varadkar
Famous Birthdays
1773 – Étienne Aignan, French writer, born in Beaugency, France (d. 1824)
1895 – Rudolf Kattnigg, Austrian composer, born in Carinthia, Austria (d. 1955)
1917 – Vincent O’Brien, Irish racehorse trainer (6 x Epsom Derby; 2 x British champion trainer; only British Triple Crown winner, Nijinsky 1970), born in Churchtown, Ireland (d. 2009)
1946 – Alan Knott, English cricket wicket-keeper (1967-81), born in Belvedere, Kent
1967 – Graeme Lloyd, Australian baseball pitcher (World Series 1996, 98 NY Yankees; Olympic silver 2004), born in Geelong, Australia
Famous Deaths
1865 – Thomas Alfred Smyth, Irish/US Union general-major, dies at 32
1879 – Ernst Richter, German musical theorist and composer, dies at 70
1882 – Dante Gabriel Rossetti, English Pre-Raphaelite poet and painter, dies at 53
1992 – Ruth Hammond, American Broadway actress, dies in her sleep at 96
2020 – Jocelyn Barrow, British race relations campaigner (Card) and 1st black female governor of the BBC, dies at 90
Famous Deaths for 8th April 2026
1143 – John II Komnenos, Emperor of the Byzantine Empire (1118-43), dies in an accident at 55
1704 – Hiob Ludolf, German orientalist (Historia Aethiopica, Grammatica Aethiopica), dies at 79
1863 – Joseph Netherclift, English composer (We Happy Shepherd Swains), and lithographer, dies at 70
1959 – Gustave Charlier, Belgian literature historian, dies at 73
1970 – Felix, of Bourbon-Parma and Prince consort of Luxemburg, dies at 76
1993 – Hubertus Earnest, bishop of Breda, dies at 100
2006 – Gerard Reve, Dutch writer (Evenings, Dear Guys), dies at 82
2009 – Herbie Lovelle, America drummer, studio musician (Hot Lips Page) and actor (Law and Order), dies at 85
2013 – Annette Funicello, American actress (Mickey Mouse Club; Beach Blanket Bingo), and singer (“Tall Paul”). dies from multiple sclerosis complications at 70
2022 – Henri Depireux, Belgian soccer midfielder (2 caps; RFC Liège, Standard de Liège) and manager (Cameroon, Congo DR, FC Metz), dies at 78
Historical Events for 8th April 2026
1759 – British troops chase French out of Masulipatam, India
1933 – Manchester Guardian warns of unknown Nazi terror
1939 – King Zog I of Albania flees after Italy invades
1941 – In his 4th title defense in 9 weeks Joe Louis beats Tony Musto by TKO in the 9th round at the Arena, Saint Louis, Missouri to retain NYSAC heavyweight boxing crown
1972 – Alvin Kallicharran scores 100* in his 1st Test Cricket innings v NZ
1983 – In front of a live audience of 20 tourists, David Copperfield makes the Statue of Liberty disappear
1989 – California Angels pitcher Jim Abbott, born without his right hand, makes MLB debut, lasting only 4 2/3 innings
2018 – 82nd US Masters Tournament: Patrick Reed wins his first major title, 1 stroke ahead of fellow American Rickie Fowler
Today in History for 8th April 2026
Historical Events
1796 – Carl Friedrich Gauss, German mathematician, proves the quadratic reciprocity law (the ability to determine the solvability of any quadratic equation in modular arithmetic)
1963 – Detroit Tigers claim young pitcher Denny McLain on waivers from the Chicago White Sox; McLain goes on the win Cy Young Award 1968, 69 and American League MVP 1968
1964 – Unmanned Gemini 1 launched
1966 – American Football League votes in 36-year-old Al Davis as commissioner after Joe Foss resigns; appointment lasts 3 months when AFL merges with NFL
2007 – 71st US Masters Tournament: Zach Johnson wins his first major title, 2 strokes ahead of Retief Goosen, Rory Sabbatini and Tiger Woods
Famous Birthdays
1902 – Arthur Wellard, English cricket all-rounder (2 Tests, 7 wickets, BB 4/81; Somerset CCC), born in Southfleet, England (d. 1980)
1921 – Jan Novák, Czech classical composer and contemporary Latin poet, born in Nová Říše, Moravia, First Czechoslovak Republic (d. 1984)
1944 – Hywel Bennett, Welsh, actor (Family Way, Shelley), born in Garnant, Wales (d. 2017)
1966 – Mark Blundell, British auto racer (24 Hours of Le Mans 1992), born in London, England
1984 – Kirsten Storms, American actress (General Hospital; Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century), born in Orlando, Florida
Famous Deaths
1537 – Willem Aerts, Flemish architect and sculptor (Bruges School), dies
1942 – Alfred Mombert, German poet, dies at 70
1994 – François Rozet, French Canadian actor (b. 1899)
1997 – Charles Hayes, American politician (Rep-D-IL, 1983-93), dies at 79
1997 – Laura Nyro, American singer-songwriter (“Wedding Bell Blues”; “Stoned Soul Picnic”; “And When I Die”), dies of ovarian cancer at 49
Famous Deaths for 7th April 2026
1801 – Noël François de Wailly, French lexicographer, dies at 76
1868 – Thomas D’Arcy McGee, Irish-Canadian journalist and Father of Confederation, assassinated at 42
1871 – Alexander Lloyd, Mayor of Chicago (b. 1805)
1947 – Henry Ford, American industrialist and auto maker (Ford Model T), dies at 83
1950 – Walter Huston, Canadian actor (Maltese Falcon, Treasure of Sierra Madre), dies from an aneurysm at 67
1994 – Evert Hartman, Dutch writer (War Without Friends), dies at 56
2015 – Geoffrey Lewis, American actor (Earl-Flo, Gun Shy), dies at 79
2020 – Harv Schmidt, American college basketball coach (University of Illinois 1967-74), dies at 83
2021 – Doug Holden, English soccer winger (5 caps; Bolton Wanderers, Preston North End), dies at 90
2023 – John Regan, American session and touring rock bassist (Frehley’s Comet; Peter Frampton), dies at 71
Historical Events for 7th April 2026
1655 – Fabio Chigi replaces Pope Innocent X as Pope Alexander VII
1724 – Johann Sebastian Bach’s “St John Passion” premieres on Good Friday at St. Nicholas Church in Leipzig, Electorate of Saxony (now Germany)
1939 – Italy invades Albania
1978 – Guttenberg bible sells for $2,000,000 in New York City
1984 – Detroit Tiger Jack Morris no-hits Chicago White Sox, 4-0
1999 – The World Trade Organization rules in favor of the United States in its long-running trade dispute with the European Union over bananas
2012 – Joyce Banda becomes President of Malawi
2019 – Retiring NBA legends Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas) and Dwyane Wade (Miami) play their final home games, both victories; Magic Johnson sensationally quits as LA Lakers president of basketball operations; Houston Rockets convert NBA record 27 three-point field goals in 149-113 win over Phoenix