Category: On This Day

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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Historical Events

1861 – US Postmaster General Blair announces end of postal connection with South
1941 – German occupiers begin youth labor
1942 – Anglo-Soviet Treaty signed in London
1942 – Belgium Jews are required by Nazis to wear a Jewish star
1942 – Tank battle at Bir Hakeim: Afrika Korps vs British army
2001 – Super Rugby Final, Canberra: Fullback Andrew Walker kicks 5 penalties and 3 conversions as the ACT Brumbies win their first title; beat Coastal Sharks (Durban), 36-6

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Famous Birthdays

1650 – John Churchill, 1st duke of Marlborough, English general strategist, born in Ashe, England (d. 1722)
1915 – Sam Edwards, American actor (Captain Midnight, Twelve O’Clock High), born in Macon, Georgia (d. 2004)
1923 – Horst Tappert, German director, actor and former SS member (Derrick), born in Elberfeld, Germany (d. 2008)
1948 – Geoff Greenidge, West Indian cricket batsman (5 Tests; last white player to play for WI), born in St Michael, Barbados
1966 – Anthony Edwards, NFL wide receiver (Arizona Cardinals)
1967 – Phil Doyle, Australian writer

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Famous Deaths

1926 – S V Petlura, Ukrainian ataman, assassinated by Shalom Schwarzbard
1933 – Horatio Bottomley, British financier and politician (b. 1860)
1976 – Martin Heidegger, German philosopher (Being and Time), dies at 86
1991 – Tom Eyen, playwright (Dreamgirls), dies of cardiac arrest at 50
1995 – Severn Darden, American actor (Luv, President’s Analyst, Saturday the 14th), dies at 65
1996 – Halka Grossman, Israeli resistance fighter and politician, dies at 76

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Historical Events

1904 – 38th Belmont: George Odom aboard Delhi wins in 2:06.6
1943 – Agnes Moorehead appears in “Sorry, Wrong Number” on the radio program “Suspense”, her most successful appearance
1967 – European Cup Final, Estádio Nacional, Lisbon: Glasgow Celtic beats Internazionale, 2-1; first British team to win the Cup
1968 – BPAA US Women’s Bowling Open won by Dotty Fothergill
1991 – “People Are Still Having Sex” by LaTour hits #35
1995 – The Bosnian Serb Army kills 72 youngsters in the Bosnian city of Tuzla

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Famous Birthdays

1783 – Philip Pendleton Barbour, American politician and U.S. Supreme Court justice, born in Gordonsville, Virginia (d. 1841)
1925 – Rosario Castellanos, Mexican poet (Balún Canán), born in Mexico City (d. 1974)
1938 – Raymond Carver, American poet and short story writer (Furious Season), born in Clatskanie, Oregon (d. 1988)
1960 – Wallace Roney, American post-bop jazz trumpeter, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2020)
1968 – Kendall Gill, American NBA guard and forward (NJ Nets), born in Chicago, Illinois
1993 – Norman Powell, American NBA player (Toronto Raptors), born in San Diego, California

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Famous Deaths

992 – Mieszko I, Grand Duke and ruler of Poland (960-992), dies at around 61
1401 – Maria, Queen of Sicily and Duchess of Athens and Neopatria, dies at 37
1595 – Valens Acidalius, German critic and poet (b. 1567)
1985 – Robert Nathan, American poet and novelist (Portrait of Jennie), dies at 91
2006 – Otto Zykan, Austrian pianist and composer, dies at 71
2020 – Marvin Luster, American CFL Hall of Fame defensive back (6 x CFL All Star; Toronto Argonauts, Montreal Alouettes), dies at 82

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Historical Events

1086 – Abbott Dauferio/Desiderius becomes Pope Victor III
1276 – Magnus Ladulås is crowned King of Sweden in Uppsala Cathedral
1595 – Nomenclator of Leiden University Library appears, the first printed catalog of an institutional library
1870 – Memoria of Jackson Kemper, 1st Missionary Bishop in US
1940 – Dutch Queen Wilhelmina speaks on BBC radio
1983 – Supreme Court rules government can deny tax breaks to schools that racially discriminated against students

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Famous Birthdays

1794 – William Whewell, English polymath and philosopher (History of Inductive Science), born in Lancaster, Lancashire, England (d. 1866)
1803 – Alexander von Nordmann, Finnish zoologist, born in Kotka, Finland (d. 1866)
1942 – Ali Bacher, South African cricketer (South African batsman and captain in 60’s), born in Johannesburg, South Africa
1945 – Priscilla Presley, American actress (Jenna-Dallas, Naked Gun), born in Brooklyn, New York
1975 – Maria Lawson, British soul and RandB singer (Ti.Pi.Cal.), born in London
1986 – Mark Ballas, American professional dancer (Dancing with the Stars), born in Houston, Texas

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Famous Deaths

1826 – Friedrich Fesca, German violinist and composer, dies of tuberculosis at 37
1871 – Francisco Salvador Daniel, French composer, and ethno-musicologist, dies at 40
1919 – Amado Nervo [Juan Crisóstomo Ruiz de Nervo], Mexican writer and poet, dies at 48
2003 – Rachel Kempson, English actress (b. 1910)
2010 – Raymond V. Haysbert, African-American business executive and civil rights leader (b. 1920)
2010 – Morrie Martin, American MLB baseball pitcher, 1949-59 (Brooklyn Dodgers, Philadelphia Athletics, and 5 other teams), and double Purple Heart Army veteran, dies at 87

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Historical Events

1917 – Dutch 2nd Chamber approves 1908 conscription draft
1920 – Pope Benedictus XV publishes encyclical Pacem Dei
1948 – Future Baseball Hall of Fame center fielder Joe DiMaggio hits 3 consecutive HRs as the New York Yankees edge the Indians, 6-5 at Cleveland Stadium
1984 – “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”, 2nd in the film series, directed by Stephen Spielberg, produced by George Lucas, and starring Harrison Ford, opens in the US
2006 – 41st Academy of Country Music Awards: Kenny Chesney, Sara Evans and Keith Urban win
2017 – UK raises terror threat level to critical following Manchester bombing

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Famous Birthdays

1696 – Johann Caspar Vogler, German composer and organist, born in Hausen, Schwarzburg-Arnstadt (d. 1763)
1902 – Mark Lothar, German composer (The Story of the Lazy Bear), born in Berlin (d. 1985)
1938 – Graham “Johnny” Ball, British TV personality and mathematics educator (Play School), born in Bristol, England
1939 – Michel Colombier, French composer and songwriter (d. 2004)
1956 – Buck Showalter, American baseball manager (AL Manager of the Year 1994, 2004, 14; NY Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles) and analyst (ESPN, YES network), born in DeFuniak Springs, Florida
1979 – Brian Campbell, Canadian ice hockey player

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Famous Deaths

1813 – Geraud Duroc, French general (b. 1772)
1851 – Lucas Pieter Roodbaard, architect, dies at 69
1991 – Jean Van Houtte, Belgian politician (Prime Minister of Belgium, 1952-56; Finance Minister, 1950-52 and 1958-61), dies at 84
1994 – Carl Althoff, German circus director, dies at 82
2020 – Saturn, American-born alligator that escaped Berlin Zoo during WWII, dies at about 84 in Moscow Zoo (Moscow, Russia)
2021 – Cristóbal Halffter, Spanish conductor, and composer (Yes, speak out, yes; Lazarus), dies at 91

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