Category: On This Day

Historical Events

1561 – Menas, Emperor of Ethiopia, defeats a revolt in Emfraz
1867 – 1st US elevated railroad begins service, NYC
1906 – Yanks win by forfeit for the 1st time
1934 – General Lazaro Cardenas elected president of Mexico
1949 – “High Button Shoes” closes at Century Theater NYC after 727 performances
2005 – Wimbledon Women’s Tennis: Venus Williams beats fellow American Lindsay Davenport 4-6, 7-6, 9-7 for the 3rd of her 5 Wimbledon singles titles

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Famous Birthdays

1652 – Guillielmus “Willem” Kerricx, Flemish sculptor (Rozenkrans), born in Dendermonde, East Flanders (d. 1719)
1919 – Jean Craighead George, American writer (Julie of the Wolves), born in Washington, D.C. (d. 2012)
1925 – Patrice Lumumba [Isaïe Tawosa], Congolese politician and independence leader who was the 1st Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1960), born in Onalua, Belgian Congo (d. 1961)
1955 – Kevin Michael Grace, Canadian journalist, born in Toronto, Ontario
1981 – Alex Koroknay-Palicz, American youth rights activist, born in Kalamazoo, Michigan
1984 – Maarten Martens, Belgian footballer and coach (AZ Alkmaar), born in Eeklo, Belgium

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Famous Deaths

1857 – Carlo Pisacane, Italian patriot and revolutionary, killed leading an uprising (b. 1818)
1903 – Ed Delahanty, American Baseball HOF left fielder (NL batting champion 1899; NL home run leader 1893, 96; 3 × NL RBI leader; Philadelphia Phillies), dies intoxicated falling into Niagara Falls at 35
1988 – Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, American blues, jazz, and RandB alto saxophonist, dies of a heart attack at 70
1994 – Andrés Escobar, Colombian soccer defender (51 caps, World Cup own goal vs US; SA Atlético Nacional), dies of a gunshot wound at 27
1994 – Ralph Rinzler, American folklorist (Greenbriar Boys), dies at 59
2015 – Charlie Sanders, American football player (Detroit Lions), dies at 68

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Historical Events

1097 – 1st Crusaders defeat Sultan Kilidj Arslan of Nicea
1200 – In China, sunglasses are invented
1924 – Dircet regular transcontinental airmail service between New York and San Francisco forms
1961 – KNDU TV channel 25 in Richland-Pasco-Kennew, WA (NBC) 1st broadcast
1972 – The first Gay Pride march in England takes place.
1979 – Sweden becomes 1st nation to prohibit “corporal punishment or other injurious or humiliating treatment” of children by their parents

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Famous Birthdays

1844 – Verney Lovett Cameron, English explorer (Tanganyika), born in Radipole, Dorset, England (d. 1894)
1902 – William Wyler, American film director (Ben-Hur, Mrs Miniver), born in Mülhausen, Alsace-Lorraine, German Empire (d. 1981)
1925 – Art McNally, American Pro Football HOF referee and executive (NFL Head of Officiating 1968-91), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2023)
1926 – Robert Fogel, American economic historian (Nobel Prize 1993), born in New York City (d. 2013)
1971 – Melissa Peterman [Melissa Margaret], American actress (Reba, Fargo), born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
1985 – Chris Perez, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 2011, 12 Cleveland Indians; World Cup gold 2007), born in Bradenton, Florida

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Famous Deaths

1877 – William Henry Davenport, American stage magician, claimed to be a spirit medium, dies at 36
1884 – Allan Pinkerton, Scottish-American barrel maker, private detective (co-founder of Pinkerton Agency), abolitionist, and spy, dies at 64
1953 – Jacob D du Toit [Totius], South African poet/theologist, dies
1988 – Hellmuth Christian Wolff, German composer, teacher, musicologist, and painter, dies at 82
1999 – Jack Moroney, Australian cricket batsman (7 Tests, 2 x 100, HS 118; NSWCA), dies at 81
2018 – Peter Firmin, British children’s book illustrator and puppet maker (The Saga of Noggin the Nog; Clangers), dies at 89

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Historical Events

1934 – Adolf Hitler stages a bloody purge of the Nazi party in the “Night of the Long Knives”
1982 – Orbiter Challenger (OV-099) rolled out at Palmdale
1992 – Fidel Ramos installed as president of the Philippines
2001 – ENI of Italy signs a $550 million contract to develop Iran’s Darquain field, expected to produce 160,000 barrels of petroleum per day
2005 – Spain legalizes same-sex marriage.
2016 – Performance of the Roundabout Theatre Company’s revival of Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick’s musical “She Loves Me” is 1st Broadway show live stream (via BroadwayHD); later released as a film

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Famous Birthdays

1468 – Johann the Steadfast, Elector of Saxony (1525-32), born in Meissen, Electorate of Saxony, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1532)
1847 – Jacob Theodoor Cremer, Dutch tobacco magnate and administrator for the Deli Company in Sumatra, born in Zwolle, Netherlands (d. 1923)
1879 – Walter Hampden, American actor (Five Fingers, Hunchback of Notre Dame), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1955)
1927 – Joe Skeen, American politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Mexico), born in Roswell, New Mexico (d. 2003)
1941 – Mike Leander, English songwriter and record producer, born in Walthamstow, Essex (d. 1996)
1941 – John Jameson, English cricketer (England batsman, 465 p/ship with Kanhai), born in Bombay, British India

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Famous Deaths

1930 – Harvey W. Wiley, American chemist known for leadership in the passage of the landmark Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, dies at 85
1934 – Gregor Strasser, German political activist and NSDAP-Reich organization leader, murdered during the Night of the Long Knives at 42
1935 – Bill Brockwell, English cricketer (British all-rounder in 7 Tests 1893-99), dies at 70
1965 – Bessie Barriscale, American actress (Plain Jane, Show Folks), dies at 81
2010 – Park Yong-ha, South Korean actor, and K-pop and J-pop singer, takes his own life at 32
2016 – Geoffrey Hill, English poet, dies at 84

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Historical Events

1850 – British ex-Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel falls off his horse; dies three days later
1857 – Battle at Chinhat (Indies rebel under Barkat Ahmed beat British)
1944 – Soviet Armies join in Bobroesjk
1969 – On ‘Billy Williams Day’ at Wrigley Field, Chicago, the Cubs outfielder passes Stan Musial’s NL record for consecutive MLB games played (896) as Chicago sweeps St. Louis Cardinals, 3-1 and 12-1
1981 – Hu Yaobang succeeds Hua Guofeng as Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
2016 – US Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter lifts Pentagon’s ban on transgender people serving in the US armed forces

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Famous Birthdays

1881 – Curt Sachs, German musicologist, born in Berlin, Germany (d. 1959)
1905 – Herb Vigran, American character actor (The Ed Wynn Show – “Ernie”; Gunsmoke – “Judge Brooker”; The Jack Benny Program), born in Cincinnati, Ohio (d. 1986)
1908 – Rene Gerber, Swiss composer, born in Travers (d. 2006)
1912 – Émile Peynaud, French oenologist, born in Madiran, Gers, France (d. 2004)
1943 – Little Eva [Boyd], American pop singer (“The Loco-motion”; “Keep Your Hands Off My Baby”), born in Belhaven, North Carolina (d. 2003)
1993 – Angela and Amy Lakeberg, American Siamese twins (separated on Aug 20th), born in Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois

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Famous Deaths

1784 – Caesar Rodney, American judge and Founding Father (signed US Declaration of Independence), dies at 55
1900 – Ivan Pervushin, Russian mathematician (number theory), dies at 73
1997 – William Hickey, American actor (Prizzi’s Honor, The Nightmare Before Christmas), dies of emphysema at 69
2007 – Edward Yang, Taiwanese film director (Yi Yi), dies of cancer at 59
2014 – John Freeland, Legal advisor UK foreign office and judge at the European Court of Human Rights, dies at 86
2021 – Stuart Damon [Zonis], American stage and screen actor (General Hospital, 1977-2007 – “Dr. Alan Quartermaine”), dies of kidney failure at 84

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Historical Events

1778 – Mary Ludwig Hayes “Molly Pitcher” aids American patriots
1960 – 10.40″ (26.42 cm) of rainfall, Dunmor, Kentucky (state 24-hour record)
1964 – Organization for Afro-American Unity formed in New York by Malcolm X
2015 – David Sweat shot and captured near Canadian border. 2nd prisoner to escape maximum-security Clinton Correctional Facility June 6
2018 – Fire starts on Winter Hill on Lancashire moorland, England, lit by arson
2023 – South Koreans become a year or two younger as country drops two traditional age-counting systems to align with international standards (used to be aged one at birth)

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Famous Birthdays

1884 – Lamina Sankoh, Sierra Leonean pre-independence politician and nationalist, born in Freetown, Sierra Leone (d. 1964)
1913 – George Lloyd, English composer (The Serf; Pervigilium Veneris (The Vigil of Venus); John Socman), born in St. Ives, Cornwall, England (d. 1998)
1942 – (Martin) “Chris” Hani, South African politician (Secretary-General of South African Communist Party, 1991-93), born in Cofimvaba, Transkei, South Africa (d. 1993)
1946 – Robert Xavier Rodriguez, American classical composer, born in San Antonio, Texas
1957 – Georgi Parvanov, 3rd President of Bulgaria (2002-12), born in Sirishtnik, Bulgaria
1976 – Seth Wescott, American snowboarder (Olympic gold 2006,10), born in Durham, North Carolina

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Famous Deaths

1975 – Rod Serling, American screenwriter and TV host (The Twilight Zone; Night Gallery), dies after multiple heart attacks at 50
2004 – Anthony Buckeridge, English author (Jennings), dies at 92
2006 – Jim Baen, American sci-fi publisher and editor (b. 1943)
2010 – Robert Byrd, US Senator (Democrat-WV, 1959-2010), majority leader and once the longest-serving Senator in history, dies at 92
2021 – Sergio Victor Palma, Argentine boxer (WBA Super Bantamweight champion 1980-82), dies from COVID-19 at 65
2023 – Lowell P Weicker, American politician (US Senator from Connecticut (R), 1971-88): Governor of Connecticut, 1991-95), dies at 92

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Historical Events

1778 – Liberty Bell returns home to Philadelphia after the British departure
1806 – Buenos Aires captured by British
1963 – Billy J Kramer and Dakotas record Lennon-McCartney song “I Call Your Name”
1967 – Race riot in Buffalo NY (200 arrested)
1982 – 4th NASA Space Shuttle Mission: Columbia 4 (STS-4) launches
1993 – Senior Players Championship Men’s Golf, TPC of Michigan: Jim Colbert wins his lone career major title by 1 stroke from Raymond Floyd

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Famous Birthdays

1907 – Valerie Cossart, British actress (Hartmans), born in London, England (d. 1994)
1914 – Giorgio Almirante, Italian fascist and MP (1948-87), born in Salsomaggiore Terme, Emilia-Romagna, Italy (d. 1988)
1927 – Robert Casey, American actor (Aldrich Family Show – “Henry”; What to Do on a Date), born in Rochester, New York
1929 – Dick the Bruiser [William Fritz Afflis], American professional wrestler, born in Delphi, Indiana (d. 1991)
1964 – Chuck Person, American NBA forward (San Antonio Spurs), born in Brantley, Alabama
1964 – Michel Bénébig, New Caledonian jazz Hammond B3 organ, and accordion player, born in Nouméa City, New Calédonia

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Famous Deaths

1832 – Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisla, French army officer, and composer (“La Marseillaise” -the French national anthem), dies at 72
1848 – Denis-Auguste Affre, Archbishop of Paris (1840-48) and opponent of King Louis-Philippe, shot to death at 54
1889 – Carlotta Patti, Italian soprano, dies at 48
1985 – Jane Ross [Breslaw], American actress (Star Trek, Rocket Attack U.S.A., Wild Is My Love), dies at 53
2011 – Mike Doyle, English former footballer (b. 1946)
2022 – Jack Gordon, Canadian ice hockey coach (Minnesota North Stars 1970-75) and executive (GM Minnesota NS 1974-78, Vancouver Canucks 1985-87), dies at 94

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Historical Events

1946 – Fred Allen’s last radio show, his guest is Jack Benny
1962 – Blacks begin passive resistance in Cairo Ill
1968 – Executive Council decides both AL and NL to divide into 2 divisions
1977 – 42 die in fire inmate causes at Maury County Jail in Columbia Tenn
1981 – “Stripes”, American military comedy film, directed and produced by Ivan Reitman, starring Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, and John Candy premieres
1998 – Glastonbury Festival in Pilton, England opens: Primal Scream, Blur, and Pulp headline; other performers include Bob Dylan, Tony Bennett, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Tori Amos, The Foo Fighters, and Hothouse Flowers

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Famous Birthdays

1831 – Julius Rodenberg [Levy], German writer (Kriegs-Songs of War and Peace), born in Rodenberg, Germany (d. 1914)
1878 – Ernest Torrence, Scottish actor (I Cover the Waterfront, Hunchback of Notre Dame), born in Edinburgh, Scotland (d. 1933)
1902 – Hugues Cuénod, Swiss tenor and musical educator, born in Corseaux-sur-Vevey, Switzerland (d. 2010)
1924 – Peter Miles, British Army officer, businessman and courtier in the Household of Elizabeth II, born in Long Ashton, Somerset (d. 2013)
1966 – Kirk McLean, Canadian ice hockey goaltender (NHL All-Star 1990, 92; Vancouver Canucks), born in Toronto, Ontario
1976 – Chad Pennington, American football player (New York Jets), born in Knoxville, Tennessee

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Famous Deaths

1718 – Alexei Petrovich, Tsarevich of Russia and son of Peter the Great, dies in prison from the effects of torture after being sentenced to death by his father at 28
1896 – Prince Louis, French Duke of Nemours, dies at 81
1977 – Lou Reizner, American rock vocalist and producer (Rod Stewart; Tommy), dies of cancer at 43
1992 – Geert Vissers, Dutch TV host (Gay Dating Show), dies
1993 – William H. Riker, American political scientist (b. 1920)
2021 – Frederic Rzewski, American concert pianist, and composer (Spacecraft), dies of a heart attack at 83

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Historical Events

1976 – Texas Ranger Toby Harrah is only shortstop not to handle a fielding chance in doubleheader
1976 – Supernatural horror film “The Omen” starring Gregory Peck and Lee Remick premieres in the US
1985 – Thurman v City of Torrington decides in favor of Tracey Thurman, 1st woman to sue a police department for violating her civil rights (not protecting against abusive husband)
1990 – “Dave Thomas Comedy Show” last airs on CBS-TV
1991 – Japan lifts its call for voluntary restraint on expanding trade with South Africa
1991 – Martina Navratilova wins record 100th singles match at Wimbledon, beating Elna Reinach of South Africa 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the 1st round

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Famous Birthdays

1949 – Kene Holliday, American actor (Tyler-Matlock, Carter Country), born in New York City
1971 – Steve Tikolo, Kenyan cricketer (outstanding Kenyan batsman in 1996 World Cup), born in Nairobi, Kenya
1974 – Mario Calire, American drummer (Wallflowers; Ozomatli), born in Buffalo, New York
1975 – Natasha Klauss, Colombian actress (La Venganza, Pasión de Gavilanes), born in Cali, Colombia
1980 – Nozomi Takeuchi, Japanese actress, born in Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
2003 – Joey Alexander [Josiah Alexander Sila], Indonesian jazz pianist, born in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia

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Famous Deaths

1868 – Carlo Matteucci, Italian physicist and neurophysiologist (bioelectricity), dies at 57
1876 – Boston Custer, brother of George Armstrong Custer, dies at Battle of the Little Bighorn at 27
1971 – John Boyd Orr, Scottish physician (Nobel Peace Prize 1949 – Father of the Food and Agriculture Organization), dies at 90
2006 – Arif Mardin, Turkish-American music producer (Atlantic Records, Aretha Franklin, Bee Gees), dies of cancer at 74
2007 – Mahasti, Persian singer (b. 1946)
2018 – Paul Gérin-Lajoie, French Canadian politician (Minister of Education), dies at 98

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Historical Events

1946 – Georges Bidault elected premier of France
1948 – Soviet Union begins the West Berlin Blockade by stopping access by road, rail and water
1960 – 10th Berlin International Film Festival: “El Lazarillo de Tormes” wins Golden Bear
1961 – Tony Sheridan, backed by the Beatles, records “If You Love Me Baby” (aka “Take Out Some Insurance On Me, Baby”) in Hamburg, Germany
1968 – LPGA Championship Women’s Golf, Pleasant Valley CC: Canadian Sandra Post wins an 18-hole playoff against Kathy Whitworth by 7 strokes
2019 – Greek Cypriot army officer Nicos Metaxas given seven life sentences for the murder of five women and two children in Nicosia

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Famous Birthdays

1343 – Jeanne de Valois, Queen of Navarre, born in Châteauneuf-sur-Loire, France (d. 1373)
1848 – Brooks Adams, American philosopher (Theory of Social Revolutions), born in Quincy, Massachusetts (d. 1927)
1870 – Horatio Mbelle, South African interpreter, community leader and politician, born in Burgersdorp, Cape Colony (d. 1947)
1906 – Pierre Fournier, French cellist, and teacher (Paris Conservatoire, 1937-49), born in Paris, France (d. 1986)
1965 – Uwe Krupp, NHL ice hockey defenseman, 1986-2003 (2 x All- Star; 2 x Stanley Cup; Buffalo Sabres, Colorado Avalanche, and 3 other teams; Olympics. 1998 (Germany)), and European coach, born in Cologne, Germany
1982 – Jarret Stoll, Canadian ice hockey player

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Famous Deaths

1952 – Lodewijk Mortelmans, Belgian composer (Morgenstemming – Morning Mood), dies at 84
1978 – Robert Charroux, French writer (b. 1909)
1993 – Archie Williams, American athlete (Olympic gold 400m 1936), dies of a heart attack at 78
1995 – Inshan Ali, West Indian cricketer (WI chinaman bowler 1971-77), dies at 45
2007 – Chris Benoit, Canadian professional wrestler (b. 1967)
2023 – Ian Browne, Australian track cyclist (Olympic gold 2000m tandem 1956 [with Tony Marchant], dies at 92

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Historical Events

1915 – Yanks get record 16 walks and 3 wild pitches beat A’s Bruno Hass, 15-0
1970 – Rocker and singer Chubby Checker arrested for marijuana possession
1975 – US Open Men’s Golf, Medinah CC: Lou Graham defeats John Mahaffey by 2 strokes in an 18-hole Monday playoff to win his only major championship
1990 – TV Guide selects Arsenio Hall as TV personality of year
2005 – Reddit founded by American University of Virginia students Steve Huffman and Alexis Ohanian
2011 – Kawhi Leonard is selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft by the Indiana Pacers and traded to the San Antonio Spurs on draft night

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Famous Birthdays

1855 – Maude Valérie White, French-born English composer, born near Dieppe, Normandy (d. 1937)
1927 – Bob Fosse, American choreographer, film and stage director (All the Jazz, Cabaret, Damn Yankees), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1987)
1937 – Niki Sullivan, American guitarist (The Crickets), born in South Gate, California (d. 2004)
1956 – Dan Drucker, Canadian endocrinologist whose research into insulin levels led to new weight-loss medications, born in Montreal, Quebec
1964 – Trent Bushey, American actor (David Rampal-All My Children), born in New Hampshire
1972 – Zinédine Zidane, French soccer midfielder/Real Madrid manager (Champions League 2016-17-18, World Cup 1998), born in Marseille, France

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Famous Deaths

1901 – Charles Kensington Salaman, British pianist and synagogue music composer, dies at 87
1959 – Jean Gallon, French composer, dies at 80
1976 – Dehart Hubbard, American athlete (Olympic gold -long jump,1924; first African American to win individual event; WR 7.89m 1925), dies at 72
2002 – Pedro ‘El Rockero’ Alcazar, Panamanian boxer (b. 1975)
2015 – Helmuth Lohner, Austrian stage and screen actor and stage director (Mrs. Warren’s Profession), dies at 82
2020 – Nikos Alefantos, Greek soccer midfielder and manager (Olympiacos), dies from a heart attack at 81

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