Category: On This Day

Historical Events

1939 – Red Sox 3rd baseman Jim Tabor hits record-tying 2 grand slams in one MLB game, 18-12 win v Phillies
1959 – America’s new 49-star flag honoring Alaska statehood unfurled
1969 – USSR performs nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in northeast Kazakhstan
1999 – South Korean defending champion Se Ri Pak wins the most crowded playoff in LPGA history (6) in the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic
2019 – US President Donald Trump holds a “Salute to America” Fourth of July celebration in Washington, D.C., controversial for its emphasis on the military and presence of tanks

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Famous Birthdays

1804 – Nathaniel Hawthorne, American author (House of 7 Gables, The Scarlet Letter), born in Salem, Massachusetts (d. 1864)
1883 – Rube Goldberg, American cartoonist who made the easy outrageously difficult (Pulitzer Prize 1948), born in San Francisco, California (d. 1970)
1912 – Viviane Romance [Pauline Ronacher Ortmanns], French actress (Panic, Queen’s Necklace), born in Roubaix, Nord, France (d. 1991)
1938 – Mike Mainieri, American jazz and session vibraphonist (Steps Ahead; Buddy Rich; Dire Straits; Carly Simon), born in The Bronx, NYC
1948 – Jeremy Spencer, British rock guitarist (Fleetwood Mac – “Oh Well”), born in Hartlepool, County Durham, England

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Famous Deaths

1307 – Rudolf I, Habsburg nobleman (King of Bohemia, 1306-07; Duke of Austria and Styria 1298-1307), dies of stomach issues at about 26
1578 – Charles de Berlaymont, baron of Hierges, Governor and Viceroy of Names, dies
1623 – William Byrd, British composer (Ave verum corpus), dies at 80
1857 – William L. Marcy, American statesman, dies at 70
1925 – Pier Giorgio Frassati, Italian Catholic beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1990, dies of polio at 24

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Historical Events

1913 – A Common Tern is banded in Maine and later found dead in Africa in 1919, making it the first bird known to have crossed the Atlantic
1946 – First Dutch government of Louis Beel forms
1994 – FIFA World Cup: In a huge upset Romania eliminates Argentina 3-2 from the round of 16 at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
2018 – French President Emmanuel Macron visits the New Afrika Shrine nightclub in Lagos during his two-day tour of Nigeria
2021 – Mudslides crash through town of Atami, Japan, after torrential rain, killing 19, with over 100 people initially missing

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Famous Birthdays

1685 – Sir Robert Rich, 4th Baronet, British cavalry officer, born in Roos Hall, Beccles, England (d. 1768)
1828 – John Austin Wharton, American lawyer and Major General (Confederate Army), born in Nashville, Tennessee (d. 1865)
1927 – Charles Vandenhove, Belgian architect (Standard-Omnisporthal, Liège), born in Teuven, Belgium (d. 2019)
1937 – David Shire, American songwriter and composer of stage musicals, film and television scores (The Conversation; All the President’s Men), born in Buffalo, New York
1970 – Shawnee Smith, American actress (Saw), born in Orangeburg, South Carolina

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Famous Deaths

1904 – Theodor Herzl, Austrian journalist and father of modern political Zionism (World Zionist Organization), dies of cardiac sclerosis at 44
1918 – Mehmed V, 35th Ottoman Sultan (1909-18), dies at 73
1957 – Dolf Luque, Cuban Baseball HOF pitcher (World Series 1919, 33; MLB wins leader and MLB ERA leader 1923; Cincinnati Reds, NY Giants), dies at 66
2011 – Anna Massey, English actress (De Sade, Doll’s House), dies at 73
2024 – David Hofmans, American thoroughbred racehorse trainer (Belmont Stakes 1997 Touch Gold; 3 x Breeders Cup races), dies at 81

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Historical Events

1808 – Simon Fraser completes his trip down Fraser River, British Columbia, lands at Musqueam
1935 – Great Britain amateur boxing team beats United States in the first International Golden Gloves tournament in NYC, New York
1940 – Indian independence leader Subhas Chandra Bose is arrested and detained in Calcutta
1993 – Muslim fundamentalists in Sivas, Turkey, set hotel on fire, kill 36
2018 – English pop singers Cheryl Cole and Liam Payne announce they are splitting up after two years

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Famous Birthdays

1821 – Charles Tupper, 6th Prime Minister of Canada (Conservative: 69-day term in 1896), born in Amherst, Nova Scotia (d. 1915)
1884 – Alfons Maria Jakob, German neurologist, born in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria (d. 1931)
1904 – Gerarda Rueter, Dutch sculptor, born in Amsterdam (d. 1993)
1928 – Line Renaud [Jacqueline Ente], French pop and cabaret singer, actress, and AIDS activist, born in Pont-de-Nieppe, France
1949 – Joe English, American musician and drummer (Wings; Sea Level), born in Rochester, New York

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Famous Deaths

1656 – François-Marie, comte de Broglie, Italian-born French army commander (Thirty Years’ War), dies at 44
1743 – Spencer Compton 1st Earl of Wilmington, Prime Minister of Great Britain (Whig: 1742-43) statesman who served in government from 1715 until his death, dies at about 70
1917 – Herbert Beerbohm Tree, British actor and theatre manager (King John, Trilby), dies at 64
1993 – Fred Gwynne, American actor (Car 54 Where Are You, Munsters), dies of pancreatic cancer at 66
1994 – Ralph Rinzler, American folklorist, Greenbriar Boys, founded Smithsonian Folklife Festival, dies at 59

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Historical Events

1858 – Joint reading of Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace’s papers on evolution to the Linnean Society renders audience awestruck and silent
1938 – The South African Press Association (SAPA) is established as a non-governmental institution by South Africa’s major newspapers to facilitate the sharing of news, both national and international
1944 – Von Rundstedt against Keitel: “Sign peace, idiots!”
1948 – Australian cricket captain Don Bradman scores 128 in 141 mins with 15 fours in a tour match vs Surry
1968 – US, Britain, USSR and 58 nations sign Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty

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Famous Birthdays

1873 – Alice Guy-Blaché, French film director who was the first woman to direct a film (The Fairy of the Cabbages), born in Paris (d. 1968)
1887 – Charles D. Brown, American actor (Barefoot Boy, Disbarred, Night Editor), born in Council Bluffs, Iowa (d. 1948)
1952 – Steve Shutt, Canadian Hockey HOF left wing (Stanley Cup 1973, 76, 77, 78, 79 Montreal Canadiens), born in North York, Ontario
1971 – Steven W. Bailey, American actor (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), born in San Diego, California
1983 – Brandee Younger, American session and touring classical, jazz, soul, and funk harpist, born in Hempstead, Long Island, New York

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Famous Deaths

1614 – Isaac Casaubon, English classical scholar (Atheneaus), dies at 55
1953 – Jacob D du Toit [Totius], South African poet/theologist, dies
1980 – Charles P. Snow, English novelist (Death Under Sail, Strangers and Brothers) and physical chemist, dies at 74
1987 – Snakefinger [Philip Lithman], British singer and songwriter. guitarist, and violinist (The Residents), dies of a heart attack at 38
2020 – Ida Haendel, Polish-British-Canadian child prodigy violinist, teacher, and author (Woman with Violin), dies of kidney cancer at 91

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Historical Events

1377 – Foundation stone laid for Ulm Minster, in Free Imperial City of Ulm, Holy Roman Empire, construction is not completed until 1890, when it becomes the tallest church in the world
1939 – Heinkel He 176 rocket plane flies for 1st time, at Peenemunde
1953 – 1st Chevrolet Corvette manufactured
1979 – “Good Times” single released by Chic (Billboard Song of the Year 1979)
2019 – President Donald Trump becomes first sitting US president to set foot in North Korea in the Korean Demilitarized Zone meeting Kim Jong-un

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Famous Birthdays

1685 – John Gay, English poet and dramatist (The Beggar’s Opera), born in Barnstaple, England (d. 1732)
1892 – Pierre Blanchar, Algerian actor and director (Magnificent Sinner, Wooden Crosses, Pastoral Symphony), born in Philippeville, Constantine, France (d. 1963)
1951 – Geoff Wheel, Welsh rugby union lock (32 Tests; Mumbles RFC, Swansea RFC), born in Swansea, Wales (d. 2024)
1958 – Esa-Pekka Salonen, Finnish orchestral conductor (Giro), born in Helsinki, Finland
1982 – Andy Knowles, British musician (Franz Ferdinand), born in Bolton, England

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Famous Deaths

1685 – Archibald Campbell, Scottish politician, beheaded at about 55
1817 – Abraham Gottlob Werner, German geologist
1953 – Göte Carlid, Swedish composer (Eine kleine Teemusik), dies at 32
1953 – Vsevolod Pudovkin, Soviet film director and theorist (Mother, Deserter), dies of a heart attack at 60
2021 – Janet Moreau Stone, American athlete (Olympic gold 4x100m relay 1952), dies at 93

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Historical Events

1964 – NBC approves Gene Roddenberry’s script for the pilot episode of “Star Trek” titled “The Cage”
1977 – South Africa opposition party, the New Republic Party (NRP), is formed after the integration of the United Party (UP) and Democratic Party (DP)
1997 – “American Daughter” closes at Cort Theater NYC after 88 performances
2017 – Mihai Tudose confirmed as Romanian Prime Minister, by parliament, succeeding Sorin Grindeanu
2021 – Former South African President Jacob Zuma sentenced to 15 months in prison on contempt of court charges

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Famous Birthdays

1596 – Go-Mizunoo [Kotohito], 108th Emperor of Japan (1611-29) and first of the Edo period, born in Kyōto, Japan (d. 1680)
1922 – Vasko Popa, Yugoslavia-Serbian poet (Heaven is a Side Issue), born in Grebenac, Vojvodina, Yugoslavia (d. 1991)
1944 – Gary Busey, American actor (The Buddy Holly Story; A Star in Born (1976); Lethal Weapon), born in Goose Creek, Texas
1958 – Rosa Mota, Portuguese long distance runner (Olympic gold marathon 1988; World C’ship gold marathon 1987), born in Porto, Portugal
1984 – Derek Lee Rock [Smith], American drummer (Mêlée; Suburban Legends), born in the USA

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Famous Deaths

1966 – Ronald Shiner, British actor (Dry Rot, Carry on Admiral, Keep it Clean, Aunt Clara), dies at 63
1982 – Gerard Knuvelder, Dutch literary historian (Anthology), dies at 80
1986 – Jack Christiansen, American NFL football player. 1951-58 (Detroit Lions – 3 x Champion, 5 X Pro Bowl), NFL and college coach (San Francisco 49ers, Stanford University), dies after surgical complications at 57
1998 – Horst Jankowski, German jazz and easy listening pianist (“A Walk In The Black Forest”), dies of lung cancer at 62
2011 – R. C. Alston, British bibliographer, dies at 78

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Historical Events

1524 – Charles III, Duke of Bourbon occupies Provence during his dispute with French King Francis I
1859 – First dog show is held, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England
1983 – Bridge section along I-95 in Greenwich, Connecticut collapses, killing 3
1985 – Discovery ferried back to Kennedy Space Center via Bergstrom AFB, Tx
2016 – Suicide bombings and gun attacks at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport kill 42 and wound more than 200

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Famous Birthdays

1938 – John Byner, American actor (Transylvania 6-5000) and comedian, born in New York City
1938 – Moy Yat, Chinese martial artist (student of Yip Man), born in You Kum Chuen, China (d. 2001)
1940 – Muhammad Yunus, Bangladeshi banker (Grameen – microlending), economist (Nobel Peace Prize 2006), born in Chittagong, British India
1946 – Robert Xavier Rodriguez, American classical composer (Frida), born in San Antonio, Texas
1961 – Jeff Malone, American basketball guard (NBA All-Star 1986, 87; Utah Jazz, Washington Bullets), born in Mobile, Alabama

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Famous Deaths

1802 – Johann Jakob Engel, German author (Herr Lorenz Stark), dies at 60
1921 – Charles Joseph Bonaparte, American Lawyer and political activist (US Attorney General (1906-9), dies at 70
1975 – Konstantinos Apostolos Doxiadis, Greek architect (b. 1913)
1994 – William A. Henry III, American Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist (Boston Globe), arts critic (Time Magazine), and author, dies of a heart attack at 44
2013 – David Atkinson, British air marshal, and honorary physician to the Queen Elizabeth II, dies at 90

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Historical Events

1542 – Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo sets sail from the Mexican port of Navidad on the first European voyage to explore the west coast of North America for the Spanish Empire
1898 – Wimbledon Men’s Tennis: Defending champion R.F. Doherty beats younger brother Laurence Doherty 6-3, 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1
1950 – “Liar” closes at Broadhurst Theater NYC after 12 performances
1967 – Race riot in Buffalo NY (200 arrested)
2007 – The Brazilian Military Police invades the favelas of Complexo do Alemão in an episode which is remembered as the Complexo do Alemão massacre.

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Famous Birthdays

1908 – Hans de Jong, Dutch conductor (De Damrakkertjes; Amsterdams Vrouwenkoor), born in Netherlands (d. 1994)
1920 – I. A. L. Diamond, Hollywood screenwriter (1960 Acad Award-Apartment), born in Ungheni, Basarabia (d. 1988)
1956 – Jeff Odintz, American horse trainer, born in Brooklyn, New York City
1976 – Leigh Nash, American pop singer and songwriter (Sixpence None The Richer -“Kiss Me”), born in New Braunfels, Texas
1986 – Drake Bell, American actor (Drake and Josh), musician (“Terrific”), and convict, born in Newport Beach, California

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Famous Deaths

1952 – Max Dehn, German mathematician (Dehn’s lemma), dies at 73
1992 – Allan Jones, American actor and singer (A Day at the Races; Showboat), dies at 84
2011 – Lord Inchyra [Robert Charles Reneke Hoyer Millar], British noble and secretary-general of the British Banking Association, dies at 76
2016 – Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen, Danish composer (Symphony and Antiphony), dies of cancer at 83
2023 – Julian Sands, English actor (A Room With a View; Arachnophobia; 24), confirmed dead after remains are identified, six months after failing to return from a hike at 65

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Historical Events

1929 – ENKA/Vereinigte Glanzstoff Factory merge AKU (Genl Kunstzijde Union)
1981 – “Stripes”, American military comedy film, directed and produced by Ivan Reitman, starring Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, and John Candy premieres
1997 – U.S. Supreme Court strikes down the Communications Decency Act, inconsistent with the 1st Amendment
2003 – NBA Draft: St. Vincent–St. Mary HS (Akron, Ohio) small forward LeBron James first pick by Cleveland Cavaliers
2019 – Former Gambian beauty queen Fatou “Toufah” Jallow says she was raped by former President Yahya Jammeh as part of a Human Rights Watch and Trial International report

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Famous Birthdays

1865 – Bernard Berenson, American art critic (Italian Painters of the Renaissance), born in Vilnius, Lithuania, Russian Empire (d. 1959)
1890 – Jeanne Eagels, American actress and former Ziegfeld Girl (Rain, Under False Colors), born in Kansas City, Missouri (d. 1929)
1894 – Bill Wirges, American orchestra leader (Growing Paynes), born in Buffalo, New York (d. 1971)
1943 – Allen Strange, American composer (Electronic Music: Systems, Techniques, and Controls), born in Calexico, California (d. 2008)
1979 – Ryō Fukuda, Japanese racing driver, born in Fukuoka, Japan

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Famous Deaths

1848 – Stevenson Archer, American judge and Congressmen from Maryland, dies at 61
1939 – Ford Madox Ford [Hueffer], British novelist (The Good Soldier), critic, and journal editor (The Transatlantic), dies at 65
1946 – Yosuke Matsuoka, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan (b. 1880)
1979 – Charles Clore, financier, dies
2020 – William Negri, Italian soccer goalkeeper (12 caps; Mantova, Bologna), dies at 84

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Historical Events

1868 – US President Andrew Johnson signs a law establishing an eight-hour workday for government workers
1976 – 26th Berlin International Film Festival: “Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson” wins the Golden Bear
2018 – Motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson announces it plans to move some production abroad in response to EU retaliatory tariffs
2019 – NHL Draft: Barrie Colts (OHL) defenseman Aaron Ekblad first pick by Florida Panthers
2023 – Heatwave across Texas, southern America and northern Mexico enters a third week, with San Angelo hitting record high of 112 degrees Fahrenheit (44 degrees Celsius)

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Famous Birthdays

1328 – William Montacute, 2nd Earl of Salisbury, English military leader, born in Donyatt, Somerset, England (d. 1397)
1911 – Reed Hadley, American actor (Zorro’s Fighting Legion, Racket Squad, Shock, Grand Canyon), born in Petrolia, Texas (d. 1974)
1949 – Michael Barbiero, American disco and heavy metal sound engineer, mixer, record producer, and studio owner, born in New York City
1971 – Scott Maslen, English actor (EastEnders), born in London
1974 – Jim LaMarca, American bass guitarist (Chimaira), born in Strongsville, Ohio

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Famous Deaths

1665 – Sigismund Francis, Archduke of Austria, dies at 34
1953 – Algy Gehrs, Australian cricketer (6 Tests for Australia 1904-11), dies at 72
1954 – Eduard M. Meijers, Dutch lawyer (Civil Code), dies at 74
1971 – John Boyd Orr, Scottish physician (Nobel Peace Prize 1949 – Father of the Food and Agriculture Organization), dies at 90
2020 – John Kennedy Sr., Australian Rules Football coach (Australian Football Hall of Fame legend; VFL Premiership 1961, 71, 76; Hawthorn FC; North Melbourne FC), dies at 91

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