1837 – Mariano José de Larra, Spanish journalist and romantic writer, commits suicide by gunshot at 27
1937 – Carl Albrecht Bernoulli, Swiss writer, dies at 69
1952 – Josephine Tey, English author (The Daughter of Time), dies of cancer at 55
1965 – Jerry Burke, American easy-listening pianist and organ player (Lawrence Welk Orchestra, 1934-65), dies of cancer at 53
1968 – Portia White, Canadian contralto, and educator, dies of cancer at 56
1982 – Gluyas Williams, American cartoonist (Fellows Citizen), dies at 93
1997 – Antonius “Ton” Lensink, Dutch actor (Rituelen), dies at 74
2010 – Dale Hawkins, American rock singer and songwriter (Susie Q), dies at 73
2012 – Russell Arms, American actor and vocalist (Your Hit Parade; “Cinco Robles”), dies at 92
2018 – Tito Francona, American baseball utility (MLB All Star 1961), dies at 84
Author: gil7
Historical Events for 13th February 2026
1786 – Abraham Baldwin selected president of University of Georgia
1837 – Riot in New York due to a combination of poverty and increase in the cost of flour
1960 – “Beg, Borrow or Steal” opens at Martin Beck Theater NYC for 5 performances
1984 – Karin Enke of East Germany wins her 2nd gold medal of the Sarajevo Winter Games, winning the women’s 1,000m in Olympic record 1:21.61; also wins 1,500m gold
1995 – 3rd ESPY Awards: Steve Young, Bonnie Blair win
1996 – Death Row/Interscope Records releases rapper Tupac Shakur’s fourth studio album “All Eyez on Me,” his final release during his lifetime
2009 – Unix time passes 1,234,567,890 seconds at exactly 23:31:30 (UTC) on February 13, 2009
2015 – “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” 4th mixtape by Drake is released
Today in History for 13th February 2026
Historical Events
1867 – Work begins on the covering of the Senne, burying Brussels’s primary river and creating the modern central boulevards
1881 – The feminist newspaper La Citoyenne is first published in Paris by activist Hubertine Auclert
1934 – Soviet steamship SS Chelyuskin sinks in the Arctic Ocean after being crushed by ice packs near Kolyuchin Island in the Chukchi Sea
1979 – Formation of Guardian Angels crime fighters in New York City
1990 – 50 killed at Inkatha-UDF battle in Natal, South Africa
Famous Birthdays
1879 – Sarojini Naidu, Indian freedom fighter and poet, born in Hyperbad, India (d. 1949)
1909 – M. Vasalis [Margaretha Droogleever Fortuyn-Leenmans], Dutch poet (Phoenix), born in The Hague, Netherlands (d. 1998)
1910 – William Shockley, American physicist who helped invent the transistor (1956 Nobel), who was also known for his racist eugenics views, born in London, England (d. 1989)
1912 – Margaretta Scott, British actress (Crescendo, Where’s Charley, Counterblast), born in Westminster, London (d. 2005)
1970 – Ruben Brown, American football guard (9 × Pro Bowl; Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears), born in Englewood, New Jersey
Famous Deaths
1130 – Honorius II [Lamberto], Pope (1124-30), dies
1897 – Joseph O. Shelby, American Brigadier General (Confederate Army), dies at 66
1958 – Dame Christabel Pankhurst, a leading suffragette (English) “Queen of the mob” (b.1880)
1991 – Ron Pickering, British athletics coach (GB 1964 Summer Olympics) and broadcaster (BBC), dies after a heart bypass operation at 60
2025 – Jim Guy Tucker, American attorney, businessman, and politician (Governor of Arkansas, 1992-96; US Representative form Arkansas, 1977-79), convicted of conspiracy and mail fraud in Whitewater Scandal (1996), dies of complications of colitis at 81
Famous Deaths for 12th February 2026
1128 – Toghtekin, Turkoman atabek and military leader of Damascus (fought during First Crusade), founded Burid Dynasty, dies
1590 – François Hotman/Hotomanus, French lawyer and diplomat (Anti-Tribonien), dies at 65
1907 – Muriel Robb, British tennis player (Wimbledon 1902), dies of lymphadenoma at 28
1933 – Henri Duparc, French composer (L’invitation au voyage), and visual artist, dies at 85
1957 – Eric Alfred Knudsen, American Hawaiian folklorist, dies at 84
1986 – Guy Warrack, Scottish composer, dies at 86
1991 – Edward A. Blatt, Polish-born American director (Between 2 Worlds), dies at 88
1994 – Donald Judd, American minimalist sculptor and artist, dies of cancer at 65
2025 – Holmes Rolston III, American environmental philosopher and Templeton Prize laureate (2003), dies at 92
2025 – Tommy Hunt, American soul singer (Flamingos, 1956-60 – “I Only Have Eyes For You”; “Lovers Never Say Goodbye”), dies at 91
Historical Events for 12th February 2026
1901 – Dutch Penitentiary children’s law proclaimed
1954 – The UK government establishes an organisation to control atomic energy in the country under The Atomic Energy Authority Bill
1955 – Soviets decides space center to be built in Baikonur, Kazakhstan
1964 – The Beatles first NYC concerts, two shows at Carnegie Hall
1985 – 37th NHL All-Star Game, Olympic Saddledome, Calgary: Wales Conference beats Campbell Conference, 6-4; MVP: Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins, C
1994 – “The Scream” by Norwegian painter Edvard Munch (1893 pastel version) is stolen in Oslo
1995 – Susan Auch skates female world record 500m (38.94 sec)
2019 – Trial of 12 Catalonia independence leaders begins in Madrid
Today in History for 12th February 2026
Historical Events
1984 – East German luger Steffi Martin wins the first of 2 consecutive women’s singles gold medals at the Sarajevo Winter Olympics; also wins in Calgary (1988)
1988 – US Navy frigate USS Yorktown bumped by Russian frigate Bezzavetny in the Black Sea in dispute over right of innocent passage
2007 – A gunman opens fire in a mall in Salt Lake City, killing five people in the Trolley Square shooting
2017 – 70th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs): “La La Land” Best Film, Damien Chazelle Best Director, Best Actors Casey Affleck / Emma Stone
2023 – India opens the first part of what will be its longest expressway linking Mumbai with New Delhi over 1,386-kilometer (861 mile)
Famous Birthdays
1830 – Stephen Wilcox, American inventor of steam generators for power stations and ships (Babcock and Wilcox), born in Westerly, Rhode Island (d. 1893)
1904 – Ted Mack, American TV host (The Original Amateur Hour), born in Denver, Colorado (d. 1976)
1914 – Nello Celio, Swiss politician, born in Quinto, Switzerland (d. 1995)
1945 – Roman Tam [Pak-sin], Hong Kong singer knownn as the “Grand Godfather of Cantopop”, born in Baise, Guangxi, China (d. 2002)
1980 – Enver Gjokaj, American actor (Dollhouse; Agent Carter), and inventor, born in Orange County, California
Famous Deaths
1837 – Ludwig Borne [Loeb Baruch], German-Jewish writer, dies at 50
1896 – Isaac Murphy, American jockey, 628 wins on 1,412 mounts (44.5%), dies at 35
2000 – Oliver [William Swofford], American pop singer (“Good Morning Starshine”), dies of cancer at 54
2022 – William Kraft, American timpanist, percussionist (Los Angeles Percussion Ensemble), conductor, and composer (The Demise of Suriyodhaya; Avalanche), dies at 98
2025 – Patrick Barclay, English sportswriter (The Times, The Guardian-Observer, Sunday Telegraph, The Independent; Sky Sports), dies at 77
Famous Deaths for 11th February 2026
1685 – David Teniers III, Flemish painter, dies at 46
1927 – Joel Engel, Russian musicologist (Jewish Folksongs), composer (“Numi, Numi”), and music publisher, dies at 58
1943 – Bess Houdini, American-German stage assistant and wife of Harry Houdini, dies from heart attack at 67
1950 – Kiki Cuyler, American Baseball HOF right fielder (World Series 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates; 4 × NL stolen base leader; MLB All Star 1934 Chicago Cubs), dies at 51
1954 – Adolph M. Christianson, justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court, dies at 76
1971 – Whitney Young Jr, National Urban League director, drowns in Nigeria
1972 – Jan Wils, Dutch architect (Olympian Stadium, Amsterdam), dies at 80
1985 – Ben Abruzzo, American businessman and balloonist (b. 1930)
1997 – Don Porter, American actor (Gidget), dies at 84
2005 – Jack L. Chalker, American sci-fi author (Saga of Well World), dies at 60
Historical Events for 11th February 2026
1908 – Heemskerk’s government begins in Holland
1948 – Billy Griffith scores cricket century on debut Eng v WI, out for 140
1985 – Kent Hrbek signs 5-year $6 million contract with Minnesota Twins
1986 – Australia beat India 2-0 to win cricket’s World Series Cup, David Boon scores the most runs in the series (418)
1992 – F-16 jet crashes at residential district of Hengelo, Netherlands (No deaths)
2007 – 60th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs): “The Queen” Best Film, Paul Greengrass Best Director
2013 – Pope Benedict XVI announces his resignation effective February 28, becoming the first pope to resign since 1415
2021 – World’s second oldest person, French nun Sister André, celebrates her 117th birthday after surviving COVID-19 in Toulon
Today in History for 11th February 2026
Historical Events
1928 – II Winter Olympic Games open in St Moritz, Switzerland
1949 – “Lovesick Blues” single is released by Hank Williams (Cashbox “Best Hillbilly Record of the Year,” Billboard Song of the Year 1949)
1953 – J. Styne and Bob Hilliard’s musical “Hazel Flagg” opens at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC for 190 performances
1975 – TV drama “Sarah T: Portrait of A Teenage Alcoholic” starring Linda Blair, premieres on US network NBC
1984 – Wayne Gretzky sets NHL short handed season scoring record at 11
Famous Birthdays
1557 – John Wtenbogaert, Dutch theologist (Kerckelicke history), born in at Utrecht (d. 1644)
1917 – Richard Jock Kinneir, British graphic designer (modern road signs), born in Hampshire, England (d. 1994)
1918 – Margaret Heldt, American hairdresser who created the beehive hairstyle, born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2016)
1933 – Mildred Sampson, New Zealand distance runner (world marathon record 3:19:33 1964), born in Auckland, New Zealand
1956 – Raoul Björkenheim, American avant-garde jazz guitarist, born in Los Angeles, California
Famous Deaths
1797 – Antoine Dauvergne, French composer, dies at 83
1943 – Bess Houdini, American-German stage assistant and wife of Harry Houdini, dies from heart attack at 67
1967 – A. J. Muste, Dutch-born American pacifist and labor activist, dies at 82
1975 – Richard Ratsimandrava, Malagasy soldier and statesman, assassinated (b. 1931)
1999 – Jaki Byard, American jazz pianist (Charlie Mingus), saxophonist, drummer, composer, arranger, and educator, dies from an unsolved gunshot at 76
Famous Deaths for 10th February 2026
1163 – Baldwin III, King of Jerusalem (1143-63), son of Princess Melisende and Fulco of Anjou, husband of Theodora, dies of consumption at about 33 [birthday uncertain]
1772 – Joseph Wenzel I, Prince of Liechtenstein and general, dies at 75
1774 – Florian Leopold Gassmann, Bohemian composer, dies at 44
1822 – Albert Casimir, Duke of Teschen and Governor of the Austrian Netherlands, dies at 83
1852 – Samuel Prout, British water color painter, dies at 68
1876 – August Söderman, Swedish composer, dies at 43
1987 – Ray Colignon (sometimes none as “Coco”), Belgian jazz and easy listening pianist, Hammond organist, and bandleader, dies at 80
2004 – Margaret Stacey, English sociologist who helped shape the distinctively British genre of empirical sociology, dies at 81
2005 – Jack Segal, American pianist and songwriter (“Scarlet Ribbons (for Her Hair)”, “When Sunny Gets Blue”, “Here’s to the Losers”), dies at 86
2010 – Max Schubel, American composer (Opus One Records), dies at 77