Historical Events
1347 – English troops under Edward III conquer Calais, becomes strategic town for the English during Hundred Years’ War
1636 – Johan Maurits is appointed governor of Dutch Brazil
1936 – American athlete Jesse Owens wins his second gold medal at the Berlin Olympics, defeating German Luz Long in the long jump final with an Olympic record
1964 – North Vietnam purportedly engages US Navy ships in the Gulf of Tonkin for a second time, resulting in US Congress passing the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, granting authority to assist any Southeast Asian nation facing “communist aggression”; a later investigation deems the second attack never happened as shipboard communications were misinterpreted
2019 – Gunman kills 9 and injures 27 at a bar in Dayton, Ohio, in the second mass shooting in 24 hours in the US
Famous Birthdays
1805 – William Rowan Hamilton, Irish astronomer and mathematician, born in Dublin, Ireland (d. 1865)
1932 – (Calvin) “Scotty” Stoneman, American bluegrass fiddler (The Stoneman Family; The Kentucky Colonels), born in Galax, Virginia (d. 1973)
1943 – Laura Biagiotti, Italian fashion designer known as the “Queen of Cashmere”, born in Rome, Italy (d. 2017)
1955 – Charles D. Gemar, American former NASA astronaut (STS-38, 48, 62) and lieutenant colonel (United States Army), born in Yankton, South Dakota
1962 – Joey Huffman, American rock keyboard and organ player (Soul Asylum), born in Pikeville, Kentucky
Famous Deaths
1204 – Boniface of Montferrat, margrave of Montferrat, murdered
1578 – Sebastian, King of Portugal (1557-78), assumed killed at the Battle of Three Kings in Morroco at 24
1904 – Arnold Krug, German composer, dies at 54
1995 – Dick Bartell, American baseball shortstop (MLB All Star 1933, 37; Philadelphia Phillies, New York Giants), dies from Alzheimer’s disease at 87
1996 – Geoff Hamilton, English gardener and journalist (BBC Gardener’s World), dies of a heart attack at 59