Category: On This Day

Historical Events

1909 – Jack Johnson fights Tony Ross to a no decision in 6 rounds at Duquesne Gardens, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to retain his heavyweight boxing title
1966 – Vice Admiral William F. Raborn Jr., USN, ends term as 7th director of CIA
1979 – “Got To Go Disco” closes at Minskoff Theater NYC after 8 performances
1981 – Zwelakhe Sisulu, President of the Black Media Workers Association of South Africa, is detained
1989 – US Congressman Donald Lukens found guilty of having sex with a 16 year old girl
2002 – US Senior Open Men’s Golf, Caves Valley GC: Don Pooley wins by 1 stroke in a playoff with Tom Watson

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1468 – Johann the Steadfast, Elector of Saxony (1525-32), born in Meissen, Electorate of Saxony, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1532)
1641 – Meinhardt Schomberg, 3rd Duke of Schomberg, Irish general, born in Cologne, Germany (d. 1719)
1917 – Robert Vandekerckhove, Belgian politician, born in Ingelmunster, Belgium (d. 1980)
1933 – Lea Massari, Italian actress (Anna-L’avventura), born in Rome, Lazio, Italy
1936 – Assia Djebar [Fatma-Zohra Imalhayène], Algerian writer and filmmaker, born in Iol, Algeria (d. 2015)
1936 – Tony Musante, American actor (David Toma-Toma, Nowhere to Hide), born in Bridgeport, Connecticut (d. 2013)

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1607 – Caesar Baronius, Italian cardinal and historian, dies at 68
1662 – Johannes Cornelisz Verspronck, Dutch portrait painter, buried at about 64
1960 – Clarence Cameron White, American concert violinist, and composer (Elegy; Ouanga!), dies from cancer at 79
1992 – Nico Booken, Dutch director (Jewish Labor Social), dies at 72
1995 – Phyllis Hyman, American jazz singer (Prime of My Life), commits suicide at 45
2021 – Janet Moreau Stone, American athlete (Olympic gold 4x100m relay 1952), dies at 93

More Famous Deaths »

Historical Events

1749 – New Governor Charles de la Ralière Des Herbiers arrives at Isle Royale (Cape Breton Island).
1929 – Mexico and Vatican sign Concord
1989 – Emmy 16th Daytime Award presentation – Susan Lucci loses for 10th time
1990 – NY Mets tie their team career high 11 game winning streak
1992 – NHL arbitrator decides Eric Lindros goes to Philadelphia Flyers instead of New York Rangers, after Quebec traded him twice; Quebec received 6 player, two draft picks and $15M
1995 – Memphis Mad Dogs 1st CFL game (vs Calgary Stampeders)

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1886 – George Frederick Boyle, Australian-American composer, born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (d. 1948)
1897 – Ottmar Gerster, German composer (rector of the Liszt Music Academy in Weimar), born in Braunfels, Germany (d. 1969)
1908 – Rene Gerber, Swiss composer, born in Travers (d. 2006)
1924 – Flo Sandon’s, Italian singer (won Sanremo Music Festival-Viale d’autunno), born in Vicenza, Italy (d. 2006)
1936 – David Jenkins, American figure skater (Olympic gold singles 1960; World C’ship gold singles 1957-59), born in Akron, Ohio
1968 – Theoren Fleury, Canadian NHL right wing (Calgary Flames, Canada), born in Oxbow, Saskatchewan, Canada

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1779 – Anton Raphael Mengs, German Bohemian painter and one of the precursors to Neoclassical painting, dies at 51
1860 – Thomas Addison, English physician (A-Biermer Disease), dies at 67
1880 – George Willem Vreede, Dutch lawyer and politician, dies at 71
1964 – Eric Dolphy, American jazz saxophone, bass clarinet, and flute player, dies of insulin shock at 36
1996 – Alexander George Ogston, British biochemist, and educator (professor at Australian National University, 1959-70; president of Trinity College – Oxford, 1970-78), dies at 85
1997 – William Hickey, American actor (Prizzi’s Honor, The Nightmare Before Christmas), dies of emphysema at 69

More Famous Deaths »

Historical Events

1902 – Germany, Italy, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire renew their Triple Alliance for six more years
1935 – Earl Averill’s consecutive-game streak ends at 673
1940 – Romania cedes Bessarabia to Soviet Union
1941 – German troops occupy Galicia, Poland
1942 – Col-gen Von Hoth’ 6th Pantser enters Voronezj
2007 – Craig Biggio of the Houston Astros becomes the 27th member of the 3000 hit club, going 5 for 5 against the Colorado Rockies

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1787 – Harry Smith, English military commander and leader of British-Indian forces (Battle of Aliwal), born in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, England (d. 1860)
1892 – E. H. Carr, English historian (History of Soviet Russia), born in London (d. 1982)
1909 – Arnold Shaw, American writer on popular music and composer, born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1989)
1958 – Sergei Shakrai, Russian figure skater (Olympic silver 1980), born in Soviet Union
1962 – Anisoara Stanciu-Cusmir, Romanian long jumper (Olympic gold 1984), born in Brăila, Romania
1973 – Brian Maisonneuve, American soccer midfielder (Olympic gold 1996), born in Detroit, Michigan

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1776 – Thomas Hickey, American sergeant convicted of treason, hanged
1846 – Adriaan van den Ende, Dutch vicar and educationalist, dies at 77
1963 – John ‘Home Run’ Baker, American Baseball HOF third baseman (World Series 1910, 11, 13; AL HR leader 1911–14; AL RBI leader 1912, 13; Philadelphia A’s), dies at 77
1971 – Henri Puvrez, Belgian sculptor (Serenity), dies at 78
2007 – Kiichi Miyazawa, 78th Prime Minister of Japan (1991-93), dies at 87
2015 – Jack Carter [Chakrin], American comedian and actor, dies at 93

More Famous Deaths »

Historical Events

992 – Battle of Conquereuil won by the Count of Anjou, Fulk the Black, defeating Conan I, Count of Brittany, in western France
1915 – Dutch SDAP demonstrates against conscription
1939 – 1st night game at Cleveland Municipal Stadium (Indians 5, Tigers 0)
1962 – In South Africa, the General Law Amendment Act (Sabotage Act) No 76 commences, increasing the state president’s power to declare organisations unlawful and to add further restrictions to banning orders
1976 – “Pacific Overtures” closes at Winter Garden NYC after 193 performances
1986 – South African Journalist and founder of the ‘New Nation’ newspaper, Zwelakhe Sisulu is abducted; he was released 721 days later on 2 December 1988

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1833 – Władysław Zaremba, Ukrainian pianist and composer, born in Dunajowce, Ukraine (d. 1902)
1907 – Valerie Cossart, British actress (Hartmans), born in London, England (d. 1994)
1916 – Robert Normann, Norwegian jazz guitar pioneer, accordionist, and composer, born in Borge, Østfold, Norway (d. 1998)
1951 – Mary McAleese, 8th President of Ireland (1997-2011), born in Belfast, Northern Ireland
1959 – Janusz Kamiński, Polish cinematographer (Schindler’s List), born in Ziębice, Poland
1971 – Brant Boyer, American football linebacker (Jacksonville Jaguars), born in Ogden, Utah

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1627 – John Hayward, English historian
1785 – Egbert de Free Temminck, Amsterdam regent, dies at 84
1985 – Jane Ross [Breslaw], American actress (Star Trek, Rocket Attack U.S.A., Wild Is My Love), dies at 53
1999 – Marion Motley, American NFL fullback (all-time leading AAFC rusher), dies at 79
2012 – Don Grady [Agrati], American actor (Robbie Douglas-My Three Sons), dies from cancer at 68
2020 – Ilija Petković, Serbian soccer midfielder (43 caps, Yugoslavia; Troyes, OFK Beograd) and manager (Serbia and Montenegro), dies from COVID-19 at 74

More Famous Deaths »

Historical Events

1925 – “The Gold Rush”, directed, starring and written by Charlie Chaplin, is released
1936 – 1st flight of Fw61 helicopter
1940 – End of USSR experimental calendar; Gregorian readopted 6/27
1964 – Moise Tsjombe forms government in Congo
1977 – Tim Severin aboard the Brendan reaches Newfoundland in attempt to prove sixth-century Irish monks could have voyaged across the Atlantic
2018 – Polio outbreak confirmed in New Guinea by WHO, 18 years after it was declared free of the disease

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1893 – “Big” Bill Broonzy, American blues singer and guitarist (Blues by Broonzy), born in Scott, Mississippi (d. 1958)
1895 – George Hainsworth, Canadian ice hockey goaltender (first NHL goaltender to record 20 shutouts in one season; Montreal Canadiens), born in Toronto, Ontario (d. 1950)
1895 – Jankel Adler, Polish painter and printmaker, born in Tuszyn, Łódź, Poland (d. 1949)
1915 – Willard “Home Run” Brown, American Baseball HOF outfielder (NgL World Series 1942; 6 x NgL All-Star Kansas City Monarchs; MLB: St. Louis Browns), born in Shreveport, Louisiana (d. 1996)
1920 – June Preisser, American acrobatic dancer and actress (Babes in Arms, Strike Up the Band), born in New Orleans, Louisiana (d. 1984)
1979 – Walter Herrmann, Argentinian basketball player (Olympic 2004 gold), born in Venado Tuerto, Santa Fe, Argentina

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1541 – Francisco Pizarro, Spanish conquistador who conquered the Inca Empire is assassinated in Lima by the son of his former companion and later antagonist, Diego Almagro the younger. Almagro is later caught and executed.
1922 – Albert H K, monarch of Monaco (1889-1922), dies at 73
1946 – Yosuke Matsuoka, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan (b. 1880)
1982 – Sandy Powell, English comedian, dies at 82
1993 – Jack Bittner, entertainer, dies
2009 – Erhard Karkoschka, German composer, conductor (Contac-Ensemble), educator, and music scholar, dies at 86

More Famous Deaths »

Historical Events

1096 – 1st Crusade slaughter Jews of Werelinghofen, Germany
1646 – Thomas Fairfax’s New Model Army occupies Oxford
1937 – Cub Augie Galan becomes 1st player to switch hit HRs in a game
1983 – Cricket World Cup, Lord’s, London: India upsets West Indies by 43 runs to win first title; Mohinder Amarnath 3/12 off 7 overs, Player of the Match
1992 – Alexanders Department store closes all 11 stores in the US
1999 – In his first state of the nation address, South African President Thabo Mbeki promises to tackle rampaging crime; the nation’s murder rate is the third highest in the world and more than 49,000 cases of rape were reported in 1998

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1728 – Shah Alam II, 17th Mughal Emperor (1760-1806), born in Shahjahanabad, Mughal Empire (d. 1806))
1884 – Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler, German-French art dealer and publisher, born in Mannheim, Germany (d. 1979)
1928 – William Joseph Russo, American trombonist, jazz, classical and theater composer (Titans Symphony) and educator, born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2003)
1936 – Paul Nowee, Dutch writer of children’s and youth books. (Eagle’s Eye), born in The Hague, Netherlands (d. 1993)
1959 – Jari Puikkonen, Finnish ski jumper (Winter Olympics medalist), born in Lahti, Finland
1967 – Brian Wanek, American speed skater (Olympics 1994), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1522 – Franchinus Gaffurius, Italian composer, dies at 71
1961 – John Alexander Douglas McCurdy, Canadian aviator, dies at 74
1984 – Michel Foucault, French philosopher and historian (History of Sexuality), dies of AIDs at 57
1994 – Louis-Robert Casterman, Belgian publisher (Kuifje), dies at 74
2002 – Jean Corbeil, Canadian politician (b. 1934)
2015 – Patrick Macnee, British actor (The Avengers, Magnum, P.I., Sherlock Holmes), dies at 93

More Famous Deaths »

Historical Events

972 – Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces; Mieszko I of Poland decisively defeated Odo I of Lusatia
1945 – Schermerhorn government forms in the Netherlands
1983 – 7th NASA Space Shuttle Mission: Challenger 2 lands at Edwards AFB
1985 – 18th NASA Space Shuttle Mission (51-G): Discovery 5 returns to Earth
1995 – Wrapped Reichstag art installation completed by artists Christo and Jeanne Claude; German parliament building completely wrapped by polypropylene fabric
2013 – Stanley Cup Final, TD Garden, Boston, MA: Chicago Blackhawks defeat Boston Bruins, 3-2 for 4-2 series victory; Blackhawks’ 5th Championship

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1848 – Brooks Adams, American philosopher (Theory of Social Revolutions), born in Quincy, Massachusetts (d. 1927)
1909 – William Penney, British physicist (developed Britain’s 1st atom bomb), born in Gibraltar (d. 1991)
1911 – Juan Manuel Fangio, Argentine auto racer (World F1 champion 1951, 1954-57), born in Balcarce, Argentina (d. 1995)
1931 – Billy Casper, American golfer (US Open 1959, 66; US Masters 1970), born in San Diego, California (d. 2015)
1965 – Patrick Jeffrey, diver (Olympic 5th 1996), born in Morristown, New Jersey
1978 – Luis García, Spanish footballer

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1924 – Willie Fernie, Scottish golfer (British Open 1883), dies at 69
1991 – Rufino Tamayo, Mexican painter, dies at 91
2000 – Vera Atkins, Romanian-born British intelligence officer (b. 1908)
2010 – Deborah Jo Billingsley, American singer (Lynyrd Skynyrd) and songwriter, dies of cancer at 58
2011 – Tomislav Ivić, Croatian football manager (b. 1933)
2013 – Emilio Colombo, Italian Prime Minister (1970-72, dies at 93

More Famous Deaths »

Historical Events

1565 – Turgut Reis [Dragut], commander of the Ottoman Navy, dies during the Siege of Malta
1863 – Tullahoma campaign, Tennessee
1962 – Suvanna Phuma forms government in Laos
1982 – US pass the Intelligence Identities Protection Act (Public Law 97-200)
2012 – Greece proposes to slow down austerity measures by two years
2019 – Women’s PGA Championship, Hazeltine National GC: Australian Hannah Green leads wire-to-wire to win her first LPGA event by 1 stroke ahead of Park Sung-hyun

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1887 – John Finley Williamson, American choral conductor (Westminster Choir College, 1920-58), born in Canton, Ohio (d. 1964)
1943 – Vinton (Vint) Cerf, American Internet pioneer, Turing Award laureate
1945 – John Garang, Sudanese leader and politician (d. 2005)
1955 – Pierre Corbeil, Canadian politician
1955 – Jean Tigana, French footballer
1966 – Chantal Daucourt, Swiss mountain cyclist (world-bronze-95), born in Bienne, Switzerland

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1137 – Adalbert I, archbishop of Mainz (1111-1137), dies
1878 – George Back, English sea officer and explorer (Back River), dies at 81
1956 – Reinhold Glière, Russian-Soviet composer, dies at 81
1996 – Angelo John Novarese, record company founder, dies at 72
1998 – Maureen O’Sullivan, Irish actress (Tarzan, Pride and Prejudice, Hannah and Her Sisters), dies at 87
2013 – Bobby Bland, American blues and soul singer, dies at 83

More Famous Deaths »

Historical Events

1904 – Chinese laborers arrive in South Africa following a severe labor shortage
1932 – NL finally approves players wearing numbers
1969 – Aretha Franklin arrested in Detroit for creating a disturbance
1978 – James Christy’s discovery of Pluto’s moon Charon announced
1979 – Little Richard quits rock and roll a second time for religious pursuits
1980 – UEFA European Championship Final, Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy: Horst Hrubesch scores a double as Germany beats Belgium, 2-1

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1900 – Russell Vis, American Greco-Roman wrestler (Olympic gold freestyle lightweight 1924), born in Grand Rapids, Michigan (d. 1990)
1902 – Arnold J d’Ailly, Dutch mayor of Amsterdam (1946-56), born in Franeker, Netherland (d. 1967)
1908 – George Armin Goyder, businessman and social philosopher (d. 1997)
1911 – Marie Braun, Dutch swimmer (Olympic gold 1928), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1982)
1960 – Tracy Pollan, American actress (Family Ties)/aka Mrs Michael J. Fox, born in NYC, New York
1971 – Laryssa Biesenthal, Canadian rower (Olympics 1996), born in Walkertown, Ontario

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1922 – Henry H Wilson, Field Marshal, murdered in London
1954 – Don Hollenbeck, newscaster (CBS Weekend News), dies at 49
1961 – Queen Maria of Yugoslavia [Maria of Romania], Queen consort of Yugoslavia (1922-34), dies at 61
1997 – Don Henderson, British actor (The XYY Man, Strangers), dies at 65
2008 – Jane McGrath, British-Australian cancer support campaigner (wife of Australian Test cricketer Glenn McGrath), dies from cancer at 42
2015 – Joseph de Pasquale, American violist (Boston Symphony, 1949-64: Philadelphia Orchestra, 1964-96), and educator (Curtis Institutu, 1965-2015), dies at 95

More Famous Deaths »

Historical Events

1849 – Battle at Waghausel: Prussian troops beat Baden rebels
1853 – Envelope-folding machine patented by Russell Hawes in Worcester, Massachusetts
1879 – Frank Winfield Woolworth opens his 1st successful “Woolworth’s Great Five Cent Store” on North Queen Street, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
1919 – The German Navy, feeling betrayed by the terms of the Versailles Treaty, scuttles most of its ships interned at Great Britain’s Scapa Flow Naval base in the Orkney Islands
1933 – 1st Great Lakes-to-Gulf of Mexico barge trip completed, New Orleans
1998 – US Open Men’s Golf, Olympic Club, SF: Lee Janzen recovers from 7 stroke deficit to win his second Open title, 1 stroke ahead of runner-up Payne Stewart

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1640 – Abraham Mignon, Dutch still life painter, born in Frankfurt, Germany (d. 1679)
1944 – Corinna Tsopel, Greek actress (Man Called Horse) and Miss Universe 1964, born in Athens, Greece
1946 – Brenda Holloway, American singer and songwriter (“When I’m Gone”), born in Atascadero, California
1946 – Kate Hoey, Northern Irish MP (Labour), born in Mallusk, Northern Ireland
1947 – Dana Rohrabacher, American politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California), born in Coronado, California
1953 – Michael Bowen, American actor, born in Houston, Texas

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1582 – Oda Nobunaga, Japanese warlord (b. 1534)
1900 – Polibo Fumagalli, Italian composer, dies at 69
1932 – (Marshall) “Major” Taylor, American track cyclist (first African-American world champion; 1899 World Track C’ships), dies from a heart attack at 53
1972 – Seth Bingham, American organist and composer (Six Pieces for Organ), dies at 90
1981 – Gunnar Ek, Swedish composer, dies on his 81st birthday
2020 – Ahmed Radhi, Iraqi soccer striker (121 caps; 62 goals; Al-Rasheed; Asian Footballer of the Year 1988), dies of COVID-19 at 56

More Famous Deaths »