Historical Events
1859 – A geomagnetic storm causes the Aurora Borealis to shine so brightly that it is seen clearly over parts of the USA, Europe, and even as far afield as Japan
1884 – MLB pitcher Mickey Welch sets a record for most consecutive batters struck out to begin a game, striking out the first nine men he faces
1942 – Swedish runner Gunder Hägg sets a world record of 8:01.2 in the 3000 m
1950 – Earle and Roy Mack purchase 54% of the Philadelphia A’s from Connie Mack Jr.
1986 – Bolivian President Víctor Paz Estenssoro calls a state of siege
Famous Birthdays
1829 – Albert Dietrich, German composer and conductor, born in Meissen, Kingdom of Saxony (d. 1908)
1952 – Guy Nadon, Canadian actor (L’ange gardien), born in Montréal, Québec
1961 – Jennifer Coolidge, American actress and comedian (Legally Blonde film series; Christopher Guest films), born in Boston, Massachusetts
1965 – Satoshi Tajiri, Japanese video game designer (Game Freak, creator of the Pokémon franchise), born in Setagaya, Japan
1982 – (Margaret) LeAnn Rimes [Cibrian], American country singer (“Blue”; “How Do I Live”), born in Jackson, Mississippi
Famous Deaths
1677 – Wallerant Vaillant, French painter and engraver, dies at 54
1963 – Bernard Silver, American co-inventor of the barcode, dies of leukemia at 38
1978 – Bruce Catton, American historian and writer (Civil War), dies at 78
1987 – John Huston, US/Irish actor and director (Maltese Falcon), dies at 81
2024 – (Herman) “Pete” Wade, American country and pop session guitarist (Nashville A-Team; Lynn Anderson – “Rose Garden”; Crystal Gayle – “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue”), dies of complications after hip surgery at 89