Author: gil7

Historical Events

1775 – The West India Committee founded in London by London sugar merchants and Caribbean planters. Initially instrumental in promoting slavery, later aided campaign to end slavery.
1896 – First college basketball game with 5 players on each side is conducted by the University of Iowa; invites student athletes from University of Chicago for an experimental game; Chicago beats Iowa 15-12
1983 – Dick Motta becomes the 5th NBA coach to record 600 wins as his Dallas Mavericks defeat the Golden State Warriors, 112-102 in Oakland, California
2009 – “We Are One” concert at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington prior to Barack Obama’s inauguration attracts an estimated crowd of 400,000; performers include: Beyoncé, Jon Bon Jovi, Garth Brooks, Mariah Carey, Josh Groban, Herbie Hancock, John Legend, Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen, U2, and Stevie Wonder
2024 – US city of Lexington starts a new tourism campaign aimed at extraterrestrial travelers by beaming a welcome message into space via an infrared laser

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Famous Birthdays

1872 – Paul Léautaud [Maurice Boissard], French writer and theatre critic (Petit ami), born in Paris, France (d. 1956)
1922 – Bob Bell, American clown, born in Flint, Michigan (d. 1997)
1941 – David Ruffin, American soul musician and early lead singer for The Temptations (“My Girl”; “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”), born in Whynot, Mississippi (d. 1991)
1950 – Pat Sullivan, American College Football Hall of Fame quarterback (Heisman Trophy 1971, Auburn University; NFL: Atlanta Falcons) and coach (TUC, Samford), born in Birmingham, Alabama (d. 2019)
1993 – Morgan York, American actress (Cheaper by the Dozen) and narrative podcaster (Halfmoon Chronicles), born in Burbank, California

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Famous Deaths

1918 – Bohuslav Jeremiáš, Czech composer, dies at 58
1986 – Claire James, American actress (Jack Armstrong), dies at 65
1995 – Ron Luciano, American baseball umpire in the American League (1969-79), dies at 57
1996 – Jos Kunst, Dutch composer, dies at 60
2021 – Josep Mestres-Quadreny, Spanish composer, dies at 91

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Historical Events

1827 – Duke of Wellington appointed British supreme commander
1863 – Civil War skirmish near Newtown, Virginia
1937 – LPGA Titleholders Championship Women’s Golf, Augusta CC: Patty Berg wins inaugural event by 3 strokes ahead of Dorothy Kirby
1972 – Section of Memphis’ Highway 51 South renamed Elvis Presley Boulevard
1983 – 10th American Music Awards: John Cougar, Rick Springfield, and Olivia Newton-John win

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Famous Birthdays

1501 – Leonhard Fuchs, German physician and botanist (Notable Commentaries on the History of Plants) for which the flowering plants and color Fuchsia is named after, born in Wemding, Bavaria (d. 1566)
1905 – Franz Schmid, German climber (1st to ascend northside of Matterhorn 1931), born in Garmisch, Germany (d. 1992)
1960 – John Crawford, American bass (Berlin-You Take My Breath Away), born in Palo Alto, California
1961 – Brian Helgeland, American screenwriter (L.A. Confidential) and director (A Knight’s Tale), born in Providence, Rhode Island
1980 – Zooey Deschanel, American actress (Almost Famous; Elf; New Girl), and singer (She and Him), born in Los Angeles, California

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Famous Deaths

1882 – Alexander Bullock, American lawyer, politician, and 26th Governor of Massachusetts, dies at 65
1990 – Charles Hernu, French politician (Minister of Defense, 1981-85; Mayor of Villeurbanne, 1977-90), and environmental antagonist, dies at 66
1996 – Mostafa Sid Ahmed, Sudanese singer (b. 1953)
2013 – Robert F. Chew, American actor, dies from heart failure at 52
2014 – Francine Lalonde, Canadian politician (Member of Parliament for La Pointe-de-l’Île), dies of cancer at 73

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Historical Events

1943 – Red Army recaptures Pitomnik airport at Stalingrad
1955 – 5th NFL Pro Bowl, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: Western Conference beats Eastern Conference, 26-19; MVP: Billy Wilson, SF 49ers, WR
1977 – Cap’s H Monahan scored on 2nd penalty shot against Islanders
1989 – USSR announces plan for 2-yr manned mission to Mars
2019 – Australian Bureau of Meteorology tweets last four days were the country’s hottest on record with Tarcoola, South Australia, reaching 49 C (120 F), Port Augusta 48.5 C (119 F)

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Famous Birthdays

1672 – Francesco Mancini, Neapolitan composer, born in Naples, Kingdom of Naples, Spanish Empire (d. 1737)
1918 – Nel Benschop, Dutch poet known for “Gouddraad uit vlas”, born in the Hague, Netherlands (d. 2005)
1947 – Georgette Mosbacher, American CEO (La Prairie cosmetics), born in Highland, Indiana
1956 – Jennifer Dale, Canadian actress (Coroner, Into Invisible Light), born in Toronto, Ontario
1962 – Paul Webb, English rocker (Talk Talk – “It’s My Life”), born in Southend-on-Sea, United Kingdom

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Famous Deaths

484 – Seinei, 22nd Emperor of Japan according to legend (480-484), dies at about 40 (b. 444) [dates disputed]
1263 – Shinran, Japanese Buddhist monk and founder of what became the Jōdo Shinshū sect of Japanese Buddhism, dies at 89
1979 – Ted Cassidy, American actor (Lurch-Addams Family), dies at 46
1994 – Stephen Kritsick, veterinarian (Good Morning America), dies at 42
2025 – Harry Bild, Swedish soccer striker (28 caps; IFK Norrköping, Feyenoord, Östers IF), dies from cancer at 88

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Historical Events

1759 – British Museum opens at Montagu House in London
1942 – US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt sends his famed “Green Light Letter” to MLB Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, encouraging baseball to continue playing during World War II
1970 – Nigerian civil war officially ends after 2 1/2 years of fighting when the Republic of Biafra disbands and joins Nigeria
1991 – Dean Jones (76) and Mark Taylor (71) lead Australia to 7 wicket win over New Zealand in cricket’s World Series Cup 2nd Final in Melbourne; win series, 2-0
2016 – American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan unveils newest exhibit replica skeleton of a Titanosaur dinosaur (found 2010 Argentina), largest known dinosaur at 70 tons, 37m

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Famous Birthdays

1875 – Abdulaziz Ibn Saud, Founder and first King of Saudi Arabia (1932-53), born in Riyadh, Emirate of Nejd (d. 1953)
1888 – Joseph Henabery, American director (Cobra), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 1976)
1917 – Wang Renzhong, Chinese politician (First Secretary Hubei Province), born in Jing County, Hebei (d. 1992)
1923 – Ivor Cutler, Scottish poet, musician, singer-songwriter, and humorist (John Peel Show; King Cutler), born in Glasgow, Scotland (d. 2006)
1981 – Howie Day, American pop-rock singer-songwriter and guitarist (“Collide”), born in Bangor, Maine

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Famous Deaths

1705 – Walraad, the Young, earl of Nassau-Ottweiler/gov of Nijmegen, dies
1916 – Modest Tchaikovsky, Russian writer (b. 1850)
1978 – Jack Jackson, British trumpeter, dance band bandleader, and influential BBC disc jockey, dies at 71
2008 – Brad Renfro, American actor (The Client), dies of heroin overdose at 25
2023 – Shaye Al-Nafisah, Saudi Arabian soccer forward (32 caps; Al-Kawkab FC), dies at 60

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