Category: On This Day

Historical Events

1264 – Battle of Lewes, 2nd Barons’ War: Simon de Montfort the younger, Earl of Leicester, defeats English King Henry III
1747 – A British fleet under Admiral George Anson defeats the French at first battle of Cape Finisterre.
1897 – Great Britain signs treaty with Emperor Menelik II of Abyssinia
1935 – LA’s Griffith Planetarium opens, 3rd in US
1954 – Belgium shortens military conscription from 20 to 18 months
1955 – Warsaw Pact is signed by the Soviet Union, Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland and Romania

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Famous Birthdays

1652 – Johann Philipp Fortsch, German composer, statesman and physician, born in Wertheim am Main (d. 1732)
1916 – Marco Zanuso, Italian architect
1937 – Dick Howser, shortstop (Kansas City A’s), manager (KC Royals)
1954 – Jens Sparschuh, German writer
1961 – Tim Roth, actor (Reservoir Dogs, Vincent and Theo), born in London, England
1966 – Leroy Blugh, CFL defensive end (Edmonton Eskimos)

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Famous Deaths

1878 – Ookubo Toshimichi, Japanese statesman, samurai, and one of the three great nobles who led the Meiji Restoration (b. 1830)
1934 – Lou Criger, American baseball player (b. 1872)
1959 – Sidney Bechet, Americanjazz clarinetist, saxophonist and bandleader, dies at 62
1991 – Herman Niels, Flemish radio director, dies
1993 – William Randolph Hearst, Jr., American newspaper magnate (Hearst Newspapers) and 1955 Pulitzer Prize winner, dies at 85
2004 – Anna Lee [Joan Boniface Winnifrith], British actress (General Hospital, How Green Was My Valley), dies of pneumonia at 91

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Historical Events

535 – St Agapitus I begins his reign as Catholic Pope
1891 – 17th Kentucky Derby: Isaac Murphy aboard Kingman wins in 2:52.25
1933 – 58th Preakness: Charley Kurtsinger aboard Head Play wins in 2:02
1944 – 69th Preakness: Conn McCreary aboard Pensive wins in 1:59.2
1954 – US performs atmospheric nuclear test at Enwetak
1991 – “Michael Jackson: Magic and Madness” goes on sale

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Famous Birthdays

1792 – Pius IX “Pio Nono”, [Giovanni-Maria Mastai-Ferretti], Pope (1846-78)
1936 – Rafael Campos, Santiago Dominican Republic, actor (Tonka)
1937 – Zohra Lampert, American actress (Doctor’s Hospital, Girl With Something Extra), born in NYC, New York
1965 – Chris Washburn, American NBA player, born in Hickory, North Carolina
1965 – Lari White, American country music singer and actress (You Can Be a Star winner- 1988), born in Dunedin, Florida (d. 2018)
1969 – André Schmechta, German musician (X Marks the Pedwalk, Scarecrow), born in Germany

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Famous Deaths

1312 – Theobald II, Duke of Lorraine (b. 1263)
1619 – Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, Dutch lawyer and statesman, beheaded at 71
1807 – Eliphalet Dyer, American statesman and judge, dies at 85
2011 – Jack Richardson, Canadian record producer (The Guess Who), dies at 81
2013 – Vladimir Romanovsky, Soviet sprint canoer, dies at 56
2013 – Joyce Brothers, American psychologist, dies from respiratory failure at 85

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Historical Events

1534 – German Duchy of Wurttemberg becomes Lutheran under Ulrich, Duke of Württemberg
1864 – Battle of Todd’s Tavern, cavalry battle fought near Todds Tavern, Virginia (Sheridan’s Raid), inconclusive result (US Civil War)
1951 – 1st H Bomb test, on Enewetak Atoll
1966 – St Louis’ Busch Stadium opens, Braves lose to Cards 4-3 in 12 inns
1967 – Provo disbands in Neth Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
1996 – “Inherit the Wind” closes at Royale Theater NYC after 45 performances

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Famous Birthdays

1751 – Gaetano Manna, Italian composer, born in Naples (d. 1804)
1886 – Hermann Grabner, Austrian composer (Die Richterin), born in Graz, Austria (d. 1969)
1922 – Barend Busnac, office clerk/resistance fighter
1956 – Homer Simpson, fictional character from the long running television show “The Simpsons”, born in Springfield
1958 – Eric Singer, American drummer
1967 – Warren Rychel, Canadian NHL left wing (Colorado Avalanche), born in Strathroy, Ontario

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Famous Deaths

1845 – August Wilhelm Schlegel, German poet, translator and critic, dies at 77
1993 – Zeno Colò, Italian downhill skier (Olympic gold 1952), dies at 72
1994 – John Smith, British Labour Party chairman (1992-94), dies at 55
2006 – Gillespie V. Montgomery, former U.S. representative from Mississippi (b. 1920)
2007 – Mullah Dadullah Akhund, Taliban military leader (b. 1966?)
2007 – Teddy Infuhr, American former child actor (The Bishop’s Wife, They Live By Night), dies at 70

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Historical Events

1923 – 10 HRs hit in Phillies 20-14 victory over St Louis Cards
1924 – Pulitzer Prize awarded to Robert Frost (New Hampshire)
1924 – Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft and Benz and Cie begin their first joint venture (later merge into Mercedes-Benz)
1967 – “Sing, Israel Sing” opens at Brooks Atkinson Theater NYC for 14 performances
1985 – Madonna’s “Crazy For You” single goes #1
2013 – 43 people are killed in two car bombings in Reyhanlı, Turkey

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Famous Birthdays

1827 – Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, French sculptor and painter (d. 1875)
1882 – Joseph Marx, Austrian composer/critic
1894 – Martha Graham, American choreographer (Appalachian Spring), Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania (d. 1991)
1920 – Denver Pyle, American actor (The Dukes of Hazzard, The Andy Griffith Show), born in Cincinnati, Ohio (d. 1997)
1928 – Yaacov Agam, Israeli sculptor
1977 – Matthew Newton, Australian actor

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Famous Deaths

1881 – Henri-Frédéric Amiel, Swiss writer (Journal Intime), dies at 59
1927 – Juan Gris, Spanish cubist painter, dies at 40
2003 – Noel Redding, English bassist (The Jimi Hendrix Experience) (b. 1945)
2011 – Klaus Schlesinger, German writer, dies at 64
2014 – Reg Gasnier, Australian Hall of Fame rugby league player, dies at 74
2014 – Ed Gagliardi, American bass guitarist, dies from cancer at 62

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Historical Events

1768 – John Wilkes is imprisoned for writing an article for “The North Briton” severely criticizing King George III. This action provokes rioting in London.
1916 – Disastrous fire in Ellendale, North Dakolta
1929 – British Open Men’s Golf, Muirfield: Walter Hagen wins 4th Open title, by 6 strokes from fellow American Johnny Farrell
1974 – 7th ABA championship: NY Nets beats Utah Stars, 4 games to 1
1990 – French TGV-train hits record speed of 510.6 kph
2005 – A hand grenade thrown by Vladimir Arutyunian lands about 65 feet (20 metres) from U.S. President George W. Bush while giving a speech to a crowd in Tbilisi, Georgia, it malfunctions and does not detonate

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Famous Birthdays

1843 – Benito Pérez Galdós, Spanish novelist (Episodios Nacionales), born in Las Palmas, Spain (d. 1920)
1922 – David Orr, deputy chairman (Inchcape)/CEO (British Council, Unilever)
1922 – Nancy Walker, American actress (Rhoda, McMillan and Wife), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1992)
1937 – Tamara Press, USSR, shot putter/discus thrower (Olympic gold 1960)
1949 – Michael Larson, American “Press Your Luck” scandal big-winning contestant, born in Lebanon, Ohio (d. 1999)
1953 – Steve Thomas, rocker (Shooting Star)

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Famous Deaths

1569 – Juan the Avila, Spanish minister/writer
1696 – Jean de La Bruyère, French writer (The Characters, or the Manners of the Age, with The Characters of Theophrastus), dies at 50
1833 – François Andrieux, French playwright, dies at 74
1989 – Woody Shaw, American jazz musician (b. 1944)
1992 – John Lund, American actor (High Society, Wackiest Ship in the Army), dies at 81
2002 – Lynda Lyon Block, convicted murderer (b. 1948)

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Historical Events

1588 – Duke Henri de Guise’s troops occupy Paris
1942 – 67th Preakness: Basil James aboard Alsab wins in 1:57
1980 – 35 motorists die as a Liberian freighter rams a Tampa Bay Bridge
1990 – NHL Prince of Wales Conference Final: Boston Bruins beat Washington Capitals, 4 games to 0
2001 – Accra Sports Stadium Disaster: 129 Ghanian football fans die in a stampede caused by the firing of teargas by police following a decision by the referee in a crucial match between arch-rivals Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko
2015 – A gun fight erupts in Macedonian town of Kumanovo between police and Albanian separatists adding to the government crisis

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Famous Birthdays

1855 – Julius Röntgen, German-Dutch composer, born in Leipzig, Germany (d. 1932)
1912 – Per Imerslund, “The aryan idol” (d. 1943)
1919 – Betty Jameson, American golfer (US Open 1947, Western Open 1942, 54), born in Norman, Oklahoma (d. 2009)
1958 – Esko Rechardt, Finland, yachtsman (Olympic gold 1980)
1970 – Doug Christie, NBA guard/forward (Toronto Raptors)
1980 – Tony Schmidt, German racing driver

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Famous Deaths

1760 – Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf und Pottendorf, Austrian-born German religious and social reformer, dies at 59
1805 – Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller, German poet and playwright, dies at 45
1918 – George Coşbuc, Romanian poet, dies at 51
1957 – Ernest de Silva, Sri Lankan business magnate and philanthropist, dies at 69
1990 – Pauline Frederick, American journalist and author, dies at 84
1993 – Mary Duncan Sanford, American actress, dies at 98

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Historical Events

1877 – 1st Westminster Dog Show held
1882 – David Belasco’s “La Belle Russe” premieres in NYC
1906 – Philadelphia A’s pitcher Chief Benders plays outfield and hits 2 HRs
1926 – Fire breaks out in Fenway Park, home of Boston Red Socks baseball team
1984 – Minnesota Twins Kirby Puckett debuts with 4 singles
1994 – Colorado Silver Bullets (all-female pro baseball team) 1st game

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Famous Birthdays

1912 – George Woodcock, author
1933 – Alistair Service, writer/publisher
1935 – Viscount Falkland, British peer (Lib-Dem)
1942 – Robin Hobbs, cricketer (England leg-spinner 1967-71)
1951 – Deborah Harmon, American actress (Ted Knight Show, M*A*S*H, Just the 10 of Us), born in Chicago, Illinois
1983 – Matt Willis, British singer

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Famous Deaths

1876 – Truganini, last originating Tasmanian, dies
1894 – Clara Fey, German Roman Catholic Nun and the founder of the Sisters of the Poor Child Jesus, dies at 79
1967 – Laverne Andrews, American singer (Andrews Sisters), dies at 55
1998 – Bebe Rebozo, American banker and Watergate figure (b. 1912)
2012 – Nicholas Katzenbach, American Attorney General, dies at 90
2012 – Maurice Sendak, American author and illustrator, dies at 83

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Historical Events

1727 – Jews are expelled from Ukraine by Empress Catherine I of Russia
1862 – Much of Enschede, Netherlands, destroyed by fire
1914 – US Congress establishes Mother’s Day
1938 – Dutch Minister of Justice Goseling calls fugitives of Nazi-Germany “undesired strangers”
1956 – NY Giant Bill White, homers in his 1st at bat
1997 – Galileo, 4th Ganymede Flyby (Orbit 8)

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Famous Birthdays

1328 – Louis VI the Roman, Duke of Bavaria and Elector of Brandenburg, born in Rome (d. 1365)
1803 – Johan Peter Cronhamm, Swedish composer, born in Östra Karup, Skåne, Sweden (d. 1875)
1892 – Josip Broz Tito, Yugoslav communist revolutionary and leader of Yugoslavia (1943-80), born in Kumrovec, Hrvatsko Zagorje, Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia (d. 1980)
1901 – Lowell T. Coggeshall, American medical scientist and US Secretary of HEW (1956-58), born in Saratoga, Indiana (d. 1987)
1959 – Michael E. Knight, America actor (All My Children), born in Princeton, New Jersey
1973 – Dameian Jeffries, NFL defensive end (New Orleans Saints)

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Famous Deaths

1523 – Franz von Sickingen, German knight/protect of poor, dies of wounds at 42
1958 – Nyogen Senzaki, 1st Zen teacher to reside in USA, dies at 81
2002 – Seattle Slew, American racehorse (b. 1974)
2006 – Joan C. Edwards, American philanthropist (b. 1918)
2010 – Adele Mara [Adelaida Delgado], American actress, singer and dancer (Cool Million, Wheels), dies at 87
2018 – Jeremy D. Safran, Canadian-born American clinical psychologist, is killed during a burglary

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Historical Events

1672 – Brandenburg monarch Frederik Willem signs treaty with Netherlands
1860 – Giuseppe Garibaldi’s Mille sets sail from Genoa to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
1937 – German airship Hindenburg explodes in flames at Lakehurst, New Jersey, killing 35 of the 97 on board and 1 on the ground
1964 – Joe Orton’s play “Entertaining Mr Sloan” premieres in London
1979 – Louis LaRusso II’s “Knockout” premieres in NYC
2014 – Boko Haram’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, releases a 57 minute video boasting about abducting schoolgirls in Nigeria

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Famous Birthdays

1861 – Motilal Nehru, Indian lawyer and freedom fighter, born in Agra, British India (d. 1931)
1879 – Bedřich Hrozný, Czech orientalist and linguist (development of Hittitology), born in Lysá nad Labem, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary (d. 1952)
1883 – José Ortega y Gasset, Spanish philosopher and author (The Revolt of the Masses), born in Madrid, Spain (d. 1955)
1921 – Freddy Randall, English jazz trumpeter, born in London (d. 1999)
1973 – Clay Williams, OL (Indianapolis Colts)
2019 – Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, British son of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, born in London, England

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Famous Deaths

1739 – Bernardus Smijtegelt, Dutch vicar (Gekrookte Reed), dies at 63
1978 – Ko van Dijk Jr, Dutch actor (Zaak M P), dies at 61
1996 – Leo Joseph Suenens, Belgian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, dies at 91
2002 – Saleh Selim, Egyptian football player and 10th president of the Egyptian Al-Ahly Sporting Club, dies at 71
2002 – Pim Fortuyn, Dutch politician (b. 1948)
2018 – George G. Hall, Northern Irish applied mathematician, dies at 93

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Historical Events

1789 – French Estates-General meets for the first time since 1614 at Versailles, summoned King Louis XVI
1925 – Afrikaans is established as an official language in South Africa.
1941 – First modern perfume Chanel No. 5 released by fashion designer Coco Chanel
1956 – World championships of judo are 1st held in Tokyo
1957 – Adolf Scharf elected president of Austria
1984 – NHL Prince of Wales Conference Final: New York Islanders beat Montreal Canadians, 4 games to 2

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Famous Birthdays

1945 – Kurtis “Kurt” Loder, American film critic, TV personality and columnist (Rolling Stone, New York, Time), born in Ocean City, New Jersey
1957 – Lisa Eilbacher, Saudi-American actress (Beverly Hills Cop), born in Dharan, Saudi Arabia
1962 – Jenifer McKitrick, American songwriter (Mine, Mine, Mine), born in Defiance, Ohio
1981 – Marcelle Bittar, Brazilian-Lebanese supermodel, born in Guarapuava, Paraná, Brazil
1988 – Adele [Adele Laurie Blue Adkins], English singer (Rolling in the Deep, Someone Like You), born in Tottenham, London
1988 – Jessica Dubroff, American aviator (attempting to become the youngest person to fly a light utility aircraft across the United States), born in Falmouth, Massachusetts (d. 1996)

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Famous Deaths

1316 – Elizabeth of Rhuddlan, youngest daughter of King Edward I and Queen Eleanor of Castile, dies at 33
1705 – Leopold I von Hapsburg, Emperor of Holy Roman Empire, dies at 64
1811 – Robert Mylne, Scottish architect (b. 1734)
1972 – [Reverend] Gary Davis, American blues and folk guitarist (A Little More Faith), dies of a heart attack at 76
1976 – Thomas Burnett Swann, American sci-fi author (Day of Minotaur), dies at 47
1994 – Hein Salomonson, architect, dies at about 83

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