Historical Events
1915 – Russian troops overrun Hamadan, Persia
1939 – Russ Indigirka capsizes in blizzard off Japanese coast; 750 die
1946 – Ice plant collapses, shearing a tenement building and burying 38
1958 – Fergie Gupte takes 9-102 with leggies v W Indies at Kanpur
1967 – US launches Pioneer 8 into solar orbit
1995 – Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres addresses both houses of the US Congress
Famous Birthdays
1731 – Erasmus Darwin, influential English physician, poet, philosopher, and botanist (grandfather of Charles Darwin), born in Newark-on-Trent, England (d. 1807)
1745 – John Jay, US statesman and 1st US Chief Justice, born in NYC, New York (d. 1829)
1907 – Frederik van Heek, Dutch sociologist, born in Enschede, Netherlands (d. 1987)
1924 – Nevit Kodali, composer
1946 – Emerson Fittipaldi, Brazilian auto racer (World F1 Champion 1972, 74, Indy 500 1989, 93), born in São Paulo, Brazil
1964 – Haywood Jeffires, NFL wide receiver (Houston Oilers)
Famous Deaths
1934 – Thorleif Haug, Norwegian Nordic skier (b. 1894)
1938 – James McNeill, Irish politician, 2nd Governor-General of the Irish Free State, dies at 69
1970 – Louis Zimmer, Flemish astronomer and clock maker (Jubelklok, Wonder Clock), dies at 82
1996 – Michael Geoffrey Corcos, medical researcher, dies at 77
2003 – Heydər Əliyev, President of Azerbaijan (b. 1923)
2007 – Ike Turner, American singer, former husband of Tina Turner (b. 1931)