Category: On This Day

Historical Events

1913 – Jim Thorpe relinquishes his 1912 Olympic medals for playing 2 seasons of semi-professional baseball before competing in the Olympics
1961 – 1st woman personal physician to a US President – Janet G. Travell (to John F. Kennedy)
1982 – For the first time since the 1930s, the unemployed population in UK rises above three million
1990 – Boston Red Sox hires Elaine Weddington as asst GM (highest-ranking African American female in a major-league front office)
2004 – Mydoom , the most destructive computer worm (so far), first sighted on computers in North America. Goes on to cause $38 billion in damages.
2005 – Glendale train crash: Two trains derail killing 11 and injuring 200 in Glendale, California, near Los Angeles.

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Famous Birthdays

1920 – Derek Bond, British actor (Nicholas Nickelby, Armchair Theatre), born in Glasgow, Scotland (d. 2006)
1932 – George H Clements, first Roman Catholic Priest to adopt a child.
1936 – Sal Buscema, American comic book artist
1943 – Jean Knight [Caliste], American soul, funk and RandB singer (Mr. Big Stuff), born in New Orleans, Louisiana
1965 – Tim McDonald, American football safety (San Francisco 49ers), born in Fresno, California
1968 – Chris Pringle, New Zealand cricket fast bowler (14 Tests; 64 ODI), born in Auckland, New Zealand

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Famous Deaths

1948 – Ignaz Friedman, Polish pianist and composer, dies at 65
1967 – Albert Rémy, French actor (Grand Prix, The 400 Blows, The Train), dies at 51
1968 – Yvor Winters, American poet (b. 1900)
1977 – Margaret Hayes, American actress (Blackboard Jungle, Robert Montgomery Presents), dies from cancer and hepatitis at 60
1995 – Vic Buckingham, English soccer player/trainer (Ajax), dies at 79
2003 – John Browning, American pianist (Leventritt Award-1956), dies at 69

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Historical Events

1787 – Shays’ Rebellion suffers a setback when debt-ridden farmers, led by Capt Daniel Shays, fail to capture an arsenal at Springfield, Massachusetts
1819 – University of Virginia chartered by Commonwealth of Virginia, with Thomas Jefferson one of its founders
1844 – Recontre between Reps Weller and Shriver, US House of Representative
1895 – New Haven Symphony Orchestra of Connecticut performs its first concert
1959 – 1st transcontinental commercial jet flight (American) (LA to NY for $301)
1988 – Ramsewak Shankar sworn in as President of Suriname

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Famous Birthdays

1891 – Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies, British actress (The Devil Rides Out), born in London, England (d. 1992)
1928 – Eduard Shevardnadze, President of Georgia (1995-2003) and Soviet Foreign Minister (1985-90), born in Mamati, Georgia (d. 2014)
1953 – The Honky Tonk Man [Wayne Farris], American professional wrestler, born in Bolivar, Tennessee
1963 – Carl Fysh, British pop-rocker (Brother Beyond – “Can You Keep a Secret?”)
1967 – Randy McKay, Canadian NHL right wing (Stanley Cup 1998, 2000; NJ Devils; 932 NHL games), born in Montreal, Quebec
1970 – Milt Stegall, American football player (Winnipeg Blue Bombers), born in Cincinnati, Ohio

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Famous Deaths

1733 – Reinier V van Hompech, Dutch gen-maj cavalry, dies
1970 – Eiji Tsuburaya, Japanese television writer and producer (Ultraman) (b. 1901)
1981 – Adele Astaire [Lady Charles Cavendish], American dancer and entertainer, sister of Fred Astaire (Last Man on Earth, Millie), dies at 82
1992 – Mahmoud Riad, Secretary-General of Arab League (1972-79), dies
2001 – Margaret Scriven, English tennis player (French C’ships 1933-34), dies at 88
2019 – Florence Knoll Bassett, American furniture designer (Knoll), dies at 101

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Historical Events

1939 – Spanish government moves to Figueras
1976 – Cleveland Cavaliers biggest margin victory-43 pts (beat Milwaukee 132-89)
1987 – Australian Open Women’s Tennis: Hana Mandlíková of Czechoslovakia wins her 4th and final Grand Slam singles crown; beats Martina Navratilova 7-5, 7-6
1990 – LAs’ Pat Riley becomes the 13th and fastest coach to reach the 500-victory plateau as the Lakers down the Indiana Pacers, 120-111; Riley (500-184) surpasses Don Nelson (500-317) to reach milestone
2001 – Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson resigns
2006 – After losing the federal election to Stephen Harper, Paul Martin resigns as leader of the Liberal party

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Famous Birthdays

1919 – Nora Beloff, English journalist and author, born in London, United Kingdom (d. 1997)
1931 – Maria Piątkowskacka, Polish athlete (WR 4 x 100m relay 1964), born in Goleni, Moldova (d. 2020)
1946 – Michael Ontkean, Canadian actor (Rookies, Slap Shot, Twin Peaks), born in Vancouver, British Columbia
1967 – Phil LaMarr, American voice actor, born in Los Angeles, California
1968 – Mary Lou Retton, American gymnast (Olympic gold all-round 1984), born in Fairmont, West Virginia
1983 – Scott Speed, American race car driver, born in Manteca, California

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Famous Deaths

1473 – Conrad Paumann, German blind organist/composer, dies
1960 – John Miljan, American actor (The Ten Commandments, Possessed, Final Extra, Susan Lenox), dies at 67
1989 – George Knudson, Canadian golfer (8 PGA Tour titles; Masters 1969 runner-up), dies of lung cancer at 51
1993 – Thurgood Marshall, 1st African American supreme court justice (1967-91), dies 84
2005 – June Bronhill, Australian singer (b. 1929)
2020 – Juan José Pizzuti, Argentine soccer striker and manager (12 caps; Racing Club de Avellaneda), dies at 92

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Historical Events

393 – Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor
1912 – The International Opium Convention is signed at The Hague
1973 – Helgafell, island of Heimaey Iceland erupts for 1st time in 7,000 yrs
1979 – NY/SF Giants / New York Mets center fielder Willie Mays elected to Baseball Hall of Fame
2003 – Final communication between Earth and NASA space probe Pioneer 10
2011 – NFC Championship, Soldier Field, Chicago: Green Bay Packers beat Chicago Bears, 21-14

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Famous Birthdays

1841 – Benoît-Constant Coquelin, French actor, born in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France (d. 1909)
1878 – Rutland Boughton, British composer (The Immortal Hour), born in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire (d. 1960)
1898 – Randolph Scott, American actor (Ride the High Country, Last of the Mohicans, Western Union), born in Orange County, Virginia (d. 1987)
1970 – Richard Šmehlik, Czech NHL defenseman (Buf Sabres, Olympic gold 1998), born in Ostrava, Czech Republic
1984 – Arjen Robben, Dutch football player, born in Bedum, Netherlands
1985 – Doutzen Kroes, Dutch supermodel, born in Eastermar, Netherlands

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Famous Deaths

1898 – W. A. Remy [Wilhelm Mayer], Austro-Bohemian composer, dies at 66
1978 – Jack Oakie, American actor (The Great Dictator, 1974 Photoplay Award), dies at 74
1995 – Ken Hill, English playwright and director, dies at 57
2012 – Anthony Capo, DeCavalcante crime family hitman and informant, dies from heart attack at 52/53
2015 – Ernie Banks, American baseball shortstop, 1st baseman and hall of famer known as “Mr Cub” as he played all 19 of his seasons with the Chicago Cubs, dies of a heart attack at 83
2021 – Hal Holbrook, American stage and screen Tony and Emmy award-winning actor (All the President’s Men; “Mark Twain Tonight!”), dies at 95

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Historical Events

1889 – Columbia Phonograph was formed in Washington, D.C.
1955 – Norwegian government of Einar Gerhardsen forms
1965 – US launches TIROS 9 weather satellite
1969 – “Celebration” opens at Ambassador Theater NYC for 110 performances
2007 – The jury portion of the trial against Robert Pickton, accused of being Canada’s worst serial killer, opens in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada.
2012 – NFC Championship, Candlestick Park, SF: New York Giants beat San Francisco 49ers, 20-17 (OT)

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Famous Birthdays

1929 – Ron Richards, British record producer (Gerry and The Pacemakers; The Hollies), born in London (d. 2009)
1929 – Rita Gillespie, British pioneering TV director, born in London, England (d. 1994)
1943 – Marília Pêra, Brazilian actress (Better Days Ahead, Pixote), born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (d. 2015)
1964 – Maria Ellingsen, Icelandic actress (Katrina-Santa Barbara), born in Reykjavik, Iceland
1973 – Rogerio Ceni, Brazilian footballer, born in Paraná, Brazil
2179 – Hikaru Walter Sulu, Fictional Star Trek character, born in San Francisco, California

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Famous Deaths

1781 – Johann Siebenkas, composer, dies at 66
1919 – Carl Larsson, Swedish painter (Midwinter Sacrifice – Swedish National Museum of Fine Arts), dies at 65
1921 – Captain George Streeter, American riverboat captain and circus owner (b. 1837)
1951 – Eastwood Lane, American composer, dies at 71
1967 – Jobyna Ralston, actress (Wings, Girl Shy, Freshman), dies at 66
2007 – Abbé Pierre, French priest (b. 1912)

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Historical Events

1863 – City of Dublin leases part of Cattle Market for 100,000 years
1890 – 1st issue of “Propria Cures”, Amsterdam student-weekly newspaper
1944 – 649 British bombers attack Magdeburg
1958 – Phillies agree to televise 78 games into NYC (doesn’t happen)
1990 – 41st NHL All-Star Game, Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA: Wales beats Campbell, 12-7; MVP: Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins, C
2015 – Italian fashion label Gucci names Alessandro Michele as its new creative director

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Famous Birthdays

1885 – Umberto Nobile, Italian general
1920 – Torsten Nilsson, Swedish organist, choral director, and composer (Out of the Night of the Earth), born in Höör, Sweden (d. 1999)
1926 – Raf Reymen, Flemish actor (Huisvuil, Het glas water), born in Gent, Flanders, Belgium (d. 1990)
1952 – Marco Camenisch, Swiss environmental activist
1961 – Sherry Ramsay, American actress (Trish Mason-As the World Turns), born in Stauton, Virginia
1982 – Dean Whitehead, English footballer

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Famous Deaths

1683 – Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st earl of Shaftesbury, dies at 61
1766 – James Quin, British actor (Covent Garden Theatre), dies at 72
1881 – Wilhelm Matthias Naeff, Swiss Federal Councilor (b. 1802)
1964 – Joseph Schildkraut, Austrian actor (Cleopatra, Joseph Schildkraut Presents, Diary of Anne Frank), dies from a heart attack at 68
1995 – Flavio “Negao” Pires da Conceicao, drug Trafficker, dies at 25
2002 – Peggy Lee [Norma Delores Egstrom], American singer (“Fever”; “Is That All There Is?”), songwriter (“Mañana”), and actress (Pete Kelly’s Blues; Lady and the Tramp), dies of a heart attack at 81

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Historical Events

1045 – Giovanni di Sabina elected Pope Sylvester III
1866 – Prim’s Insurrection in Spain ends
1941 – Chinese Communist leaders re-organize the New Fourth Army in defiance of Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek’s order for it to be disbanded
1989 – Wayne Holdsworth takes a wicket 1st ball in 1st-class cricket
2006 – TV movie “High School Musical” released starring Zac Efron and Vanessa Hugdens, becomes Disney Channel’s most successful TV movie
2021 – Joe Biden is inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States of America and Kamala Harris as the 49th Vice President, the first female, black or south Asian Vice President. Amanda Gorman recites “The Hill We Climb”.

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Famous Birthdays

1831 – Piet Joubert, South African general and vice-president, born in Prince Albert, British Cape Colony (d. 1900)
1923 – (Ottis) “Slim” Whitman, American country singer (Rose Marie), born in Tampa, Florida (d. 2013)
1931 – Earl Grant, American musician and singer (Ebb Tide, Winter Wonderland), born in Idabel, Oklahoma (d. 1970)
1939 – Murle Breer, American golfer (US Women’s Open 1962), born in St. Petersburg, Florida
1959 – Joel Rifkin, American serial killer believed to have killed up to 17 victims between 1989 and 1993 in NYC and Long Island, born in New York
1966 – Tracii Guns [Tracy Ulrich], American rock guitarist and songwriter (L.A. Guns – “It’s Over Now”), born in Los Angeles, California

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Famous Deaths

1691 – Christiaan de Placker, Flemish poet and composer, dies at 77
1819 – Carlos IV [English: Charles], King of Spain (1788-1808), dies at 70
1936 – George V, King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India (1910-36), dies at 70 after being euthanized by his doctor
1965 – Alan Freed, American disc jockey who accepted payola and introduced term “rock-n-roll”, dies at 42
1996 – Ellis Hillman, British Labour party politician, lecturer, and writer (London Under London), dies during heart surgery at 68
2005 – Per Borten, 18th Prime Minister of Norway (1965-71), dies at 91

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Historical Events

1910 – Germany and Bolivia end commerce and friendship treaty
1938 – General Motors begins mass production of diesel engines
1970 – Eight Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church in the Netherlands say there should be room in the church for both married priests and celibate priests
1974 – Belgium government of Leburton falls
1977 – World’s largest crowd gathering – the Hindu Kumbh Mela in India attracts a then record 15 million people
1977 – Snow falls in Miami, Florida. This is the only time in the history of the city that snowfall has occurred. It also fell in the Bahamas.

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Famous Birthdays

1808 – Lysander Spooner, American philosopher, born in Athol, Massachusetts (d. 1887)
1863 – Werner Sombart, German fascist (Juden und das Wirtschaftsleben)
1963 – Michael Adams, American NBA guard (Charlotte Hornets), born in Hartford, Connecticut
1964 – Janine Antoni, Bahamian artist, born in Freeport, Bahamas
1980 – Kotoko, Japanese singer, born in Hokkaido, Japan
1992 – Mac Miller [Malcolm McCormick], American rapper and music producer (“Best Day Ever”), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 2018)

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Famous Deaths

1576 – Hans Sachs, German composer, dies at 81
1983 – Don Costa, American composer (Hello, Dolly!), arranger, and record producer (Sinatra and Strings; My Way), dies at 57
1997 – George Armin Goyder, businessman/social philosopher, dies at 88
2006 – Anthony “Tony” Franciosa [Papaleo], American actor (Career, Ben-Hur, Jeff-Name of the Game), dies at 77
2013 – Stan Musial, American Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder (24 × MLB All-Star; World Series 1942, 44, 46; NL MVP 1943, 46, 48; 7 × NL batting champion; St Louis Cardinals), dies from Alzheimer’s disease at 92
2020 – Robert Parker, American saxophonist and soul singer (“Barefootin'”), dies at 89

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Historical Events

1884 – Dr. William Price attempts to cremate the body of his infant son, Iesu Grist (Welsh for Jesus Christ) Price, setting a legal precedent for cremation in the United Kingdom
1902 – Despite reports that favor the US building a route through Nicaragua for a canal, a ‘supplementary report’ recommends the route through Panama
1980 – Gold reaches $1,000 an ounce
1987 – 3rd Soap Opera Digest Awards – Days of Our Lives wins
1991 – US acknowledges CIA and US Army paid Manuel Noriega $320,000 over his career
1996 – Baseball owners unanimously approve interleague play in 1997

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Famous Birthdays

1829 – Louis van Haecke, Flemish chaplain and author (Blood to Bridge)
1904 – Henri-Georges Adam, French engraver and sculptor (Grand Nude), born in Paris, France (d. 1967)
1912 – Wilhelm Herz, German motorcycle racer (first to 200mph), born in Lampertheim, Germany (d. 1998)
1935 – Jon Stallworthy, English poet, born in London, United Kingdom (d. 2014)
1953 – Brett Hudson, American comedian (Bonkers, Hudson Brothers Show), born in Portland, Oregon
1970 – Leo Araguz, American football punter (Oakland Raiders, Rhein Fire), born in Pharr, Texas

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Famous Deaths

1659 – Benedikt Lechler, German composer, dies at 64
1940 – Kazimierz P. Tetmajer, Polish writer and poet (Young Poland), dies at 74
1993 – Eleanor Hibbert, British author (b. 1906)
2015 – Piet van der Sanden, Dutch journalist and politician (CDA), dies at 90
2019 – Glen Wood, American auto racer, team owner (Wood Bros Racing), dies at 93
2020 – Peter Mathebula, South African boxer (WBA flyweight title 1980-81), dies at 67

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Historical Events

1945 – Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, credited with saving tens of thousands of Jews from the Nazis, arrested by Soviet secret police in Hungary
1947 – Ammunition factory explodes in Muiden, Netherlands, 16 die
1974 – Asylum Records releases “Court and Spark”, Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell’s 6th studio album; features the songs “Help Me” and “Free Man In Paris”, it becomes her biggest seller
1988 – NFC Championship, RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.: Washington Redskins beat Minnesota Vikings, 17-10
2003 – 8th Critics’ Choice Movie Awards: Chicago Best Picture
2010 – A dragon boat from Chung Ling High School capsizes and collides with a tugboat amid strong currents in Penang, Malaysia, killing 6 people and injuring 12

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Famous Birthdays

1706 – Benjamin Franklin, US Founding Father, inventor, ambassador and writer (Poor Richards Almanac), born in Boston, Massachusetts (d. 1790)
1905 – Franz Schmid, German ascended northside of Matterhorn (1931)
1920 – George Handy [Hendleman], American bebop jazz arranger, pianist and composer (Handyland, U.S.A.), born in New York City (d. 1997)
1959 – Susanna Hoffs, American actress and musician (Bangles-Walk Like an Egyptian), born in Los Angeles, California
1975 – Tom Jenkinson, English musician (Squarepusher), born in Chelmsford, United Kingdom
1980 – Zooey Deschanel, American actress (Almost Famous; Elf; New Girl), and singer (She and Him), born in Los Angeles, California

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Famous Deaths

1863 – Horace Vernet, French painter of battles and Orientalist subjects, dies at 73
1874 – Chang and Eng Bunker, Chinese/Thai Siamese twins, die at 62
1917 – Hendrik Goeman Borgesius, Dutch politician, dies at 70
1994 – Grady “Fats” Jackson, tenor Sax Player, dies at 66
1995 – Urias Nooteboom, Dutch journalist/critic (The Time), dies at 54
2012 – Marty Springstead, American Major League baseball umpire and umpire supervisor, dies of heart attack at 74

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