1893 – The Critic reports that ice cream soda is America’s national drink
1904 – British mystic Aleister Crowley transcribes the first chapter of the Book of the Law
1956 – 20th US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: Jack Burke Jr. wins his first major title, 1 stroke ahead of amateur Ken Venturi; final Masters played without a 36-hole cut
1965 – India and Pakistan forces engage in a border fight
1968 – New socialist constitution of East Germany takes effect
1969 – First Major League Baseball game featuring a Canadian team; Montréal Expos beats NY Mets, 11-10 at Shea Stadium; KC Royals, SD Padres and Seattle Pilots also win on debut
1981 – Islanders scored 9 goals against Toronto in playoffs
1990 – New Democracy wins the national election in Greece.
1990 – “Aspects of Love” opens at Broadhurst Theater NYC for 377 performances
1994 – Atlanta Brave Kent Mercker no-hits Dodgers, 6-0
Author: gil7
Today in History for 8th April 2021
Historical Events
1962 – Accords of Evian (Algeria) accepted by referendum in France
1991 – Jockey Bill Shoemaker paralyzed in a car accident
1992 – After 151 years Britain’s “Punch Magazine” publishes its final issue
1992 – “5 Guys Named Moe” opens at Eugene O’Neill Theater NYC for 445 performances
1993 – Indians’ Carlos Baerga is 1st to switch hit HRs in same inn (vs Yanks)
1993 – STS-56 (Discovery) launches into orbit
Famous Birthdays
1541 – Michele Mercati, Italian physician and gardener, born in Rome, Italy (d. 1593)
1831 – Allard Pierson, Dutch theologist, philosopher and art historian, born in Amsterdam (d. 1896)
1920 – Erik Pausin, Austrian figure skating pairs (Olympic silver 1936)
1935 – Albert G. Bustamante, American politician (Rep-D-TX, 1985-93), born in Asherton, Texas
1947 – Steve Howe, English rock guitarist (Asia, Yes-Roundabout), born in London, England
1989 – Matty Healy [Matthew Healy], British vocalist and guitarist (The 1975), born in London, England
Famous Deaths
1938 – Harold Baumgartner, South African cricketer (took 2-99 lefty in test for South Africa), dies at 54
1987 – Francis C. Denebrink, US Naval officer (WW I, WW II, Korea) dies at 90
1991 – Dead (musician), Swedish metal singer (b. 1969)
1993 – Arleen Whelan, American film actress (Kidnapped) dies of a stroke at 78
1996 – (Charles) Donald Adams, British bass-baritone opera singer (D’Oyly Carte Opera Company,; Gilbert and Sullivan For All), dies of a brain tumor at 67
2014 – The Ultimate Warrior [James Brian Hellwig], American Hall of Fame professional wrestler, dies from a heart attack at 54
Famous Deaths for 7th April 2021
30 – Jesus Christ is crucified, according to astronomer Schaefer
1747 – Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, Prussian field marshal, dies at 70
1783 – Ignaz Jakob Holzbauer, Austrian composer, dies at 71
1862 – Sydney Nelson, composer, dies at 62
1967 – Anne Morrison Chapin, dies in West Hollywood
1982 – Harald Ertl, Austrian racing driver (b. 1948)
1982 – Brenda Benet, actress (Track of Thunder), commits suicide by gun at 36
1997 – Georgy Shonin, Soviet cosmonaut (Soyuz 6), dies of a heart attack at 61
2002 – John Agar, American actor (Sands of Iwo Jima, Fort Apache), dies at 81
2007 – Johnny Hart, American cartoonist (B.C., Wizard of Id), dies at 76
Historical Events for 7th April 2021
451 – Attila’s Huns plunder Metz
529 – First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis (fundamental work in jurisprudence) issued by Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I
1862 – Grant defeats Confederates at Battle of Shiloh, Tenn, Island #10 falls
1895 – Polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen reaches record 86°13.6′N latitude north, expedition closest to the North pole
1951 – US performs atmospheric nuclear test at Enwetak
1970 – MLB Milwaukee Brewers (former Seattle Pilots) 1st game, lose to Angels 12-0
1971 – Dismissal of Curt Flood’s suit against baseball is upheld by
1989 – NY Supreme Court takes America’s Cup away from SD Yacht Club for using a catamaran against NZ. Appeals court eventually overrules
1991 – George Washington Bridge raises toll from $3.00 to $4.00
2001 – Mars Odyssey is launched
Today in History for 7th April 2021
Historical Events
1896 – American athlete Robert Garrett wins the throwing double at the Athens Olympics by taking out the shot putt (11.22m); wins the discus the previous day
1933 – University Bridge, Seattle opens for traffic
1946 – Part of East Prussia incorporated into Russian SFSR
1953 – UN General Assembly begins session that will elect Dag Hammarskjöld of Sweden as Secretary-General
1956 – 10th NBA Championship: Philadelphia Warriors beat Ft Wayne Pistons, 4 games to 1
1990 – BPAA US Open by Ron Palombi Jr
Famous Birthdays
1934 – Swami Shantananda, Hindu Saint, Philosopher, Disciple of Swami Sivananda, Founder of Temple of Fine Arts
1940 – Jan Wilhelm Morthenson, Swedish composer, born in Örnsköldsvik
1943 – Dennis Amiss, cricketer (prolific English batsman)
1967 – Steve Wisniewski, NFL guard (Oakland Raiders)
1968 – Duncan Armstrong, Australian swimmer (Olympic gold 200m freestyle 1988), born in Rockhampton, Queensland
1975 – Ronnie Belliard, American baseball player
Famous Deaths
1747 – Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, Prussian field marshal, dies at 70
1950 – Walter Huston, Canadian actor (Maltese Falcon, Treasure of Sierra Madre), dies from an aneurysm at 67
1967 – Anne Morrison Chapin, dies in West Hollywood
2001 – David Graf, American actor (Police Academy- Sgt. Eugene Tackleberry), dies of a heart attack at 50
2002 – John Agar, American actor (Sands of Iwo Jima, Fort Apache), dies at 81
2003 – David Greene, British television director (b. 1921)
Famous Deaths for 6th April 2021
1199 – Richard I, the Lion-hearted, King of England (1189-99), dies at 41
1199 – Pierre Basile, French soldier
1528 – Albrecht Durer, German painter and graphic artist, dies in Germany at 56
1605 – John Stow, English historian (Survey of London), dies
1854 – William Strickland, US architect, dies
1888 – Thomas Green Clemson, American politician and founder of Clemson University, dies at 80
1906 – Alexander L Kielland, Norwegian writer (Working People), dies at 57
1913 – Jose Marraco y Ferrer, composer, dies on 78th birthday
1940 – Andrés Isasi, Spanish Basque composer, dies at 49
1991 – Bill Ponsford, Australian cricket batsman (29 Tests @ 48 22, 7 x 100s; 1st-class 13,819 runs @ 65.18; Victoria), dies at 90
Historical Events for 6th April 2021
1859 – US recognizes Liberal government in Mexico’s War of Reform
1860 – Joseph Smith III, creates the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by reorganizing the previous church organized by his father, Joseph Smith, Jr.
1919 – Bavaria proclaims itself a soviet republic
1936 – 3rd Augusta National Invitation Tournament (Masters) Golf: Horton Smith wins his second Masters, 1 stroke ahead of runner-up Harry Cooper, with defending champion Gene Sarazen 3rd
1973 – America launches the Pioneer 11 (Pioneer G) probe to study Jupiter and Saturn
1977 – Kingdome opens, Seattle Mariners 1st game, loses to Angels 7-0
1979 – Baltimore manager Earl Weaver wins his 1,000th game as a skipper, a 5-3 Orioles victory over the Chicago White Sox
1991 – NY-NJ Knights 1st home game (Giants Stadium) lose to Frankfurt 27-17
1998 – Pakistan tests medium-range missiles capable of hitting India.
2019 – Tampa Bay Lightning beats Boston Bruins, 6-3 in the season finale for their 62nd regular season win, tying the NHL record held by Detroit Red Wings (1995-96); 128 points, 4th in NHL history
Today in History for 6th April 2021
Historical Events
1893 – Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City dedicated
1903 – In Holland, railroad and dock workers go out on strike, but the government passes anti-strike bills, calls out troops, and promptly ends the strike on the 13th April
1978 – Karnataka beat Uttar Pradesh by inn and 193 to win Ranji Trophy
1992 – 1st game at Camden Field, Balt-Orioles beat Indians 2-0
1993 – Florida Marlins 1st lost ever (4-2 to LA Dodgers)
2012 – US F-18 Hornet crashes into side of apartment building in Virginia with no fatalities
Famous Birthdays
1892 – Donald Wills Douglas, American aircraft industrialist (McDonnell Douglas) and aviation pioneer (Douglas DC-3), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1981)
1900 – Leo Robin, American writer (Thanks For the Memory)
1929 – Art Taylor, American jazz drummer (Bud Powell, Red Garland, John Coltrane, Donald Byrd), band leader (Taylor’s Wailers), and writer (Notes and Tones), born in New York City (d. 1995)
1936 – Manfred Schoof, composer
1948 – Patrika Darbo, American actress
1988 – Fabrice Muamba, Anglo-Congolese footballer
Famous Deaths
1252 – Peter of Verona [Peter Martyr], Italian inquisitor/st, dies at 45
1931 – Giuseppi Radiciotti, composer, dies at 73
1947 – Herbert Backe, German Nazi politician (Reich Minister for Food and Agriculture), dies at 50
1983 – Ana Maria, Salvador guerilla leader, murdered
1996 – Greer Garson, British actress (Goodbye Mr Chips, Mrs Miniver), dies at 92
2018 – Daniel Akaka, American educator and politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Hawaii), dies at 93
Famous Deaths for 5th April 2021
1676 – John Winthrop, the Younger, American politician (b. 1606)
1918 – Paul Vidal de la Blanche, French geographer, dies at 73
1951 – Edward Rigby, British actor (Star Look Down, Young and Innocent), dies at 72
1973 – John Coleman, Australian rules footballer (b. 1928)
1975 – Inez Courtney, dies at 67
1982 – Abe Fortas, Supreme court justice, dies at 71
1994 – Andre Victor Tchelistcheff, winemaker, dies at 92
2004 – Sławomir Rawicz, Polish soldier (b. 1915)
2007 – Mark St. John [Norton], American rock guitarist (KISS, April- November, 1984), dies of a brain hemorrhage at 51
2018 – Isao Takahata, Japanese anime film director, screenwriter and producer (Grave of the Fireflies, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya), dies of lung cancer at 82
Historical Events for 5th April 2021
1861 – Federals abandon Ft Quitman, Texas
1943 – Chinese steward Poon Lim is found off the coast of Brazil by a Brazilian fisherman family after being adrift 133 days, after British ship SS Benlomond torpedoed by german U-boat
1979 – Ex-premier Pol Jar flees out of Cambodia
1984 – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar breaks Wilt Chamberlain’s all-time career scoring record of 31,419 points (31,421)
1986 – Record for a throw-and-return boomerang toss is set (121m)
1987 – Wayne Gretzky wins 7th straight NHL scoring title
1993 – Construction begins on Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
1993 – Republican Guard kills 64 in Chad
2013 – Japan’s Nikkei 225 reaches its highest level in five years
2015 – Rolling Stone Magazine retracts its “Rape on Campus” story about a gang rape at the University of Virginia after being discredited