Category: On This Day

Historical Events

1945 – USA, UK, USSR, France declare supreme authority over Germany
1953 – Denmark adopts a new constitution
1953 – US Senate rejects China People’s Republic membership to UN
1959 – Bob Dylan graduates from Hibbing High School in Minnesota
1963 – Dutch Princess Marijke changes her name to Christina
2014 – MLB Draft: Cathedral Catholic HS (CA) pitcher Brady Aiken first pick by Houston Astros

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Famous Birthdays

1665 – Nicolas Bernier, French composer, born in Mantes-sur-Seine (d. 1734)
1908 – Jack Jacob, British senior master (British Supreme Court), born in Shanghai (d. 2000)
1943 – Matthew Lesko, American author, born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
1950 – Ronnie Dyson, American stage actor (Hair – “Aquarius”; Salvation), and soul singer (“(If You Let Me Make Love to You Then) Why Can’t I Touch You?”; “I Don’t Wanna Cry”), born in Washington, DC (d. 1990)
1959 – Michael Winans, American gospel singer (Winans), born in Detroit, Michigan
1995 – Troye Sivan [Mellet], South African–born Australian pop singer-songwriter (Bloom), born in Johannesburg, South Africa

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Famous Deaths

1816 – Giovanni Paisiello, Italian composer (Serva Padrona), dies at 76
1953 – Roland Young, English American actor (David Copperfield, Irene, Dulcy), dies at 65
1984 – Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Indies Sikh leader
1990 – Jan Zeldenrust, Dutch pathologist and anatomist, dies at 83
1992 – Max Lerner, American writer/columnist (NY Post), dies at 88
2002 – Curtis Amy, American jazz musician (Way Down), dies at 72

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Historical Events

1831 – National Congress selects Leopold von Saksen-Coburg as King of Belgium
1938 – 10th Walker Cup: Britain-Ireland wins 7½-4½ at the Old Course at St Andrews
1944 – U505 becomes the first German submarine captured and boarded on high seas
1987 – American hurdler Edwin Moses’ 122 race winning streak which extends to nearly 10 years ends when he is beaten by countryman Danny Harris in Madrid, Spain
1989 – Red Sox lead Blue Jays 10-0 in 7th, but lose 12-11 in 12 for Blue Jays 12th consecutive victory at Fenway
2005 – French Open Women’s Tennis: Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne wins 1st of 3 straight French titles; beats Mary Pierce of France 6-1, 6-1

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Famous Birthdays

1920 – Britt Woodman, American jazz trombonist (Duke Ellington; Charles Mingus; Lionel Hampton), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2000)
1929 – Karolos Papoulias, President of Greece (2005-15), born in Ioannina, Greece
1961 – Kym Ambrose, Australian jazz vibraphonist (The Brazilian Ensemble), born
1966 – Nick Kypreos, NHL left wing (Toronto Maple Leafs), born in Toronto, Ontario
1967 – Rick Wilkins, American baseball catcher (Houston Astros), born in Jacksonville, Florida
1970 – David Pybus, British extreme heavy metal bassist (Cradle Of Death), born in Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, England

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Famous Deaths

1918 – Charles W. Fairbanks, 26th Vice President of the United States (Republican: 1905-09) and Senator, dies of nephritis at 66
1954 – Harold Hoffman, (Gov-NJ), dies at 58
1992 – Carl Stotz, founder (baseball’s little league), dies at 82
1994 – Roberto Burle Marx, Brazilian landscape gardener, dies at 84
1996 – Kudirat Abiola, wife of Moshood Abiola, is assassinated
2007 – Craig L. Thomas, United States Senator (b. 1933)

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Historical Events

1888 – Baseball poem “Casey at the Bat” 1st published by the San Francisco Examiner
1896 – British naval officer David Beatty is seconded to the Egyptian government and appointed second in command of the river flotilla
1941 – German occupiers stamp “J” on Jewish passports
1966 – Gemini 9 launched; 7th US 2-man flight (Stafford and Cernan)
1968 – Poor Peoples March on Washington, D.C.
1992 – Joan Lunden ordered to pay her ex-husband $18,000 a month support

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Famous Birthdays

1746 – James Hook, English composer, born in Norwich (d. 1827)
1773 – Michael Gottard Fischer, German composer and organist, born in Alach (d. 1829)
1866 – George Howells Broadhurst, English director (d. 1952)
1936 – David Nicholls, English Anglican priest, theologian and political theorist, born in Woking, England (d. 1996)
1966 – Bill Janovitz, American rock singer-songwriter, guitarist (Buffalo Tom), music writer, and real estate agent, born in Queens, New York City
1987 – Masami Nagasawa, Japanese actress

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Famous Deaths

1928 – Li Yüan-hung, Chinese general and political figure (b. 1864)
1967 – Arthur Tedder, British Air Marshal (WWII), dies at 76
1970 – Hjalmar Schacht, German economist, banker and politician (co-founder German Democratic Party), dies at 93
2009 – Koko Taylor [Cora Walton], American blues singer known as the “Queen of the Blues”, dies of complications from surgery for gastrointestinal bleeding at 80
2011 – Jack Kevorkian, American pathologist and right-to-die activist, dies of a thrombosis at 83
2017 – Jimmy Piersall, American baseball outfielder (MLB All Star 1954, 56; his bipolar disorder subject book and film, “Fear Strikes Out”), dies at 87

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Historical Events

1633 – Prince Frederick Henry conquers fort Rhine at Cologne
1863 – Harriet Tubman leads Union guerrillas into Maryland, freeing slaves
1910 – Pygmies discovered in Dutch New Guinea
1966 – US Surveyor 1 lands in Oceanus Procellarum; 1st lunar soft-landing
1971 – European Cup Final, Wembley Stadium, London: Ajax beats Panathinaikos, 2-0; Dutch champions begin 3-year period of domination
1997 – Liberals beat Conservatives in France

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Famous Birthdays

1835 – Pius X [Giuseppe Sarto], 257th Roman Catholic pope (1903-14)
1907 – Dorothy West, American journalist/author (Living is Easy)
1917 – Max Showalter, American actor and composer (Kansas, Niagara, Stockard Channing Show in Caldwell), born in Caldwell, Kansas (d. 2000)
1935 – Roger Brierley, English actor (d. 2005)
1955 – Dana Carvey, American comedian and actor (SNL – “George Bush”; Wayne’s World – “Garth”), born in Missoula, Montana
1981 – Nikolay Davydenko, Russian professional tennis player, born in Sievierodonetsk, Ukrainian SSR

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Famous Deaths

1944 – Vera Menchik, Russian born British chess master, 1st official women’s world chess champion (1927-39), dies in a London air raid at 38
1963 – Century Milstead, American College Football Hall of Fame tackle (Yale; NFL C’ship 1927, NY Giants), dies at 62
1979 – Jim Hutton, actor (Ellery Queen), dies of liver cancer at 45
1996 – Pilar Lorengar [Lorenza Pilar García], Aragones soprano, dies of cancer at 68
2008 – Bo Diddley [Ellas McDaniel], American rock guitarist dies of heart failure at 79
2017 – Peter Sallis, British actor (Wallace and Gromit, Last of the Summer Wine), dies at 96

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Historical Events

1907 – -27°F (-33°C), Sarmiento, Argentina (South American record)
1908 – John Krohn begins walk around perimeter of US, which took 357 days
1941 – Germany bans all Catholic publications
1972 – Dmitri Shostakovich’s 15th Symphony, Dutch premieres in West Berlin
1985 – “Just A Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody” by David Lee Roth hits #12
1985 – West Indian cricket batsman Viv Richards scores 300 in a day on the way to 322 in a tour match against Warwickshire at Taunton; 42 fours and 8 sixes of 258 balls

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Famous Birthdays

1831 – John Bell Hood, General (Confederate Army), (d. 1879)
1915 – John Randolph [Emanuel Hirsch Cohen], American actor (King Kong, Lucan, Lucas Tanner, Angie), born in NYC, New York (d. 2004)
1956 – Lisa Hartman Black, American singer and actress (Tabitha, Knots Landing), born in Houston, Texas
1979 – Santana Moss, American NFL wide receiver / punt returner (Pro Bowl 2005; New York Jets, Washington Redskins), born in Miami, Florida
1982 – Justine Henin, Belgian tennis player (7 x Grand Slam singles titles; Olympic gold 2004; WTA Tour C’ship 2006, 07; 43 x WTA singles titles), born in Liège, Belgium
1986 – Dayana Mendoza, Miss Universe 2008

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Famous Deaths

1434 – Władysław II Jagiełło, King of Lithuania and later also Poland, dies (b.1351)
1948 – Alex Gard, Russian-born caricaturist (b. 1900)
1981 – Carl Vinson, American politician (38th Dean of the United States House of Representatives, 1961-65), dies at 97
1991 – David Ruffin, American soul musician and early lead singer for The Temptations (My Girl, Ain’t Too Proud to Beg), dies of drug overdose at 50
1999 – Christopher Cockerell, English engineer and inventor (Hovercraft), dies at 88
2014 – Valentin Mankin, Ukrainian yachtsman (Olympic gold, USSR, Finn class 1968), dies at 75

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Historical Events

1847 – Rotterdam-Hague Railway opens
1893 – Remains of Jefferson Davis moved from New Orleans and re-interred at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, per his widow’s request
1930 – Comet 73P/1930 (Schwassmann-Wachmann 3) approaches 0.0617 AUs of Earth
1961 – Union of South Africa becomes a republic, leaves Commonwealth
1982 – “Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” opens at Eugene O’Neill Theater NYC for 63 performances
1984 – US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

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Famous Birthdays

1773 – Ludwig Tieck, German writer, born in Berlin (d. 1853)
1857 – Pius XI [Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti], Italian 259th Pope (1922-39), born in Desio, Lombardy-Venetia, Austrian Empire (d. 1939)
1892 – Willem Ravelli, Dutch baritone singer (St Matthew Passion), born in The Hague, Netherlands (d. 1980)
1964 – Leonard Asper, Canadian businessman (CanWest), born in Winnipeg, Manitoba
1967 – Phil Keoghan, New Zealand television personality (The Amazing Race), born in Lincoln, New Zealand
1973 – Marty Janzen, American pitcher (Toronto Blue Jays), born in Miami, Florida

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Famous Deaths

1837 – Joseph Grimaldi, English pantomimist and the “greatest clown in history”, dies at 57
1931 – Felix-Raymond-Marie Rouleau, French Canadian cardinal, archbishop of Quebec (b. 1866)
1952 – Walter Schellenberg, German lawyer/headed spy (Venlo), dies
1962 – Henry F. Ashurst, American Democratic politician (U.S. Senator from Arizona), dies at 87
1986 – Jane Frank, American artist, dies at 67
2000 – Tito Puente, American mambo and Latin jazz bandleader (“Oye Como Va”), dies at 77

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Historical Events

1848 – William G Young patents ice cream freezer
1933 – Indianapolis 500: Louis Meyer wins accompanied by riding mechanic Lawson Harris; Mark Billman killed in a crash on lap 79; Lester Spangler and riding mechanic “Monk” Jordan die in a crash on lap 132
1944 – Transport number 75 departs with French Jews to Nazi Germany
1959 – 58th Men’s French Championships: Nicola Pietrangeli beats Ian Vermaak (3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-1)
1986 – Ariane-2 (ESA) launched
2015 – English FA Cup Final, Wembley Stadium, London (89,283): Arsenal beats Aston Villa, 4-0; Gunners’ 12th title

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Famous Birthdays

1845 – Amadeus/Amadeo I, duke of Aosta and King of Spain (1870-73), born in Turin, Italy (d. 1890)
1894 – Hubertus J van Mook, Dutch minister of Colonies (1942-45)
1906 – Bruno Gröning, German faith healer (d. 1959)
1907 – Elly Beinhorn, German pilot (d. 2007)
1956 – Allison Roe MBE, New Zealand marathon runner (NYC, Boston 1981; Seoul 1982), born in Auckland, New Zealand
1962 – John Alt, NFL tackle (KC Chiefs)

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Famous Deaths

1434 – Prokop the Great, Hussite general
1574 – Charles IX, King of France (1560-74), dies of tuberculosis at 23
1979 – Jack Raine, British actor (Quartet), dies at 82
1987 – Melvin “Turk” Murphy, American Dixieland jazz trombonist, dies at 71
1989 – Claude Pepper, American politician (Rep-D-FL, 1963-89), dies at 88
2012 – Andrew Huxley, British physiologist and Nobel laureate, dies at 94

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Historical Events

1138 – Anti-Pope Victor IV (Gregorio) submits himself to Pope Innocentius II
1677 – Treaty of Middle Plantation establishes peace between the Virginia colonists and local Native Americans
1916 – Official flag of President of the United States adopted
1948 – French Championships Women’s Tennis: Belgium-born but representing France, Nelly Landry beats American Shirley Fry 6-2, 0-6, 6-0 for her lone major title
1957 – Laos government of prince Suvanna Phuma resigns
1987 – Michael Jackson attempts to buy Elephant Man’s remains

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Famous Birthdays

1913 – Tony Zale, American boxer (World Middleweight Champion 1940-47, 48), born in Gary, Indiana (d. 1997)
1962 – Perry Fenwick, English actor, born in Canning Town, London
1976 – Jerry Hairston Jr., American baseball infielder/outfielder, broadcaster (Baltimore Orioles), born in Des Moines, Iowa
1977 – António Lebo-Lebo, Angolan soccer defender (Angola 15 caps), born in Malanje, Angola
1982 – Ana Beatriz Barros, Brazilian model (Sports Illustrated), born in Itabira, Brazil
1991 – Kristen Alderson, American actress (One Life to Live), born in Huntington Valley, Pennsylvania

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Famous Deaths

1892 – Baha’u’llah [Mirza HA Noeri], Persian founder (Baha’i), dies at 74
1896 – Gabriel Auguste Daubrée, French geologist, dies at 81
1957 – George Bacovia [Vasiliu], Romanian poet and composer (Plumb), dies at 75
1997 – George Fenneman, American radio and TV announcer (You Bet Your Life), dies at 77
2007 – Lois Browne-Evans, Bermudian Politician (stroke) (b. 1927)
2008 – Harvey Korman, American actor (The Carol Burnett Show; Blazing Saddles; High Anxiety), dies at 81

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Historical Events

1866 – Dutch government of Zuylen van Nijevelt/Heemskerk forms
1941 – 1st night game at Griffith Stadium, Washington, D.C. (NY Yankees pip the Senators 6-5)
1953 – Premier of 1st animated 3-D cartoon in Technicolor-“Melody”
1971 – USSR Mars 3 launched, 1st spacecraft to soft land on Mars
1987 – 60th US National Spelling Bee: Stephanie Petit wins spelling staphylococci
1999 – Two Swedish police officers are murdered with their own fire arms by the bank robbers Jackie Arklöv and Tony Olsson after a dramatic car chase

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Famous Birthdays

1641 – Johann Weikhard von Valvasor, Slovenian polymath and natural historian, born in Laibach, Carniola (d. 1693)
1780 – Franz Joseph Fröhlich, German composer, born in Würzburg, Bavaria (d. 1862)
1957 – Walter R. Tucker III, American politician (Rep-D-California 1993-95), born in Compton, California
1968 – Tomas P Pukstys, javelin thrower (Olympics 8th 1996), born in Chicago, Illinois
1981 – Daniel Cabrera, Dominican baseball player
1985 – Colbie Caillat, American folk-pop singer-songwriter (“Breakthrough”; ” Bubbly”; “Brighter Than the Sun”), born in Malibu, California

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Famous Deaths

1927 – Georges Eekhoud, Belgian writer (Belgian Kempen), dies at 73
1958 – Mikuláš Schneider-Trnavský, Slovak composer, dies at 77
1981 – Mary Lou Williams, American jazz pianist and composer (Zodiac Suite), dies at 71
1990 – Hussein Bin Onn, 1st minister of Malasia (1976-81), dies
1994 – Julius Boros, American golfer (PGA C’ship 1968, US Open 1952, 63), dies of heart attack at 74
1995 – Jean Muir, British fashion designer, dies at 66

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Historical Events

1738 – Turkish troops occupy Orsova and Ochakov in eastern Europe
1902 – 27th Preakness: L Jackson aboard Old England wins in 1:45.8
1942 – Italian army begin siege of French western Fort Bir Hachim
1969 – Walt Disney World construction begins at Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida
1997 – Russian President Boris Yeltsin signs a historic treaty with NATO
2001 – Indianapolis 500: race rookie Hélio Castroneves of Brazil leads for the final 52 laps to win first of 4 Indy 500s; Penske Racing sweeps 1st-2nd with Gil de Ferran the runner-up

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Famous Birthdays

1901 – Conrad Elvehjem, American biochemist and nutrition scientist (discovered niacin), born in McFarland, Wisconsin (d. 1962)
1910 – Daniel Greenway, CEO (Daniel Greenway and Sons)
1936 – Louis Gossett Jr, American actor (Officer and Gentleman, Deep), born in Brooklyn, New York
1966 – Ray Sheppard, Pembroke, NHL right wing (Florida Panthers)
1971 – Wayne Carey, Australian rules footballer
1977 – Abderrahmane Hammad, Algerian athlete

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Famous Deaths

1576 – Charles de Boisot, Dutch admiral and water beggar, drowns in battle at about 45
1610 – François Ravaillac, French assassin of Henry IV of France (b. 1578)
1615 – Margaret de Valois, 1st Queen of Henry IV of France (1672-99) daughter of Henry II, dies at 61
1831 – Jedediah Smith, American explorer (b. 1799)
1992 – John Myhers, director/actor (Billion Dollar Hobo), dies at 70
2003 – Luciano Berio, Italian composer (Chemins), dies at 77

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