Today in History for 24th August 2023

Historical Events

1542 – Conquistador Francisco de Orellana returns to Spain
1833 – HMS Beagle reaches Bahia Blanca, Argentina
1978 – USSR performs underground nuclear test
1992 – Diplomatic relations are established between the People’s Republic of China and South Korea.
1992 – Screw magazine superimposed a gunsight over a picture of Larry Flint
2017 – Largest-ever lottery jackpot win in the US – $758.7m won by Mavis Wanczyk of Massachusetts in US Powerball Jackpot

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Famous Birthdays

1872 – Max Beerbohm, English caricaturist, writer and parodist (Saturday Review), born in London (d. 1956)
1947 – Roger De Vlaeminck, Belgian racing cyclist, born in Eeklo, East Flanders, Belgium
1947 – Anne Archer, American actress (Fatal Attraction, Patriot Games), born in Los Angeles, California
1953 – John Cowan, American rock, progressive bluegrass session and touring bass player, and vocalist (New Grass Revival, 1974-89; Doobie Bothers, 1993-95), born in Minerva, Ohio
1957 – Jeffrey Daniel, American dancer and singer (Shalamar), born in Los Angeles, California [some sources give year as 1955]
1977 – Per Gade, Danish footballer, born in Nibe, Denmark

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Famous Deaths

1680 – Ferdinand Bulb, Dutch painter and etcher, buried
1977 – Soewarsih Djojopoespito, Indonesian writer (Toe the Line), dies at 65
1985 – Paul Creston [Giuseppe Guttoveggio], Italian-American composer (Zanoni), educator, and music theorist (Creative Harmony), dies at 78
1991 – Mike Sokoll, Hungarian-American cowboy actor, dies at 97
1999 – Alexandre Lagoya, Greek-Italian-French classical guitarist and composer, dies at 70
2006 – Cristian Nemescu, Romanian film director (b.1979)

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Famous Deaths for 23rd August 2023

1706 – Colonel Edward Nott, Esq., British Crown Governor of Virginia (b. 1654)
1914 – George Ambrose Pogson, British consul in Hamburg (1880-1914), dies
1927 – Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, executed in Massachusetts
1970 – (Neeltje) “Nel” Roos, Dutch ballerina and dance teacher, dies of a heart attack at 55
1971 – Gisela Hernández [Gonzalo], Cuban composer (Diálogo), and music educator, dies at 58
1992 – Virginia Sale-Wren, entertainer, dies of heart failure at 92
1993 – Charles Scorsese, actor (Cape Fear, Goodfellas, Wise Guys), dies at 80
1995 – James Pilditch, designer, dies at 66
2016 – Reinhard Selten, German economist (Nobel Prize 1994), dies at 85
2020 – Lori Nelson, American actress (Greta-How to Marry a Millionaire), dies at 87

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Historical Events for 23rd August 2023

1595 – Michael the Brave confronts the Ottoman army in the Battle of Calugareni.
1903 – Sixth Zionist Congres: Theodor Herzl declares Jewish state
1923 – Paavo Nurmi of Finland runs world record for 1 mile of 4:10.4 in Stockholm; record stands until 1931
1931 – Count Gyula Károlyi becomes premier of Hungary
1946 – “The Big Sleep” directed by Howard Hawks and starring Humphrey Bogart (Philip Marlowe) and Lauren Bacall, premieres
1948 – World Council of Churches formed by 147 churches from 44 countries
1979 – Iranian army opens offensive against Kurds
1985 – Said Aouita of Morocco sets 1.5k record (3:29.46) in Berlin
1990 – East and West Germany announced that they would unite on Oct 3
2000 – Nicaragua becomes a member of the Berne Convention copyright treaty. This essentially deprecated the Buenos Aires Convention treaty, because as of this date, all members of the BA Convention were also signatories to Berne.

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Today in History for 23rd August 2023

Historical Events

1595 – Michael the Brave confronts the Ottoman army in the Battle of Calugareni.
1910 – Fred Clarke makes a record 4 outfield assists for Pittsburgh
1975 – Classical Way wins Championship Cup at Roosevelt Raceway
1979 – Iranian army opens offensive against Kurds
2009 – Solheim Cup Women’s Golf, Rich Harvest Farms: US wins 3rd consecutive Cup 16-12; win 8 of 12 singles to dominate final day
2022 – In US domestic terrorism case two men found guilty of plotting to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Witmer

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Famous Birthdays

1917 – Tex Williams, American country-western singer, born in Ramsey, Illinois (d. 1985)
1922 – Brian Young, Chairman (Christian Aid), born in Sri Lanka (d. 2016)
1927 – Peter Wyngarde [Cyril Goldbert], British actor (Department S and Jason King), born in Marseille, France (d. 2018)
1930 – Jack Bannister, English cricket commentator (BBC; Talksport radio) and bowler (Warwickshire 1,198 wickets), born in Wolverhampton, West Midlands (d. 2016)
1960 – Rodney Alan Greenblat, American graphic artist, born in San Francisco, California
1986 – Neil Cicierega, American cartoonist and musician, born in Boston, Massachusetts

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Famous Deaths

1305 – Scottish patriot William Wallace is hanged, disemboweled and beheaded at Smithfield, London
1519 – Philibert Berthelier, Swiss patriot
1591 – Luis de Leon, Spanish scholar and poet, dies at 64
1965 – Jan Antonín Bata, Czech shoe manufacturer (Bata), dies at 67
2006 – Jacques Wildberger, Swiss composer (In My End is My Beginning), dies at 84
2019 – Sheila Steafel, South African British actress (The Frost Report), dies at 84

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Famous Deaths for 22nd August 2023

1801 – Pieter Gerardus van Overstraten, Dutch Governor-General of Dutch East Indies (1796-1801), dies at 46
1891 – Jan Neruda, Czech author (b. 1834)
1951 – J. P. Bickell, Canadian businessman and sports team owner (Toronto Maple Leafs), dies at 66
1965 – Ellen Church, American 1st female airline stewardess (United flight in 1930 from San Francisco to Cheyenne), dies in a horse riding accident at 60
1970 – Vladimir Propp, Russian structuralist scholar (b. 1895)
1974 – Jacob Bronowski, Polish-born British mathematician and science writer best known as the presenter of the BBC television series, The Ascent of Man, dies of a heart attack at 66
1976 – Oskar Brusewitz, East German vicar, sets himself on fire in protest of repression of religion at 47
2011 – Nickolas “Nick” Ashford, American songwriter, record producer (“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”; “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)”), and singer (Ashford and Simpson – “Solid”), dies of throat cancer at 70
2021 – Micki Grant [Minnie Perkins], American theater singer, actress, and composer (Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope; Your Arms Are Too Short To Box With God), dies at 92
2021 – Eric Ash, British engineer and university rector (Imperial College, London), dies at 93

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Historical Events for 22nd August 2023

1642 – English Civil War begins between Royalists and Parliament
1848 – The United States annexes New Mexico
1933 – Chicago Cubs president William Veeck, Sr. urges MLB to incorporate midsummer inter-league games and a split season
1939 – Dutch border guards take positions for German invasion
1946 – Mikko Hietanen wins Oslo marathon (2:24:55)
1962 – USSR performs nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya USSR
1966 – The Beatles arrive in New York City and hold two press conferences, one for the press and one for their fans
1980 – Leaders of Port Elizabeth’s Black secondary school children in South Africa decided to end a four month boycott of classes
1992 – Greg Matthews (4/76) and Shane Warne (3/11) spin Australia to a famous 16-run win v Sri Lanka in 1st cricket Test in Colombo
2008 – Maurren Higa Maggi wins the women’s long jump with a leap of 7.04m at the Beijing Olympics; Brazil’s first ever gold medal in any women’s individual event

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Today in History for 22nd August 2023

Historical Events

1654 – Jacob Barsimson arrives in New Amsterdam (modern day Manhattan) aboard the Peartree, one of the first Jewish colonists
1914 – WW1: Erich Ludendorff and Paul von Hindenburg move into East Prussia enroute to Russia
1972 – Rhodesia is expelled by the International Olympic Committee for its racist policies.
1985 – Airtours Boeing-737 crashes at Manchester airport, 55 killed
1992 – FBI HRT sniper Lon Horiuchi shoots and kills Vicki Weaver during an 11-day siege at her home at Ruby Ridge, Idaho.
2019 – Bielefeld in Germany offers €1m prize to anyone in who can prove the town doesn’t exit to disprove 25-year-old conspiracy theory

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Famous Birthdays

1867 – Maximilian Bircher-Benner, Swiss physician and nutritionist, born in Aarau, Switzerland (d. 1939)
1915 – Hugh Paddick, English actor (Round the Horne), born in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, England (d. 2000)
1937 – Pat Gillick, American Baseball HOF executive (GM Toronto Blue Jays World Series 1992, 93, Philadelphia Phillies 2008), born in Chico, California
1937 – Max Hebditch, British director (Museum of London), born in Yeovil, England
1956 – Paul Molitor, American Baseball HOF infielder (7 x MLB All-Star Milwaukee Brewers; World Series MVP 1993 Toronto Blue Jays) and manager (Minnesota Twins 2015-18), born in Saint Paul, Minnesota
1968 – Henrik Holm, Swedish tennis star, born in Täby, Sweden

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Famous Deaths

1572 – Thomas Percy, 7th Earl of Northumberland (b. 1528)
1920 – Anders Zorn, Swedish painter, etcher and sculptor (Gustavus Vasa), dies at 60
1990 – Merlin Marston, American actor (Blue Sky), dies of non-Hodgkins lymphoma at 46
2015 – Andy Mapple, English water skier (World Slalom C’ship 1981, 89, 95, 97, 99, 2001), dies at 52
2020 – Peder Holm, Danish composer, dies at 93
2021 – Brian Travers, British rock saxophonist (UB40 – “Red, Red Wine”), dies of cancer at 62

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Famous Deaths for 21st August 2023

1867 – Juan Álvarez, Mexican revolutionary leader (President of Mexico 1855), dies at 77
1921 – Ernest Daudet, French journalist and writer (White Terror), dies at 84
1937 – George Wright, American Baseball HOF shortstop (NA pennant 1872-75 Boston Red Stockings; NL pennant 1877-78 Boston Red Caps, 1879 Providence Grays), dies at 90
1952 – Isaac Sadeh, Polish-born leader of Jewish commando force (Palmach), dies at 62
1958 – Walter Schumann, American choral director (Ford Show) and film and television composer (Night Of The Hunter; Dragnet theme), dies at 44
1980 – Jack Cheetham, South African cricket batsman and captain (24 Tests; Western Province), dies at 60
1995 – James Truitte, American ballet dancer (Lester Horton; Alvin Ailley), dies at 72
1996 – Joyce Plesters, British conservation scientist, dies at 69
2005 – Martin Dillon, American opera singer, dies of cardiac arrest at 48
2012 – Georg Leber, German politician, dies at 91

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Historical Events for 21st August 2023

1689 – Battle of Dunkeld fought in Scotland between supporters of King James VII of Scotland and troops of William of Orange
1949 – Philadelphia fans cause A’s to forfeit game when they riot over a trapped line drive by Rich Ashburn, Giants leading 4-2 in 9th declared winners
1975 – US lightens trade embargo against Cuba
1977 – American water skier Donna Patterson Brice sets women’s high speed record 111.11 mph at Long Beach, California
1991 – Conservative coup in the Soviet Union is crushed by popular resistance led by Boris Yeltsin in three days
1992 – US Marshals move in on Randy Weaver’s cabin in Ruby Ridge, Idaho to apprehend him on firearms charges; an 11 day stand-off ensues
1994 – The last French troops pull out of Rwanda, ending their highly controversial mission there
1994 – Ernesto Zedillo wins Mexican presidential election
2018 – Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull calls for and wins a leadership vote 43-35 over Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton
2020 – American golfer Scottie Scheffler makes birdie on 4 of final 5 holes to become 12th player in PGA Tour history to shoot 59 in 2nd round of the Northern Trust at TPC Boston

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Today in History for 21st August 2023

Historical Events

1821 – Jarvis Island is discovered by the crew of the ship, Eliza Frances
1944 – Germans storm up Hill 262 (Mont Ormel) Normandy
1975 – Rick and Paul Reuschel become 1st brothers to pitch a combined shut out
1995 – Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 529 crashes near Carrollton, Georgia, killing 9 crew and passengers
2013 – 21 people are killed in flash floods in Qinghai province, China
2015 – Terrorist attack on train between Amsterdam and Paris thwarted by 4 passengers overpowering gunman

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Famous Birthdays

1670 – James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick, French military leader, born in Moulins, France (d. 1734)
1821 – William Barksdale, American Brigadier General (Confederate Army), born in Smyrna, Tennessee (d. 1863)
1825 – Kate Loder, British composer and pianist, born in Bathwick Street, Bathwick, England (d. 1904)
1927 – Wilhelm Killmayer, German composer, born in Munich, Germany (d. 2017)
1941 – Jackie DeShannon [Sharon Lee Myers], American singer-songwriter (“What the World Needs Now Is Love”; “When You Walk In The Room”), born in Hazel, Kentucky
1951 – Bernhard Germeshausen, German bobsledder (Olympic gold x 4 GDR 1976, 80), born in Heilbad Heiligenstadt, Germany (d. 2022)

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Famous Deaths

1905 – Mary Mapes Dodge, American children’s author (St. Nicholas Magazine), editor and writer (Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates), dies at 74
1943 – (Abraham) A. Merritt, American magazine editor and sci-fi author (The Moon Pool; Burn, Witch, Burn!), dies from a heart attack at 59
1960 – David Barnard Steinman, American civil engineer and bridge designer (Hudson, Triborough), dies at 74
1977 – Danny Lockin, American actor and dancer (Hello Dolly), dies after being stabbed at 34
2005 – Robert Moog, American engineer (Moog synthesizer, Moog Music), dies of a brain tumor at 71
2005 – Martin Dillon, American opera singer, dies of cardiac arrest at 48

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