Historical Events
1645 – Battle at Langport, Somerset: Oliver Cromwell’s New Model Army beats Royalists
1936 – 112°F (44°C) at Martinsburg, West Virginia (state record)
1942 – Himmler orders sterilization of all Jewish woman in Ravensbruck Camp
1974 – USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR
1979 – Chuck Berry sentenced to 4 months for $200,000 in tax evasion
1990 – Final day of Test Cricket for Richard Hadlee as New Zealand go down by 114 runs in 3rd Test v England at Edgbaston
Famous Birthdays
1883 – Johann Blaskowitz, German general (surrendered at Wageningen), born in Peterswalde, Germany (d. 1948)
1917 – Don Herbert, American scientist and TV host (Watch Mr Wizard), born in Waconia, Minnesota (d. 2007)
1933 – Chuan-Kwang Yang, Taiwanese decathlete (Olympic silver 1960), born in Taitung, Taiwan (d. 2007)
1936 – Jan Wincenty Hawel, Polish composer, born in Pszów, Poland
1941 – Jake Eberts, film producer (Chariots of Fire, Dances with Wolves), born in Montreal, Quebec (d. 2012)
1949 – Sunil Gavaskar, Indian cricket batsman and captain (125 Tests, 10,122 runs @ 51.12; 34 Test centuries), born in Bombay, India
Famous Deaths
1690 – Jan van Brakel, Dutch vice admiral (Chatham), dies in battle at 48
1806 – George Stubbs, British animal painter (Horse Frightened by Lion), dies at 81
1884 – Paul Charles Morphy, US lawyer/chess wizard, dies at 47
1943 – Arthur Nevin, American composer, dies at 72
1989 – Mel Blanc, American voice actor, comedian best known for his Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons (Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd and Porky Pig), dies at 81
2008 – Mike Souchak, American golfer (15 PGA Tour titles; Ryder Cup 1959, 61), dies of a heart attack at 81