Category: On This Day

Historical Events

1662 – Royal charter granted to Connecticut
1837 – The University of Athens is founded
1939 – The All India Forward Bloc is formed by Subhash Chandra Bose
1945 – British troop join in Rangoon
1971 – “All Things Considered” premieres on 112 National Public Radio stations
1980 – Texas Ranger Ferguson Jenkins becomes 4th to win 100 games in AL and NL

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Famous Birthdays

1695 – Henri Pitot, Italian-French engineer, born in Aramon, France (d. 1771)
1752 – Braz Francisco de Lima, Portuguese composer (d. 1813)
1815 – Hermanus Willem Witteveen, Dutch theologist, born in Boornbergum, Netherlands (d. 1884)
1952 – Caitlin Clarke, American actress (Dragonslayer), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 2004)
1955 – Timmy Cappello, American rock and sax player (played with Tina Turner, Ringo Starr and The Lost Boys), born in Silver Lake, New York
1961 – David Vitter, American politician, U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana (1999-2005), born in New Orleans, Louisiana

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Famous Deaths

1931 – Frank Hoyt Losey, composer, dies at 59
1943 – Leslie Heward, English composer, dies at 45
1992 – George Murphy, American politician (US Senator, California), actor and dancer (MGM Parade), dies of leukemia at 89
2006 – Earl Woods, Athlete and father of Tiger Woods (b. 1932)
2014 – Jim Oberstar, American politician, dies at 79
2018 – Paolo Signorelli, Italian footballer, dies at 79

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Historical Events

1917 – Cin Fred Tooney and Chic’s Hippo Vaughn pitch duel no-hitter, Vaughn gives up 2 hits and a run in 10th, so Cin wins 1-0
1990 – “Some Americans Abroad” opens at Vivian Beaumont NYC for 62 performances
1999 – John Elway announces his retirement from the NFL
2011 – Osama bin Laden, the suspected mastermind behind the September 11 attacks and the FBI’s most wanted man is killed by US special forces in Abbottabad, Pakistan
2013 – 14 members of the Sons of Iraq are killed in attacks in Fallujah, Iraq
2018 – New research show plants “talk” to each other through their roots and the soil in study on corn published in journal “Plos One”

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Famous Birthdays

1360 – Yongle, Emperor of the Ming Empire (1402-24), born in Yingtian, Yuan Empire, China (d. 1424)
1458 – Eleanor of Viseu, Queen of Portugal (1481-95), born in Beja, Portugal (d. 1525)
1932 – Bruce Glover, American actor (Diamonds are Forever), born in Chicago, Illinois
1944 – Bob Henrit, English pop drummer (Argent – Hold Your Head Up; The Kinks), born in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, England
1968 – Jeff Agoos, Swiss-American soccer player, born in Geneva, Switzerland
1981 – Matt Murray, English football goalkeeper, born in Solihull, England

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Famous Deaths

1945 – Martin Bormann, German Nazi leader (Hitler’s secretary, chief of the Party Chancellery), most likely commits suicide age 44 [remains identified in 1972]
1984 – Jack Barry, american game show emcee (Joker’s Wild), dies of cardiac arrest at 66
1989 – Giuseppe Siri, Italian Catholic Cardinal (b. 1906)
1989 – Veniamin Kaverin, Russian writer (b. 1902)
2014 – Jessica Cleaves, American soul singer and songwriter (The Friends of Distinction – “Grazing In The Grass”; Earth, Wind and Fire; Parliament Funkadelic), dies of complications from a stroke at 65
2018 – Katherine O’Regan, New Zealand politician (MP for Waipa, 1984–1996; list MP, 1996–1999), dies of cancer at 71

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Historical Events

1048 – Bishop Bernold flees St Pieterskerk for Utrecht, Netherlands
1948 – 74th Kentucky Derby: Eddie Arcaro wins aboard Citation to become first 4-time Derby winning jockey
1950 – Mayor of Brussels reluctantly bans May Day parade
1978 – 1st African American mayor of New Orleans, Ernest Nathan Morial, inaugurated
2011 – Pope John Paul II is beatified by his successor, Pope Benedict XVI
2013 – 15 people are killed by multiple bomb attacks across Iraq

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Famous Birthdays

1592 – Johann A Schall von Bell, German missionary and astronomer, born in Cologne, Germany (d. 1666)
1850 – Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, Governor General of Canada (1911-16), born in Buckingham Palace, London (d. 1942)
1852 – Calamity Jane [Martha Jane Canary], American frontierswoman, born in Princeton, Missouri (d. 1903)
1939 – Max Robinson, 1st African American network TV anchor (ABC), born in Richmond, Virginia (d. 1988)
1949 – Douglas Barr, actor (Howie-Fall Guy), born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
1957 – Steve Farris, rock guitarist (Mr Mister)

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Famous Deaths

1952 – William Fox [Fried], US film pioneer (Nickelodeon), dies at 73
1991 – Richard Thorpe, American director (Jailhouse Rock, Night Must Fall), dies at 95
1993 – Ranasinghe Premadasa, pres (Sri Lanka, 1989-93), assassinated at 68
2003 – Wim van Est, Dutch road cyclist (3 x stage winner Tour de France), dies at 80
2018 – Ninalee Craig, American-born Canadian teacher and photograph subject, dies at 90 of complications from lung cancer
2018 – Sun Yueh, Chinese-born Taiwanese actor (Papa, Can You Hear Me Sing), dies of sepsis at 87

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Historical Events

1722 – Game of Billiards is mentioned in New England Courant
1900 – 165 lb English boxer Bob Fitzsimmons KOs 305 lb American Ed Dunkhost in round 2 of a lop-sided bout in Brooklyn, New York
1943 – Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp for Jews forms
1985 – “Shoah”, French documentary about the Holocaust, directed by Claude Lanzmann, starring Richard Glazar and Raul Hilberg, premieres in Paris
1988 – NY Yank Dave Winfield gets his 29th RBI of April-Sets AL and ties ML Rec
1989 – Critics Siskel and Ebert film their 500th TV movie-review show

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Famous Birthdays

1743 – Robert Jasper van der Capellen, Dutch politician and Master of Marsch, born in Eefde, Zutphen, Netherlands (d. 1814)
1877 – Alice B. Toklas, American-Parisian avant-garde and companion of Gertrude Stein, born in San Francisco, California (d. 1967)
1941 – Wilfried Jentzsh, German composer, born in Dresden, Germany
1945 – Michael J. Smith, American astronaut (51L-Challenger disaster), born in Beaufort, North Carolina (d. 1986)
1971 – Ty Hallock, fullback (Jacksonville Jaguars)
1982 – Andrew Seeley, Canadian actor and singer

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Famous Deaths

535 – Amalaswintha, queen of Ostrogoths, murdered in the bath at about 37
1947 – Almroth Wright, English bacteriologist (developed one of 1st vaccines for typhoid), dies at 85
1959 – Armand Marsick, Belgian composer, dies at 81
1980 – Luis Muñoz Marín, Puerto Rican poet, journalist, and politician (b. 1898)
1983 – Jerry Hatsuo Fujikawa, actor (Uncle Matsu-Mr T and Tina), dies at 71
2016 – Daniel Berrigan, American Jesuit priest and peace activist (Vietnam War), dies at 94

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Historical Events

1854 – Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, receives its charter from Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, making it the 1st degree-granting Black college in US
1944 – Raid by Dutch Resistance on the National Printing Office in The Hague to procure 10,000 Dutch identity cards.
1955 – Giovanni Gronchi elected third President of Italy
1980 – NFL Draft: Oklahoma running back Billy Sims first pick by Detroit Lions
1992 – “Falsettos” opens at John Golden Theater NYC for 487 performances
1996 – “Rent”, starring Idina Menzel and Taye Diggs, opens at Nederlander Theater NYC

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Famous Birthdays

1686 – Peregrine Bertie, 2nd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven, English statesman (d. 1742)
1784 – Samuel Turell Armstrong, American politician and acting Governor of Massachusetts (1833- 36), born in Dorchester, Massachusetts (d. 1850)
1921 – Tommy Noonan, American actor, screenwriter and producer (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Promises Promises), born in Bellingham, Washington (d. 1968)
1932 – Yevgeni Alekseyevich Zaikin, Russian cosmonaut (Voshkod 2 backup)
1960 – Gerard Joling, Dutch singer (Love is in Your Eyes)
1974 – Alana Blahoski, American ice hockey forward (USA, Olympics 1998), born in Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Famous Deaths

1990 – Floyd Butler, American soul singer (Friends of Distinction), dies at 52
1993 – Cy Howard, director (Lovers and Other Strangers), dies at 77
1996 – Tony Hymphris, political activist, dies at 45
1997 – Peter Tali Coleman, Governor of American Samoa (1956-61, 78-85, 89-93), dies at 77
2010 – Johannes Fritsch, German composer, dies at 68
2020 – Jānis Lūsis, Latvian athlete (Olympic gold men’s javelin 1968, silver 1972, bronze 1968), dies at 80

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Historical Events

1253 – -May 7th) Utrecht destroyed by fire
1920 – Azerbaijan SSR joins USSR (1st time)
1972 – Courts award 1968 Kentucky Derby prize money to 2nd place winner due to the winner being given drugs before the race
1980 – Reunion Arena in Dallas opens
1989 – Argentina, hit by rocketing inflation, runs out of money
1991 – “Taking Steps” closes at Circle in Sq Theater NYC after 78 performances

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Famous Birthdays

1815 – Andrew Jackson Smith, American Major General (Union Army), born in Livingston County, Kentucky (d. 1897)
1879 – Edgard Tytgat, Flemish painter and etcher, born in Brussels, Belgium (d. 1954)
1889 – António de Oliveira Salazar, Dictator of Portugal (1932-68) who founded and controlled the Estado Novo (New State), born in Vimieiro, Santa Comba Dão, Portugal (d. 1970)
1952 – Gerald Barry, Irish classical composer (The Eternal Recurrence), born in Clarecastle, County Clare, Ireland
1953 – Kim Gordon, American musician (Sonic Youth)
1964 – L’Wren Scott [Laura Bambrough], American fashion designer and partner of Mick Jagger, born in Salt Lake City, Utah (d. 2014)

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Famous Deaths

1865 – Samuel Cunard, Canadian-British shipping magnate and founder (1st regular Atlantic steamship line), dies at 77
1949 – Aurora Quezon, First Lady of the Philippines, assassinated at 61
1969 – Johannes Röntgen, Dutch composer, dies at 70
1991 – Floyd McKissick, American lawyer and civil rights activist, dies at 69
1998 – Ramakant Desai, Indian cricket fast bowler (28 Tests, 74 wickets, 1 x 50; Bombay), dies from cardiac arrest at 58
2017 – Luis Olmo, Puerto Rican NBA player (Brooklyn Dodgers), dies at 97

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Historical Events

1828 – Zoological Gardens at Regent’s Park in London opens
1881 – Pogroms against Russian Jews start in Elisabethgrad
1935 – Brussels World Exposition opens
1945 – 2nd Republic of Austria forms
1960 – Togo (formerly French Togo) declares independence from French administration
1965 – “I’m Solomon” closes at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC after 7 performances

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Famous Birthdays

1724 – Ferdinand Philipp Joseph Lobkowitz, Czech composer, born in Prague, Czech Republic (d. 1784)
1899 – Leo Diegel, American golfer (PGA C’ship 1928-29), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 1951)
1918 – Kirby Stone, American jazz combo leader (Kirby Stone Four – Baubles Bangles and Beads), born in NYC, New York (d. 1981)
1942 – John Shrapnel, English actor, born in Birmingham, Warwickshire
1946 – John Maclean, Australian cricketer (Australian wicket-keeper 1978-79), born in Herston, Queensland, Australia
1977 – Jerry Trainor, American actor (Drake and Josh, iCarly), born in San Diego, California

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Famous Deaths

630 – King Ardashir III of Persia, Sasanian shah of Iran, dies at 9
1969 – René Barrientos, President of Bolivia, dies at 49
1989 – Kōnosuke Matsushita, Japanese industrialist (founded Panasonic), dies at 94
1994 – Jerome Lejeune, French physiologist, dies at 67
2009 – Woo Seung-yeon, South Korean actress and model, dies at 25
2017 – Vinod Khanna, Indian Bollywood actor (Mera Gaon Mera Desh), dies at 70

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Historical Events

1905 – Cubs Jack McCarthy becomes only major league player to throw out 3 runners at plate in 1 game, all were ends of a double play
1967 – San Marco 2 Launch (1st Equatorial Launch)
1980 – Iran begins scattering US hostages from US Embassy
1992 – Ozzie Smith steals his 500th base
2005 – Under international pressure, Syria withdraws the last of its 14,000 troop military garrison in Lebanon, ending its 29-year military domination of that country.
2018 – Comedian Bill Cosby is found guilty of sexual assault in Pennsylvania

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Famous Birthdays

1774 – Christian Leopold von Buch, German geologist and paleontologist, born in Stolpe an der Oder, Margraviate of Brandenburg, Prussia (d. 1853)
1903 – Niven Busch, American screenwriter (The Postman Always Rings Twice), born in NYC, New York (d. 1991)
1904 – Paul-Émile Léger, Canadian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and Archbishop (Montreal), born in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec, Canada (d. 1991)
1905 – Charles K. Feldman, American producer (Casino Royale), born in NYC, New York (d. 1968)
1916 – Werner Bischof, Swiss photographer (Magnum), born in Zurich, Switzerland (d. 1954)
1962 – Debra Wilson, American actress and comedian (Mad TV), born in South Ozone Park, Queens, New York

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Famous Deaths

1784 – Nano Nagle, Irish convent founder, dies at 66
1936 – Tammany Young, American actor, dies at 49
1950 – G. Murray Hulbert, American politician, dies at 68
1960 – Wander Johannes de Haas, Dutch physicist (Einstein-De Haas effect), dies at 82
1981 – Jim Davis, American actor (Jack Ewing-Dallas), dies at 65
1990 – Carlos Pizarro Leongomez, Colombian presidential candidate, assassinated at 38

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Historical Events

1867 – Tokyo opens for foreign trade
1985 – West German Parliament rules it is illegal to deny the Holocaust
1991 – Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman’s musical premieres in NYC
1992 – “Shimada” closes at Broadhurst Theater NYC after 4 performances
1994 – Tsutomu Hata elected premier of Japan
2005 – Final piece of the Obelisk of Axum is returned to Ethiopia after being stolen by the invading Italian army in 1937

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Famous Birthdays

1889 – Charles Kelleway, Australian cricketer (great all-rounder of 1920’s), born in Lismore, New South Wales (d. 1944)
1907 – Vasily Pavlovich Solov’yov-Sedoy, Russian composer, born in Saint Petersburg, Russia (d. 1979)
1937 – Bo Brundin, Swedish actress (Rhinemann Exchange), born in Stockholm, Sweden
1959 – Billy Rankin, Scottish rocker, born in Glasgow, Scotland
1971 – Andrew Grigg, CFL receiver (Hamilton Tiger Cats), born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
1996 – Allisyn Ashley Arm, American child actress (Sonny with a Chance), born in Glendale, California

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Famous Deaths

1792 – Johann Friedrich Gottlieb Beckmann, German composer, dies at 54
1853 – William Beaumont, physiologist, dies at 67
1891 – Nathaniel Woodard, English educationalist (b. 1811)
1980 – Katia Mann, German actress and wife of German writer Thomas Mann, dies at 96
2007 – Bobby “Boris” Pickett, American singer-songwriter (Monster Mash), dies from leukemia at 69
2020 – Richard Divila, Brazilian motorsports designer (Fittipaldi Automotive; Ligier, Nissan), dies at 74

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Historical Events

1524 – Duke of Bourbon drives Admiral Bonnivet out of Milan
1596 – Pacificatie of Ireland drawn
1898 – Spanish–American War: Spain declares war after rejecting US ultimatum to withdraw from Cuba
1910 – German Catholic youth movement Quickborn forms
1965 – Military coup under Donald Reid Cabral in Dominican Republic
1996 – The UN and Iraq end a third round of negotiations over Iraq’s possible sale of $1 billion of oil for 90 days for a 180-day trial period

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Famous Birthdays

1581 – Vincent de Paul, French Roman Catholic Saint, born in Pouy, Gascony, France (d. 1660)
1914 – Justin Wilson, American Cajun chef (Wise Potato Chips) and humorist, born in Roseland, Louisiana (d. 2001)
1945 – Doug Clifford, American rock drummer (Creedence Clearwater Revival-Proud Mary), born in Palo Alto, California
1945 – Robert Knight, American singer (Everlasting Love), born in Franklin, Tennessee
1965 – Son Chang-Min, South Korean actor, born in Busan, South Korea
1972 – Chipper Jones, American MLB infielder (Atlanta Braves), born in DeLand, Florida

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Famous Deaths

709 – Wilfrid, English bishop and saint, dies at about 76
1530 – Jacopo Sannazaro, Italian poet (De partu Virginis), dies at 74
1779 – Eleazar Wheelock, American founder of Dartmouth College, dies at 68
1824 – Herman Muntinghe, Dutch theologist (History of Mankind), dies at 71
1928 – Ferdinand Hummel, German composer, dies at 72
1996 – Preston Lockwood [Reginald], British actor (Time Bandits, Jeeves and Wooster), dies of natural causes at 83

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