Category: On This Day

Historical Events

1648 – Spanish troops and feudal barons strike down people’s uprising in Naples
1722 – Dutch navigator Jacob Roggeveen discovers Easter Island
1814 – Netherlands Bank issues its 1st banknotes
1952 – 106th Grand National: Jockey Arthur Thompson and trainer Neville Crump combine for their second GN with Teal winning at odds of 100/7
1992 – 4th Seniors Golf Tradition: Lee Trevino wins by 1 stroke from Jack Nicklaus
2009 – Kraft Nabisco Championship Women’s Golf, Mission Hills CC: Brittany Lincicome eagles the final hole to win her first major title, 1 stroke ahead of fellow American Cristie Kerr

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Famous Birthdays

1906 – Lord Buckley, American comedian, born in Tuolumne, California (d. 1960)
1926 – Roger Corman, American producer and director (Little Shop of Horrors), born in Detroit, Michigan
1950 – Franklin Chang-Diaz, Costa Rican-Chinese American NASA astronaut (STS 61C, 34,46,60,75, sk:91), born in San José, Costa Rica
1964 – Robert “Bob” Kaehler, Burlingame California, rower (Olympic 5th 1992, 96)
1966 – Michael “Mike” McCready, American musician and lead guitarist (Pearl Jam), born in Pensacola, Florida
1971 – Stuart Peele, Australian rower (Olympics 1996)

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Famous Deaths

1923 – George Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon, English financier and Egyptologist who funded the search for and excavation of Tutankhamun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings, dies at 56 after a severe mosquito bite became infected by a razor cut
1943 – Aleš Hrdlička, Austro-Hungarian anthropologist and curator (US National Museum), dies at 74
1964 – Douglas MacArthur, US general (Pacific theater-WW II), dies at 84
1982 – Abe Fortas, Supreme court justice, dies at 71
1990 – Nico Scheepmaker, Dutch columnist and poet, dies at 59
2003 – Arthur Knight, CEO (Courtaulds), dies at 86

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Historical Events

1828 – Casparus van Wooden patents chocolate milk powder (Amsterdam)
1929 – 1st AAU Greco-Roman wrestling championships held
1958 – Eugene Ionesco’s “Tueur sans Gages” premieres in Darmstadt
1981 – Henry Cisneros becomes 1st Mexican-American mayor (San Antonio)
1988 – Largest crowd (55,438) at a season game at Riverfront (Reds Vs Cards)
1994 – 56th NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship: Arkansas Razorbacks beat Duke, 76-72

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Famous Birthdays

1918 – George Jellicoe, Earl Jellicoe, British naval commander and member of the House of Lords (1939-2007), born in Hatfield (d. 2007)
1931 – Harold Volkmer, American politician, U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri, born in Jefferson City, Missouri (d. 2011)
1952 – Gregg Hansford, Australian motorcycle and touring car racer, born in Australia (d. 1995)
1962 – Sherrin Smyers, Australian LPGA golfer (1995 Youngstown-11th), born in Newcastle, Australia
1964 – Robbie Rist, American actor (Oliver-Brady Bunch) and musician, born in Los Angeles, California
1978 – Irene Skliva, Greek model (Miss World 1996), born in Athens, Greece

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Famous Deaths

1229 – Hugo van Pierrepont, bishop of Liege, dies
1617 – John Napier, Scottish mathematician and inventor (logarithms), dies from effects of gout at 67
1996 – Frederick Denison Maurice Hocking, pathologist, dies at 97
2007 – Terry Hall, English ventriloquist (b. 1927)
2011 – Juliano Mer-Khamis, Israeli actor, director, filmmaker and political activist (b. 1958)
2016 – Carlo Mastrangelo, Italian-American rocker (Dion and The Belmonts), dies of cancer at 78

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Historical Events

1721 – Robert Walpole becomes Britain’s 1st Lord of the Treasury – effective Prime Minister, although that term was never officially used (indeed, it was considered an insult) until much later
1848 – Thomas Douglas becomes 1st public teacher in San Francisco
1882 – American outlaw Jesse James is killed by Robert Ford at home in St Joseph
1964 – US and Panama agree to resume diplomatic relations
1987 – Bill Elliott sets NASCAR qualify record of 212.809 mph at Talladega
1988 – 7th NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship: Louisiana Tech beats Auburn, 56-54

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Famous Birthdays

1882 – Simon Elzinga, Dutch educator
1930 – Lawton Chiles, U.S. Senator from Florida (1971-89) and Governor of Florida (1991-98), born in Lakeland, Florida (d. 1998)
1957 – Charles Jones, American basketball player, NBA forward (Houston Rockets), born in McGehee, Arkansas
1966 – Miina Tominaga, Japanese seiyu (voice actress), born in Nishi-ku, Hiroshima, Japan
1976 – Nicolas Escudé, French tennis player, coach (Davis Cup 2001), born in Chartres, France
1976 – Will Mellor, English actor (Hollyoaks), born in Bredbury, Greater Manchester

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Famous Deaths

1694 – Ferdinand van Apshoven de Jongere, Flemish painter, buried at 64
1919 – Paul Geisler, composer, dies at 62
1950 – Kurt Julian Weill, German composer (Dreigroschenoper), dies at 50
1958 – Theodor Kramer, Austrian poet and writer, dies at 61
1996 – Christopher John Seward, aid worker, dies at 45
1997 – Judy Flannery, master triathelete, killed by a car at 56

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Historical Events

1876 – Philadelphia A’s and Boston Red Caps play 1st NL game, in Philadelphia
1921 – Albert Einstein lectures in New York City on his new “Theory of Relativity”
1939 – 6th US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: Ralph Guldahl wins his only Masters title with a tournament record 279 (−9), 1 stroke ahead of runner-up Sam Snead
1978 – Basil Williams scores 100 on Test Cricket debut, v Aust Georgetown
1982 – In exhibition game A’s pitcher Steve McCatty comes to bat using a 15″ toy bat (under Billy Martins orders), protesting disallowing of DH
2013 – 13 children are killed in a fire in a mosque in Yangon, Burma

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Famous Birthdays

1930 – Girolamo Arriego, Italian composer, born in Palermo, Italy
1932 – Mahmood Hussain, Pakistani cricket swing bowler (68 wkts in 27 Tests), born in Lahore, Punjab, British India (d. 1991)
1959 – Adrian Meagher, Australian baseball pitching coach (Olympics 1996), born in Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
1959 – Brian Goodell, American 400m/1500m freestyle swimmer (Olympic-2 gold-1976), born in Stockton, California
1959 – Carmen Ayala-Troncoso, American 5K runner, born in NYC, New York
1980 – Adam Fleming, English news reporter (Daily Politics), born in Glasgow, Scotland

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Famous Deaths

1335 – Duke Henry of Carinthia (b. circa 1265)
1705 – Johann Lohner, German composer, dies at 59
1720 – Joseph Dudley, colonial Governor of Massachusetts (b. 1647)
1890 – Marinus Frederik Andries Gerardus Campbell, Dutch bibliographer, dies at 70
1969 – Fortunio Bonanova, actor (My Best Gal, Havana Rose), dies at 74
1992 – Tomisaburo Wakayama, Japanese actor (b. 1929)

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Historical Events

1026 – Koenraad II crowns himself king of Italy
1821 – Battle and fall of city of Kalamata, Greek War of Independence
1919 – 8th Congress of the Russian Communist Party re-establishes a five-member Politburo which becomes the center of political power in the Soviet Union. Original members Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, Joseph Stalin, Lev Kamenev and Nikolai Krestinsky
1930 – US Mens Figure Skating championship won by Roger Turner
1944 – Royal Air Force gunner Nicholas Alkemade falls 5,500 m out of a plane without a parachute over Nazi Germany and lives
1997 – “Mandy Patinkin in Concert” closes at Lyceum Theater NYC

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Famous Birthdays

1825 – Edward Lloyd Thomas, Brigadier General (Confederate Army) (d. 1898)
1834 – Julius Reubke, composer
1932 – Don Marshall, Canadian ice hockey player
1956 – Andrew Mitchell, British MP
1957 – Robbie James, Welsh footballer (d. 1998)
1972 – Joe Calzaghe, Welsh boxer

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Famous Deaths

1801 – Tsar Paul I of Russia (1796-1801) is struck with a sword, strangled, and trampled to death in his bedroom at St. Michael’s Castle aged 46
1832 – Vaclav Vilem Wurfel, composer, dies at 41
1982 – Mario Praz, Italian literary critic and scholar (Casa della vita), dies at 85
1994 – Luis Donaldo Colosio, Mexican presidential candidate, assassinated at 44
1994 – Giulietta Masina, Italian actress, (La Strada, Swindle, White Sheik) and wife of director Federico Fellini, dies at 73
2009 – Raúl Macías, A famous Mexican boxer (b. 1934)

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Historical Events

1622 – First American Indian (Powhatan) massacre of Europeans in Jamestown Virginia, 347 killed
1822 – NY Horticultural Society founded
1872 – Illinois becomes 1st state to require sexual equality in employment
1941 – Grand Coulee Dam in Washington goes into operation
1996 – Cheryl Depew of Florida crowned 13th Miss Hawaiian Tropic International
1997 – “Sunset Boulevard” closes at Minskoff NYC after 977 performances

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Famous Birthdays

1874 – Ellen Glasgow, novelist
1913 – James Westerfield, American actor (Jungle Heat, Lucky Johnny), born in Nashville, Tennessee (d. 1971)
1920 – Fanny Waterman, concert pianist and teacher
1941 – Bruno Ganz, actor (Strapless, Wings of Desire), born in Zurich, Switzerland
1952 – Jay Dee Daugherty, American drummer
1959 – Carlton Cuse, Mexican-born American TV writer and executive

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Famous Deaths

1924 – Robert Nivelle, French military officer, dies at 67
1952 – Uncle Dave Macon, American musician (b. 1870)
1979 – Richard Sykes, British ambassador, assassinated by the IRA in The Hague, Holland
1981 – James “Jumbo” Elliott, American track coach (b. 1915)
1996 – Don Murray, American drummer (The Turtles), dies from post-operative complications at 50
2017 – Francine Hughes Wilson, American domestic abuse victim “The Burning Bed” who changed pubic perceptions, dies at 69

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Historical Events

1914 – US Men’s Figure Skating championship won by Norman M Scott
1931 – US Men’s Figure Skating championship won by Roger Turner
1957 – Tennessee Williams’ “Orpheus Descending” premieres in NYC
1971 – WCPB TV channel 28 in Salisbury, MD (PBS) begins broadcasting
1985 – Bloodbath at Langa (Uitenhage) South-Africa, 19 killed
1986 – Kania skates ladies world record 500 m (39.52 sec) and 3 km (4:18.02)

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Famous Birthdays

1863 – George Owen Squier, American inventor and Major General in U.S. Signal Corp (d. 1934)
1889 – Otto Forst de Battaglia, Austrian diplomat and genealogist, born in Vienna (d. 1965)
1910 – Nick Castle, American choreographer (Dinah Shore, Judy Garland), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1968)
1965 – Xavier Bertrand, French politician
1967 – Troy Westwood, CFL kicker (Winnipeg Blue Bombers)
1972 – Kristen Anderson-Lopez, American songwriter (Frozen), born in New York City

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Famous Deaths

1843 – Guadalupe Victoria, first President of Mexico (b. 1786)
1920 – Federigo Tozzi, Italian writer/journalist (Torre, Tre Croci), dies at 37
1939 – Evald Aav, Estonian composer, dies at 39
1954 – Harry Lawrence Freeman, African-American composer, dies at 84
1969 – Gerhard Fritsch, Austrian writer, dies at 44
1995 – Norman Schwartz, record Producer, dies at 66

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Historical Events

1600 – The Linköping Bloodbath takes place on Maundy Thursday in Linköping, Sweden
1739 – Iranian ruler Nadir Shah occupies Delhi in India and sacks the city, stealing the jewels of the Peacock Throne
1890 – General Federation of Womens’ Clubs founded
1891 – 53rd Grand National: Irish jockey, trainer Harry Beasley wins aboard 4/1 Come Away
1982 – Joan Jett and Blackhearts’ “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” goes #1 for 7 weeks
1988 – Laura Davies wins Circle K LPGA Tucson Golf Open

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Famous Birthdays

1811 – George Caleb Bingham, American politician/painter (Country Election)
1879 – Maud Menten, Canadian biochemist (d. 1960)
1935 – Ted Bessell, American director and actor (Don-That Girl, Gomer Pyle- Frankie), born in Flushing, New York (d. 1996)
1940 – Gianpiero Moretti, steering wheel designer (Momo), born in Milan, Italy (d. 2012)
1987 – Pedro Ken, Brazilian footballer
1987 – Patrick Boyle, Scottish footballer

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Famous Deaths

1730 – Adrienne Lecouvreur, French actress (Comédie-Française) inspiration for 1849 drama “Adrienne Lecouvreur”, dies at 37
1757 – Johann Paul Kunzen, composer, dies at 60
1899 – Martha M Place, American murderer who becomes 1st woman to be executed in an electric chair, dies at 49
1947 – Sigurd Wallén, Swedish actor and film director (Ebberöds bank, Med folket för fosterlandet), dies at 62
2007 – Hawa Yakubu, Ghanaian politician (b. 1948)
2017 – David Rockefeller, American CEO (Chase Manhattan Bank) and philanthropist, dies at 101

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Historical Events

1918 – US Congress authorizes time zones and approves daylight saving time
1940 – Failed British air raid on German base at Sylt
1971 – Philadelphia 76ers outscore Cincinnati Royals 90-8 in 1 half
1984 – STS 41-C vehicle moves to launch pad
1987 – American televangelist Jim Bakker resigns amid rape accusation by his secretary, Jessica Hahn
2003 – Airstrikes by an American and British-led coalition signal the beginning of the invasion of Iraq, without United Nations support and in defiance of world opinion

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Famous Birthdays

1742 – Zacharias H Alewijn, Dutch literary/poet
1865 – William Morton Wheeler, American entomologist, myrmecologist, pioneer in ethology (d. 1937)
1913 – William Chatterton, cricketer (48 in only Test for England 1892)
1948 – Vintcent Van der Bijl, Natal cricket bowler (superb 2m of 70’s and 80’s)
1968 – Tyrone Hill, American NBA forward (Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks), born in Cincinnati, Ohio
1969 – Connor Trinneer, American actor

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Famous Deaths

1717 – John Campbell, 1st Earl of Breadalbane and Holland, Scottish royalist
1796 – Hugh Palliser, British naval officer and administrator (b. 1722)
1850 – Adalbert Gyrowetz, Bohemian composer, dies at 87
1979 – Albert “Al” Hodge, American actor (Captain Video, Green Hornet), dies at 65
1987 – Emile Meyer, actor (Young Jesse James, Lineup), dies
1990 – Andrew Wood, American singer (Mother Love Bone) (b. 1966)

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Historical Events

37 – Roman Senate annuls Tiberius’ will and proclaims Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (aka Caligula = Little Boots) emperor
1773 – Oliver Goldsmith’s “She Stoops to Conquer” premieres in London
1793 – The first republican state in Germany, the Republic of Mainz, is declared by Andreas Joseph Hofmann
1850 – Henry Wells and William Fargo form American Express in Buffalo
1865 – Congress of Confederate States of American adjourns for last time
1922 – British magistrates in India sentence Mahatma Gandhi to 6 years imprisonment for disobedience

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Famous Birthdays

1918 – Bob Broeg, American sports writer (d. 2005)
1919 – Christopher Challis, British cinematographer
1940 – Kathy Hutchinson, race horse trainer
1947 – Roger Kenneth Evans, English politician
1959 – Irene Cara, Bronx actress/singer (Fame, DC Cab, Certain Fury), born in NYC, New York
1978 – Khalilah Adams, American actress

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Famous Deaths

1823 – Jean-Baptiste Sebastien Breval, French cellist and composer, dies at 69
1933 – Luigi A duke of the Abruzzi, Italian explorer (Ruwenzori), dies at 60
1944 – Benjamin Delmonte, theater director and actor (Black Haired Whore), dies at 79
1964 – Norbert Wiener, American mathematician (discovered cybernetics), dies at 69
1983 – Umberto of Piemonte, King Umberto II of Italy (1946) and Italy’s last king dies in exile aged 78
2001 – John Phillips, American singer and guitarist (Mama and Papas-California Dreaming), dies at 65

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