CoM Moderators

Historical Events 1910 - German Catholic youth movement Quickborn forms 1915 - Leaders of the Armenian community in Constantinople (now Istanbul) are arrested by Ottoman authorities, and many later killed, marking the start of the Armenian Genocide 1916 - Ernest Shackleton and five men of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition launch a lifeboat from uninhabited Elephant Island in the Southern Ocean to organise a rescue for ice-trapped ship Endurance 1949 - 3rd Tony Awards: "Death of a Salesman" and "Kiss Me Kate" win 1976 - American composer Steve Reich's "Music for 16 Musicians," scored for four pianos, multiple percussion instruments, two clarinets, a violin, a cello, and four wordless and amplified women’s voices, a violin, has its world premiere at Town Hall in New York City More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1743 - Edmund Cartwright, English inventor (power loom), born in Marnham, Nottinghamshire, England (d. 1823) 1904 - Willem De Kooning, Dutch artist (North Atlantic Light), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1997) 1941 - Richard Holbrooke, American diplomat (Assistant Secretary of State, UN Ambassador) and author, born in New York City (d. 2010) 1948 - Paul Cellucci, American politician, 69th Governor of Massachusetts and former United States Ambassador to Canada, born in Hudson, Massachusetts (d. 2013) 1961 - Roger Mayweather, American boxer, (WBA and lineal super featherweight titles 1983-84, WBC light welterweight 1987-89; IBO light welterweight; IBO welterweight 1994-95), born in Grand Rapids, Michigan (d. 2020) More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1776 - Giuseppe Paolucci, Italian composer, dies at 49 1824 - Herman Muntinghe, Dutch theologian and writer (History of Mankind), dies at 71 1948 - Rosita Marstini, actress (I Cover Waterfront, Big Parade), dies at 54 1967 - Frank Overton, American actor (Fail Safe; 12 O'Clock High (TV series, not film)), dies of a heart attack at 49 1988 - Bob Newson, South African cricket fast bowler (3 Tests, 4 wickets; Transvaal; Rhodesia), dies at 87 More Famous Deaths »

1851 - Canada issues its first postage stamp, a Three-Pence Beaver 1918 - Zeebrugge Raid: Dover Patrol attempted to block Belgian port of Bruges-Zeebrugge to prevent German U-boats from leaving port 1942 - 4-day allied bombing on Rostock, Germany begins 1950 - NBA Championship: Minneapolis Lakers beat Syracuse Nationals, 110-95 to take series, 4 games to 2 1958 - Robert Kurka's "The Good Soldier Schweik", with libretto written by Abe Meeropol, premieres at the New York City Opera 1963 - Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick's musical "She Loves Me", based on the film "The Shop Around the Corner", opens at Eugene O'Neill Theater, NYC; runs for 302 performances and a Tony Award for Jack Cassidy 2013 - "Star Trek Into Darkness" directed by J. J. Abrams starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto premieres in Sydney 2017 - Adam Ondra sets a new highpoint for the Project indoor sport route in Stockholm, Sweden More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1516 - Duke Wilhelm IV of Bavaria endorses "The German Beer Purity Law" (Reinheitsgebot) and adds to it standards for the sale of beer in Bavaria, ensuring beer is only brewed from three ingredients: water, barley, and hops 1949 - Netherlands annex several German territories, including Elten and Tuddern, as apart of post-Wold War II border adjustments 1977 - Czech chess master, Vlastimil Hort, plays 201 games simultaneously; won-174, drew-17, lost-10 2012 - Rangers F.C. owner, Craig Whyte, is banned for life from any involvement in Scottish football 2019 - At least 54 jade miners buried by a mudslide in Kachin state, Myanmar More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1725 - Saint Gerard Majella, Catholic saint, born in Muro, Naples, Italy (d. 1755) 1881 - Claude Carter, South African cricket spin bowler (19 Tests, 28 wickets, BB 6/50; Natal, Transvaal), born in Durban, South Africa (d. 1952) 1900 - Henry Barraud, French composer, born in Bordeaux, France (d. 1997) 1918 - James Kirkup, British travel writer, poet and novelist (African in Greenland), born in South Shields, England (d. 2009) 1960 - Jodie Mudd, American golfer (Players C'ship 1990), born in Louisville, Kentucky More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1762 - Johann Samuel Endler, German composer, musician, and conductor, dies at 67 1986 - Jim Laker, English cricket spin bowler (46 Tests; 193 wickets; world best 19-90 4th Test v Australia 1956), dies from complications of gall bladder surgery at 64 1992 - Satyajit Ray, Indian director (Distant Thunder, Agantuk), dies at 70 2006 - Johnnie Checketts, New Zealand fighter pilot, dies at 94 2025 - Jonnie Boer, Dutch chef with three Michelin Stars and a pioneer of the New Nordic food movement, dies of a pulmonary embolism at 60 More Famous Deaths »

1728 - Pierre de Marivaux's play "Le Triomphe de Plutus" premieres in Paris 1823 - Baltic Club (Exchange) forms in London 1848 - Captain James Fitzjames and 105 surviving crew depart their ice-trapped ships for safety in Arctic Canada; all later perish as part of John Franklin's doomed Northwest Passage expedition 1957 - All NL baseball teams integrate, John Irwin Kennedy becomes the 1st Black player for the Philadelphia Phillies 1969 - Robin Knox-Johnston ends 312 days of non-stop sailing to become the 1st person to perform a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe 1971 - Soyuz 10 launches as the world's first mission to the first-ever space station (the Salyut 1) however the docking was unsuccessful and the cosmonauts returned to Earth 1998 - 33rd Academy of Country Music Awards: Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood and George Strait win 2006 - Nepalese security forces open fire on pro-democracy protesters demonstrating against King Gyanendra, injuring hundreds. The protesters secure the restoration of parliament and a federal state More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1601 - First expedition of the English East India Company to the Spice Islands of the Moluccas departs Torbay 1988 - Women are allowed to compete in Little 500 bicycle race (Indiana) 1990 - Lebanon release US hostage Robert Polhill after 39 months 1993 - Pete Townshend's rock musical "The Who's Tommy" adapted for theatrical stage, opens at St James Theater, NYC; runs for 899 performances, winning 5 Tony Awards, and a Grammy Award 1994 - Schelto Patijn appointed Mayor of Amsterdam More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1729 - Michael Hillegas, American merchant and first Treasurer of the United States (1775-89), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1804) 1863 - C. A. J. van Dishoeck, Dutch publisher, born in Zierikzee, Netherlands (d. 1931) 1919 - Donald J. Cram, American biochemist (development and use of molecules with structure-specific interactions of high selectivity - Nobel 1987), born in Chester, Vermont (d. 2001) 1935 - Mario Machado, Chinese-American eight-time Emmy Award-winning television and radio broadcaster, first Chinese-American on-air news anchor in Los Angeles, born in Shanghai (d. 2013) 1950 - (Jesse) "Pete" Carr, American guitarist and session musician (Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section; LeBlanc and Carr), born in Daytona Beach, Florida (d. 2020) More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1865 - Francis Washburn, US Union colonel/gen major, dies of injuries 1992 - Billy Wayne White, American murderer, executed in Texas at 34 1996 - Erma Bombeck, American humorist (The Grass is Greener over the Septic Tank), dies at 69 2003 - Felice Bryant [Matilda Scaduto], American songwriter, with husband Boudleaux ("Bye Bye Love"; "Wake Up Little Susie"), dies of cancer at 77 2011 - Moin Akhter, Pakistani actor, dies at 60 More Famous Deaths »

1930 - Fire at Ohio State Penitentiary kills 322 1944 - NFL Chic Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers merge (dissolves on Dec 3) 1980 - Howard Stern begins broadcasting on WWWW Detroit, Michigan 1991 - French underwater archaeologist Franck Goddio discovers the San Diego, Dutch galleon sunk in 1600 off Fortune Island in the Philippines 1994 - Serbian army bombs distress clinic in Goradze Bosnia, 28 killed 1997 - 101st Boston Marathon: Lameck Aguta of Kenya wins men's event in 2:10:34; Fatuma Roba of Ethiopia women's champion in 2:26:23 2017 - Taliban attack army base at Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, killing more than 100 2018 - Oakland A's left hander Sean Manaea no-hits the Boston Red Sox More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1789 - John Adams sworn in as 1st US Vice President (9 days before Washington) 1862 - Congress establishes US Mint in Denver, Colorodo 1960 - Founding of the Orthodox Bahá'í Faith in Washington, DC 1983 - £1 coin is introduced in the United Kingdom 1995 - FBI arrests Timothy McVeigh in the Oklahoma City bombing case; he is indicted on 160 state offenses and 11 federal offenses, including use of a weapon of mass destruction More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1911 - Leonard Warren [Warenoff], American baritone (Metropolitan Opera, 1939-60) who died on stage, born in The Bronx, New York City (d. 1960) 1924 - Ira Louvin [Loudermilk], American country singer and mandolin player (Louvin Brothers - "The Only Way Out (Is to Walk Over Me)"), born in Section, Alabama (d. 1965) 1942 - Brendan Malone, American basketball coach (RI Uni; Toronto Raptors, Cleveland Cavaliers), born in New York City (d. 2023) 1945 - Diana Darvey [Rollof], British actress, singer and dancer (The Benny Hill Show), born in Cheadle, Cheshire, England (d. 2000) 1958 - Michael Zarnock, American author and Hot Wheels historian, born in Utica, New York More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1073 - Alexander II [Anselmo da Baggio], Pope (1061-73), dies 1718 - Philippe de La Hire, French mathematician and astronomer, known for his work on conic sections, dies at 78 1899 - Heinrich Kiepert, German cartographer and geographer (1st modern maps of classical world and Ottoman Empire), dies at 80 1975 - Jack Westrup, English composer, dies at 70 2008 - Al Wilson, American soul singer ("Show and Tell"; "The Snake"), dies of kidney failure at 68 More Famous Deaths »

1799 - Friedrich von Schiller's play "Wallensteins Tod" premieres in Weimar 1809 - Napoleon I and French forces defeat Austria at Battle of Abensberg, Bavaria 1951 - Huge ticker-tape parade held in NYC for World War II and Korean War General Douglas MacArthur after he was relieved of Command by President Truman 1962 - OAS-leader ex-general Salan arrested in Algiers 1962 - NASA civilian pilot Neil Armstrong flies the experimental X-15 aircraft to an altitude of 63,250 meters 1991 - Mark Lenzi becomes the first diver to score more than 100 points on a single dive, earning 101.85 points 1996 - Chicago Bulls win record 72 games in a season 2012 - Plane crash near Islamabad, Pakistan, kills 127 people More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1931 - British House of Commons agrees to allow sports to be played on Sunday 1934 - Heinrich Himmler is appointed chief of all German police including the Prussian secret state police 1985 - Carlos Lopes runs world record marathon (2:07:12) 1998 - German terrorist group Red Army Faction, also known as the Baader-Meinhof Group, disbands after 28 years 2009 - 113th Boston Marathon: Deriba Merga of Ethiopia wins men's event in 2:08:42; Salina Kosgei of Kenya women's champion in 2:32:16 More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1857 - Charles Louis Philippe Zilcken, Dutch painter and author (HW Knife Day), born in The Hague, Netherlands (d. 1930) 1894 - Martinus Nijhoff, Dutch poet and linguistic (spelling), born in The Hague, Netherlands (d. 1953) 1955 - Donald Pettit, American chemical engineer and NASA astronaut, born in Silverton, Oregon 1961 - Don Mattingly, American MLB first baseman (6 x MLB All-Star; AL MVP 1985; 9 x Gold Glove; 3 x Silver Slugger; AL batting champion 1984; NY Yankees) and manager (LA Dodgers, Miami Marlins), born in Evansville, Indiana 1971 - Mikey Welsh, American bass player (Weezer, 1998-2001 - "Island In The Sun"), born in Syracuse, New York (d. 2011) More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1164 - Victor IV [Ottaviano Montecello], Italian antipope (1159-64), dies 1960 - Paul Fort, French poet (founder of Vers et Prose), dies at 88 1970 - Paul Celan [Antschell], German-Romanian poet (Collected Prose), drowns himself at 49 1994 - Jean Carmet, French actor (Cache Cash, Miss Mona, Night Magic), dies of a heart attack at 72 2003 - Ruth Hale, American playwright and actress (b. 1908) More Famous Deaths »

1932 - US President Herbert Hoover suggests five-day work week 1954 - 7-time winner of Boston Marathon, 65-year-old Clarence Demar, runs his last race at Boston finishing 78th 1959 - Uprising in La Paz Bolivia, fails 1971 - Charles Manson sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Sharon Tate 1972 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site 1974 - Oriole Al Bumbry hits an inside-the-park HR against NY Yankees 1982 - Former Cuban marathon cheat Rosie Ruiz is arrested for embezzling $60,000 1987 - Brendon Kuruppu scores 201* on Test Cricket debut (Sri Lanka v NZ) More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1923 - New Egyptian law allows suffrage for men, except soldiers 1926 - 30th Boston Marathon won by Canadian Johnny Miles in 2:25:40.4 1944 - 1944 NFL Draft: Angelo Bertelli from University of Notre Dame first pick by Boston Yanks 1965 - 1st all news radio station (WINS 1010 AM in NYC) begins operating 1965 - T.A.M.I. Show premieres in London More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1821 - Mortimer Dormer Leggett, American Major General (Union Army), born in Ithaca, New York (d. 1896) 1931 - Walter Stewart, Canadian writer and journalist, born in Toronto, Ontario (d. 2004) 1945 - Michael Stewart, American folk music producer, arranger, banjo player and guitarist (We Five - "You Were On My Mind"), born in Riverside County, California (d. 2002) 1972 - Jeff Wilkins, American football kicker (Super Bowl XXXIV St Louis Rams; Pro Bowl and NFL scoring leader 2003), born in Youngstown, Ohio 1977 - Lucien Mettomo, Cameroonian footballer (2002 World Cup), born in Douala, Cameroon More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1776 - Jacob Israel Emden [Jacob ben Tswi], German rabbi, dies at 78 1870 - William Henry Havergal, composer, dies at 77 1874 - Owen Jones, architect, dies 1949 - Stephen Samuel Wise, American Rabbi and President of Zionist Org of America, dies at 75 2022 - Mike Gregory, English darts player (BDO World C'ship 1992 runner-up), dies from dementia at 65 More Famous Deaths »

1738 - Real Academia de la Historia ("Royal Academy of History") founded in Madrid 1869 - 1st international cricket match, held in San Francisco, won by California 1922 - Netherlands soccer team defeats Denmark 2-0 1939 - Hubert Pierlot forms Belgian government 1946 - Jackie Robinson debuts as second baseman for the Montreal Royals, the minor league affiliate of the Brooklyn Dodgers 1956 - Egypt and Israel agree to a cease fire 1966 - 70th Boston Marathon: Kenji Kimihara of Japan wins in 2:17:11; American Bobbi Gibb first woman in 3:21:40 (unsanctioned) 2013 - 28th Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees: Heart; Albert King; Randy Newman; Public Enemy; Rush; Donna Summer; Quincy Jones; and Lou Adler More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1868 - San Francisco Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals forms in San Francisco, California 1950 - 1st opening night-game, Cards beat Pirates, 4-2 1963 - Dr. James Campbell performs the first human nerve transplant 1974 - Red Brigade kidnaps Italian attorney general Mario Sossi 1996 - In Lebanon, at least 106 civilians are killed when the Israel Defense Forces accidentally shell the UN compound at Quana. More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1918 - Róbert Zimonyi, Hungarian rowing coxswain (Olympic gold USA men's eight 1964; bronze Hungary coxed pair 1948), born in Sárvár, Hungary (d. 2004) 1925 - Bob Hastings, American actor (McHale's Navy; All in the Family), born in Brooklyn, New York City(d. 2014) 1946 - Tommy Shannon [Smedley], American blues-rock bassist (Johnny Winter; Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble), born in Tucson, Arizona 1950 - Kenny Ortega, American film and television producer (High School Musical trilogy), born in Palo Alto, California 1966 - Valeri Kamensky, Russian NHL left wing (Avalanche, Olympic silver 1998), born in Voskresensk, Russia More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1587 - John Foxe, English historian (Book of Martyrs), dies 1674 - John Graunt, English statistician and founder of science of demography, dies at 53 1960 - Emory Johnson, American actor and director (Phantom Express, Shield of Honor), dies at 66 1974 - John Henry Lewis, American boxer (World Light-Heavyweight champion, 1935-38), dies of emphysema and Parkinson's at 59 1997 - Edward Barker, English cartoonist, dies at 46 More Famous Deaths »

1930 - Abkhazian ASSR forms in Georgian SSR 1950 - 54th Boston Marathon won by Kee Yong Ham of South Korea in 2:32:39 1956 - Willie Mosconi sinks 150 consecutive balls in a billiard tournament 1961 - 1,400 Cuban exiles land in the Bay of Pigs in a doomed attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro 1964 - 1st game at Shea Stadium, NY Mets lose to Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-3 1987 - USSR performs nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in northeast Kazakhstan 1993 - Two Los Angeles police officers convicted in federal court of violating Rodney King's civil rights and sentenced to prison, while two others are acquitted, 2006 - 110th Boston Marathon: Kenyan double; Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot wins 2nd men's title in 2:07:14; Rita Jeptoo takes women's title in 2:23:38 More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1933 - 37th Boston Marathon won by Leslie Pawson in 2:31:01.6 1939 - 43rd Boston Marathon won by Ellison Brown in 2:28:51.8; his second victory in the event 1981 - New York Islander Dennis Potvin's 3 playoff power-play goals vs Edmonton Oilers tie NHL record 1995 - 99th Boston Marathon: Cosmas Ndeti of Kenya claims 3rd straight title in 2:09:22; Uta Pippig of Germany wins 2nd consecutive women's event in 2:25:11 1997 - NJ Devil Martin Brodeur is 2nd NHL goalie to score in a playoff game More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1863 - Johannes Petrus Boskaljon, Curacaoian composer and conductor, born in Willemstad (d. 1936) 1885 - Isak Dinesen [Karen Blixen-Finecke], Danish baroness and writer (Out of Africa), born in Rungsted, Zealand, Denmark (d. 1962) 1956 - Elizabeth Lindsey, American explorer, filmmaker (Then There Were None), and actress (China Beach; The Byrds of Paradise), born in Oahu, Territory of Hawaii 1962 - Nancy Hogshead, American swimmer (Olympic gold 1984), born in Iowa City 1980 - Lee Hyun-il, South Korean badminton player, born in Seoul More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1967 - Giorgio Cesana, Italian coxswain (Olympic gold 1906), dies at 75 1987 - Dick Shawn [Richard Schulefand], American character actor and comedian (The Producers - "L.S.D."; Maid to Order), suffers a fatal heart attack on stage in San Diego on stage at 57 2008 - Danny Federici, American rock organist, accordionist, and glockenspieler (E Street Band), dies of melanoma at 58 2011 - Everard Goodman, English real estate developer (Tops Estates), dies at 79 2024 - Raman Subba Row, English cricket batsman (13 Tests, 3 x 100, HS 137; Surrey CCC, Northamptonshire CCC), dies at 92 More Famous Deaths »

1818 - US Senate ratifies Rush-Bagot Agreement, limiting naval armaments on the Great Lakes 1854 - Franz Liszt's symphonic poem "Mazeppa" premieres at the Court Theatre in Weimar 1924 - 1st radio-transmission of wireless: Mattheus Passion 1940 - New York Yankees dedicate a plaque to Jacob Ruppert in Monument Park, Yankee Stadium 1977 - Alex Haley finds his Roots in Juffure, Gambia 1982 - Queen Elizabeth proclaims Canada's new constitution 1983 - Steve Garvey sets NL record by playing in 1,118 consecutive games 2003 - Treaty of Accession is signed in Athens, admitting 10 new member states to the European Union More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1853 - First passenger railway opens in India from Bori Bunder (Bombay) to Thane (34 km) 1986 - To dispel rumors he's dead, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi appears on TV 1987 - August Wilson's "Fences" wins 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Drama 2014 - South Korean ferry MV Sewol sinks on route Incheon to Jeju, 304 drown, mostly students. National controversy erupts over rescue efforts and actions of crew and owner. 2017 - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan wins referendum on 18-article constitutional reform package More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1820 - Georg Curtius, German classical linguist, born in the Free Imperial City of Lübeck (d. 1885) 1897 - Milton Cross, American radio announcer (Metropolitan Opera's Saturday Afternoon at the Opera, 1931-75), born in New York City (d. 1975) 1947 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar [Lew Alcindor], American Basketball Hall of Fame center (6 x NBA champion; NBA Finals MVP 1971, 1985; 6 × NBA MVP; 19 × NBA All-Star), born in New York City 1954 - John Bowe, Australian racing driver, born in Devonport, Tasmania 1963 - Nick Berry, British actor (EastEnders, Heartbeat), born in Woodford, England More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1904 - Maximilian Kronberger, German poet, dies at 16 1985 - Scott Brady [Gerald Tierney], American actor (Shotgun Slade, China Syndrome, Gremlins, Johnny Guitar), dies of pulmonary fibrosis at 60 2007 - Kevin Granata, American professor of Engineering (b. 1961) 2007 - Gaetan Duchesne, Canadian hockey player (b. 1962) 2010 - Rasim Delic, Bosnian military chief of staff and war criminal (b. 1949) More Famous Deaths »

1658 - Battle of Dharmat won by future Moghul emperor Aurangzeb, who defeats his brother and designated heir Dara Shikoh 1861 - Federal army of 75,000 volunteers is mobilized by President Abraham Lincoln at the start of the American Civil War 1865 - Mobile, Alabama is captured by Union forces after a siege led by General Canby 1963 - Steve Allen's musical "Sophie", based on the life of American singer, and comic actress Sophie Tucker, opens at Winter Garden Theater, NYC; runs for 8 performances 1986 - Viv Richards century off 56 balls v England in Antigua Test Cricket 1994 - Jazz singer Tony Bennett records a session for "MTV's Unplugged" series at Sony Studios, NYC, featuring the Ralph Sharon trio, and guest appearances by Elvis Costello, and k.d.lang; album release wins 2 Grammy Awards 1997 - Baseball honors Jackie Robinson by retiring #42 for all teams 2020 - South Korea is 1st country to hold a general election under COVID-19, President Moon Jae-in's ruling Democratic party wins in a landslide More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1250 - Kublai is acclaimed the Great Khan by a Mongol Great Council 1502 - Nicolás de Ovando y Cáceres, new Governor of the Indies, lands in Hispaniola, replacing Christopher Columbus 1900 - An early 50 mile race is won by an electric car in over 2 hrs 1960 - Guy Carawan sings "We Shall Overcome" to the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in Raleigh, popularizing the song as a protest anthem 1989 - Hillsborough disaster: 96 people are crushed to death and 766 are injured at Hillsborough Football Stadium in Sheffield, England, during an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1469 - Guru Nanak, Founder of the religion of Sikhism and the 1st Sikh Guru, born in Rai-Bhoi-Di-Talwandi, Punjab, Pakistan (d. 1539) 1766 - Friedrich Bouterwek, German philosopher and critic, born in Oker, Hanover, Germany (d. 1828) 1922 - Harold Washington, 1st African American Mayor of Chicago (Democrat: 1983-87), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1987) 1959 - Emma Thompson, British actress (Henry V, Howards End, Oscar 1992), born in London, England 1982 - Seth Rogen, Canadian actor and writer (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, The Interview), born in Vancouver, British Columbia More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1962 - Esther Minciotti, Italian actress, dies at 73 1974 - Giovanni D'Anzi, Italian pianist and songwriter (with Alfredo Bracchi - "Malinconia d'amore", "El Biscella"), dies at 68 1991 - Marjorie Warfield, American stage, radio, and silent film actress, dies of pneumonia at 88 1991 - Martin Ashe, American actor, dies at 81 2002 - William Leonard "Will" Reed, British pianist and composer, dies at 91 More Famous Deaths »

1847 - Persia and Ottoman Turkey sign 2nd Treaty of Erzurum 1922 - Irish Republican Army rebels occupy the Four Courts (government buildings) in Dublin 1931 - Stanley Cup Final, Montreal Forum, Montreal, Quebec: Montreal Canadiens beat Chicago Blackhawks, 2-0 for a 3-2 series win; Canadiens' back-to-back Championships 1972 - The Provisional Irish Republican Army explodes 24 bombs in towns and cities across Northern Ireland 1980 - First Cubans of the Mariel boatlift sail to Florida 1988 - Michael Rupert and Jerry Colker's musical "Mail" opens at Music Box Theater, NYC; runs for 37 performances 1992 - Revival of Frank Loesser's musical "Guys and Dolls" starring Nathan Lane opens at Martin Beck Theater, NYC, runs for 1,143 performances, and wins 4 Tony Awards 2012 - J. K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter novels, launches her website "Pottermore" More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1828 - Noah Webster registers the copyright for the publication of the first American dictionary titled "An American Dictionary of the English Language" 1917 - Chicago White Sox pitcher Ed Cicotte no-hits St Louis Browns, 11-0 1941 - King Peter leaves Yugoslavia 1950 - Doorne's Auto factory opens in Netherlands 1972 - Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz's musical review "That's Entertainment" opens at Edison Theater, NYC; runs for 4 performances More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1889 - James Stephenson, British actor (Letter, Espionage Agent, Nancy Drew), born in Selby, Yorkshire, England (d. 1941) 1900 - Salvatore Baccaloni, Italian opera singer and actor (Merry Andrew; Rock-a-Bye Baby), born in Rome, Italy (d. 1969) 1925 - Abel Muzorewa, Prime Minister of Zimbabwe Rhodesia (1979-80), born in Umtali, Manicaland, Southern Rhodesia (d. 2010) 1951 - Julian Lloyd Webber, English cellist (Royal Birmingham Conservatoire), born in London 1977 - Rob McElhenney, American actor, screenwriter and producer known for "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and "Welcome to Wrexham", born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1922 - Cap Anson, American Baseball HOF first baseman (NL batting champion 1881, 88; 8 × NL RBI leader; Chicago White Stockings/Colts) and manager (Philadelphia A's, Chicago White Stockings/Colts, NY Giants), dies from a glandular ailment at 69 1935 - Emmy Noether, German mathematician known for her contributions to abstract algebra, dies at 53 1988 - Herbert Reynolds Inch, American composer and teacher, dies at 83 2008 - Miguel Galvan, Mexican actor/comedian. (b. 1957) 2012 - John Herbert "Jonathan" Frid, Canadian actor (Barnabas Collins-Dark Shadows), dies of pneumonia at 87 More Famous Deaths »

1882 - Anti-Semitic League forms in Prussia 1909 - In Constantinople the primarily Albanian First Army Corps seizes the parliament building and telegraphs offices, forcing the Ottoman statesman Hilmi Pasha to resign 1928 - 1st trans atlantic flight Europe-US (Fitzmaurice-von Hunefeld-Köhl) 1964 - 36th Academy Awards: "Tom Jones" (Best Film), Patricia Neal (Hud), and Sidney Poitier (Lilies of the Field) win; Poitier is the first Black actor in a leading role to win a competitive Oscar 1975 - Christian Falange kills 27 Palestinians, begins Lebanese civil war 1983 - Undefeated middleweight boxer Tony Ayala gets 35 years on sex assault 1990 - Final episode of Pat Sajak's late night TV show on CBS 1997 - Rare double doubleheader played in the same city Giants vs Mets and Oakland A's vs Yankees in NY after rain previous day More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1918 - Electrical fire kills 38 mental patients at Oklahoma State Hospital 1944 - Stanley Cup Final, Montreal Forum, Montreal, Quebec: Montreal Canadiens beat Chicago Blackhawks, 5-4 in overtime for a 4-0 series sweep; Canadiens' first SC triumph since 1931 1960 - The US Department of Defense places "Transit 1B," the first navigational satellite, in orbit around Earth 1981 - Washington Post journalist Janet Cooke wins Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing; she later admits story was a hoax and returns the prize 2014 - Kenyan Wilson Kipsang wins the London Marathon More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1570 - Guy Fawkes, English Catholic conspirator who was convicted in the "Gunpowder Plot" to blow up the British Parliament, born in York, England (d. 1606) 1937 - John Contiguglia, American concert pianist (as duo with his identical twin, Richard), born in Auburn, New York 1939 - Barbara-Rose Collins, American politician (Rep-D-Michigan), born in Detroit, Michigan 1954 - Niels Olsen, Danish singer and songwriter (The Olsen Brothers; Eurovision Song Contest, 2000), born in Odense, Denmark 1971 - Jeroen Thesseling, Dutch death metal fretless bassist (Pestilence; Obscura), born in the Netherlands More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1826 - Franz Danzi, German composer and cellist, dies at 62 1827 - Hugh Clapperton, Scottish explorer of Africa, dies at Sokoto, at 38 1936 - Milton Brown, American swing bandleader, dies at 32 1997 - Foffie Williams, West Indian cricket all-rounder (4 Tests; 9 wickets, 1 x 50; Barbados), dies at 83 2016 - Jeremy Steig, American jazz flutist ("Howlin' for Judy"; "Wayfaring Stranger"), dies of cancer at 73 More Famous Deaths »

1869 - North Carolina legislature passes anti-Ku Klux Klan Law 1931 - Spanish voters reject the monarchy 1946 - LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Louise Suggs wins her first major title by 2 strokes from Eileen Stulb 1955 - Polio vaccine tested by Jonas Salk announced to be 'safe and effective' and is given full approval by the US Food and Drug Administration 1957 - Jim Spalding set a 2,088 pin nine-game bowling record 1961 - Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human to travel into space and orbit Earth, aboard the Vostok 1 spacecraft 1975 - Six Catholic civilians are killed in a Ulster Volunteer Force gun and grenade attack on Strand Bar in Belfast, North Ireland 1980 - Milwaukee beats Boston Red Sox, 18-1 (Cooper and Money hit grand slams) More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1943 - Allies conquer Soussa, North-Africa 1954 - Belgian Van Houtte government resigns 1982 - 3 CBS employees shot to death in NYC parking lot 2002 - Pedro Carmona becomes interim President of Venezuela during the military coup against Hugo Chávez. 2024 - Music festival Coachella kicks off, headlined by Lana Del Ray, Tyler The Creator, Doja Cat and No Doubt More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1777 - Henry Clay, American politician known as "the Great Compromiser", Speaker of the House, Senator and Secretary of State (1825-29), born in Hanover County, Virginia (d. 1852) 1839 - Nikolay Przhevalsky, Russian naturalist and explorer (East and Central Asia), born in Kimborovo, Russia (d. 1888) (OS 31 March) 1899 - Chief Thundercloud [Victor Daniels], Cherokee actor (The Lone Ranger; Colt .45), born in Muskogee, Indian Territory (d. 1955) 1912 - Harold Maguire, British air marshal, born in Kilkishen, Ireland (d. 2001) 1953 - Tony James, English rock bassist (Sigue Sigue Sputnik - Love Missile F-111), born in Shepherds Bush, London More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 352 - Julius I, pope (337-52), dies 1788 - Carl Joseph Toeschi, German composer, dies at 56 1898 - Elzéar-Alexandre Taschereau, Roman catholic cardinal, Archbishop of Quebec, dies at 78 1981 - Hans Chemin-Petit, German composer, dies at 78 1996 - Marthe Robert, French essayist and translator who influenced Sigmund Freud, dies at 82 More Famous Deaths »