1906 – Bezalel Art School opens in Jerusalem
1943 – German occupiers attempt to confiscate all radios in the Netherlands
1946 – Sarwate and Banerjee add 249 for 10th wkt for Indians v Surrey
1958 – Jordan and Iraq form Arab Federation
1975 – “Rodgers and Hart” opens at Helen Hayes Theater NYC for 108 performances
1977 – Howard Stern begins broadcasting at WRNW, Briarcliff Manor NY
1982 – Chicago Cubs win their 8,000th (beat Astros)
2010 – Rock for the Rainforest benefit concert held at Carnegie Hall, NYC; performers include: Sting, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Mary J. Blige, Debbie Harry, Lady Gaga, Shirley Bassey, Nile Rodgers and Chic
2017 – Bus plunges off cliff near Marmaris, Turkey, killing at least 23, injuring 11
2017 – 62nd Eurovision Song Contest: Portugal’s Salvador Sobral wins singing “Amar Pelos Dois”
Author: gil7
Today in History for 13th May 2023
Historical Events
1909 – First Giro d’Italia takes place in Milan – Italian cyclist Luigi Ganna is the winner
1922 – 47th Preakness: L Morris aboard Pillory wins in 1:51.6
1972 – Milwaukee Brewers beat Minnesota Twins, 4-3, in 22 innings (started 5/12)
1981 – Pope John Paul II is shot and critically wounded by Turkish gunman Mehemet Ali Agca in St Peter’s Square, Vatican City
2019 – China retaliates against the US as their trade war escalates, raising tariffs on $60 billion worth of goods affecting over 4,000 items
2019 – Actress Felicity Huffman pleads guilty for her part in the US college admissions scandal
Famous Birthdays
1729 – Henry William Stiegel, German-American early glassmaker (built American Flint Glassworks at Manheim which had rapid rise and fall), born near Cologne (d. 1785)
1840 – Alphonse Daudet, French writer (Tartarin of Tarascon), born in Nîmes, France (d. 1897)
1886 – Joseph Achron, Lithuanian-American concert violinist and composer (Golem Suite), born in Lozdzieje, Russian Empire (now Lazdijai, Lithuania) (d. 1943)
1930 – Mike Gravel, American politician (US Senator (D) – Alaska, 1969-81), and peace activist (Pentagon Papers), born in Springfield, Massachusetts (d. 2021)
1937 – Trevor Baylis, English inventor of the wind-up radio, born in Kilburn, London (d. 2018)
1949 – Zoe Wanamaker, American actress (Raggedy Rawney), born in NYC, New York
Famous Deaths
1732 – Theodor Schwartzkopff, German composer, dies at 72
1925 – Boris Savinkov, Russian writer and revolutionary, dies in prison under mysterious circumstances at 46
1981 – Carl Weinrich, American organist and composer, dies at 76
2005 – Michael Ross, American serial killer (b. 1959)
2013 – Vladimir Romanovsky, Soviet sprint canoer, dies at 56
2013 – Chuck Muncie, American football running back, dies from a heart attack at 60
Famous Deaths for 12th May 2023
1003 – Gerbert, French scholar, dies in Rome
1649 – Isaac Doreslaer, English lawyer/diplomat, murdered
1792 – Charles Simon Favart, French dramatist, dies at 81
1820 – Jacob Andries van Braam, Dutch merchant and colonial administrator (Suriname), dies at 49
1864 – J.E.B. Stuart [James Ewell Brown “Jeb” Stuart], Confederate General in the American Civil War, killed in action at 31
1906 – Gabriel C. Wharton, American civil engineer and Brigadier General (Confederate Army), dies at 81
1924 – Henri Maréchal, French composer and music critic, dies at 82
1976 – Rudolf Kempe, German conductor (Tonhalle Orch 1965-72), dies at 65
1989 – Joe Valdez Caballero, American creator of hard taco, shell, dies at 81
1990 – Andrei Kirilenko, Russian member of Central Committee of Communist Party, dies at 83
Historical Events for 12th May 2023
1877 – Ottawa Rough Riders 1st outside competition vs Britannia
1908 – George Bernard Shaw’s play “Getting Married” premieres in London
1919 – New York Yankees and Washington Senators play second straight extra inning tie, 4-4 in 15 innings at the Polo Grounds; 0-0 in 12 the previous day
1948 – Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands abdicates due to ill health
1956 – East Pakistan struck by cyclone and tidal waves
1965 – The Rolling Stones record their smash hit single “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”
1967 – Provo disbands in Neth Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
1984 – France performs nuclear test
1996 – “Inherit the Wind” closes at Royale Theater NYC after 45 performances
2018 – 63rd Eurovision song contest won by Netta from Israel in Lisbon, Portugal
Today in History for 12th May 2023
Historical Events
1057 – The Ostromir Gospel, now the oldest surviving Russian manuscript is recorded completed by its scribe Deacon Grigory
1865 – Last land action of Civil war at Palmito Ranch, Texas
1938 – Sandoz Labs begins manufacturing LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide)
1970 – KTVM TV channel 6 in Butte, MT (NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting
1986 – Fred Markham (US), unpaced and unaided by wind, is 1st to pedal 65 mph on a level course, Big Sand Flat, California
1997 – Tornado narrowly misses downtown Miami
Famous Birthdays
1700 – Luigi Vanvitelli, Italian architect (Palace of Caserta), born in Naples, Kingdom of Naples (d. 1773)
1751 – Gaetano Manna, Italian composer, born in Naples (d. 1804)
1804 – Robert Baldwin, Canadian politician (popularizer of responsible government in Canada), born in York, Upper Canada (d. 1858)
1947 – Michael Ignatieff, Canadian politician (Leader of the Liberal Party), born in Toronto, Ontario
1950 – Ronnie Foster, American soul, funk, and acid jazz Hammond B-3 organist, keyboard player, and record producer, born in Buffalo, New York
2000 – Sedona Prince, American basketball player (who highlighted gender inequality in US women’s basketball), born in Hemet, California
Famous Deaths
1649 – Isaac Doreslaer, English lawyer/diplomat, murdered
1845 – August Wilhelm Schlegel, German poet, translator and critic, dies at 77
1935 – Józef Piłsudski, Father of the Second Polish Republic who served as its Chief of State (1918-22), Marshall of Poland and later its de facto leader (1926-35), dies at 67
1973 – Art Pollard, American racecar driver (b. 1927)
1992 – Joe Burke, American baseball executive (president KC Royals 1981-92), dies from lymphatic cancer at 68
2007 – Mullah Dadullah Akhund, Taliban military leader (b. 1966?)
Famous Deaths for 11th May 2023
1947 – Ture Rangström, Swedish composer, dies at 62
1962 – Hans Luther, German politician (Chancellor, 1925-6), dies at 83
1970 – Johnny Hodges, American saxophonist, dies at 62
1976 – Alvar Aalto, Finnish architect (Finlandia House) and designer, dies at 78
1994 – Alfred James Broomhall, British Protestant Christian medical missionary to China, dies at 82
1995 – Tibor Sarai, Hungarian composer, dies at 76
1995 – Ivo Samkalden, Dutch Minister of Justice (PvdA), Mayor of Amsterdam (1967-77), dies at 82
2013 – Oliver “Ollie” Mitchell, American musician and bandleader (The Wrecking Crew), dies of cancer at 86
2019 – Harold Lederman, American boxing judge and analyst (HBO), dies of cancer at 79
2020 – Jerry Stiller, American comedian (Seinfield – “Frank Constanza”; King of Queens -“Arthur”; Stiller and Meara), dies of natural causes at 92
Historical Events for 11th May 2023
1678 – French admiral Jean d’Estrees’ naval fleet runs aground on Aves-islands, Curacao, ends French control and ushers in an age of Piracy in the Caribbean
1907 – Bank of San Francisco incorporated
1925 – Communist Party of Holland splits
1946 – 71st Preakness: Warren Mehrtens aboard Assault wins in 2:01.4
1960 – Israeli soldiers capture Adolf Eichmann in Buenos Aires
1965 – 1st of 2 cyclones in less than a month kills 35,000 (India)
1977 – Ted Turner manages an Atlanta Braves game
1991 – NHL Prince of Wales Conference Final: Pittsburgh Penguins beat Boston Bruins, 4 games to 2
1992 – Film adaptation of Mbongeni Ngema and Hugh Masakala’s anti-apartheid musical “Sarafina!”, starring Leleti Khumalo, Miriam Makeba, and Whoopi Goldberg, premieres at Cannes Film Festival in France
2002 – Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands unveils the Man With Two Hats monument in Ottawa and Apeldoorn (May 2), 2000, symbolically linking both the Netherlands and Canada for their assistance throughout the Second World War.
Today in History for 11th May 2023
Historical Events
1888 – 16th Preakness: F Littlefield aboard Refund wins in 2:49
1926 – Airship Norge leaves Spitsbergen for 1st air crossing of Arctic Ocean
1950 – Belgium mine disaster at Borinage, 39 die
1972 – Giants trade Willie Mays to Mets for pitcher Charlie Williams and cash
1998 – India conducts three underground nuclear tests in Pokhran, including a thermonuclear device
2019 – South African parliamentary elections return ruling Cyril Ramaphosa’s ANC party to power with reduced majority (58%)
Famous Birthdays
1654 – Cornelis van Alkemade, Dutch historian, author and collector of antiquities, (d. 1737)
1927 – Mort Sahl, American stand-up comedian, political satirist, writer, and TV personality (The Big Party), born in Montreal, Quebec (d. 2021)
1930 – Edward Kamau Brathwaite, Caribbean poet (Born to Slow Horses) and academic, born in Bridgetown, Barbados (d. 2020)
1938 – Carla Bley [Carla Borg], American musician (Escalator Over the Hill), born in Oakland, California
1963 – Nina Stemme [Thöldte], Swedish dramatic soprano opera singer, born in Stockholm, Sweden
1989 – Cam Newton, American football quarterback (Heisman Trophy 2010, Auburn; NFL MVP 2015; Pro Bowl 2011, 13, 15; Carolina Panthers), born in Atlanta, Georgia
Famous Deaths
1916 – Max Reger, German composer, pianist and professor (Leipzig Univ), dies at 43
1920 – William Dean Howells, American novelist, critic and editor (A Woman’s Reason), dies at 83
1955 – Gilbert Jessop, English cricket batsman (18 Tests; Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1898), dies at 80
1994 – Alfred James Broomhall, British Protestant Christian medical missionary to China, dies at 82
1996 – Nnamdi Azikiwe, 1st President of Nigeria (1963-66), dies at 91
2017 – Jur Mellema, Dutch politician (CHU), dies at 93
Famous Deaths for 10th May 2023
1764 – Picander [Christian Henrici], German writer (Die Weiberprobe), dies
1818 – Paul Revere, American silversmith and patriot who alerted the colonial militia to the approach of British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord, dies at 83
1945 – Richard Glücks, German SS officer and concentration camp administrator, committed suicide at 56
1955 – Tommy Burns, Canadian boxer, dies of a heart attack at 73
1968 – Philippa Bevans, British actress (Notorious Landlady, World of Henry Orient), dies at 55
1970 – Mari Blanchard, American actress and femme fatale (Kathy-Klondike), dies of cancer at 47
1982 – Peter Weiss, German author and playwright (Marat/Sade), dies at 65
2002 – Lynda Lyon Block, convicted murderer (b. 1948)
2021 – Tony Armatrading, British stage and screen actor (Colour Blind; Notting Hill), dies of cancer at 59
2022 – Glyn Shaw, Welsh rugby union prop (12 caps; Neath RFC), and rugby league prop (7 caps Wales, 1 GB; Widnes RLFC, Wigan RLFC), dies at 71
Historical Events for 10th May 2023
1787 – British Parliament impeaches Warren Hastings, Governor-General of Bengal
1893 – 19th Kentucky Derby: Eddie Kunze aboard Lookout wins in 2:39.25
1906 – Russian Duma (Parliament) meets for 1st time
1929 – 54th Preakness: Louis Schaefer aboard Dr Freeland wins in 2:01.6
1953 – KCBD TV channel 11 in Lubbock, TX (NBC) begins broadcasting
1961 – “Beyond the Fringe” premieres in London
1970 – Atlanta Braves’ Hoyt Wilhelm pitches in his 1,000th game, loses to Cards 6-5
1980 – “Happy New Year” closes at Morosco Theater NYC after 17 performances
1991 – Oakland A’s Jose Canseco is seen leaving singer Madonna’s apartment
2018 – New record auction price for a Latin American artwork of $9.76 million for Diego Rivera’s “The Rivals”