Historical Events
1434 – River Thames in London freezes over
1639 – 1st observation of transit of Venus by Jeremiah Horrocks and William Crabtree – helped establish size of the Solar System
1951 – CFL Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Ottawa Rough Riders claim their 4th Championship with 21-14 win over Saskatchewan Roughriders
1953 – Los Angeles Dodgers sign Walter Alston to a 1-year pact as manager for 1954; signs 23 one year agreements until 1976
1969 – Apollo 12 returns to Earth
1970 – 36th Heisman Trophy Award: Jim Plunkett, Stanford (QB)
Famous Birthdays
1938 – Willy Claes, Belgian politician
1938 – David Newell, American (Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood – “Mr. McFeely”), born in O’Hara Township, Pennsylvania
1938 – Oscar Robertson [The Big O], American NBA guard (Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Olympic gold 1960), born in Charlotte, Tennessee
1942 – Billy Connolly, Scottish comedian and actor (Blue Money), born in Anderston, Glasgow, Scotland
1951 – Graham Price, British rugby player
1970 – Doug Brien, kicker (New Orleans Saints)
Famous Deaths
1468 – Jean de Dunois, French soldier (b. 1402)
1770 – Charles-Jean-François Hénault, French historian (b. 1685)
1957 – Diego Rivera, Mexican painter (En el Arsenal) and husband of Frida Kahlo, dies at 70
1959 – Dally Messenger, Australian rugby league centre (9 Tests; NSW; Eastern Suburbs; ARL ‘Immortal’; Dally M Medal) and rugby union utility (2 caps), dies from heart failure at 76
2006 – (Juhani) “Juice” Leskinen, Finnish rock singer-songwrirter (“Musta aurinko nousee – Black Sun Rises”; “Marilyn”), and poet, dies from multiple medical issues at 56
2021 – Guillermo Echevarría, Mexican swimmer (1,500m WR 16:28.1 1968), dies at 73