Category: On This Day

Historical Events

1506 – Philip of Burgundy and England sign trade agreement
1900 – The “Hawaiian Organic Act” is enacted by US Congress making Hawaii a US territory
1944 – NY Giant Phil Weintraub gets 11 RBIs
1971 – 25th NBA Championship: Milwaukee beat Baltimore Bullets in 4 games
1984 – Strong winds cause a 30 min delay in Toronto Blue Jays game
1985 – “Shoah”, French documentary about the Holocaust, directed by Claude Lanzmann, starring Richard Glazar and Raul Hilberg, premieres in Paris

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Famous Birthdays

1651 – Jean-Baptiste de la Salle, French priest and saint of the Catholic Church, born in Reims, Champagne, Kingdom of France (d. 1719)
1723 – Mathurin Jacques Brisson, French zoologist and naturalist (Ornithologie), born in Fontenay-le-Comte (d. 1806)
1857 – Eugen Bleuler, Swiss psychiatrist (introduced the term schizophrenia to describe the disorder previously known as dementia praecox), born in Zollikon, Switzerland (d. 1940)
1858 – Mary Dimmick Harrison, US First lady (1889-93) as second wife of the 23rd President Benjamin Harrison, born in Honesdale, Pennsylvania (d. 1948)
1941 – Johnny Farina, American rocker (Santo and Johnny), born in Brooklyn, New York
1997 – Ayaan Chawla, Indian entrepreneur

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Famous Deaths

1630 – Ercole Porta, Italian composer, dies at 44
1792 – John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, British statesman who claimed to have invented the sandwich, dies at 73
1792 – Hans Adolf Friedrich von Eschstruth, composer and lawyer, dies at 36
1926 – Bessie Coleman, American aviator and 1st African-American woman and Native American to hold a pilot license, dies in a plane crash at 34
1983 – Muddy Waters [McKinley Morganfield], American blues singer and guitarist (“Mannish Boy”; “Got My Mojo Working”), dies of heart failure, while fighting cancer, at 70
2006 – Lawrence Patrick, Biomechanics Professor, crash test subject

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Historical Events

1956 – WLUC TV channel 6 in Marquette, MI (CBS/NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting
1982 – Alfredo Magana elected President of El Salvador
1986 – Boston Red Sox Roger Clemens strikes out 20 Seattle Mariners
1991 – Earthquake in Georgia, kills 100
2006 – NFL Draft: North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams first pick from Houston Texans
2007 – 2nd Republic protest in support of state secularism held in Istanbul, Turkey

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Famous Birthdays

1863 – Mary Theresa Ledóchowska, Polish-Austrian Catholic nun (founded the Missionary Sisters of St. Peter Claver), born in Loosdorf, Lower Austria, Austrian Empire (d. 1922)
1899 – (Karl) Yngve Sköld, Swedish organist, pianist, and composer, born in Vallby, Södermanland County, Sweden (d. 1992)
1935 – Otto Zykan, Austrian composer, born in Vienna, Austria (d. 2006)
1940 – Brian Taber, Australian cricket wicket-keeper (16 Tests, 60 dismissals; NSW), born in Wagga Wagga, Australia (d. 2023)
1957 – Timothy Treadwell, American bear enthusiast (d. 2003)
1960 – Joseph Guzaldo, American actor (Stir Crazy), born in Chicago, Illinois

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Famous Deaths

1380 – Catherine of Siena, Italian Dominican saint and Doctor of the Church (The Dialogue of Divine Providence), dies at 33
1798 – Nikolaus Poda von Neuhaus, Austrian entomologist, dies at 74
1990 – Floyd Butler, American soul singer (Friends of Distinction – “Grazin’ in the Grass”), dies of a heart attack at 52
2007 – Ivica Račan, former Prime Minister of Croatia (b. 1944)
2021 – Johnny Crawford, American actor (The Mickey Mouse Club; The Rifleman – “Mark”), singer (“Sandy”), and bandleader (JCO), dies at 75
2023 – Yuri Korolyov, Russian artistic gymnast (World All-Around Champion 1981, 85; World Cup All-Around Co-Champion 1986), dies at 60

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Historical Events

1829 – Dutch parliament accepts new press laws
1848 – Slavery abolished in French colonies
1922 – WOI (Ames, Iowa) country’s 1st licensed educational radio station
1940 – Glenn Miller records “Pennsylvania 6-5000”
1952 – Dwight D. Eisenhower resigns as Supreme Commander of NATO
1969 – Charles de Gaulle resigns as president of France

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Famous Birthdays

1825 – James Winning McMillan, American Brevet Major General (Union Army), born in Clark County, Kentucky (d. 1903)
1897 – Ye Jianying, Chinese communist general and politician (Head of State of the People’s Republic of China 1978-83), born in Jiaying, Guangdong, Qing Empire (d. 1986)
1900 – Maurice Thorez, French politician and secretary-general (French Communist Party), born in Noyelles-Godault, Pas-de-Calais, France (d. 1964)
1906 – Bart [Bartholomeus Jan] Bok, Dutch-American astronomer (Milky Way), born in Hoorn, Netherlands (d. 1983)
1930 – James Baker, American Secretary of the Treasury (1985-88), Secretary of State (1989-92), born in Houston, Texas
1961 – Futoshi Matsunaga, Japanese serial killer, born in Kitakyūshū, Japan

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Famous Deaths

1918 – Gavrilo Princip, Bosnian-Serb assassin of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, dies of tuberculosis at 23
1945 – Benito Mussolini [Il Duce], Fascist Italian dictator (1922-43), shot by communist partisans at 61
1982 – Nobby Clark, English cricketer (32 wickets in 8 Tests 1929-34), dies at 81
1996 – William Colby, American intelligence officer (CIA Director, 1973-76), dies at 76
1997 – Susan Seddon Boulet, American artist, dies of cancer at 45
2021 – Michael Collins, American Major General USAF and astronaut (Gemini 10, Apollo 11), dies of cancer at 90

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Historical Events

1841 – Imakita Kosen, 1st Zen teacher of D.T. Suzuki, found the awakening
1877 – Rutherford B. Hayes removes Federal troops from Louisiana, Reconstruction ends
1990 – Villanova’s women set a 6,000 m relay world record of 17:18:10
1990 – 50th annual barbershop quartet singing convention held (Mich)
1994 – Graeme Obree bicycles world record time (52,713 km)
1995 – “Indiscretions” opens at Ethel Barrymore Theatre NYC for 221 performances

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Famous Birthdays

1903 – Frank Belknap Long, American writer (Rim of the Unknown), born in New York City (d. 1994)
1929 – Nina Ponomaryova, Russian athlete (Olympic gold USSR discus 1952, 60; bronze 1956), born in Smychka, Russia (d. 2016)
1938 – Earl Anthony, American professional bowler (PBA money champ 1974-6, 1981-3), born in Tacoma, Washington (d. 2001)
1939 – Jerry Mercer, Canadian rock drummer (April Wine), born in Montreal, Quebec
1969 – Tyrone Rodgers, American football defensive linebacker (Winnipeg Blue Bombers), born in Longview, Texas
1970 – Mikiko Hagiwara, Japanese basketball player, born in Fukushima, Japan

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Famous Deaths

1695 – John Trenchard, English radical Whig politician and statesman, dies at 46
1876 – George Aiken, American playwright and actor famous for writing the most popular stage adaptation of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”, dies at 45
1902 – Julius Sterling Morton, American politician (3rd U.S. Secretary of Agriculture) and founder of Arbor Day, dies at 70
1977 – Stanley Adams, American character actor (Star Trek – “Cyrano Jones”; Breakfast at Tiffany’s; Lilies of the Field), commits suicide at 62
1991 – Marcus Heeresma, Dutch author (Anna, Son of a Whore), dies at 55
2015 – Gene Fullmer, American boxer (World Middleweight title 1957; NBA [WBA] World Middleweight title 1959-62), dies at 83

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Historical Events

1926 – Germany and Russia sign neutrality peace treaty
1931 – Lou Gehrig hits a HR but is called out for passing a runner, mistake costs him AL home run crown; he and Babe Ruth tie for season
1986 – France performs nuclear test
1991 – Soccer star Diego Maradona, suspended for using cocaine, arrested in Argentina for possession and distribution of illegal narcotics
1993 – NBC announces Conan O’Brien to replace David Letterman on “Late Night”
2022 – World Bank warns the war in Ukraine will cause the “largest commodity shock” since the 1970s, with large economic and humanitarian effects

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Famous Birthdays

1538 – Gian Paolo Lomazzo, Italian painter and poet (Trattato), born in Milan (d. 1600)
1917 – Sal Maglie, American baseball pitcher (World Series 1954; MLB All Star 1951, 52; NY Giants; no-hitter 1956 Cleveland Indians), born in Niagara Falls, New York (d. 1992)
1926 – Michael Mathias Prechtl, German illustrator, born in Amberg, Bavaria (d. 2003)
1930 – Roger Moens, Belgian middle distance runner (800m world record 1955), born in Aalst, Belgium
1931 – Bernie Brillstein, American talent agent, manager and producer (The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd), born in Manhattan, New York (d. 2008)
1977 – Kosuke Fukudome, Japanese baseball player (Hanshin Tigers, Chicago Cubs), born in Osaki, Kagoshima, Japan

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Famous Deaths

1476 – Simonetta Vespucci, Italian noblewoman and inspiration of Botticelli, dies at 23
1785 – Karl Siegmund von Seckendorff, German composer, dies at 40
1956 – Edward Arnold, American actor (Mr Smith Goes to Washington), dies at 66
1982 – Celia Johnson, British actress (Jean Brodie), dies of stroke at 73
1994 – Manuel Enríquez, Mexican composer, dies at 67
2017 – Raj Bagri, Indian-British merchant in metal, dies at 86

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Historical Events

1846 – Thornton Affair: Open conflict begins over the disputed border of Texas, triggering the Mexican–American War
1926 – Persian cossack officer Reza Chan crowns himself Shah Palawi
1946 – Christopher Fry’s “Phoenix too Frequent” premieres in London
1961 – Belgium government of Gaston Eyskens falls over the Unitary Law
1961 – Robert Noyce patents integrated circuit
1990 – 25th Academy of Country Music Awards: George Strait, Clint Black, and Kathy Mattea win

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Famous Birthdays

1502 – Georg Major, German Protestant theologian, born in Nuremberg, Germany (d. 1574)
1882 – Fred McLeod, Scottish golfer (US Open 1908), born in North Berwick, Scotland (d. 1976)
1901 – Ernst Gernot Klussmann, German composer, born in Hamburg, GermanyGerman Empire (d. 1975)
1906 – Zoltán Gárdonyi, Hungarian composer, born in Budapest, Hungary (d. 1986)
1921 – Jean Mogin, Belgian poet (Pastures of Silence), and playwright, born in Brussels, Belgium (d. 1986)
1981 – Anja Pärson, Swedish alpine skier, born in Umeå, Sweden

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Famous Deaths

1264 – Roger de Quincy, 2nd Earl of Winchester, English crusader, dies at about 69 [birthdate uncertain c. 1195]
1605 – Naresuan, King of Siam (b. 1555)
1926 – Ellen Key, Swedish author and feminist (Courageous Woman), dies at 76
1976 – Margaret Bannerman, actress (Great Defender), dies at 79
2019 – Manuel Lujan Jr., American politician (Rep-R-NM, 1969-89), dies at 90
2023 – Harry Belafonte, Jamaican-American Grammy, Tony, and Emmy Award-winning calypso singer (“Banana Boat Song”), actor (Buck and the Preacher), and human rights activist, dies of congestive heart failure at 96

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Historical Events

1915 – Pittsburgh Rebels’ Frank Allen no-hits St Louis Terriers (Federal League), 2-0
1963 – US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
1969 – Marshall Lin Biao named Mao’s designated successor as the sole Vice Chairman of the Communist Party of China
1975 – US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
1996 – 31st Academy of Country Music Awards: Brooks and Dunn, Alan Jackson, and Patty Loveless win
2023 – Tucker Carlson, Fox News most popular prime-time host, is fired from the cable network

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Famous Birthdays

1822 – Erastus Barnard Tyler, American businessman, merchant, and Brevet Major General (Union Army), born in West Bloomfield, New York (d. 1891)
1828 – Robert Brank Vance, American politician, U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina (1873-85), born in Buncombe, North Carolina (d. 1899)
1889 – Lyubov Popova, Russian avant-garde artist and painter, born in Ivanovskoe, Moscow (d. 1924)
1889 – Stafford Cripps, British Labour politician, born in London (d. 1952)
1954 – Thomas Jennefelt, Swedish composer, chiefly of choral works (A Warning To The Rich; Villarosa Sequences), born in Stuvsta, Sweden
1992 – Sean Rademaker, American actor (Kirkland Harrison-Another World), born in Washington, D.C.

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Famous Deaths

1961 – (Joseph) Rosario Bourdon, French Canadian-American cellist, violinist, conductor, arranger and musical director (Victor Talking Machine Company, 1905-31; Symphonique de Montréal, 1935-44), dies at 76
1967 – Frank Overton, American actor (Fail Safe; 12 O’Clock High (TV series, not film)), dies of a heart attack at 49
1983 – Rolf Stommelen, German auto racer (24 Hours of Daytona 1968, 78, 80, 82; 61 x F1 GP), dies in a racing accident at 39
1986 – Wallis Simpson [Duchess of Windsor], American divorcee whom British King Edward VIII abdicated his throne to marry, dies at 89
2011 – Sathya Sai Baba, Indian guru, spiritual figure, dies at 84
2011 – Colin Snedden, New Zealand cricket spin bowler (1 Test; Auckland), dies at 93

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Historical Events

1597 – William Shakespeare’s “The Merry Wives of Windsor” is first performed, with Queen Elizabeth I of England in attendance
1867 – Queen Victoria and Napoleon III turn down plans for a channel tunnel
1989 – NFL Draft: #1 pick UCLA quarterback Troy Aikman by Dallas Cowboys
1989 – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scores 10 points in his last game as a Laker in a 121-117 win over Seattle SuperSonics at the LA Forum
1991 – Björn Borg loses 6-2, 6-3 to Jordi Arrese after an 8 year lay off without practising or playing any exhibition matches
1993 – Peter Townshend’s musical “Tommy” premieres in NYC

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Famous Birthdays

1141 – King Malcolm IV of Scotland, nicknamed Virgo “the Maiden” King of Scots (1141 April-May), born in Scotland (d. 1165)
1747 – Abbé Alexandre-Auguste Robineau, French composer and painter, born in Paris (d. 1828)
1893 – Frank Borzage, American director (7th Heaven, Strange Cargo), born in Salt Lake City, Utah (d. 1962)
1930 – Michael Bowen, British Roman Catholic Archbishop (Southwark), born in Gibraltar
1936 – John D’Arcy, New Zealand cricketer (NZ Test batsman on 1958 England tour), born in Christchurch New Zealand
1963 – Magnús Ver Magnússon, Icelandic powerlifter (World’s Strongest Man 1991, 94, 95, 96), born in Egilsstaðir, Iceland

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Famous Deaths

1897 – Clement Harris, English composer, killed fighting in the Greco-Turkish war at 25
1971 – William V. S. Tubman, Liberian politician (President of Liberia 1944-71), dies at 76
1986 – Jim Laker, English cricket spin bowler (46 Tests; 193 wickets; world best 19-90 4th Test v Australia 1956), dies from complications of gall bladder surgery at 64
1992 – Satyajit Ray, Indian director (Distant Thunder, Agantuk), dies at 70
2020 – Bernardino Lombao, Spanish handballer (Atlético de Madrid 1967-69), coach (Nat basketball teams) and TV presenter (De Olimpia a Los Ángeles, Objetivo 92), dies at 81
2021 – Bill Whittington, American auto racer (24 Hours of Le Mans 1979), dies in a plane crash at 71

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Historical Events

1893 – Francis Dhanis army occupies Kasongo
1959 – Yankee Whitey Ford strikes out 15, beating Senators, 1-0 in 14 innings
1962 – Stanley Cup Final, Chicago Stadium, Chicago, IL: Dick Duff scores the winner as Toronto Maple Leafs beat Chicago Blackhawks, 2-1 for a 4-2 series victory
1977 – Shimon Peres becomes Acting Prime Minister of Israel
1981 – USSR performs nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in northeast Kazakhstan
1990 – NFL Draft: University of Illinois quarterback Jeff George first pick by Indianapolis Colts

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Famous Birthdays

1864 – Phil May, English cartoonist, born in Wortley, Leeds (d. 1903)
1920 – Jos de Haes, Flemish philological and poet (Misery of the Word), born in Leuven, Belgium (d. 1974)
1926 – Charlotte Rae, American character actress, (Facts Of Life – “Edna”), comedian, singer and dancer, born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (d. 2018)
1933 – Anthony Llewellyn, Welsh-American scientist and NASA astronaut, born in Cardiff, Wales (d. 2013)
1943 – Steve Dunne, New Zealand cricket umpire (39 Tests; 100 ODIs), born in Dunedin. Otago
1955 – Arthur Baker, American music producer (Afrika Banbaataa; Planet Rock; New Order), born in Boston, Massachusetts

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Famous Deaths

1648 – Catharina Belgica of Nassau and Countess and Regent of Hanau-Münzenberg, Dutch daughter of William I of Orange, dies at 69
1827 – Thomas Rowlandson, English artist and caricaturist, dies at 70
1896 – Thomas Meik, Scottish civil engineer, dies at 84
2003 – Martha Griffiths, U.S. Congresswoman, dies at 91
2008 – Cameron Argetsinger, American auto racing executive (created Watkins Glen Grand Prix Race Course; F1 US Grand Prix 1961-80), dies from a stroke at 87
2019 – Dave Samuels, American vibraphonist (Spyro Gyra-Morning Dance), dies at 70

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Historical Events

1892 – Black longshoremen strike for higher wages in St Louis, Missouri
1930 – “All Quiet on the Western Front” based on the novel by Erich Maria Remarque, directed by Lewis Milestone, starring Louis Wolheim and Lew Ayres premieres in Los Angeles (Academy Awards Outstanding Production 1930)
1976 – Swine Flu vaccine, for non-epidemic, enters testing
1982 – Dr Michael E Bakey performs 1st successful heart implant
1984 – “Nightline” reverts from 1 hour to ½ hour format
2020 – Health Secretary Matt Hancock and UK government come under criticism for lack of personal protective equipment and testing for COVID-19 (despite pledge to test 100,000 a day only 19,000 done April 20th)

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Famous Birthdays

1912 – Marcel Camus, French film director (Orfeu Negro), born in Chappes, France (d. 1982)
1959 – Michael Timmins, Canadian musician (Cowboy Junkies), born in Montreal
1966 – Judy Diduck, ice hockey defenseman (Canada, Olympics 1998)
1971 – Samantha Druce, British swimmer, youngest woman to swim English Channel
1978 – Branden Steineckert, American drummer (Rancid; The Used), born in Pocatello, Idaho
1980 – Jeff Keppinger, American baseball player

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Famous Deaths

1910 – Mark Twain [Samuel Clemens], American author (Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer), dies at 74
1958 – Manuel Infante, Spanish composer and conductor, dies at 74
1989 – James Kirkwood, American actor, author and playwright (A Chorus Line, P. S. Your Cat Is Dead!), dies of cancer at 64
1996 – Jimmy “the Greek” Snyder, sportscaster, LV bookmaker (The NFL Today; fired for racist remarks), dies of a heart attack at 77
2001 – David Hollestelle, Dutch baritone singer (Dutch Radio Chorus), dies at 84
2013 – Shakuntala Devi, Indian writer and mental calculator known as the “Human Computer”, stops calculating at 83 due to complications from severe respiratory problems

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