Category: On This Day

Historical Events

1800 – Luigi Chiaramonti elected Pope Pius VII
1900 – Dutch botanist Hugo de Vries rediscovers Gregor Mendel’s laws of heredity and genetics
1972 – NBA’s Cincinnati Royals, plagued by poor home attendance, announce they are moving franchise to Kansas City
2013 – 7 people are killed after gunmen storm a bar in Cancun, Mexico
2021 – UK police officer charged with the death of Sarah Everard, who disappeared walking home in south London, and whose death sparked debate about violence against women

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Famous Birthdays

1804 – Johann Strauss the Elder, Viennese violinist and composer (Radetzky March), born in Leopoldstadt, Austria (d. 1849)
1898 – Arnold Chikobava, Georgian linguist, born in Sachikobavo, Georgia, Russian Empire (d. 1985)
1917 – Macha Rosenthal, American critic and poet (Poetry as Confession), born in Washington D.C. (d. 1996)
1938 – Eleanor Bron, British actress (Women in Love, Bedazzled), born in Stanmore, England
1945 – Michael Martin Murphey, American country singer (Wildfire), born in Dallas, Texas

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Famous Deaths

1903 – Jan Hendrik Weissenbruch, Dutch landscape painter, dies at 88
1917 – Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia, Duchess of Connaugh and Strathearn, dies of influenza at 56
1976 – Busby Berkeley [Enos], American film choreographer (42nd Street) and director (Strike Up The Band; They Made Me A Criminal), dies at 80
1991 – Howard Ashman, American playwright and lyricist (Little Shop of Horrors; The Little Mermaid), dies of AIDS-related complications at 40
2023 – Jim Ferree, American golfer (1 x PGA Tour win; 2 x Senior PGA Tour wins), dies at 91

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Historical Events

1759 – 27th recorded perihelion passage of Halley’s Comet
1913 – Kansas legislature approved censorship of motion pictures
1921 – Mongolia (formerly Outer Mongolia) declares independence from China
1930 – Clyde Tombaugh announces the discovery of Pluto at Lowell Observatory
1954 – Braves’ Bobby Thomson breaks his ankle, he is replaced by Hank Aaron

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Famous Birthdays

1372 – Louis I, Duke of Orléans, Brother of Charles VI of France, born in Paris (d. 1407)
1599 – Johannes Berchmans, Dutch Jesuit and Roman Catholic saint, born in Diest, Seventeen Provinces (d. 1621)
1700 – Michel Blavet, French composer, born in Besançon, France (d. 1768)
1910 – Karl Gustav Ahlefeldt, Danish actor (Gertrud, Hooray for the Blue Hussars), born in Copenhagen, Denmark (d. 1985)
1950 – Charles Krauthammer, American conservative political commentator and psychiatrist (The Washington Post), born in New York City (d. 2018)

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Famous Deaths

1808 – Christian VII, King of Denmark and Norway (1766-1808), dies of a stroke at 59
1965 – Fan S. Noli, Albanian bishop, poet, and politician (b. 1882)
1994 – Murt [Edward James] O’Donoghue, New Zealand snooker player (1st witnessed 147 break), dies at 93
1995 – Odette Hallowes, British classified agent in France (WWII), dies at 82
1996 – Krzysztof Kieślowski, Polish film director (The Double Life of Veronique), dies of a heart attack at 54

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Historical Events

1365 – University of Vienna is founded
1877 – Great Britain annexes Walvis Bay at Cape colony, Southern Africa.
1966 – Chicago Black Hawks Bobby Hull’s 51st goal of season, sets record
1969 – 120 cannabis joints found at George Harrison and Patti Harrison’s home in Esher, England
1991 – 5th Soul Train Music Awards: Johnny Gill, Mariah Carey win

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Famous Birthdays

1888 – Hall Johnson, American composer (Hall Johnson Choir), born in Athens, Georgia (d. 1970)
1924 – Martha Nierenberg [née Weiss de Csepel], Hungarian-American biochemist, furniture designer and co-founder of Dansk Designs, born in Budapest, Hungary (d. 2020)
1938 – Norman Hogg, British MP
1948 – James Taylor, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (“Fire And Rain”; “You’ve Got A Friend”; “Shower The People”), born in Boston, Massachusetts
1949 – David Mellor, British MP who resigned due to scandal, born in Wareham, England

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Famous Deaths

1924 – Hilaire de Chardonnet, French industrialist and inventor (rayon), dies at 84
1950 – L Heinrich Mann, German/American writer (Between the Races), dies at 78
2004 – Sylvi Saimo, Finnish kayaker (Olympic gold K-1 500m 1952, 1st Finnish female summer Olympic champion), dies at 89
2010 – Lesley Duncan (Cox), British session singer (Pink Floyd; Jesus Christ Superstar), and singer-songwriter (“Love Song”; “Sing Children Sing”), dies of cerebrovascular disease at 66
2012 – Michael Hossack, American rock drummer (The Doobie Brothers), dies of cancer at 65

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Historical Events

1513 – Giovanni de’ Medici chosen Pope Leo X
1665 – NY approves new code guaranteeing Protestants religious rights
1924 – 3rd term of Belgium Theunis government begins
1982 – Failed military coup under Rambocus and Hawker in Suriname
2020 – Smallest dinosaur ever discovered – skull preserved in piece of amber smaller than a fingertip from a mine in Myanmar, reported in “Nature”

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Famous Birthdays

1819 – Marius Petipa, French ballet dancer and choreographer (Don Quiotte), born in Marseille, France (d. 1910)
1907 – Eleni Gatzoyiannis, Greek heroine (subject of “Eleni” by son Nicholas Gage about how she saved her children), born in Greece (d. 1948)
1915 – Vijay Hazare, Indian cricket batsman and captain (30 Tests, 7 x 100, HS 164no; Maharashtra, Central India, Baroda, Holkar), born in Sangli, India (d. 2004)
1945 – Dock Ellis, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star and World Series 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates; pitched no-hitter 1971), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2008)
1961 – Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, ruler and President of the UAE (2022-), born in Al Ain, Trucial States

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Famous Deaths

1915 – Thomas Alexander Browne, Australian writer (Robbery Under Arms), dies at 88
1989 – John Jay McCloy, American lawyer and banker (Secretary of War 1941-45, Chairman Chase Manhattan Bank, President of World Bank 1947-49), dies at 93
1997 – Hugo Weisgall, American composer (4 Impressions), dies at 84
2000 – Alfred Schwarzmann, German gymnast (Olympic gold individual, team, horse vault, 2 x bronze 1936; silver 1952), dies at 87
2019 – Hal Blaine [Harold Belsky], American pop and rock session drummer (The Wrecking Crew), dies at 90

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Historical Events

1791 – Pope condemns France’s Civil Constitution of the clergy
1874 – Purdue University (Indiana) admits its 1st student
1962 – Gala preview dinner held atop the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington, prior to opening of the Century 21 Exposition (World’s Fair)
1964 – Simon and Garfunkel record the first version of “The Sound of Silence” at Columbia Studios in New York City
1996 – 37th SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament: Mississippi State beats Kentucky, 84-73

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Famous Birthdays

1769 – Joseph Williamson, English philanthropist and tunnel builder (Williamson tunnels in Liverpool), born in West Riding, England (d. 1840)
1887 – Toshitsugu Takamatsu, Japanese martial artist and Bujinkan teacher, born in Akashi, Japan (d. 1972)
1916 – Pamela Mason [Ostrer], British actress, author and talk-show host (Lady Possessed), born in Rochford, England (d. 1996)
1933 – Ralph Emery, American country music DJ and television host (Nashville Now), born in McEwen, Tennessee (d. 2022)
1970 – Matt Barlow, American heavy metal vocalist (Ashes of Ares; Iced Earth; Pyramaze), born in Biloxi, Mississippi

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Famous Deaths

1897 – Teodulo Mabellini, Italian composer, dies at 79
1967 – Yiorgos Batis, Greek composer and rebetiko musician, dies at about 82
1994 – Robert Shea, American author (Illuminatus!), dies of cancer at 61
1999 – Oswaldo Guayasamín, Ecuadorian master painter and sculptor, dies at 79
2024 – Karl Wallinger, Welsh rocker and songwriter (The Waterboys, 1983-85; World Party – “Give It All Away”; “Ship Of Fools”), dies of a stroke at 66

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Historical Events

1776 – Adam Smith publishes the influential economics book “The Wealth of Nations”
1809 – A group of conspirators break into Gripsholm Castle and imprison King Gustav IV Adolf and appoint Charles XIII in his place as Regent of Sweden
1922 – Eugene O’Neill’s “Hairy Ape” premieres in NYC
1984 – The Competitive Enterprise Institute is founded in Washington, D.C.
2020 – National one-day women’s strike held in Mexico to protest high rates of femicide (more than 10 women murdered every day)

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Famous Birthdays

1891 – José P. Laurel, 3rd President of the Philippines (1942-44), born in Tanauan, Batangas (d. 1959)
1892 – Frank Puglia, Italian actor (Black Orchid, Jungle Book), born in Sicily, Italy (d. 1975)
1930 – Thomas Schippers, American conductor (Amahl and Night Visitors), born in Kalamazoo, Michigan (d. 1977)
1937 – Grahame Chevalier, South African cricketer (one Test for South Africa 1970, 0 and 0*, 5-100), born in Cape Town, South Africa (d. 2017)
1981 – Clay Rapada, American baseball player, born in Chesapeake, Virginia

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Famous Deaths

1688 – Claude Mellan, French engraver, cartoonist and painter, dies at 89
1980 – Olga Chekova, actress (Moulin Rouge, Pawns of Possession), dies at 82
2010 – Doris Haddock, American political activist (b. 1910)
2011 – Inge Sørensen, Danish swimmer (youngest female Olympic Games medalist in an individual event [12] bronze 200m breaststroke 1936), dies at 86
2012 – Peter Bergman, American comedian, dies from leukemia at 72

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Historical Events

1934 – Edwin Hubble photo shows as many galaxies as Milky Way has stars
1946 – 1st helicopter licensed for commercial use (NYC)
1949 – WAGA TV channel 5 in Atlanta, GA (CBS) begins broadcasting
1996 – “Fargo” directed and written by Joel and Ethan Coen, starring Frances McDormand, William H. Macy and Steve Buscemi released in the US
2022 – President Joe Biden announces the US is banning Russian oil imports with UK phasing out imports by the end of the year

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Famous Birthdays

1726 – Richard Howe, British admiral, born in London (d. 1799)
1902 – Jennings Randolph, American politician, Senator from West Virginia (1958-85), last living member of the Congress to have served during the first 100 days of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration, born in Salem, West Virginia (d. 1998)
1922 – Carl Furillo, American baseball outfielder (NL Batting Champ 1953; MLB All-Star 1952, 53; World Series 1955, 59; Brooklyn/LA Dodgers), born in Stony Creek Mills, Pennsylvania (d. 1989)
1936 – Sue Ane Langdon, actress (Bachelor Father, Arnie), born in Paterson, New Jersey
1975 – Peggy Zina [Panagiota-Calliope Chrysicopoulou], Greek pop and modern laika singer, and piano player, born in Athens, Greece

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Famous Deaths

1819 – Benjamin Ruggles Woodbridge, American doctor, Massachusetts militia officer, member of the Massachusetts legislature, dies at 80
1869 – Hector Berlioz, French composer (Symphonie fantastique), dies at 65
1919 – Auguste Tolbecque, French cellist, instrument maker, and composer, dies at 88
1976 – Alfons Rebane, Estonian military officer during WWII and MI6 intelligence officer, dies at 67
1993 – Joop Scheltens, TV host/director (Explore Your Place), dies at 69

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Historical Events

1939 – Glamour magazine begins publishing
1945 – Yugoslavia government of Josep Broz Tito forms
1959 – “Bells Are Ringing” closes at Shubert Theater NYC after 925 performances
1998 – 19th Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament: Connecticut beats Syracuse, 69-64
2024 – Sweden officially joins NATO as the alliance’s 32nd member, abandoning its 200-year policy of neutrality

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Famous Birthdays

1556 – Guillaume du Vair, French writer and thinker, born in Paris (d. 1621)
1844 – Anthony Comstock, American anti-vice crusader and philatelist, born in New Canaan, Connecticut (d. 1915)
1942 – Paul Preuss, American sci-fi author (Medusa Encounter, Starfire), born in Albany, Georgia
1960 – Ivan Lendl, Czech-American tennis player (world #1 270 weeks; 8 x Grand Slam singles title winner; 5 x Tour Finals, 2 x WCT Finals), born in Ostrava, Czech Republic
1967 – Randel “Randy” Guss, American musician and drummer (Toad the Wet Sprocket), born in Detroit, Michigan

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Famous Deaths

1810 – Albertus Henricus Wiese, governor-general of Netherlands Indies, dies at about 48
1891 – Franz von Miklosich, Slovenian philologist, dies at 77
1964 – Franz Alexander, Hungarian-American pioneering psychoanalyst (pioneered psychosomatic medicine), dies at 73
1991 – Greta Schoon, German poet, and kindergarten teacher, dies at 81
2002 – Abdul Mati [Matias Klarwein], French artist known for his works used on music album covers (Santana’s Abraxus; Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew; Osibisa’s Heads; Jon Hassel’s Dream Theory), dies at 69

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Historical Events

1882 – Monarch Milan Obrenovic of Serbia crowns himself king
1904 – The Japanese fleet bombards Vladivostok, the major Russian port on the Pacific
1933 – Poland occupies the free city of Danzig (Gdańsk)
1976 – 23rd ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament: Virginia beats North Carolina, 67-62
1978 – Hustler publisher Larry Flynt and his lawyer shot by a militant white supremacist sniper in Georgia, leaving Flynt crippled and wheelchair bound

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Famous Birthdays

1898 – (Johanne) “Jo” Vincent, Dutch concert soprano (St. Matthew’s Passion; Benjamin Britten’s Spring Symphony), and voice teacher, born in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1989)
1916 – Virginia Gregg, American radio and screen actress, singer and double bassist, born in Harrisburg, Illinois (d. 1986)
1966 – Maurice Ashley, American chess player and commentator (1st Black Grandmaster), born in St. Andrews, Jamaica
1970 – Edward Berger, German film director (All Quiet on the Western Front; Conclave), born in Wolfsburg, West Germany
1976 – Ken Anderson, American professional wrestler also known as “Mr. Kennedy” (WWE Smackdown!; TNA iMPACT! Wrestling), born in Wisconsin Rapids

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Famous Deaths

1490 – Ivan the Young, Russian Prince of Moscow, heir of Ivan III of Russia, and ruler of Tver by marriage to Maria of Tver, dies at 32
1954 – Louis Zimmermann, Dutch violinist (1st concert master of Amsterdam Symphony), composer, and educator, dies at 80
1967 – Nelson Eddy, American baritone (Phantom of the Opera), dies at 65
1984 – Ian Cromb, New Zealand cricket all-rounder (5 Tests, 1 x 50, 8 wickets; Canterbury), dies in a car accident at 78
1994 – Max Schubert, Australian pioneering winemaker (Penfolds), dies at 89

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Historical Events

1858 – Abolitionists establish “Crispus Attucks Day” in Boston
1959 – Iran and US sign economic and military treaty
1970 – “Airport” based on the book by Arthur Hailey, directed by George Seaton and starring Burt Lancaster and Dean Martin is released
1994 – Jefffesron Airplane/Starship singer Grace Slick arrested for pointing a gun at a cop
2019 – Japanese architect Arata Isozaki wins architecture’s Pritzker Prize

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Famous Birthdays

1817 – Austen Henry Layard, British archaeologist and diplomat (work in Mesopotamia including rediscovery of Nineveh), born in Paris, France (d. 1894)
1921 – Elmer Valo, American baseball outfielder (one of only 4, four-decade MLB players 1939-61; Philadelphia, KC Athletics), born in Rybník Czechoslovakia (d. 1998)
1932 – Earl Woods, American author (father of Tiger Woods; 2 x books about upbringing and coaching), born in Manhattan, Kansas (d. 2006)
1948 – Eddy Grant, Guyanese–British reggae singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist (“Electric Avenue”), born in Plaisance, British Guiana
1973 – Nicole Pratt, Australian tennis star (1995 Futures Australia), born in Mackay, Queensland

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Famous Deaths

1950 – Sid Grauman, American entrepreneur, established the Chinese Theatre and Egyptian Theatre, dies from coronary occlusion at 70
1994 – Abdullah Al-Sallal, President of Yemen (1962-67), dies
2006 – Richard Kuklinski, American mafia hit man, dies at 70
2010 – Peter Woodcock, Canadian serial killer who killed three children, dies in prison at 71
2018 – Hayden White, American “literary criticism” historian (Metahistory: The Historical Imagination in Nineteenth-Century Europe), dies at 89

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