Category: On This Day

Historical Events

1936 – At 3pm the BBC begins the world’s first regular high-definition TV broadcast service from specially constructed studios at Alexandra Palace, North London
1966 – The Cuban Adjustment Act comes into force, allowing 123,000 Cubans opportunity to apply for permanent residence in the US
1972 – USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR
1991 – Nevada makes biggest comeback in NCAA football history, overcoming a 35 point 3rd quarter deficit to rally and beat Weber State, 55-49
2002 – 14th College Football Holy War: Boston College beats Notre Dame 14-7 in South Bend
2012 – Breeders’ Cup Horse Racing, Santa Anita Racetrack; Day 1 winners: Hightail, Calidoscopio, Flotilla, Beholder, Zagora, Royal Delta

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1837 – Émile Bayard, French artist and illustrator, born in La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, Seine-et-Marne, France (d. (1891)
1843 – Caryl Florio [William James Robjohn], English-American composer, born in Tavistock, Devon, England (d. 1920)
1924 – David Bauer, Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame player and builder (priest, school coach; National Team manager), born in Kitchener, Ontario (d. 1988)
1948 – Rich Gooch, American rock bassist (Quarterflash)
1961 – K.D. Lang [Kathy Dawn], Canadian country singer, born in Consort, Alberta
1962 – David Brock, American political commentator (Media Matters for America), born in Washington, D.C.

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1863 – Theodore Judah, American railroad engineer (b. 1826)
1887 – Swedish Nightingale [Jenny Lind], Swedish soprano, dies at 67
1905 – Albert von Kölliker, Swiss anatomist and histologist (one of the first to interpret tissue structure in terms of cellular elements), dies at 88
1977 – Hans Erich Nossak, German writer, dies at 76
1995 – Bill Blair, American auto racer (NASCAR pioneer; 54 top-10 finishes), dies at 84
2013 – Walt Bellamy, American Basketball Hall of Fame center (NBA All-Star 1962–65; NBA Rookie of the Year 1962; Olympic gold 1960), dies at 74

More Famous Deaths »

Historical Events

1956 – Indian states of Punjab, Patiala and most of the East Punjab States Union merge as the Punjab State
1962 – USSR performs nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya USSR
1976 – “Don’t Step on My Olive Branch” opens at Playhouse NYC for 16 performances
1977 – US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
1986 – Fire in Sandoz factory in Basel, 30 tons of chemicals in the Rhine
2007 – 5-time Grand Slam tennis winner Martina Hingis admits testing positive for cocaine during Wimbledon; maintains innocence; retires from tennis; no desire for fight with anti-doping authorities

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1351 – Leopold III, Duke of Austria (1365-68), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1386)
1815 – Douglas H. Cooper, American Brigadier General (Confederate Army), born in Amite County, Mississippi (d. 1879)
1825 – Joseph B. Palmer, American Brigadier General (Confederate Army), born in Rutherford County, Tennessee (d. 1890)
1961 – Louise Boije af Gennäs, Swedish writer and novelist (Stjärnor utan svindel)
1977 – Steve Hutchinson, American NFL offensive guard (7 x Pro Bowl; 5 First Team All Pro), born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
1978 – Manju Warrier, Indian actress (How Old Are You?), born in Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu, India

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1814 – Alexander Samoylov, Russian general and statesman (b. 1744)
1879 – Zachariah Chandler, American merchant and politician (found Republican Party), dies at 65
1964 – Clifford “Doc” Carlson, American Basketball Hall of Fame coach (Pittsburgh 367–248 [.597]), dies at 70
1975 – Doro Merande, actress (That Was The Week That Was), dies at 77
1995 – Lex Hixon, religious teacher/author, dies at 53
2015 – Fred Thompson, US senator (R-Tenn)/actor (In the Line of Fire), dies at 73

More Famous Deaths »

Historical Events

1649 – John Wallis, newly appointed Savilian Professorof Geometry at Oxford University, gives his Inaugural lecture
1864 – Nevada admitted as 36th state of the Union
1905 – Great revolutionary demonstration for amnesty in St Petersburg
1959 – Lee Harvey Oswald announces in Moscow he will never return to USA
1968 – US President Lyndon B. Johnson orders a halt to all bombing of North Vietnam
1993 – 25 people killed during Ghana-Ivory Coast soccer match

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1902 – Eduard Franz, American actor (Zorro), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (d. 1983)
1920 – Fritz Walter, German footballer, born in Kaiserslautern, Germany (d. 2002)
1930 – Ray Crane, English trumpeter, born in Skegness, Lincolnshire (d. 1994)
1947 – Russ Ballard, English rocker (Argent), born in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, England
1960 – Reza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran, born in Tehran, Iran
1966 – Koji Kanemoto, Japanese wrestler (NJPW/AAA/UWA, Tiger Mask, King Lee), born in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1556 – John Sleidanus, German humanist/historian (Commentary), dies at 50
1664 – Willem Frederik of Nassau-Dietz, viceroy of Friesland, dies at 51
1969 – Hugo Pfister, Swiss composer, dies at 55
1987 – Joseph Campbell, mythologist (Mythic Image), dies at 83
1995 – Henry A Walter Richard Percy, 11th Duke of Northumberland, dies at 42
1995 – Alan Bush, English composer pianist and teacher, dies at 94

More Famous Deaths »

Historical Events

1943 – Soviet forces under Fyodor Ivanovich Tolbukhin commenced offensive on the 4th Ukranian Front
1944 – Scots Highlanders liberate Waalwijk
1967 – Ferdinand Bracke bicycles world record time (48,093 km)
1990 – Britain and France complete the “Chunnel” under the English Channel
1993 – Toronto Maple Leafs lose 1st game of season after going 10-0-0
2016 – Canada and the EU sign free trade deal after opposition by Belgium

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1963 – Todd Sand, pairs skaters (Olympics 1994), born in Burbank, California
1964 – Howard Lederer, American poker player
1970 – Ekaterini Voggoli, Greek discus thrower
1983 – Trent Edwards, American Football Player
1984 – Eva Pigford, American model
1988 – Janel Parrish, American actress

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1680 – Antoinette Bourignon, Flemish mystic (b. 1616)
1936 – Teddy Wynyard, cricketer (three Tests for England 1896-1906), dies
1958 – Rose Macaulay, English writer (The Towers of Trebizond), dies at 77
1968 – Conrad Richter, American writer (Light in the Forest), dies at 78
1993 – Hernan Heleno Castro, El Salvadorian guerilla leader, murdered
2007 – Linda Stein, Ramones manager and real estate broker (b. 1945)

More Famous Deaths »

Historical Events

1889 – Queen Victoria grants Cecil Rhodes rights to Zambezia
1950 – British Chancellor of the Exchequer (Minister of Finance) Stafford Cripps resigns
1967 – Galt MacDermot, Gerome Ragni and James Rado’s musical “Hair” premieres in NYC
1977 – “Act” opens at Majestic Theater NYC for 233 performances
1994 – Antonov AN-12 having an accident at Ust-Ilimsk Kaluga, 21 killed
2005 – Breeders’ Cup Horse Racing, Belmont Park; winners: Saint Liam, Stevie Wonderboy, Pleasant Home, Shirocco, Intercontinental, Folklore, Artie Schiller, Silver Train

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1815 – Ľudovít Štúr, Slovak politician, author of Slovak language (d. 1856)
1920 – Catholicos Baselios Mar Thoma Didymos I, Indian Catholic
1940 – José Ulises Macías Salcedo, Catholic bishop
1957 – Dan Castellaneta, American voice actor, Best known as the voice of Homer Simpson
1967 – Greg Gohr, pitcher (Detroit Tigers), born in Santa Clara, California
1985 – Severino Jefferson, Brazilian football player

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1666 – James Shirley, English dramatist (b. 1596)
1856 – Carel Sirardus Willem van Hogendorp, Dutch colonial director, dies at 68
1873 – Johan N M J, king of Saxon (1854-73), dies
1947 – Frances Cleveland Preston, former 1st lady (1885-89 93-97), dies at 83
1962 – Siegfried Salomon, Danish composer, dies at 77
1992 – Kenneth MacMillan, British choreographer (Manon, Judas Tree), dies

More Famous Deaths »

Historical Events

1882 – Athletics reveal $22,000 profit in their 1st season in the American Association
1954 – N Richard Nash’ “Rainmaker” premieres in NYC
1961 – “Fiorello!” closes at Broadhurst Theater NYC starring Tom Bosley after 796 performances and a Pulitzer Prize
1979 – Dick Howser (best Yank mngr win-lost pct .636) replaces Billy Martin
1989 – Oakland A’s beat San Francisco, 9-6 at Candlestick Park to sweep Giants in earthquake affected “Bay Bridge” Baseball World Series; A’s pitcher Dave Stewart MVP
2016 – Disney and Alessia Cara release the sing “How Far I’ll Go” for the film “Moana”

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1846 – Auguste Escoffier, French chef and culinary writer, ‘king of chefs and chef of kings’, born in Villeneuve-Loubet, France (d. 1935)
1946 – Wim Jansen, Dutch footballer and coach
1947 – Tom Fitzsimmons, actor (Franklin-Paper Chase), born in San Francisco, California
1968 – Shawna Molcak, Cardston Alberta, basketball guard (Olympics 1996)
1972 – Chad Folk, CFL cornerback (Toronto Argonauts)
1981 – Milan Baroš, Czech footballer

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1627 – Jahangir, 4th Mughal Emperor of India (1605-27), dies at 58
1708 – Prince George of Denmark, Prince Consort of Anne of England, dies at 55
1754 – Friedrich von Hagedorn, German poet (Versuch einiger Poem), dies at 46
1929 – Hermann Ungar, Moravian writer, dies at 36
1986 – John Braine, English novelist (Life at the Top), dies at 64
1991 – John Korbal, film historian (Marlene Dietrich), dies at 51

More Famous Deaths »

Historical Events

1920 – Westinghouse radio station in East Pittsburgh, KDKA begins
1945 – 1st edition of Elseviers Weekly newspaper (Elseviers Magazine)
1970 – “Light, Lively and Yiddish” opens at Belasco Theater NYC for 87 performances
1982 – IBM ROM is capable of EGA graphics
1990 – Breeders’ Cup Horse Racing, Belmont Park; winners: Bayakoa, Fly So Free, In The Wings, Meadow Star, Royal Academy, Safely Kept, Unbridled
2014 – Taylor Swift releases her 5th studio album “1989” (2015 Billboard Album of the Year, Grammy Award for Album of the Year 2016)

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1156 – Raymond VI, Count of Toulouse (1194-1222), born in Saint-Gilles, Gard, France (d. 1222)
1942 – Anita Roddick, English cosmetic manufacturer (Body Shop), born in Littlehampton, West Sussex
1956 – Jaq D. Hawkins, British author, occultist and lecturer, born in California
1970 – Vernon Lewis, NFL cornerback (NE Patriots), born in Houston, Texas
1971 – Jorge Soto, Peruvian soccer midfielder (101 caps; Sporting Cristal), born in Lima, Peru
1981 – Kristi Richards, Canadian freestyle skier, born in Penticton, British Columbia

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1542 – Abraham ben Avigdor, rabbi/author (commentary on Tur), dies
1833 – Ferdinand Franzl, composer, dies at 66
1848 – Alexander Egorovich Varlamov, composer, dies at 46
1980 – Steve Peregrin Took, English musician (Tyrannosaurus Rex), dies of a drug overdose at 31
1990 – Princess Sophie von Hohenberg, daughter of assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria (b. 1901)
2006 – Brad Will, American anarchist and independent journalist (b. 1970)

More Famous Deaths »

Historical Events

1922 – Italian government resigns under pressure from fascists and Benito Mussolini
1962 – JFK warns Russia that the USA will not allow Soviet missiles to remain in Cuba
1964 – Eric Edgar Cooke becomes last person in Western Australia to be executed.
1987 – Dow Jones down 156.83 points
2012 – Hurricane Sandy makes landfall in the Bahamas killing 2 people and causing over $300 million in damage
2015 – “Spectre”, 24th James Bond film, directed by Sam Mendes and starring Daniel Craig premieres in London

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1881 – Margaret Wycherly, British actress (Keeper of the Flame), born in London, England (d. 1956)
1930 – John Arden, English novelist and playwright (Left Handed Liberty), born in Barnsley, England (d. 2012)
1945 – Jaclyn Smith, American actress (Charlie’s Angels, The Bourne Identity), born in Houston, Texas
1946 – Pat Sajak, American TV host (Wheel of Fortune, Pat Sajak Show), born in Chicago, Illinois
1957 – Bob Golic, American football player, born in Cleveland, Ohio
1973 – Brian Smith, American speed skater (Olympics 1994), born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1132 – Floris the Black, brother of earl Dirk VI of Holland, murdered
1658 – Francisco de Borja y Aragon Esquilache, Spanish poet, dies
1848 – Vissarion G Belinski, Russian literature critic, dies
1864 – “Bloody Bill” Anderson, American Civil War Pro-Confederate rebel guerrilla leader, killed by union troops at 24 or 25
1968 – Erich Von Stroheim Jr, American actor and director (Napoleon, Sunset Boulevard), dies of cancer at 52
2007 – Khun Sa, Burmese warlord (b. 1934)

More Famous Deaths »

Historical Events

1885 – Johannes Brahms’ 4th Symphony in E premieres
1984 – Rangers beat Devils 11-2
1984 – West German Chancellor Rainer Barzel resigns due to corruption
1987 – Minnesota Twins win their 1st World Series championship beating St Louis Cards, 4 games to 3 in 84th World Series
1994 – Susan Smith claims her 2 kids were carjacked (she actually killed them)
2005 – Then longest Baseball World Series game in time (5 hours, 41 mins) and tied longest in innings (14, tied with Game 2, 1916 WS and Game 1, 2015 WS); Cubs beat Astros, 7-5 in Game 3 at Minute Maid Park, Houston

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1683 – Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton, British politician, born in London (d. 1757)
1884 – Eduardo Barrios, Chilean novelist (The Love-Crazed Boy), born in Valparaíso, Chile (d. 1963)
1925 – Yakov Rylsky, USSR sabre team (Olympic bronze 1956), born in Aleksandrovka, Verkhubinsky District, Kazakhstan (d. 1999)
1926 – William “Biff” McGuire, American actor (Serpico, Heart is Lonely Hunter), born in New Haven, Connecticut
1948 – Dave Cowens, American NBA forward (Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks), born in Newport, Kentucky
1970 – Ed Robertson, Canadian musician (Barenaked Ladies), born in Scarborough, Ontario

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1400 – Geoffrey Chaucer, British author known as the “Father of English literature” (The Canterbury Tales), dies at 56 or 57
1415 – Robert of Bar, French knight, dies in battle
1604 – Claude de la Tremoille, French duke of Thouars/huguenot, dies
1806 – Henry Knox, American general (Continental Army and later the United States Army), dies at 56
1895 – Charles Hallé, Anglo-German pianist, conductor and founder (Halle Orchestra), dies at 76
2001 – Yoritsune Matsudaira, Japanese composer, dies at 94

More Famous Deaths »

Historical Events

1818 – Felix Mendelssohn aged 9 performs his first public concert in Berlin
1900 – General Redvers Buller returns to England
1939 – Joe DiMaggio wins AL MVP, Jimmie Foxx is runner-up
1963 – Sandy Koufax is unanimous winner of Cy Young Award
1973 – Yom Kippur War ends, Israel 65 miles from Cairo, 26 from Damascus
1993 – “Wonderful Tennessee” opens at Plymouth Theater NYC for 9 performances

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1815 – John Edwards, American politician (US Representative Arkansas) Brigadier General (Union Army), born in Louisville, Kentucky (d. 1894)
1930 – Sultan Ahmad Shah, 7th King of Malaysia (1979-84), born in Pekan, Pahang, Federated Malay States, British Malaya (d. 2019)
1936 – David Nelson, American actor, director, and producer (The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet), born in NYC, New York (d. 2011)
1937 – Miguel Ángel Coria, Spanish composer of classical music, born in Madrid (d. 2016)
1968 – Adrian Dale, South African cricketer (prolific Glamorgan and England A batsman), born in Germiston, Transvaal, South Africa
1987 – Charlie White, American ice dancer

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1537 – Jane Seymour, 3rd wife of Henry VIII and Queen of England (1536-7), dies of postnatal complications at 28
1667 – Gabriel Metsu, Dutch painter, buried
1672 – John Webb, English architect (b. 1611)
1949 – Joaquin Nin y Castellanos, composer, dies at 70
1970 – Richard Hofstadter, American historian, dies at 54
1971 – Fernand Quinet, Belgian composer/conductor (Guerre), dies at 73

More Famous Deaths »