Historical Events
1861 – Confederacy starts selling postage stamps
1950 – The first edition of C.S. Lewis’ “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” is released in London
1982 – USSR performs underground nuclear test
1984 – Desmond Tutu, South African Anglican Archbishop, wins Nobel Peace Prize
1986 – Wole Soyinka, Nigerian playwright and poet, becomes the first African to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature
1990 – “Stand Up Tragedy” closes at Criterion Theater NYC after 13 performances
Famous Birthdays
1762 – Paul Hamilton, Governor of South Carolina (1804-06) and U.S. Secretary of Navy (1809-12) (d. 1816)
1851 – James A. Ten Eyck, American champion rower and coach (Ten Eyck Trophy namesake), born in Tompkins Cove, New York (d. 1938)
1890 – Michael Collins, Irish revolutionary leader and leading figure in the struggle for Irish independence in the early 20th century, born in Clonakilty, Ireland (d. 1922)
1907 – Roger Vailland, French author (La Novice, Et Mourir de Plasir)
1962 – Flea [Michael Balzary], Australian-American bassist (Red Hot Chili Peppers), actor, and educator (Silverlake Conservatory of Music), 1962 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
1962 – Laura Coenen, team handball goalie (Olymp-1988, 92, 96), born in Neenah, Wisconsin
Famous Deaths
1906 – Varina Howell Davis, First Lady of the Confederate States (1862-65), dies at 80
1981 – Moshe Dayan, Israel’s general/minister of Defense, dies at 66
1981 – Stanley Clements, actor (Boys’ Prison, Army Bound, Hot News), dies
1982 – Jakov Gotovac, Croatian conductor and composer (Ero the Joker), dies at 87
1995 – Richard Caldicot, British actor (Horse’s Mouth, Strife, Mrs Thursday), dies at 87
2020 – Andrzej Pogorzelski, Polish motorcycle speedway rider (Speedway World Team Cup gold 1965, 66, 69), dies at 82