Category: On This Day

Historical Events

1918 – Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicates as German Emperor and King of Prussia while in exile in Amerongen, Netherlands
1939 – Soviet government revokes Russian-Finnish non-aggression treaty
1975 – “As the World Turns” and “The Edge of Night”, the final two American soap operas that had resisted going to pre-taped broadcasts, air their last live episodes
1982 – “Pirates of Penzance” closes at the Uris Theater in New York City after 772 performances
2012 – “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” first of the Hobbit film series, directed by Peter Jackson, starring Martin Freeman and Ian McKellen, premieres in Wellington, New Zealand

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Famous Birthdays

1700 – Sophie Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach, Queen consort of Denmark and Norway (1730-46), born in Castle Schonberg, Bavaria (d. 1770)
1777 – Augsut Kestner, German art collector and diplomat, born in Hanover, Germany (d. 1853)
1811 – Maximilian II of Bavaria, King of Bavaria (1848-64), born in Munich (d. 1864)
1925 – József Bozsik, Hungarian footballer (Budapest Honvéd), born in Kispest, Hungary (d. 1978)
1972 – Paulo Figueiredo, Angolan soccer midfielder (38 caps; CD Santa Clara 256 games), born in Malanje, Angola

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Famous Deaths

741 – Syrian Catholic Pope Saint Gregory III
1716 – Gisbert Cuper, Dutch classicist and historian, dies at 72
1921 – ʻAbdu’l-Bahá, Persian successor and head of the Bahá’í Faith (1892-1921) from his father Baháʼu’lláh, dies at 77
1971 – Alexander “Papa” Lightfoot, American blues singer and harmonica player, dies of respiratory failure at 47
1987 – Choh Hao Li, Chinese-American bio-chemist (isolated growth hormones), dies at 74

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Historical Events

1815 – City of Kraków (Poland) declared a free republic state by the Congress of Vienna
1826 – English chemist John Walker invents friction matches
1920 – First American superhero film, “The Mark of Zorro,” directed by Fred Niblo and starring Douglas Fairbanks, is released in New York
1963 – The Convention on the Unification of Certain Points of Substantive Law on Patents for Invention is signed at Strasbourg
1971 – Soviet Mars 2 becomes 1st spacecraft to crash land on Mars

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Famous Birthdays

1894 – Amphilochius of Pochayiv [Yakov Varnavovich Golovatyuk], Ukrainian Orthodox Christian saint, born in Mala Ilovytsya, Ternopil Oblast, Ukraine (d. 1971)
1898 – Fredric Warburg, British publisher (Animal Farm) and author, born in Paddington, London (d. 1981)
1917 – Buffalo Bob Smith [Robert Emil Schmidt], American TV host (Howdy Doody), born in Buffalo, New York (d. 1998)
1932 – Benigno Aquino Jr, Philippine opposition leader who was assassinated, born in Concepcion, Philippines (d. 1983)
1960 – Tim Pawlenty, American politician, Governor of Minnesota (2003-11), born in Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Famous Deaths

1899 – Guido Gezelle, Flemish priest and poet, dies at 69
1930 – Johnny Tyldesley, English cricket batsman (31 Tests, 4 x 100, 9 x 50, HS 138; Lancashire CCC), dies at 57
1968 – Gino Roncaglia, Italian composer, dies at 85
1973 – Frank Christian, American jazz trumpeter, dies at 86
2024 – Maria Alexandru, Romanian table tennis player (World C’ship gold women’s doubles 1961, 1973, 1975), dies at 84

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Historical Events

1913 – Russian kingdom forbids Polish congregation of speakers
1917 – NHL forms with Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Maroons, Toronto Arenas, Ottawa Senators and Quebec Bulldogs; National Hockey Association disbands
1941 – Lebanon independence first proclaimed by France
1945 – Charlie “Bird” Parker leads a recording session with Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis for the Savoy label, marketed as the “greatest jazz session ever”
2018 – First multidrug randomized control trial to treat Ebola started in Democratic Republic of Congo announced by the WHO

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Famous Birthdays

1436 – Princess Catherine of Portugal [Infanta Catarina], Portuguese princess, nun, writer, and daughter of King Edward of Portugal and his wife Eleanor of Aragon, born in Lisbon, Portugal (d. 1463)
1754 – Georg Forster, German writer, naturalist (A Voyage Round the World) and revolutionary, born in Nassenhuben (Mokry Dwór), Royal Prussia, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (d. 1794)
1928 – Don Tregonning, Australian tennis player and coach, born in Melbourne, Victoria
1973 – John Zimmerman, American pairs skater (with partner Steigler), born in Birmingham, Alabama
1987 – Summer Lee, American politician (1st back woman elected to Congress for Pennsylvania (D) 2023-), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Famous Deaths

666 – Yeon Gaesomun dictator of Goguryeo (other sources indicate death date as 664 or 665)
1504 – Isabella I, Queen of Castile (1479-1504), patron of Christopher Columbus, who initiated the Spanish Inquisition with husband Ferdinand II of Aragon, dies at 53
1957 – Aleksei M Remizov, Russian author (Iveren), dies at 80
1994 – Nimrod Workman, American folk singer, dies at 99
2017 – Julia Mullock, American architect, artist, and (disputed) princess of Korea, dies at 90

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Historical Events

1949 – Gene Autry’s single “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” appears on music charts after songwriter Johnny Marks adapts a poem written by his brother-in-law Robert L. May for Montgomery Ward department stores
1973 – Bloodless military coup ousts Greek President George Papadopoulos
1979 – Revival of Frank Loesser’s 1956 musical “The Most Happy Fella” closes at Majestic Theater, NYC, after 53 performances
2012 – 100th CFL Grey Cup, Rogers Center, Toronto: Toronto Argonauts defeat Calgary Stampeders, 35-22; Argos owner David Braley first team boss to win back-to-back Grey Cups with 2 different teams (also 2011 champion BC Lions
2019 – Louis Vuitton (LVMH) buys jeweler Tiffany and Co. for over $16 billion

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Famous Birthdays

1741 – Johann Christian Frischmuth, German composer, born in Schwabhausen, Electorate of Bavaria, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1790)
1964 – Mark Lanegan, American grunge-rock singer-songwriter (Screaming Trees; Queens of the Stone Age), born in Ellensburg, Washington (d. 2022)
1967 – Rodney Sheppard, American guitarist (Sugar Ray), born in Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago
1971 – Dominic Cummings, English political strategist (Vote Leave campaign), born in Durham, England
1981 – Xabi Alonso, Spanish soccer midfielder (114 caps; Real Sociedad, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich), born in Tolosa, Spain

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Famous Deaths

1785 – Richard Glover, British poet, dies at about 73
1939 – Wilfred Trotter, English surgeon who was a pioneer in neurosurgery, popularized the concept of herd instinct, and was an authority in cancers of the head and neck, dies at 67
1963 – Alexander Marinesko, Soviet captain of the S-13 submarine, which sank the German ship Wilhelm Gustloff, dies of cancer at 50
2010 – Peter Christopherson, British rock musician (Throbbing Gristle; Psychic TV), commercial and music video director, dies at 55
2024 – Earl Holliman, American actor (The Rainmaker; Police Woman; Tribes; Cry Panic), pop singer, and animal rights activist, dies at 96

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Historical Events

1800 – Weber’s opera “Das Waldmadchen” premieres in Freiburg
1916 – Mexican and US representatives sign a protocol at Atlantic City, under which Pershing’s troops will withdraw and each nation’s army will guard the border. President Carranza of Mexico will refuse to accept it
1933 – Fred Astaire’s first film, “Dancing Lady,” is released
1956 – Richard Adler and Jerry Ross’ musical “The Pajama Game”, starring John Raitt and Janis Paige, closes at St James Theater, NYC, after 1063 performances, and a Tony Award for Best Musical
2023 – A23a, the world’s biggest iceberg at 4,000 sq km (1,500 sq miles), is on the move again after being grounded in the Weddell Sea for more than 30 years

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Famous Birthdays

1642 – Anne Hilarion de Cotentin, French naval commander and national hero under Louis XIV, Marshal of France, born in Paris, France (d. 1701)
1848 – Lilli Lehmann, German opera singer (Tristan und Isolde), born in Würzburg, Kingdom of Bavaria (d. 1929)
1936 – Ken Kragen, American television producer (The Smothers Brothers), music artist manager (Lionel Richie; Kenny Rogers), and charity organizer (USA for Africa – “We Are The World”), born in Alameda County, California (d. 2021)
1936 – Frank Caprio, American municipal judge and social media personality (Caught in Providence), born in Providence, Rhode Island (d. 2025)
1953 – Glenn Withrow, American actor (The Outsiders, Peggy Sue Got Married), born in Highland Heights, Kentucky

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Famous Deaths

1531 – Johannes Oecolampadius, German religious reformer (b. 1482)
1722 – Johann Adam Reincken, German organist and composer, dies at 99
1866 – Paul Gavarni, French caricaturist known for “The Deceit of Women”, dies at 62
1970 – Evgeni Tikotsky, Polish-Belorussian composer, dies at 76
1995 – Woytec Lowski [Woiciech Wiesidlowski], Polish dancer and ballet master, dies at 56

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Historical Events

1944 – Arnold Schoenberg’s “Ode to Napoleon” premieres in NYC
1965 – The Beatles film promotional video clips for 5 of their songs at Twickenham Film Studios to provide to television outlets (in lieu of live appearances)
1989 – Pilots Union give up sympathy strike against Eastern Airlines
1991 – Brigham Young University quarterback Ty Detmer finishes NCAA career with record 4,031 yards passed in a season, and 15,031 yards for career
2003 – Presidents Cup Golf, Fancourt Hotel and CC: US and International team tie, 17-17; after 3 tied playoff holes between Tiger Woods and Ernie Els, captains and players decide Cup to be shared

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Famous Birthdays

1815 – William Dennison, American politician (US postmaster general, Governor of Ohio), born in Cincinnati, Ohio (d. 1882)
1917 – Hugh L’Etang, British medical writer and editor (The Pathology of Leadership; Ailing Leaders in Power: 1914-1994), born in England (d. 1996)
1941 – Alan Mullery, English soccer player (Fulham, Spurs), manager and pundit, born in London, England
1953 – Martin Kent, Australian cricket batsman (3 Tests, 2 x 50; 5 ODIs; WSC 3 x 100; Queensland), born in Mossman, Australia
1962 – Calvin Hayes, British drummer (Johnny Hates Jazz – “Turn Back the Clock”), born in London, England

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Famous Deaths

1932 – Percy Pitt, English composer (BBC), dies at 63
1948 – Uzeyir Hajibeyov, Soviet composer who composed the anthem used by Azerbaijan during the Soviet period, dies at 63
1979 – Judee Sill, American singer-songwriter (“Crayon Angels”; “Jesus Was A Cross Maker”), dies of a drug overdose at 35
1989 – Armand Salacrou, French playwright, dies at 90
2022 – David Johnson, English soccer forward (8 caps; Liverpool FC, Ipswich Town, Everton, Manchester City), dies at 71

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Historical Events

1908 – 1st US-Japanese baseball game Reach All-Americans defeat Waseda U, 5-0
1967 – USSR performs nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in northeast Kazakhstan
1971 – A member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) is killed in a premature bomb explosion in Lurgan, County Armagh
1974 – Test Cricket debut of Gordon Greenidge and Viv Richards, at Bangalore
1975 – Juan Carlos I is proclaimed King of Spain as the monarchy is restored after 36 years of dictatorship

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Famous Birthdays

1428 – Richard Neville [16th Earl of Warwick], English nobleman and military commander known as ‘Warwick the Kingmaker’, born in Norwich, England (d. 1471)
1838 – José Augusto Ferreira Veiga, Viscount of Arneiro, Portuguese composer, born in Portuguese Macau (d. 1903)
1924 – Axel Borup-Jørgensen, composer (Nordisk Sommerpastorale; Thalatta! Thalatta!), born in Hjørring, Denmark (d. 2012)
1950 – Art Sullivan [Marc Liénart van Lidth de Jeude], Belgian pop singer-songwriter (“Un océan de caresses”), born in Brussels, Belgium (d. 2019)
1955 – James Edwards, American basketball center (NBA C’ship 1989, 90 Detroit Pistons, 1996 Chicago Bulls), born in Seattle, Washington

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Famous Deaths

1946 – Bertie Rose-Innes, cricketer (South Africa’s Test), dies
1988 – Erich Fried, Austrian-British writer, dies at 67
1996 – Mark Lenard, American actor (Mr Spock’s dad Sarek – Star Trek), dies of cancer at 72
2011 – Paul Motian, American jazz drummer (Bill Evans Trio; Keith Jarrett), composer, and bandleader (Electric Bebop Band), dies of bone marrow cancer at 80
2017 – George Avakian, Armenian-American jazz historian, record producer, and label executive who pioneered jazz album and retrospective collection formats, dies at 98

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Historical Events

1818 – Russia’s Tsar Alexander I has his delegation submit a petition to the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle calling for greater civil rights for Jews in Europe, an effort driven by English activist Lewis Way
1953 – WKJG TV channel 33 in Ft Wayne, IN (NBC) begins broadcasting
1967 – Vietnam War: American General William Westmoreland tells news reporters: “I am absolutely certain that whereas in 1965 the enemy was winning, today he is certainly losing.”
2002 – NATO invites Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia to become members.
2013 – “Happy” single is released by Pharrell Williams (Billboard Song of the Year 2014, Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance 2015)

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Famous Birthdays

1870 – Joe Darling, Australian cricket batsman and captain (34 Tests, 21 as captain; 3 x 100s, TS 178; South Australia CA), born in Glen Osmond, Australia (d. 1946)
1934 – Fairuz [Nouhad Haddad], Lebanese singer (“Habbaytak Bissayf”; “Bektob Ismak Ya Habibi”), born in Zuqaq al-Blat, Beirut, State of Greater Lebanon
1941 – David Porter, American producer, arranger and songwriter (“Soul Man”; “Hold On, I’m Coming”), born in Memphis, Tennessee
1942 – Tweety [Pie], Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Bob Clampett and Friz Freleng (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in “A Tale of Two Kitties”
2000 – Isabel May, American actress (Katie Cooper-Alexa and Katie; Veronica Duncan-Young Sheldon), born in Santa Monica, California

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Famous Deaths

1963 – Pierre Blanchar, Algerian actor and director (Magnificent Sinner; Wooden Crosses; Pastoral Symphony), dies from a brain tumor at 71
1969 – Norman Lindsay, Australian artist and novelist (The Magic Pudding), dies at 90
2000 – Manfred Langer, Austrian-Dutch owner of the Amsterdam discotheque iT, dies of cancer at 42
2010 – Margaret Taylor-Burroughs, American visual artist and co-founder of DuSable Museum of African American History, dies at 95
2017 – Rodney Bewes, English actor (The Likely Lads), dies at 79

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Historical Events

1941 – Adm Nomura and Kurusu hands over Japanese last diplomatic note
1961 – WPLG TV channel 10 in Miami, FL (ABC) begins broadcasting
1990 – British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher fails to defeat Michael Heseltine’s bid for leadership of the Conservative Party
1993 – 5th College Football Holy War: Boston College beats Notre Dame 41-39 in South Bend (Boston College’s first win in the series)
1995 – Diana, Princess of Wales, admits she cheated on Prince Charles in a TV interview

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Famous Birthdays

1916 – John Elwyn, British painter, born in Adpar, Wales (d. 1997)
1934 – Valentine J. Peter, American priest (Boy’s Town), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 2020)
1948 – Kenjiro Shinozuka, Japanese rally driver who won the Dakar Rally 1997, born in Tokyo (d. 2024)
1978 – Nadine Velazquez, American model and actress (My Name is Earl, Flight), born in Chicago, Illinois
1983 – Future [Nayvadius Wilburn], American rapper and singer-songwriter (High Off Life), born in Atlanta, Georgia

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Famous Deaths

1927 – (Carl) Wilhelm Stenhammar, Swedish composer considered the finest Swedish pianist of his time, dies of a stroke at 56
1992 – John Foreman, producer (Prizzi’s Honor), dies at 67 of heart attack
1996 – Bert Geoffrey Achong, Trinidadian pathologist and inventor (electron microscopist), dies at 67
2003 – Kerem Yilmazer, Turkish actor (b. 1945)
2006 – Andre Waters, American football player (b. 1962)

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Historical Events

1816 – Warsaw University is established
1879 – National Association of Trotting Horse Breeders determines what “is” a trotter
1976 – George Harrison releases his single “This Song” on the album “Thirty Three and 1/3” as a direct and humorous response to the “My Sweet Lord”copyright lawsuit
1989 – US beats Trinidad, 1-0 qualifing for 1990 world soccer cup finals it was US’ 1st qualification since 1950
1991 – Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken wins his second American League MVP

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Famous Birthdays

1722 – Benjamin Chew, Chief Justice of colonial Pennsylvania, born in Anne Arundel County, Maryland (d. 1810)
1946 – Joe Correro, American rock drummer (Paul Revere and The Raiders, 1967-71), born in Greenwood, Mississippi
1971 – Andy Sheets, American MLB infielder (Seattle Mariners), born in Baton Rouge, Louisana
1976 – Stylianos Venetidis, Greek soccer player, born in Orestiada, Greece
1977 – Davina Windsor [Lady], English daughter of Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and member of the Royal family, born in London, England

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Famous Deaths

1951 – Pete Hill, American Baseball HOF outfielder (NgL lifetime batting average: .326) and manager (Detroit Stars, Baltimore Black Sox), dies at 69
1983 – Reinout Willem van Bemmelen, Dutch geologist, dies at 79
2001 – Marcelle Ferron, Canadian painter, stained glass artist, and major figure in the Quebec contemporary art scene, dies at 77
2012 – Warren Rudman, American politician (Sen-R-NH, 1980-93), dies at 82
2023 – Joss Ackland, British actor (To Kill a Priest, White Mischief), dies at 95

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