CoM Moderators

1652 - England declares war on The Netherlands - beginning of the 1st Anglo-Dutch war 1861 - Lincoln writes to Kentucky's militia and says Union troops will not enter that state 1926 - Lake Denmark, New Jersey, arsenal explodes, killing 21 and causing $75 million in damage 1945 - Admiral Marc Mitscher named chief of US Navy staff 1947 - Muhammad Ali Jinnah is recommended as the first Governor General of Pakistan by then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Clement Attlee 1991 - Foreign Minister R.F. Botha of South Africa signs accession to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty on behalf of South Africa 2016 - Wimbledon Men's Tennis: Scotsman Andy Murray beats Canadian Milos Raonic 6-4, 7-6, 7-6 for his second Wimbledon and third Grand Slam title 2018 - Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo joins Italian champions Juventus in a deal worth £99.2 million, becoming one of the four most expensive players of all time More Historical Events »

Historical Events 518 - Former peasant Justin I proclaimed Byzantine emperor in the Hippodrome, Constantinople 1775 - Horatio Gates issues order excluding Blacks from Continental Army 1971 - National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC) founded in US by women, including Bella Abzug, Betty Friedan, Shirley Chisholm, Myrlie Evers-Williams, and Gloria Steinem 1992 - Spaceship Giotto (Halley 1986) approaches comet Grigg-Skjellerup 2006 - Pakistan International Flight PK-688 crashes in Multan, Pakistan shortly after takeoff, killing all 45 people on board More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1625 - Jean Herauld Gourville, French adventurer, born in La Rochefoucauld, France (d. 1703) 1888 - Giorgio De Chirico, Italian painter (founded the scuola metafisica art movement), born in Volos, Greece (d. 1978) 1914 - Joe Shuster, Canadian-American cartoonist (co-creator, with Jerry Siegel, of "Superman"), born in Toronto, Ontario (d. 1992) 1933 - Ivan Passer, Czech film director (Born to Win, Cutter's Way), born in Prague, Czechoslovakia (d. 2020) 1982 - Alex Arrowsmith, American pop-rock singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (The Shaky Hands), born in Hood River, Oregon More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1594 - Paulo Bellasio, Italian organist and late Renaissance composer, dies at 40 1868 - Carlo Conti, Italian composer, dies at 71 1970 - Félix Gaillard, French Radical Party politician (Prime Minister, 1957-58), dies in a yacht accident at 50 2000 - Justin Pierce, English-American actor and skateboarder (b. 1975) 2020 - Corra Dirksen, South African rugby union winger (10 caps; Northern Transvaal), dies from COVID-19 complications at 82 More Famous Deaths »

1386 - Battle at Sempach: Swiss beat Duke Leopold III of Austria 1867 - An unsuccessful expedition led by E.D Young sets out to search for Dr David Livingstone (Scottish missionary and explorer) 1891 - Wimbledon Women's Tennis: Lottie Dod beats Blanche Bingley-Hillyard 6-2, 6-1 in a repeat matchup and result of the 2 previous finals 1933 - Construction begins on the San Fransisco-Oakland Bay Bridge 1965 - Senators' Frank Howard ties record with seven strikeouts in a doubleheader 1980 - Dutch war criminal Pieter Menten sentenced to 10 years in prison 2002 - The African Union is established in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as African leaders replace the Organization of African Unity. South African President Thabo Mbeki serves as its first chair. 2018 - Hedge fund billionaire David Tepper buys Carolina Panthers for an NFL record $2.275 billion More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1932 - Yankees' Ben Chapman hits two inside-the-park home runs, tying the record 1991 - South Africa re-admitted to Olympics 1992 - Kim Basinger gets 1,959th star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame 2002 - The African Union is established in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as African leaders replace the Organization of African Unity. South African President Thabo Mbeki serves as its first chair. 2022 - Wimbledon Women's Tennis: Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan claims her first Grand Slam title with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 win over Tunisia's Ons Jabeur; first Kazakhstani player to win a major title More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1753 - William Waldegrave, 1st Baron Radstock, Governor of Newfoundland, born in England (d. 1825) 1941 - Takehide Nakatani, Japanese lightweight judoka (Olympic gold 1964), born in Hiroshima, Japan 1951 - Eugeniusz Knapik, Polish pianist and classical music composer (Islands; Up Into The Silence), born in Ruda Śląska, Poland 1955 - Lisa Banes, American actress (Cocktail; Look Back in Anger), born in Chagrin Falls, Ohio 1965 - Frank Bello, American heavy metal bassist (Anthrax), born in The Bronx, New York More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1386 - Leopold III, Duke of Austria (1365-68), dies at 34 1668 - Jacob Balde, German poet (Jephthe), dies at 64 1922 - Mori Ōgai, Japanese novelist (The Wild Geese), poet and surgeon, dies at 60 1981 - Wilhelm H C Tenhaeff, para-psychologist, dies at 87 2011 - Würzel [Michael Burston], English guitarist (Motörhead, 1984-95), dies of ventricular fibrillation at 61 More Famous Deaths »

1911 - Wimbledon Men's Tennis: Anthony Wilding of New Zealand wins 2nd of 4 consecutive Wimbledon singles titles beating Herbert Roper-Barrett 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-2 ret 1951 - Yankee Joe DiMaggio and manager Casey Stengel feud after Stengel pulls DiMaggio out of game 1963 - Wimbledon Women's Tennis: Australian Margaret Smith wins her first of 3 Wimbledon titles beating Billie Jean Moffitt 6-3, 6-4 1965 - Joe Morgan is the first Houston player with six hits in a game 1969 - IBM CICS is made generally available for the 360 mainframe computer 1970 - Fantasy records releases "Cosmo's Factory", the fifth studio album by American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival; it is critically acclaimed and becomes their biggest seller, spawning six singles that reach the top 5 of the Billboard charts 2000 - Wimbledon Women's Tennis: Venus Williams wins her first career Grand Slam singles title; beats fellow American Lindsay Davenport 6-3, 7-6 2005 - Marvel superhero film "The Fantastic Four," starring Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, and Michael Chiklis, premieres More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1943 - British air raid sinks U-232 1956 - US performs atmospheric nuclear test at Enewetak Atoll 1961 - Wimbledon Women's Tennis: In an all-British final Angela Mortimer wins her 3rd Grand Slam singles title; beats Christine Truman 4–6, 6–4, 7–5 1988 - American rockers and brothers Chico DeBarge and Bobby DeBarge indicted on drug trafficking charges 2021 - Japan says the Olympics will be held without spectators as Tokyo announces state of emergency due to a surge in COVID-19 More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1830 - Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna of Altenburg, German-born Russian princess married to Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich, born in Altenburg (d. 1911) 1928 - Norma Donaldson, American stage and screen singer and actress (Across 110th Street; Poetic Justice; The Young and the Restless), born in Harlem, New York City (d. 1994) 1928 - Jane Tehira, New Zealand sportsperson (triple international: basketball, softball, hockey), born in Kaikohe, New Zealand (d. 2023) 1942 - Phil Gramm, American economist and politician (US Representative for Texas, 1979-85; US Senator from Texas, 1985-2002), born in Fort Benning, Georgia 1960 - Valarie Pettiford, American actress (One Life to Live, Half and Half), born in Queens, New York More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1496 - Benedetto Bonfiglio, Italian painter, dies 1941 - Philippe Gaubert, French flautist, conductor (Paris Opéra, 1919-41), composer, and teacher (Paris Conservatoire), dies of a stroke at 62 1988 - Ray Barbuti, American athlete (Olympic gold 400m, 400m relay 1928), dies at 83 1996 - Amschel Rothschild, British banker (executive chairman of Rothschild Asset Management of the Rothschild banking family of England), dies at 41 2011 - Mary Fenech Adami, First Lady of Malta (b. 1933) More Famous Deaths »

1754 - Kings College in NYC opens (renamed Columbia College) 1905 - 127°F (53°C), Parker, Arizona (state record until 1994) 1943 - -10] Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo visits Java 1967 - Wimbledon Men's Tennis: John Newcombe outclasses Wilhelm Bungert of Germany 6-3, 6-1, 6-1 for his 1st of 3 Wimbledon singles titles 2002 - Wimbledon Men's Tennis: Lleyton Hewitt of Australia wins his only Wimbledon singles title beating David Nalbandian of Argentina 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 2019 - Nigeria, Africa' biggest economy, joins the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), in attempt to create world's largest free trade area 2024 - For the first time more than 3 million passengers were recorded passing through US airport security in one day, amid an increase in air travel in the US 2025 - Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres has two singles, including his 2,000th MLB career hit in 6-3 loss to the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1498 - Emperor Maximilian I orders appointment of a conductor, two bass singers and six choir boys, establishing the Vienna Court Music Ensemble; later includes Vienna Boys Choir 1799 - Ranjit Singh's men take up their positions outside Lahore 1862 - Land Grant Act endows state colleges with federal land 1957 - Heavy storm ravages Belgian coast 1969 - Canada's House of Commons approves equality of French-English language More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1929 - Hasan Abidi, Pakistani journalist and Urdu poet, born in Zafarabad, British India (d. 2005) 1931 - David Eddings, American sci-fi author (Belgariad, Malloreon), born in Spokane, Washington (d. 2009) 1943 - (Salvatore) "Toto" Cutugno, Italian pop singer-songwriter ("L'Italiano", Eurovision, 1990; "Insieme: 1992"), born in Tendola, Tuscany, Italy (d. 2023) 1944 - Jürgen Grabowski, German footballer (44 caps West Germany; Eintracht Frankfurt 441 games), born in Wiesbaden, Germany (d. 2022) 1966 - Gundula Krause, German folk violinist, born in Göttingen, Germany More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1348 - John Andreae, Italian canonist, dies 1572 - Sigismund II Augustus, King of Poland (1548-72), dies at 51 1930 - Arthur Conan Doyle, British author who brought Sherlock Holmes to life twice, dies at 71 1970 - Allen Lane, English publisher and founder of Penguin Books, dies at 67 2021 - Dilip Kumar [Muhammad Yusuf Khan], Indian Bollywood actor known as the "Tragedy King" and one of the greatest actors in Indian cinema (Jwar Bhata), dies at 98 More Famous Deaths »

1863 - Northern Territory passes from New South Wales to South Australia 1863 - Battle of Williamsport, Maryland [-Jul 07] 1912 - V Summer (Modern) Olympic Games officially open Stockholm, Sweden; events conducted prior to the ceremony dating back to 5 May 1939 - German Nazis close last Jewish enterprises 1975 - Dmitri Shostakovich completes Sonate for alto, opus 147 1977 - France performs nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll 1983 - 54th MLB All-Star Game: AL wins 13-3 at Comiskey Park, Chicago; MVP: outfielder Fred Lynn (LA Angels) who hit a grand slam off Atlee Hammaker 1987 - Pakistan cricket all-rounder Imran Khan reaches 300th Test wicket milestone, during 3rd Test vs England at Leeds More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1699 - Pirate Captain William Kidd is captured in Boston 1907 - Tom Reece takes 5 weeks to compile the highest recorded billiards break in a match (499,135) in London, his 'cradle' cannon method is soon banned 1956 - Cleveland outfielder Jim Busby hits a second grand slam on consecutive days during Indians 4-2 win v Kansas City A's 2012 - Gunmen kill 18 people in Turbat, Pakistan 2016 - African American Philando Castile is shot by police in St Paul, Minnesota after being pulled over for a broken rear light, killing is filmed More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1885 - Ernst Busch, German field marshal (WWII), born in Essen, German Empire (d. 1945) 1916 - Unica Zürn, German writer and artist, born in Berlin (d. 1970) 1948 - Wadih Sa'adeh, Lebanese-Australian poet (Laysa Lil Massa’ Ikhwah), born in Lebanon 1960 - Lauri Merten, American golfer (US Open 1993), born in Waukesha, Wisconsin 1967 - Heather Nova [Frith], Bermudian singer-songwriter (Oyster), born in Bermuda More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1218 - Eudes III, Duke of Burgundy (b. 1166) 1974 - Carlos Isamitt, Chilean composer, dies at 87 2000 - Akira Miyazawa, Japanese jazz saxophonist, dies at 72 2010 - Harvey Fuqua, American RandB singer-songwriter (The Moonglows - "Sincerely"), producer (Marvin Gaye), and record label executive (Motown), dies of a heart attack at 80 2020 - Ennio Morricone, Italian trumpeter, and composer of classical music and film scores ("The Mission"; "Cinema Paradiso"; "The Hateful Eight"), dies at 91 More Famous Deaths »

1878 - The coat of arms of the Baku governorate was established 1922 - Uprising of social righteousness in Rio de Janeiro 1945 - World War II: Liberation of the Philippines declared 1946 - Wimbledon Men's Tennis: Frenchman Yvon Petra beats Australian Geoff Brown 6-2, 6-4, 7-9, 5-7, 6-4 for his only Wimbledon title 1961 - St Louis Cardinals first baseman Bill White smashes 3 HRs and a double in 9-1 rout of Los Angeles Dodgers 1987 - A's first baseman Mark McGwire becomes first rookie to hit 30 HRs before the MLB All-Star Game as Oakland beats Red Sox, 6-2 2019 - Former governor of Rio de Janeiro, Sérgio Cabral says he paid a $2 million bribe to secure votes for his city to be granted 2016 Olympics 2024 - US President Joe Biden gives an interview to quell fears about his stamina and cognitive abilities with ABC's George Stephanopoulos More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1884 - German consul-general Gustav Nachtigal takes possession of Cameroon 1959 - Jack Gelber's "Connection" premieres in NYC 1960 - Mongolia adopts constitution 1961 - KUSD TV channel 2 in Vermillion, SD (PBS) begins broadcasting 1961 - 80 die in collisions in Algiers More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1654 - Antonio Maria Pacchioni, Baroque composer, baptized in Modena, Duchy of Modena and Reggio (d. 1738) 1886 - Willem Drees, Dutch politician (co-founder of the Labour Party (PvdA); Prime Minister, 1948-58), known as "Daddy Drees", born in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1988) 1904 - Ernst Mayr, German-American biologist (evolutionary theory), born in Kempten, Bavaria, Germany (d. 2005) 1934 - Diane Andersen, Danish-Belgian concert pianist, born in Copenhagen, Denmark 1975 - Chris Gratton, Canadian NHL center (Canada World C'ships gold 1997; Tampa Bay Lightning), born in Brantford, Ontario More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1472 - Charles of Artois, Count of Eu, French military leader (b. 1394) 1864 - Dimitris Plapoutas, Greek general and revolutionary figure in the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire, dies at 78 1887 - August Pott, German philological (Etymology Forschungen), dies at 84 1948 - Georges Bernanos, French writer (The Diary of the Country Priest), dies at 60 1985 - Marion Byron, American actress (Steamboat Bill Jr, Broadway Babies), dies at 73 More Famous Deaths »

993 - Saint Ulrich of Augsburg is canonized 1636 - Providence, Rhode Island, is founded by Roger Williams after his exile from the Massachusetts Bay Colony 1672 - States of Holland declare the "Eternal Edict" void and appoint William III as stadholder 1876 - First public exhibition of electric light in San Francisco 1894 - Republic of Hawai'i is proclaimed, Sanford B Dole as serves as the first and only elected president 1914 - Wimbledon Women's Tennis: Dorothea Chambers wins her 7th and last Wimbledon singles title beating Ethel Larcombe 7-5, 6-4 1968 - Lowest temperature ever recorded in Cleveland in July at 41°F 1980 - Wimbledon Women's Tennis: Australian Evonne Goolagong Cawley beats Chris Evert 6-1, 7-6 for her 3rd Wimbledon singles crown More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1845 - Texas Congress votes almost unanimously for annexation to US 1904 - International Lawn Tennis Challenge, Wimbledon: Laurence Doherty and Reggie Doherty beat Paul de Borman and William le Maire de Warzée 6-0, 6-1, 6-3 to give British Isles an unassailable 3-0 lead over Belgium (ends 5-0) 1912 - Jack Johnson beats "Fireman" Jim Flynn by disqualification in 9 in Las Vegas to retain world heavyweight boxing title 1944 - Allied forces in Normandy fire a coordinated Fourth of July salute against German lines, using 1,100 American guns 2025 - MLB Chicago Cubs belt franchise record 8 home runs in 11-3 win over visiting St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1753 - Jean-Pierre Blanchard, French ballonist (1st balloon flights in England and U.S.), born in Les Andelys, France (d. 1809) 1845 - Thomas John Barnardo, Irish-born British social worker, and philanthropist (established Barnardo homes for children), born in Dublin, Ireland (d. 1905) 1921 - Gérard Debreu, French-American economist (Nobel Prize, 1983), born in Calais, France (d. 2004) 1931 - Duncan Lamont, Scottish jazz and session trumpet and saxophone player, arranger, and songwriter ("I Told You So"), born in Greenock, Scotland (d. 2019) 1948 - Jeremy Spencer, British rock guitarist (Fleetwood Mac - "Oh Well"), born in Hartlepool, County Durham, England More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 943 - Taejo of Goryeo, ruler of Korea (918 to 943), unified the Later Three Kingdoms, dies at 70 973 - Ulrich of Augsburg, Prince-Bishop of Augsburg and first saint to be canonized by a Pope, dies at 82 or 83 (b. 890) 1826 - John Adams, Second US President (1797-1801), Vice President (1789-97) and Founding Father, dies at 90 1976 - Yonatan Netanyahu, Israel commander killed freeing Israeli hostages during Operation Entebbe in Uganda, at 30 years 2021 - Richard Lewontin, American geneticist (The Spandrels of San Marco and the Panglossian Paradigm), dies at 92 More Famous Deaths »

1849 - French forces enter Rome to restore Pope Pius IX to power, providing a major obstacle to Italian unification 1861 - Pony Express arrives in San Francisco with overland letters from New York 1876 - Montenegro formally declares war on the Ottoman Empire 1900 - Wimbledon Men's Tennis: R.F. Doherty beats Sydney Smith 6-8, 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 for his 4th consecutive Wimbledon singles title 1940 - German occupiers forbid using Dutch royal names 1974 - Soviet spacecraft Soyuz 14 carries two cosmonauts to space station Salyut 3 1977 - Triple Crown champion Seattle Slew’s nine-race winning streak ends in the Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park, where he finishes fourth 2006 - US Open Women's Golf, Newport CC: Annika Sörenstam wins her 10th and final major title by 4 strokes in a playoff with Pat Hurst More Historical Events »

Historical Events 987 - Hugh Capet, is coronated as King of France, in Paris, after being elected by the nobility 1849 - French forces enter Rome to restore Pope Pius IX to power, providing a major obstacle to Italian unification 1884 - Dow Jones publishes its first stock index, the Dow Jones Transportation Average 1886 - In Germany, Karl Benz first drives the first automobile in Mannheim at a top speed of 16 km/h (10 mph) 1988 - Gene Nelson of the Oakland A's becomes first AL pitcher to steal a base since 1973 in 9-8 win over Toronto Blue Jays More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1906 - Alberto Lleras Camargo, Colombian journalist and politician (President of Colombia, 1945-46 and 1958-62; Secretary General of the Organization of American States, 1948–54), born in Bogotá, Colombia (d. 1990) 1913 - Hugh Stirling Mackenzie, British Royal Navy officer, born in Inverness, Scotland (d. 1996) 1923 - Sue Ryder, Baroness Ryder of Warsaw and Cavendish, British volunteer with Special Operations Executive in the Second World War, born in Leeds, Yorkshire, England (d. 2000) 1959 - Stoyan Deltchev, Bulgarian gymnast (Olympic gold horizontal bar 1980), born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria 1970 - Shawnee Smith, American actress (Saw), born in Orangeburg, South Carolina More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1863 - Little Crow [Ta-oya-te-duta], Mdewakanton Dakota leader (Treaty of Mendota), shot and killed by settlers at about 53 1863 - Elon John Farnsworth, American Brigadier General (Union Army), dies at the battle of Gettysburg at 25 1918 - Mehmed V, 35th Ottoman Sultan (1909-18), dies at 73 1994 - Pieter Hennipman, Dutch economist, dies at 85 2025 - David Mabuza, Deputy President of South Africa (2018-23), dies at 64 More Famous Deaths »

706 - Remains of Chinese Emperor Gaozong, his wife Empress Wu Zetian and family members interred in Qianling Mausoleum by Emperor Zhongzong, outside Chang'an on Mount Liangshan 1858 - Russia implements partial emancipation of serfs 1902 - Wimbledon Women's Tennis: Muriel Robb wins her only major title with a 7-5, 6-1 defeat of fellow Briton Charlotte Cooper 1926 - US Army Air Corps created; Distinguished Flying Cross authorized, to award "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight" 1979 - First US coin to honor a woman is issued with Susan B. Anthony 2005 - Live 8 concert in front of Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; performers include Stevie Wonder, Bon Jovi, The Black-Eyed Peas, Keith Urban, Dave Matthews Band, Maroon 5, and Linkin Park 2020 - Funeral for slain Ethiopian singer Hachalu Hundessa in Ambo amid nationwide unrest at his death that has killed over 80 people 2022 - Largest ever exhibition on African fashion "Africa Fashion" opens at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1954 - Wimbledon Men's Tennis: Czech Jaroslav Drobný beats Ken Rosewall of Australia 13-11, 4-6, 6-2, 9-7 for his only Wimbledon singles title 1990 - TV cooking competition show "MasterChef" presented by Loyd Grossman, and created by Franc Roddam, first airs in the UK 1995 - LA Dodgers pitcher Hideo Nomo is first Japanese player to be selected for a MLB All-Star Game when he is named in the NL squad 2019 - Virginie Viard presents her first haute couture collection as designer at Chanel after the death of Karl Lagerfeld at the Grand Palais 2020 - Funeral for slain Ethiopian singer Hachalu Hundessa in Ambo amid nationwide unrest at his death that has killed over 80 people More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1363 - Maria, Queen of Sicily and Duchess of Athens and Neopatria, born in Catania, Kingdom of Sicily (d. 1401) 1589 - Guillaume Messaus, Flemish composer, born in Antwerp, Dutch Republic (d. 1640) 1903 - Alec Douglas-Home, British Prime Minister (Conservative: 1963-64), born in London (d. 1995) 1949 - Hanno Pöschl, Austrian actor ("Exit...But No Panic"; "Tales from the Vienna Woods"), born in Vienna, Austria 1958 - Thomas Bickerton, American Methodist bishop, born in Glen Dale, West Virginia More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1778 - Jean-Jacques Rousseau, French philosopher, political theorist, and writer (Confessions) whose works inspired French Revolution leaders and Romantic academics, dies of cerebral bleeding from a stroke at 66 1917 - Herbert Beerbohm Tree, British actor and theatre manager (King John, Trilby), dies at 64 1963 - Seth Barnes Nicholson, American astronomer who discovered four satellites of Jupiter, dies at 71 2013 - Fawzia Fuad, Egyptian princess who became Queen of Iran as the first wife of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, dies at 91 2020 - Betsy Ancker-Johnson, American physicist (plasmas), inventor (high-frequency signal generator), first woman Presidential appointee to the Department of Commerce and first woman VP in the automotive industry, dies at 93 More Famous Deaths »

1535 - Thomas More goes on trial in England on charges of treason for refusing to accept Henry VIII's supremacy over the Pope 1858 - First Canadian coins minted (1, 5, 10 and 20 cent) at the Royal Mint in London, England 1861 - US War Department decrees that Kansas and Tennessee are to be canvassed for volunteers 1889 - US mint at Carson City, Nevada, officially reopens after a four-year hiatus 1916 - Pittsburgh shortstop Honus Wagner, at 42 and 4 months, connects at Cincinnati to become the oldest to hit an inside-the-park HR; Pirates beat Reds, 2-1 1925 - Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs is created in UK 1932 - NY Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt nominated for president at Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois 1981 - Prince Willem-Alexander opens the C. Veerling designed 318-meter cable-stayed Willemsbrug Bridge in Rotterdam More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1823 - United Provinces of Central America declares itself independent of Mexico and Spain 1847 - First US postage stamps go on sale, 5 cent Franklin and 10 cent Washington, NYC 1862 - US Internal Revenue Law imposes first federal taxes on inheritance, tobacco, and incomes over $600 (progressive rate) 1960 - Robert Bolt's "A Man For All Seasons" premieres in London 1978 - Former US President Richard Nixon makes his first public speech since resigning in 1974 More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1879 - Leon Jouhaux, French socialist and co-founder UN's ILO (Nobel 1951), born in Paris (d. 1954) 1896 - Pavel Antokolsky, Russian poet and theatre director (Syn), born in St. Petersburg, Russian Empire (d. 1978) 1915 - Joseph Ransohoff, American neurosurgeon and pioneer in the modern neurosurgery, born in Cincinnati, Ohio (d. 2001) 1953 - Mike Haynes, American College-Pro Football HOF cornerback (Super Bowl XVIII LA Raiders; First-team All-Pro 1984, 85; 9 x Pro Bowl; NE Patriots), born in Denison, Texas 1955 - Li Keqiang, Chinese Premier of the State Council and China's head of government, born in Dingyuan County, Anhui Province (d. 2023) More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1614 - Isaac Casaubon, English classical scholar (Atheneaus), dies at 55 1860 - Charles Goodyear, American chemist and manufacturing engineer who invented the vulcanization process for rubber, dies at 59 1931 - Alice Mary Robertson, American educator, social worker and 2nd woman in US Congress, dies at 77 1943 - C Bakker, Dutch resistance fighter (census bureau), executed 2017 - Norman Dorsen, American lawyer, human rights advocate and president of the American Civil Liberties Union, dies of complications from a stroke at 86 More Famous Deaths »

1906 - US Congress passes the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act; these laws owe much to the expose journalism of the period (Upton Sinclair's 'The Jungle' in particular) 1924 - England score 2-503 in day's play v South Africa at Lord's 1941 - Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, New York is dedicated 1980 - British sixpence demonetised after being in used since 1551 and 12 years after introduction of decimal currency 1992 - South African ANC President Nelson Mandela meets with UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali at Dakar 1994 - Pre-trial hearings open in LA against O.J. Simpson 2009 - Turkey records its fastest contraction of 13.8% in the first quarter of 2009 compared to 2008, leading the country into recession; this is Turkey's biggest economic slump since 1945 2019 - US Senior Open Men's Golf, Warren GC: Steve Stricker wins his second Champions Tour major of the year by 6 strokes from David Toms and Jerry Kelly More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1979 - "Good Times" single released by Chic (Billboard Song of the Year 1979) 1996 - "Moon Over Buffalo" closes at Martin Beck Theater NYC after 308 performances 1998 - Sega Channel, cable's 1st on-demand video game service, closes down 2006 - Cirque du Soleil's musical-acrobatic extravaganza "The Beatles - LOVE" opens in a specially built theatre at The Mirage, Las Vegas, Nevada 2013 - US Open Women's Golf, Sebonack GC: Inbee Park of South Korea wins her second US title, 4 strokes ahead of compatriot I.K. Kim More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1669 - Mauritius Vogt, German composer, born in Königshofen, Electorate of Bavaria, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1730) 1743 - Niels Schiørring, Danish musician and composer, born in Favrskov Municipality, Denmark (d. 1798) 1912 - Tibor de Machula, Hungarian-Dutch cellist, born in Cluj-Napoca, Romania (d. 1982) 1967 - Tom Spencer, English punk rock singer, guitarist and songwriter (The Yo-Yo's; The Professionals), born in Chipping Barnet, England 1978 - Ben Cousins, Australian Football League player (Richmond), born in Geelong, Victoria More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1839 - Johan Olof Wallin, Swedish poet and archbishop (Dead Angel), dies at 59 1953 - Göte Carlid, Swedish composer (Eine kleine Teemusik), dies at 32 1993 - Spanky McFarland, American actor (Our Gang; The Little Rascals), dies suddenly at age 64 2002 - Pete Gray [Wyshner], American baseball outfielder (First of three one-armed men to play MLB; St Louis Browns), dies at 87 2020 - Aleksandr Kabanov, Russian water polo player (Olympic gold 1972, 80; World C'ship gold 1975, 82) and coach (Russian men's and women's teams), dies at 72 More Famous Deaths »

1945 - Ruthenia, formerly in Czechoslovakia, annexed by Soviet Union, becomes Ukrainian SSR 1957 - US Open Women's Golf, Winged Foot GC: Betsy Rawls wins when apparent champion, Jackie Pung at 298 (+6) is disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard kept by playing partner Betty Jameson 1963 - The Beatles' first number one single, "From Me to You," hits the UK charts 1964 - Civil Rights Act of 1964 passes the US Senate after a 60-working-day filibuster by Southern senators 1976 - Seychelles gains independence from the United Kingdom 1992 - Algerian head of state, Mohamed Boudiaf, is assassinated by military officers during a public speech at the opening of a cultural center in Annaba 1994 - 128°F (53°C) Lake Havasu City, Arizona (state record, breaking previous set in 1905) 2015 - Beijing Times reports 30% of the Great Wall of China has disappeared due to natural forces and stealing of bricks More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1072 - Former Byzantine Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes blinded by rivals and exiled 1863 - Confederate General Robert Lee orders his forces to concentrate near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 1900 - The Imperial Chinese Court issues what is essentially a declaration of war against foreigners in China, blaming them for hostilities and giving license to the Boxers for even greater ferocity 1969 - US Open Women's Golf, Scenic Hills CC: Donna Caponi wins first of 4 major titles; beat Peggy Wilson by 1 stroke 2017 - Mihai Tudose confirmed as Romanian Prime Minister, by parliament, succeeding Sorin Grindeanu More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1805 - Hiram Powers, American sculptor (Greek Slave), born in Woodstock, Vermont (d. 1873) 1885 - André Gailhard, French classical music composer, born in Paris, France (d. 1966) 1919 - Slim Pickens [Louis Burton Lindley Jr], American rodeo performer and actor (Dr Strangelove; Blazing Saddles), born in Kingsburg, California (d. 1983) 1964 - Stedman Pearson, English pop vocalist (Five Star - "Rain or Shine"; "The Slightest Touch"), born in Islington, London 1978 - Nicole Scherzinger, American singer (Pussycat Dolls), born in Honolulu, Hawaii More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1953 - Jules van Nuffel, Belgian composer, priest, and musicologist (Nova Organi Harmonia), dies at 70 1967 - Oskar Maria Graf, German-American writer (Wir sind Gefangene (We Are Prisoners)), dies at 72 1999 - Allan Carr, American film producer and director (Grease, Happiest Millionaire), dies at 62 2000 - Coen Flink, Dutch actor (Pastorale 1943, Havinck, Honneponnetje), dies at 68 2018 - Irina Szewińska, Polish athlete, administrator (Olympic various sprint gold 1964, 68, 76), dies of cancer at 72 More Famous Deaths »

767 - St Paul I ends his reign as Catholic Pope 1519 - King Carlos I is elected Holy Roman Emperor Charles V 1897 - Marquis C. de Bonchamps' expedition reaches Gore, Ethiopia 1922 - The Irish Civil War starts when Irish Free State forces attack anti-treaty republicans in Dublin 1924 - Tornado strikes Sandusky and Lorain, Ohio, killing 93 1996 - The Constitution of Ukraine is signed into law. 2000 - Cuban exile Elián González returns to Cuba following a Supreme Court order. 2011 - Christine Lagarde becomes the 1st women to be elected head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) More Historical Events »