Historical Events
1930 – Richard Drew invents masking tape
1949 – MLB Cleveland Indians start 12-17, owner Bill Veeck arranges a “Second Opening Day”
1956 – US performs nuclear test at Enewetak Atoll (atmospheric tests)
1984 – Beth Henley’s “Miss Firecracker contest” premieres in NYC
2001 – Indianapolis 500: race rookie Hélio Castroneves of Brazil leads for the final 52 laps to win first of 4 Indy 500s; Penske Racing sweeps 1st-2nd with Gil de Ferran the runner-up
Famous Birthdays
1863 – Arthur Mold, English cricket fast bowler (England 3 Tests; 1,673 1st class wickets), born in Middleton Cheney, Northamptonshire (d. 1921)
1867 – Arnold Bennett, English novelist (Anna of the Five Towns), born in Hanley, Staffordshire, England (d. 1931)
1909 – Isador Goodman, South African-Australian pianist and composer (New Guinea Fantasy), born in Cape Town, South Africa (d. 1982)
1926 – Kees Rijvers, Dutch soccer midfielder (33 caps; NAC Breda, Saint-Étienne, Feyenoord) and manager (FC Twente, PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands), born in Breda, Netherlands (d. 2024)
1962 – Ray Borner, Australian basketball center (Olympics 1984, 88, 92, 96)
Famous Deaths
366 – Procopius, Roman usurper (b. 326)
1770 – Sophie Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach, Queen consort of Denmark and Norway (1730-46), dies at 69
1975 – Ezzard Charles, American world heavyweight boxing champion (1949-51), dies of ALS at 53
2017 – Gregg Allman, American Hammond organist, guitarist and vocalist (The Allman Brothers Band – “Whipping Post”), dies of cancer at 69
2018 – Connie Kurtz, American Gay Rights advocate, dies at 81