Category: On This Day

Historical Events

1881 – Pogroms against Russian Jews start in Elisabethgrad
1910 – Belgian parliament rejects socialist motion for general voting rights
1935 – Yanks pull a 1st inning triple-play and beat Philadelphia A’s 9-8
1956 – Burma Premier U Nu’s Volksliga voor Vrijheid loses election
1959 – “Today” show goes abroard 1st time (Paris France)
1961 – Sierra Leone declares independence from UK

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Famous Birthdays

1650 – Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel, queen of Denmark and Norway (1670-99), born in Kassel, Germany (d. 1714)
1824 – William Richard Bexfield, English composer, born in Norwich, England (d. 1853)
1850 – Hans Hartwig von Beseler, German Colonel General, born in Greifswald, Prussia (d. 1921)
1893 – Draža Mihailović, Serbian WWII hero and war criminal, born in Ivanjica, Serbia (d. 1946)
1922 – Jack Klugman, American actor (Oscar-Odd Couple, Quincy, Goodbye Columbus), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2012)
1944 – Cuba Gooding Sr., American singer (Everybody Plays the Fool), born in NYC, New York (d. 2017)

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Famous Deaths

1613 – Robert Abercromby, Scottish Jesuit (b. 1532)
1896 – Henry Parkes, Australian politician (longest non-consecutive Premier of the Colony of New South Wales), dies at 80
1973 – Carlos Menditeguy, Argentine racing driver (b. 1914)
1992 – Olivier Messiaen, French composer (St Francois d’Assise), dies at 83
1999 – Cyril Washbrook, English cricketer (stalwart Lancs and England opener), dies at 84
2009 – Woo Seung-yeon, South Korean actress and model (b. 1983)

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Historical Events

1904 – Bell Telephone Company of Antwerp Belgium forms
1991 – “Dinosaurs” premieres on ABC-TV
1992 – “Master Builder” closes at Belasco Theater NYC after 45 performances
1993 – STS-55 (Columbia) launches into orbit
2009 – 55th British Academy Television Awards: “Harry and Paul” Best Comedy, “Wallander” Best Drama
2012 – 70 people are killed by rocket attacks by the Syrian Army on the city of Hama

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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)
1927 – Dame Anne McLaren, British biologist and leading researcher on human in vitro fertilisation (IVF), born in London, England (d. 2007)
1942 – Claudine Auger, French actress (Thunderball) and Miss France (1958), born in Paris, France
1947 – Donna De Varona, American swimmer (Olympic-2 gold-64), born in Greenwich, Connecticut
1959 – Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto Rico politician, Governor of Puerto Rico (2019-), born in San Juan, Puerto Rico
1980 – Marnette Patterson, American actress (Nicole-Something So Right), born in Los Angeles, California

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Famous Deaths

1952 – Charles L Baars, Dutch actor (Women Tamers), dies at 59
1960 – Wander J de Haas, Dut physicist (Einstein-De Haas effect), dies at 82
1984 – Henry Rowland, actor (Rogue’s Regiment), dies at 70
1991 – Carmine Coppola, American composer and conductor (The Godfather Part II), and father of Francis Ford Coppola, dies at 80
1996 – Burton Stein, American historian, dies at 69
2017 – Jonathan Demme, American film director (Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia), dies at 73

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Historical Events

1604 – Count Maurits’ army lands at Cadzand
1867 – Tokyo opens for foreign trade
1902 – Erwin Harvey becomes 1st Cleveland ballplayer (Cleveland Bronchos) to have six hits in one game
1954 – WDEF TV channel 12 in Chattanooga, TN (CBS) begins broadcasting
1971 – The Northern Ireland census is held
1986 – ETA bomb attacks Madrid killing 5

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Famous Birthdays

1825 – Charles Dowd, American principal who was the 1st to propose standardized time zones (for America’s railways), born in Madison, Connecticut (d. 1904)
1941 – Princess Muna al-Hussein, mother of King Abdullah II of Jordan, born in Chelmondiston, Suffolk, England
1947 – Jeffrey DeMunn, American actor (Blaze, Frances, Windy City), born in Buffalo, New York
1970 – Steve Tovar, American NFL linebacker (Cin Bengals), born in Elyria, Ohio
1977 – Marguerite Moreau, American actress (Connie-Mighty Ducks, D2, D3), born in Riverside, California
1981 – John McFall, British Paralympic sprinter, born in Frimley, Surrey, England

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Famous Deaths

1342 – Benedict XII, [Jacques Fournier], Pope (1334-42), dies
1566 – Louise Labé, French poet
1792 – Nicolas J Pelletier, French highwayman, 1st person guillotined
1905 – Jacob Olie, Dutch photographer, dies at about 70
1958 – Herman Hickman, American College Football Hall of Fame guard, coach and broadcaster (Army, Yale), dies at 46
1990 – Dexter Gordon, American jazz tenor saxophonist and actor (Round Midnight, The Other Side of Round Midnight), dies of kidney failure at 67

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Historical Events

1596 – Pacificatie of Ireland drawn
1908 – Mr and Mrs Jacob Murdock become 1st to travel across US by car, they leave LA in a Packard and arrive in NYC in 32d-5h-25m
1965 – “Comedy in Music-Opus 2” closes at John Golden NYC after 192 performances
1990 – US 66th manned space mission STS 31 (Discovery 10) launches into orbit
1992 – Vinson Pike fined £1000 for distributing obscene computer pictures
1997 – “Steel Peer” opens at Richard Rodgers Theater NYC for 76 performances

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Famous Birthdays

1845 – Carl Spitteler, Swiss poet (Prometheus and Epimetheus; Nobel 1919), born in Liestal, Switzerland (d. 1924)
1909 – Irven Spence, American animator, born in Lincoln, Nebraska (d. 1995)
1958 – Brian Paddick, British former deputy assistant commissioner and most senior openly gay police officer, born in London
1961 – Roger Mayweather, American boxer, (WBA and lineal super featherweight titles 1983-84, WBC light welterweight 1987-89; IBO light welterweight; IBO welterweight 1994-95), born in Grand Rapids, Michigan (d. 2020)
1971 – Ken Klee, NHL defenseman (Washington Capitals), born in Indianapolis, Indiana
1977 – Carlos Beltrán, Puerto Rican baseball player, born in Manatí, Puerto Rico

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Famous Deaths

1935 – Paul Klengel, composer, dies at 80
1936 – Finley Peter Dunne, American journalist and humorist (Mr Dooley), dies at 68
1943 – Gerardus H de Hare, socialist vicar, dies at 63
1983 – Rolf Stommelen, German race car driver (b. 1943)
1993 – Oliver Tambo, South African lawyer, anti-apartheid politician and co-founder (African National Congress), dies of a stroke at 75
1997 – Pat Paulsen, American comedian (Smothers Brothers Show) and presidential candidate , dies at 69

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Historical Events

1849 – Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky and members of the Petrashevsky Circle are arrested in St. Petersburg
1860 – Democratic convention in Charleston, South Carolina divided over slavery
1953 – General Charles P Cabell, USAF, becomes deputy director of CIA
1955 – “Kismet” closes at Ziegfeld Theater NYC after 583 performances
2009 – Gamma ray burst (GRB) 090423 is observed for 10 seconds, the most distant object of any kind and also the oldest known object in the universe
2013 – West Indian cricketer, Chris Gayle, smashes the fastest century in history (30 balls)

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Famous Birthdays

1708 – Friedrich von Hagedorn, German poet (Versuch einiger Poem), born in Hamburg, Germany (d. 1754)
1715 – Johann Friedrich Doles, German composer, pupil of J. S. Bach, born in Steinbach-Hallenberg, Germany (d. 1797)
1838 – Alfred Verwee, Flemish painter, born in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, Belgium (d. 1895)
1904 – Leslie French, British actor and singer (Death in Venice, More than a Miracle), born in Bromley, Kent, England (d. 1999)
1957 – Kenji Kawai, Japanese film score composer, born in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan
1970 – Sadao Abe, Japanese actor (Team Medical Dragon), born in Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture, Japan

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Famous Deaths

725 – Wihtred, King of Kent (c. 692-725)
990 – Ekkehart II, [Palatinus], monk to St-Gallen/poet, dies
1812 – Franz Sebastian Haindl, composer, dies at 85
1986 – Otto Preminger, Austrian director and producer (Advise and Consent, Anatomy of Murder), dies at 79
1996 – Jean Victor Allard, Canadian army general, dies at 82
2003 – Fernand Fonssagrives, French photographer, dies at 92

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Historical Events

1955 – KC Athletic’s 1st game, beat Tigers 6-2
1969 – Joe Frazier KOs Dave Zyglewick in 1 for heavyweight boxing title
1981 – 10,000 copper workers in Chile strike
1982 – Launch of STS-3-Lousma and Fullerton [03/23]
1983 – Great Britain performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
2012 – TV political comedy “Veep” created by Armando Iannucci, starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Anna Chlumsky premieres on HBO

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Famous Birthdays

1927 – Pascal Bentoiu, Romanian composer, born in Bucharest, Romania (d. 2016)
1931 – Simon “Siem” Vroom, Dutch actor (The Lift, Bridge Too Far, Mysteries), born in Beemster, Noord-Holland (d. 1985)
1931 – Bruce Dickson, Canadian ice hockey player (Olympic gold 1952), born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
1963 – Sean Lock, British comedian and actor (British Comedy Award, 2000), born in Chertsey, Surrey
1967 – Sherri Shepherd, American comedian and actress
1971 – Milos Holan, Bilovec Cze, NHL defenseman (Anaheim Mighty Ducks)

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Famous Deaths

1941 – Arthur Briscoe, cricketer (South African batsman in 2 Tests), dies
1967 – Tom Conway, Russian actor (Mark Saber, Betty Hutton Show), dies at 62
1983 – Earl “Fatha” Hines, American jazz pianist and bandleader (Deep Forest), dies at 79
1985 – Paul H. Emmett, American chemical engineer (b. 1900)
2003 – Martha Griffiths, U.S. Congresswoman (b. 1912)
2013 – Richie Havens, American singer-songwriter and guitarist, dies from a heart attack at 72

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Historical Events

1453 – Turkish fleet sinks ships Golden Receiver in Constantinople
1820 – Danish scientist Hans Christian Ørsted is the first to identify electromagnetism, when he observes a compass needle
1878 – Ship Azor leaves Charleston with 206 blacks for Liberia
1945 – Allied troops occupy German nuclear laboratory
1945 – US 7th Army reaches Nuremberg
1956 – Elvis Presley’s 1st hit record, “Heartbreak Hotel”, becomes #1

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Famous Birthdays

1908 – Louis Hostin, French weightlifter (Olympic gold 1932, 36), born in Saint-Étienne, France (d. 1998)
1919 – Franc [Franklin E] Essed, Suriname agricultural eng, Oper Grasshopper)
1921 – Jack Fletcher, American actor (Calucci’s Department, Once Upon a Mattress), born in Forest Hills, New York (d. 1990)
1948 – Gary A Condit, (Rep-D-California)
1953 – Ed Fiori, American golfer (4 PGA Tour titles), born in Lynwood, California
1954 – Ebiet G. Ade, Indonesian singer

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Famous Deaths

1073 – Alexander II, [Anselmo da Baggio], Pope (1061-73), dies
1898 – Louis Théodore Gouvy, French-German composer, dies at 78
1946 – Robert Graham, cricketer (3 wkts for South Africa in 2 Tests 1898-99), dies
1971 – François Duvalier “Papa Doc”, Dictator of Haiti (1957-71), dies at 64
1988 – I. A. L. Diamond, Hollywood screenwriter (1960 Acad Award-Apartment), dies at 67
1989 – James Kirkwood, American actor, author and playwright (A Chorus Line, P. S. Your Cat Is Dead!), dies of cancer at 64

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Historical Events

1944 – Dutch Communist Party resistance fighter John Postma sentence to death
1951 – Velsen city council demands investigation of police collaborators
1971 – US Supreme Court upholds use of busing to achieve racial desegregation
1976 – George Harrison sings lumberjack song with Monty Python
1981 – 85th Boston Marathon: Toshihiko Seko of Japan wins men’s race in 2:09:26; Allison Roe of New Zealand takes women’s title in 2:26:46
2018 – Mexican court bars sales of controversial Frida Kahlo Barbie doll

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Famous Birthdays

1633 – Emperor Go-Kōmyō, 110th emperor of Japan, born in Kyoto, Japan (d. 1654)
1951 – Luther Vandross, American rock vocalist (Dance with my Father), born in NYC, New York (d. 2005)
1954 – Gilles Lupien, French Canadian ice hockey player, born in Lachute, Canada
1958 – Viacheslav Fetisov, Russian Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman (Olympic gold 1984, 88; Stanley Cup 1997-98, Detroit Red Wings), born in Moscow, Russia
1963 – Mauricio Gugelmin, Brazilian racing driver, born in Joinville, Brazil
1971 – Tina Cousins, English singer (Mysterious Times), born in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England

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Famous Deaths

1314 – Clement V, [Bertrand Got], pope (1305-14) move papacy to Avignon, dies
1906 – Australian wombat; oldest known marsupial, dies in London Zoo at 26
1968 – Mabel Stark, American tiger trainer “crazy Mabel”, found dead after her suicide at 79
1971 – Cecil Parker, British actor (The Lady Vanishes, Indiscreet, Tale of 2 Cities), dies at 73
1973 – Robert Armstrong, actor (Fall Guy, Exposed), dies at 82
2018 – Avicii [Tim Bergling], Swedish musician, DJ, remixer and record producer (Levels, Wake Me Up, Sunshine), commits suicide at 28

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Historical Events

1901 – In the Philippines, recently captured insurgent leader Emilio Aguinaldo issues a proclamation advising his countrymen to end their rebellion and use of peaceful means to work with the US toward independence.
1921 – Funeral of last German Emperoress, Augusta Victoria
1927 – “Vagabond King” opens in London
1973 – USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR
1974 – Oriole Al Bumbry hits an inside-the-park HR against NY Yankees
1975 – India launches 1st satellite with help of USSR

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Famous Birthdays

1798 – Heinrich Maria von Hess, German historical painter, born in Düsseldorf, Germany (d. 1863)
1832 – José Echegaray, Spanish dramatist (Nobel 1904), born in Madrid, Spain (d. 1916)
1954 – Trevor Francis, British football player and manager, born in Plymouth, England
1970 – Luis Miguel, Puerto Rican-Mexican spanish singer (Me Gustas Tal Como Eres), born in San Juan, Puerto Rico
1972 – Jeff Wilkins, American NFL kicker (SF 49ers, St Louis Rams), born in Youngstown, Ohio
1977 – Joe Beimel, American baseball player (Pittsburgh Pirates), born in St. Marys, Pennsylvania

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Famous Deaths

1588 – Paolo Veronese (Cagliari), painter, dies
1876 – Samuel Sebastian Wesley, English organist and composer, dies at 65
1983 – Lorene Scott, actress (Faraway Hill), dies at 74
1986 – Dag Wirén, Swedish composer, dies at 80
2004 – Norris McWhirter, Scottish co-founder of the Guinness Book of Records (b. 1925)
2010 – Carl Williams, Australian criminal (b. 1970)

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Historical Events

1945 – Diplomatic relations between the Soviet Union and Bolivia established
1962 – 16th NBA Championship: Boston Celtics beat LA Lakers, 4 games to 3
1972 – “Lost in the Stars” based on the novel “Cry the Beloved Country” by Alan Paton opens at Imperial Theater NYC for 39 performances
1983 – Pulitzer Prize awarded to Alice Walker for the novel “The Color Purple”
1987 – Bob Land wins his 6th straight Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race
1987 – Pat Knauff, France sets 1-leg downhill ski speed record (115.012 mph)

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Famous Birthdays

1910 – Sylvia Fisher, Australian operatic soprano (Albert Herring Opera), born in Melbourne, Australia (d. 1996)
1946 – Hayley Mills, English actress (Parent Trap, Pollyanna), born in London, England
1963 – Eric McCormack, Canadian-American actor (Will and Grace), born in Toronto, Ontario
1966 – Trine Hattestad, Norwegian javelin thrower (Olympic gold 2000), born in Lørenskog, Norway
1969 – Sayako Kuroda, Japanese Imperial Shinto priestess and Supreme Priestess of the Ise Grand Shrine who gave up her imperial title for marriage, born in Chiyoda, Tokyo
1985 – Karl Reindler, Australian racing driver, born in Perth, Australia

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Famous Deaths

1873 – Justus von Liebig, German agricultural and biological chemist who is considered the founder of organic chemistry, dies at 69
1888 – Roscoe Conkling, American politician (U.S. Senator from New York 1867-81), dies at 58
1906 – Luis Martín, Spanish Superior-General of the Society of Jesus, dies at 59
1936 – Seaborn McDaniel Denson, American composer, dies at 82
1944 – Cécile Chamindale, French composer and pianist, dies at 86
2019 – Mark Medoff, American playwright, director, actor and professor (Children of a Lesser God), dies at 79

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