Category: On This Day

Historical Events

1905 – US Open Men’s Golf, Myopia Hunt GC: Willie Anderson wins his 3rd consecutive Open title, and his record 4th overall, 2 strokes ahead of runner-up Alex Smith
1910 – Saskatchewan Rugby Football Union forms with an initial 9 team competition
1958 – KTVK TV channel 3 in Phoenix, AZ (ABC) begins broadcasting
1969 – China performs nuclear test at Lop Nor, PRC
2002 – Solheim Cup Women’s Golf, Interlachen CC: US regains Cup 15½-12½; Rosie Jones gains winning point in her 3 and 2 victory over Karine Icher
2004 – “Lost” created by J.J. Abrams and starring Matthew Fox and Evangeline Lilly debuts on ABC in the US

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Famous Birthdays

1864 – Lodewijk van Deyssel, Dutch writer (A Love Affair), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1952)
1870 – Charlotte Cooper, British tennis player (1st female Olympic champion 1900; Wimbledon 1895-96, 98, 1901, 08), born in Ealing, England (d. 1966)
1953 – Richard Fairbrass, English singer and bassist (Right Said Fred), born in Kingston upon Thames, England
1956 – Debby Boone, American singer (You Light Up My Life), born in Hackensack, New Jersey
1961 – Catherine Oxenberg, American actress (Dynasty; Overexposed), born in NYC, New York
1969 – Marian Chlad, Czech soccer player (FC Groningen), born in Teplice, Czechoslovakia

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Famous Deaths

1840 – Anne Lister, English diarist ‘the 1st modern lesbian’, dies of a fever at 49
1956 – Frederick Soddy, English chemist, Nobel Prize laureate, dies at 79
1975 – Patricia Doyle, actress (Wuthering Heights), dies at 60
1994 – Leonard Feather, British jazz critic and musician, dies at 80
1997 – Eric William Hunter Christie, barrister, dies at 77
2021 – Orlando Martínez, Cuban boxer (Olympic gold bantamweight 1972), dies at 77

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Historical Events

1921 – A storage silo at a BASF fertiliser producing plant explodes in Oppau, Germany, 500—600 killed
1950 – George Marshall sworn in as the 3rd Secretary of Defense of the United States
1951 – Emil Zatopek runs 15,000m in record 44 min, 54.6 sec
1970 – “Monday Night Football” created by Roone Arledge, premieres on ABC – Browns 31, Jets 21
1973 – Jackson Pollocks painting “Blue Poles” sold for $2,000,000
1988 – Mike Tyson smashes TV camera outside his Bernardsville, New Jersey home

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Famous Birthdays

1866 – H. G. Wells, English sci-fi author (War of the Worlds, Kipps), born in Bromley, Kent (d. 1946)
1898 – Tushar Kanti Ghosh, Indian journalist and world’s oldest and longest serving newspaper editor
1941 – Tony Moon, American doo-wop singer, arranger, guitarist (Dante and the Evergreens – “Alley Oop”), producer, and songwriter (“Soldier of Love”), born in Los Angeles, California
1969 – Jason Christiansen, pitcher (Pittsburgh Pirates), born in Omaha, Nebraska
1970 – Michael O’Shea, Canadian CFL linebacker (Toronto Argonauts), born in North Bay, Ontario
1973 – Oswaldo Sanchez, Mexican footballer

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Famous Deaths

1974 – Jacqueline Susann, American author (Valley of the Dolls), dies of cancer at 56
1988 – Robert Gwathmey, artist, dies at 85
1993 – Fernand Ledoux, Belgian-French actor (L’Homme de Londres), dies at 96
1996 – Sabine Zlatin, Polish-born French nurse, who tried save Izieu children from Nazis, dies at 89
2000 – Bryan Smith, Man who ran over Stephen King (b. 1957)
2011 – Troy Anthony Davis, American high-profile death row inmate and human rights activist (executed) (b. 1968)

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Historical Events

1792 – French defeat Prussians at Valmy
1854 – Battle of the Alma: British, French and Ottoman alliance defeat the Russian Empire in the 1st major battle of the Crimean War
1873 – Panic sweeps NY Stock Exchange (railroad bond default/bank failure) NY shut banks for 10 days due to a bank scandal
1983 – Cryptographic Communications System and Method (RSA) patented
1986 – Wichita State Shockers blow a 35-3 lead; lose 36-35 to Morehead State
2011 – The United States ends its “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, allowing gay men and women to serve openly for the first time.

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Famous Birthdays

1832 – Johann Joseph Abert, German composer, born in Gastorf, Bohemia (d. 1915)
1920 – Jay Ward, American cartoonist (Rocky and his Friends, Bullwinkle), born in Berkeley, California (d. 1989)
1927 – Clarice Taylor, American actress (Nurse Bailey-Nurse), born in Buckingham County, Virginia (d. 2011)
1950 – James P[aul] Blaylock, American sci-fi author (Elfin Ship, Homunculus), born in Long Beach, California
1990 – John Tavares, Canadian ice hockey player (New York Islanders), born in Mississauga, Ontario
1995 – Sammi Hanratty, American actress

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Famous Deaths

1639 – John Meursius [van Meurs], historian, dies at 60
1773 – Pieter de Swart, architect (Delfts Port Rotterdam), dies at 63
1939 – Paul Bruchési, French Canadian Catholic archbishop of Montreal, dies at 83
1973 – Glenn Strange, American actor (Sam the Bartender-Gunsmoke), dies at 74
1995 – Walter Haas Jr., American businessman and sports team owner (Levi Strauss and Co, Oakland A’s), dies of prostate cancer at 79
2009 – John Hart, American actor (The Lone Ranger, The Adventures of Captain Africa), dies from complications of dementia at 91

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Historical Events

1888 – One of first known modern beauty contests held in Spa, Belgium
1939 – Wehrmacht (German regular army) murders 100 Jews in Lukov Poland
1940 – Witold Pilecki is voluntarily captured and sent to Auschwitz in order to smuggle out information and start a resistance
1960 – “LIFE” magazine celebrates artist Anna Mary “Grandma” Moses’ 100th birthday by putting her on their cover
1992 – Demolition begins of JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; built in 1926 as Sesquicentennial Stadium, also known as Municipal Stadium, it hosted the 1926 Tunney-Dempsey fight, 41 Army-Navy football games, The Beatles; The Rolling Stones; victory rallies for The NHL Flyers and MLB Phillies; and the US portion of Live-Aid
2004 – 56th Emmy Awards: The Sopranos, Arrested Development, James Spader and Allison Janney win

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Famous Birthdays

1811 – Orson Pratt, American mathematician and religious leader, born in Hartford, New York (d. 1881)
1946 – Michael Elphick, British stage and screen actor (Gorky Park; Boon), born in Chichester, Sussex, England (d. 2002)
1951 – Richard Dashut, American record producer (Bob Welch; Fleetwood Mac: Lindsey Buckingham), born in West Hollywood, California
1959 – Marshall Jefferson, American musician ‘father of house music’ (Move your Body), born in Chicago, Illinois
1962 – Ken Rosenthal, American sportswriter and reporter, born in Oyster Bay, Long Island
1966 – Soledad O’Brien, American journalist (Matter of Fact with Soledad O’Brien), born in St. James, New York

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Famous Deaths

1339 – Go-Daigo, 96th Emperor of Japan (1318-39), dies at 50
1710 – Ole Rømer, Danish astronomer, dies at 65
1993 – Richard Landau, American screenwriter (Back to Bataan), dies at 79
1995 – Walter Shlomo Gross, journalist, dies at 83
1996 – Timothy Nicholson, journalist, dies at 32
2006 – Roy Schuiten, Dutch cyclist (b. 1950)

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Historical Events

1846 – Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning exchange their last letters before they move to Italy
1962 – Rwanda, Burundi, Jamaica and Trinidad admitted (105th-108th) to UN
1964 – TV series “The Addams Family”, starring John Astin, Carolyn Jones, Ted Cassidy, and Jackie Coogan, premieres on ABC
1975 – Heiress-turned-bank robber Patricia Campbell Hearst captured by FBI in San Francisco
1997 – Ted Turner gives $1 billion to the United Nations, creating the public charity, the United Nations Foundation
2006 – “Watching You” single released by Rodney Atkins (Billboard Song of the Year 2007)

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Famous Birthdays

1943 – Michael Vetter, German composer, born in Oberstdorf, Germany (d. 2013)
1966 – Ian “Spike” Spice, English guitarist (IBreathe, Flash Cadillac) (d. 2000)
1968 – Cappadonna [Darryl Hill], American rapper (Wu-Tang Clan), born in Staten Island, New York
1970 – Mike Compton, American NFL center and guard (Detroit Lions), born in Richlands, Virginia
1975 – Kanstantsin Lukashyk, Belarusian pistol shooter (OLympic gold 1992), born in Hrodna, Belarus
1981 – Jennifer Tisdale, American actress and model, born in Neptune, New Jersey

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Famous Deaths

1684 – Joannes Antonides van der Goes, Dutch poet (Ystroom), dies at 37
1939 – Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, Polish writer, painter, and photographer (b. 1885)
1966 – Fernand Lamy, French composer, dies at 85
1975 – Fairfield Porter, American painter, dies at 68
1991 – Rob Tyner [Robert Derminer], American hard rock singer (MC5 – Kick Out The Jams), dies of a heart attack at 46
2013 – Richard C. Sarafian, American director and actor (Foley Square), dies from complications from pneumonia at 83

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Historical Events

1957 – KETV TV channel 7 in Omaha, NB (ABC) begins broadcasting
1978 – 30th Emmy Awards: “All in the Family”; Ed Asner and Sada Thompson win
1980 – South Korea opposition leader Kim Dae-jung sentenced to death
1988 – Jeff Reardon becomes 1st to record 40 or more saves in both AL and NL
1989 – Hurricane Hugo begins 4 day sweep through Caribbean, killing 62
2019 – Indonesia raises the female marriage age to 19, in line with males, to curb child marriages

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Famous Birthdays

1834 – Edouard Pailleron, French attorney, poet and stage writer, born in Paris, France (d. 1899)
1859 – Frank Dawson Adams, Canadian geologist, born in Montreal, Quebec (d. 1942)
1908 – Franz Grothe, German composer, born in Berlin (d. 1982)
1922 – Ursula Howells, British actress (Hard Times, Girly, Murder is Announced), born in London, England (d. 2005)
1963 – Amy Roloff, American reality star (Little People, Big World), born in Michigan
1995 – Patrick Mahomes, American NFL quarterback (Super Bowl MVP 2020; KC Chiefs), born in Tyler, Texas

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Famous Deaths

1604 – Lucas Osiander, German composer, dies at 69
1621 – Roberto Bellarmino, Italian saint (Doctor of the Church), dies at 78
1986 – Patricia “Pat” Phoenix, British actress (Coronation Street, L Shaped Room), dies of lung cancer at 62
1994 – Vitas Gerulaitis, Lithuanian/American tennis player (Australian Open 1977; Wimbledon doubles 1975), dies of carbon monoxide poisoning at 40
1996 – Spiro Agnew, American politician (Vice President, 1969 until resignation over corruption allegations in 1973), dies of leukemia at 77
2019 – Harold Mabern Jr., American post-bop jazz pianist and composer, dies at 83

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Historical Events

1920 – The “Wall Street bombing” occurs at 12:01 when a horse-drawn wagon explodes on Wall Street, New York, killing 38 and injuring 143
1940 – FDR signs Selective Training and Service Act (1st peacetime draft)
1954 – CKLW TV channel 9 in Windsor, ON (CBC) begins broadcasting
1960 – Milwaukee Braves’ future HOF pitcher Warren Spahn no-hits Philadelphia Phillies, 4-0 at County Stadium
1962 – USSR performs nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya USSR
1999 – 1st ever season of “Big Brother” reality show begins on the Veronica channel in The Netherlands

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Famous Birthdays

1875 – James Cash Penney, American department store founder (J C Penney), born in Hamilton, Missouri (d. 1971)
1916 – M.S. [Madurai Shanmukhavadivu] Subbulakshmi, Indian singer (1st singer to be awarded the Bharat Ratna), born in Madurai, Madras Presidency (d. 2004)
1968 – Marc Anthony [Marco Antonio Muñiz], American sala singer-songwriter, born in NYC, New York
1969 – Justine Frischmann, English musician (Elastica), born in Kensington, London
1973 – Clint Peay, American soccer defender (Olympic gold 1996), born in Columbia, Maryland
1978 – Nick Cordero, Canadian Broadway actor (Bullets Over Broadway), born in Hamilton, Canada (d. 2020)

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Famous Deaths

1916 – Basil W. Duke, American Brigadier General (Confederate Army), dies at 78
1925 – Alexander Alexandrovich Friedman, Russian physicist (b. 1888)
1926 – Rudolf C Eucken, German philosopher (Nobel 1908), dies at 80
1932 – Ronald Ross, British pathologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, dies at 75
1996 – Andrew MacElhone, bar owner, dies at 73
2005 – Harry Freedman (Henryk Frydmann), Canadian composer, dies at 83

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Historical Events

921 – Saint Ludmila is murdered at the command of her daughter-in-law at Tetin
1777 – George Washington, on authorization of Congress, appoints Casimir Pulaski as brigadier general in Continental Army cavalry
1830 – First passenger to be killed by a railway train (William Huskisson in England)
1910 – Boers and Afrikaners win 1st general elections in Union of South-Africa
1950 – US troop land on Wolmi-Do island off of Seoul
2003 – ISO/Columbia Records releases David Bowie’s 23rd studio album, “Reality”; he supports it with what becomes his final concert tour

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Famous Birthdays

1908 – Gerd Gaiser, German writer (Ship in the Mountain)
1926 – Shohei Imamura, Japanese film director (d. 2006)
1951 – Pete Carroll, American NFL coach (Super Bowl 2013, Seattle Seahawks 2010-20; New York Jets, New England Patriots; USC), born in San Francisco, California
1960 – Scott Thompson Baker, American actor (Gen Hosp, All My Children), born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
1962 – Dina Lohan, American television personality, mother and manager of actress Lindsay Lohan, born in NYC, New York
1964 – Andrew Landenberger, Australian tornado sailor (Olympic bronze 1992, 96)

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Famous Deaths

921 – Ludmilla, wife of 1st christian Bohemian king Borijov I/saint, dies
928 – Louis III, the Blind Proveneaals king of Lombardije/Germany, dies at 48
1707 – George Stepney, English poet and diplomat (b. 1663)
1842 – Pierre Baillot, French violinist and composer, dies at 70
1956 – Henry Clough-Leiter, American composer, dies at 82
2003 – Josef Hirsal, Czech novelist (b. 1920)

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Historical Events

1900 – There are now 62,000 foreign troops in Peking and nearby cities, still defeating Boxer Rebels.
1984 – 1st MTV Video Music Awards: The Cars win with “You Might Think”, and David Bowie wins with “China Girl”
1987 – Cal Ripken’s streak of 8,243 consecutive innings (908 games) is broken
1992 – 1st subway car completed to be exported from US (to Taiwan)
1996 – NY Met Todd Huntley sets record of 41 HRs by a catcher
1996 – 21st Toronto International Film Festival: “Shine” directed by Scott Hicks wins the People’s Choice Award

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Famous Birthdays

1904 – Šrom, Karel, Czech composer, musicologist, and critic, born in Pilsen, Bohemia (d. 1981)
1933 – Zoe Caldwell, Australian actress (Prime of Miss Jean Brodie), born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
1937 – Renzo Piano, Italian architect (Whitney Museum of American Art, The Shard), born in Genoa, Italy
1942 – Oliver Lake, American jazz saxophonist and composer, born in Marianna, Arkansas
1947 – Joan Thirkettle, British journalist, born in Kent, England (d. 1996)
1965 – Dmitry Medvedev, Russian politician (President and Prime Minister of Russia), born in Leningrad, Soviet Union

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Famous Deaths

891 – Stephen V [VI], Italian Pope (885-91), dies
1435 – John Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Bedford, English prince, general (Hundred Years’ War) and statesman, dies at 46
1851 – James Fenimore Cooper, American author (Last of Mohicans), dies of dropsy at 61
1886 – Hubert Reis, German composer, dies at 84
1962 – Marcel Delannoy, French composer, dies at 64
1965 – J. W. Hearne, English cricket all-rounder (24 Tests, 30 wickets, 1 x 100; Middlesex), dies at 74

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Historical Events

1850 – The main-belt asteroid “12 Victoria” is discovered by J R Hind
1890 – Cecil Rhodes’ colonists hoist the Union Jack in Mashonaland and Salisbury (modern Zimbabwe)
1925 – Bkln Dodger Dazzy Vance no-hits Phillies, 10-1
1928 – San Felipe Segundo/Okeechobee hurricane makes landfall in Puerto Rico as a category 5 storm, killing over 300, leaving 500,000 homeless, and causing $50M in damages (about $790M in 2020 dollars)
1942 – Cubs shortstop Leonard Merullo makes 4 errors in 1 inning
1970 – Palestine guerillas conquer Irbid Jordania

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Famous Birthdays

1475 – Cesare Borgia, Duke of Valentinois, Italian aristocrat, born in Rome, Papal States (d. 1507)
1938 – Judith Martin, American author, journalist and columnist (Miss Manners), born in Washington, D.C.
1942 – Vladislav Zolotaryov, Soviet Russian bayanist (button accordion player), and composer (Six Children’s Suites), born in De-kastri, Khabarovsk Krai, USSR (d. 1975)
1967 – Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens, American singer (Iced Earth; Judas Priest), born in Akron, Ohio
1980 – Ben Savage, American actor (Little Monsters, Wild Palms), born in Chicago, Illinois
1999 – Destiny Rogers, American pop and RandB singer (“Tomboy”), born in Lodi, California

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Famous Deaths

81 – Titus [Flavius Vespasianus], Emperor of Rome (69-81) who captured Jerusalem and completed the Colesseum, dies of a fever at about 42
1657 – Jacob van Campen, Dutch painter and architect (Amsterdam Townhall), dies at 62
1938 – Samuel Alexander, English philosopher (Space, time and deity), dies at 79
1939 – Eugene Foss, American politician (45th Governor of Massachusetts), dies at 80
1976 – Armand Mondou, French Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1905)
2011 – DJ Mehdi [Favéris-Essadi], French hip hop and electro producer, dies from falling through a skylight at his home at 34

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