CoM Moderators

1803 - 1st US public library opens in Connecticut 1903 - Launch of the White Star Liner SS Ionic. 1915 - Lassen Peak erupts with a powerful force, only mountain other than Mount St. Helens, to erupt in the continental US during the 20th century 1915 - Local train collides with troop train killing 226 in Gretna, Scotland 1950 - Celal Bayar elected President of Turkey 1956 - "Bob Hope Show" last airs on NBC-TV 1967 - Egyptian President Nasser closes the Straits of Tiran to Israel 1970 - Arab terrorists kill 9 children and 3 adults on a school bus 1996 - Emmy 23rd Daytime Award presentation - Susan Lucci loses for 16th time 2022 - Report released on sexual abuse in US Southern Baptist Convention, the country's largest Protestant denomination, details 20 years of suppressing many allegations More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1931 - 1931 George End introduces “Genuine Diamondback Rattlesnake with Supreme Sauce” in a can, by his Florida Products Corporation; the popular item ceases production in 1944 after when the owner dies, a victim of one snake's revenge 1967 - Egyptian President Nasser closes the Straits of Tiran to Israel 1974 - "Julie and Jackie: How Sweet It Is" music and comedy variety special starring Julie Andrews and Jackie Gleason airs on ABC-TV 1977 - Final European scheduled run of the Orient Express (after 94 years) 1983 - Toronto Blue Jay Cliff Johnson hits record 18th pinch hit HR 2015 - Pakistan begin the first test-playing nation cricket tour of Zimbabwe since 2009 More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1908 - Rattana Pestonji, Thai filmmaker and cinematographer (Tang), born in Bangkok, Thailand (d. 1970) 1925 - Jean Tinguely, Swiss sculptor artist (movement objects), born in Fribourg, Switzerland (d. 1991) 1928 - T. Boone Pickens, American businessperson and oil tycoon (Shamrock, Mesa Petroleum Co) known as the 'Oracle of Oil', born in Holdenville, Oklahoma (d. 2019) 1946 - Howard Kendall, English footballer and football manager (Everton), born in Ryton, County Durham (d. 2015) 1955 - Philip Dybvig, American economist (2022 Nobel Prize - for research on banks and financial crises) 1961 - Dana Williams, American singer (Diamond Rio - Meet in the Middle), born in Dayton, Ohio More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1457 - Saint Rita of Cascia, Italian saint (b. 1381) 1961 - Joan Davis, American actress (I Married Joan), dies of a heart attack at 53 1994 - Mitacq [Michel Tacq], Belgium comic strip artist (Beaver Patrol), dies 2004 - Mikhail Voronin, Russian gymnast who won Olympic gold USSR vault, horizontal bar 1968; World C'ship gold all-round, rings 1966, dies at 59 2019 - Judith Kerr, British children's writer and illustrator (The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Mog books), dies at 95 2020 - Mory Kanté, Guinean singer and kora harp player (Yé ké yé ké), dies at 70 More Famous Deaths »

879 - Pope John VIII gives blessings to duke Branimir and to Croatian people, considered to be international recognition of the Croatian state 1793 - Curacao Island Council forbids criticism of House of Orange 1911 - French troop enter Fez in Morocco to quell anti-European agitation 1943 - Fastest 9 inning AL baseball night game (89 mins), Chicago White Sox beat visiting Washington Senators, 1-0 1972 - Michelangelo's Pietà in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome is damaged by a vandal 1978 - Yamada Mumon Roshi appointed head of Zen Rinzai Sect 1980 - "Star Wars Episode V - Empire Strikes Back", produced by George Lucas opens in cinemas in UK and North America 1990 - 43rd Cannes Film Festival: "Wild at Heart" directed by David Lynch starring Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern wins the Palme d'Or 2001 - French Taubira law officially recognizes the Atlantic slave trade and slavery as crimes against humanity. 2019 - More than 600 people, 75% children, identified as HIV in a month in Sindh province, Pakistan, thought to be due to use of infected needles More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1863 - Siege of Port Hudson, Louisiana, begins 1964 - Fire in Belgian resort kills 19 1968 - Nuclear-powered sub USS Scorpion, with 99 men, reported missing and is later found at the bottom of the ocean off Azores 1972 - "Lost in the Stars" based on the novel "Cry the Beloved Country" by Alan Paton closes at Imperial Theater NYC after 39 performances 1977 - Stevie Wonder's single "Sir Duke", a tribute to Duke Ellington and other musical influences of Wonder's, begins a 3-week run at #1 1977 - Revival of Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick's musical "Fiddler on the Roof", starring Zero Mostel, closes at Winter Garden Theater, NYC, after 167 performances More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1920 - Anthony Steel, British actor and singer (Malta Story, The Wooden Horse), born in London, England (d. 2001) 1923 - Armand Borel, Swiss mathematician (d. 2003) 1943 - Vincent Crane [Cheesman], British rock Hammond organist, and songwriter (The Crazy World of Arthur Brown - "Fire"), born in Reading, Berkshire, England (d. 1989) 1943 - John Dalton, British rock bass player (The Kinks, 1969-76 -"Lola"; "Celluloid Heroes"), born in Enfield, Middlesex, England 1952 - Mr. T [Lawrence Tureaud], American actor (A-Team, Rocky III, T and T), born in Chicago, Illinois 1979 - Jamie Hepburn, Scottish politician, Member of the Scottish Parliament, born in Glasgow, Scotland More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1771 - Christopher Smart, English poet and journalist (Ceremony of Carols), dies at 49 1895 - Franz von Suppé, Austrian composer (Poet und Bauer), dies at 76 1990 - Moelvi Mohammed Farouk, Indian spiritual leader, murdered 1992 - Elizabeth David, British cookbook writer (English Bread and Yeast Cookery), dies after a series of strokes at 72 1995 - Les Aspin, American politician, (Rep-D-Wisc, 1971-93) US Secretary of Defense (1993-95), dies of stroke at 56 2023 - Ray Stevenson, Northern Irish actor (King Arthur, Rome), dies at 58 More Famous Deaths »

1882 - Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy sign the Triple Alliance 1910 - Funeral for Britain's King Edward VII held in Westminster Abbey, has one of the largest assemblages of European royalty 1961 - 86th Preakness: Johnny Sellers aboard Carry Back wins in 1:57.6 1961 - White mob attacks "Freedom Riders" in Montgomery, Alabama 1963 - Sukarno appointed president of Indonesia 1980 - Drummer Peter Criss quits rock band Kiss 1985 - US began broadcasts to Cuba on Radio Marti 1988 - Howard Stern fans disrupt rival radio station WMMR's and DJ John DeBella's "Louie Louie" parade in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1989 - Toonces The Cat takes the wheel on "Saturday Night Live" 2015 - 5 major world banks (JPMorgan, Barclays, Citigroup, RBS and UBS) fined US$5.7bn for manipulating currency markets - some of the largest ever fines More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1217 - Second Battle of Lincoln fought near Lincoln, England, resulting in the defeat of Prince Louis of France by William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke 1347 - Rienzo calls Rome for people's tribunal 1903 - Britain's House of Commons begins a debate on the charges of poor administration and ill treatment of natives in Belgium's colony in the Congo Free State 1911 - Edwin Boaler Alletson hits 189 in 90 mins Notts v Sussex 1967 - BBC bans the Beatles' "A Day in the Life" because of drug references 1973 - 2 motorcycle racers killed and a dozen injured in a crash during the 1973 Nations Grand Prix in Monza,Italy More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1726 - Francis Cotes, English painter (d. 1770) 1922 - Clifford Charles Butler, English physicist (hyperon and meson types of particles) and vice chancellor of Loughborough University, born in Reading, England (d. 1999) 1936 - Anthony Zerbe, Cal, actor (Harry-O, Centennial, They Call Me Mr Tibbs) 1943 - Al Bano [Albano Carrisi], Italian-Albanian pop singer, actor, and winemaker, born in Cellino San Marco, Italy 1943 - Iain Vallance [Baron Vallance of Tummel], CEO (British Telecom) 1964 - Earl Charles Spencer, English peer, brother of Diana, Princess of Wales, born in London, England More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1722 - Sébastien Vaillant, French botanist, dies at 52 1942 - Hector Guimard, French Art Nouveau architect and designer (entrances to Paris Metros), 1949 - Randolph West, American biochemist, known for the Dakin-West reaction (b. 1890) 1989 - Gilda Radner, American comedian and actress (SNL, 1975-80; Haunted Honeymoon), dies of ovarian cancer at 42 2007 - Norman Von Nida, Australian golfer, coach, broadcaster (British Open 1948 3rd), dies at 93 2009 - Lucy Gordon, British model and actress (b. 1980) More Famous Deaths »

1585 - Spain confiscates English ships in Spanish harbors - beginning of the The Anglo-Spanish War 1930 - White women win voting rights in South Africa 1944 - German defense line in Italy collapses 1959 - The USS Triton, the first submarine with two nuclear reactors, is completed 1972 - 25th Cannes Film Festival: "The Working Class Goes to Heaven" directed by Elio Petri and "The Mattei Affair" directed by Francesco Rosi jointly awarded the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film 1981 - Pirate Jim Bibby gives up a leadoff single to Brave Terry Harper, then retires next 27 batters 1982 - Sophia Loren jailed in Naples, Italy for tax evasion 1990 - "Elvis" TV Drama about early life of Elvis Presley last airs on ABC 2012 - UEFA Champions League Final, Munich: Chelsea beats Bayern Munich, 4-3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw at the end of extra time; Blues' first title 2021 - New York Yankees pitcher Cory Kluber no-hits Texas Rangers, 2-0 at Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1892 - National Society of Colonial Dames of America founded 1911 - Maurice Ravel's opera "L'heure espagnole" premieres at the Opéra-Comique in Paris 1987 - 1st American Comedy Award: Johnny Carson and Betty White 1992 - Englishman Dave Gauder, 224 lbs, pulls 196 ton jumbo jet, 3 inches 1992 - 27th Amendment ratified, prohibits Congress from raising its salary 2019 - PGA Championship Men's Golf, Bethpage State Park: Defending champion Brooks Koepka leads wire-to-wire; wins despite 5 bogeys on last 8 holes by 2 strokes from world #1 Dustin Johnson More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1908 - Percy Williams, Canadian athlete (Olympic gold 100m / 200m 1928), born in Vancouver, British Columbia (d. 1982) 1939 - Tomasz Sikorski, Polish minimalist composer (Solitude of Sounds), born in Warsaw, Poland (d. 1988) 1946 - Michele Placido, Foggia Italy, actor (La Lupa, Poliziotti) 1970 - K. J. Choi, South Korean golfer (Players C'ship 2011; 8 PGA Tour titles), born in Wando, South Korea 1971 - Psicosis [Dionicio Castellanos Torres], Mexican professional wrestler, born in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico 1972 - Aleksandr Golubev, Russian speed skater (Olympic gold 500m 1994), born in Karavaievo, Russia More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1303 - Ivo of Kermartin, Catholic saint and patron of Brittany, dies at 49 1526 - Emperor Go-Kashiwabara, 104th Emperor of Japan (1500-26), dies at 63 1795 - Josiah Bartlett, American physician and statesman (signed US Declaration of Independence), dies at 65 1971 - Ogden Nash, American humorous poet (I'm a Stranger Here Myself, Masquerade Party), dies at 68 1998 - Sōsuke Uno, Japanese prime minister (b. 1922) 2007 - Dean Eyre, New Zealand politician (b. 1914) More Famous Deaths »

1848 - Opening of the first German National Assembly (Nationalversammlung) in Frankfurt, Germany 1863 - US General Ulysses S. Grant begins siege on Vicksburg, Mississippi; after 47 days of battle siege, Confederate Lt. General John C. Pemberton’s troops surrender 1922 - Dutch 2nd Chamber agrees to 48 hour work week (was 45 hrs) 1933 - Tennessee Valley Act (TVA) Act signed by FDR, to build dams 1943 - Allied bombers attack Pantelleria, an Italian island 100 km southwest of Sicily 1953 - American Jacqueline Cochran becomes the first woman to break the sound barrier 1955 - Queen Juliana opens E55 fair in Amsterdam, Netherlands 1964 - US Supreme Court rules it unconstitutional to deprive naturalized citizens of citizenship if they return to home country for more than 3 years 1971 - US President Richard Nixon rejects 60 demands of Congressional Black Caucus 1991 - France performs nuclear test at Mururoa atoll More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1765 - Fire destroys a large part of Montreal, Quebec 1812 - John Bellingham, a Liverpool merchant who assassinated British Prime Minister Spencer Perceval on May 11, is hung for the crime at the Old Bailey in London 1869 - Robert Tanner Freeman is 1st African American to graduate from Harvard Dental School 1956 - Queen Juliana opens Rembrandt fairs in Amsterdam, Netherlands 1967 - Tennessee Governor Ellington approves repeal of the Butler Act (or "Monkey Law") - prohibiting the teaching of evolution, upheld in 1925 Scopes Trial 1990 - TV movie "Return To Green Acres" airs More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1885 - Eurico Gaspar Dutra, Brazilian leader, President of Brazil (1945-50), born in Cuiabá, Brazil (d. 1974) 1892 - Ezio Pinza, Italian American operatic bass (NY Metropolitan Opera, 1926-48), and Tony Award-winning singer (South Pacific), born in Rome, Italy (d. 1957) 1922 - George Kitson, British principal of the Central School of Speech and Drama, born in Magherafelt, Northern Ireland (d. 2010) 1943 - Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka, Fijian-born American professional wrestler, born in Suva, British Fiji (d. 2017) 1944 - Peter Ryan, British national director (Police Training) 1947 - John Bruton, Irish politician, Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland (1994-97), born in Dunboyle, Ireland More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1848 - William Leidesdorff, Mixed-race early Californian businessman, dies at 37 1922 - Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran, French physician (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1907), dies at 76 2000 - Gideon William Waldrop, American composer and educator (Julliard School, 1961-85), dies at 80 2007 - Pierre-Gilles de Gennes, French physicist and Nobel Prize laureate (1991), dies at 74 2009 - Wayne Allwine, American voice actor (3rd Mickey Mouse, 1977-2009), dies at 62 2021 - Franco Battiato, Italian pop, rock, and new wave singer, songwriter (“La Voce del Padrone” (“The Master’s Voice”), and filmmaker ("Lost Love"), dies at 76 More Famous Deaths »

1750 - -18] Tax revolt in Gorinchem 1881 - Frederick Douglass appointed recorder of deeds for the District of Columbia 1894 - 19th Preakness: Fred Taral aboard Assignee wins in 1:49.25 1957 - Prayer Pilgrimage, biggest civil rights demonstration to date (DC) 1973 - Five British Army soldiers are killed by a Provisional Irish Republican Army booby-trap bomb in Omagh, County Tyrone 1976 - Earthquake in Uzbekistan: thousands killed 1981 - Islanders score 5 power play goals against Flyers in a playoff 1987 - Musical revue "Stardust - The Mitchell Parish Musical", featuring songs of the Lithuanian-American lyricist, closes at Biltmore Theater, NYC, after 101 performances 1989 - Nelson Mandela receives a BA from University of South Africa 2023 - Nepali Sherpa Kami Rita Sherpa (53) climbs of Mt. Everest for a record 27th time More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1863 - Battle of Big Black River Bridge, Mississippi 1865 - The International Telegraph Union (later the International Telecommunication Union) is established 1899 - Victoria and Albert Museum foundation laid, London, England 1900 - "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" is first published by L. Frank Baum with illustrations by William Wallace Denslow in Chicago 1980 - Major race riot in Miami, Florida - 16 killed, 300 injured 1990 - European court rules on pension rights for men and women More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1846 - Edmund Bishop, English Roman Catholic historian and Secretary of Thomas Carlyle, born in Totnes, England (d. 1917) 1912 - Archibald Cox, American lawyer and special prosecutor (Watergate), born in Plainfield, New Jersey (d. 2004) 1945 - George Miller, American politician (Rep-D-CA, 1975-2015), born in Richmond, California 1953 - Nicholas Bacon, premier baronet of England 1960 - Fiona Hutchison, actress (One Life to Live, Guiding Light), born in Miami, Florida 1973 - Jenny Scheinman, American jazz and session violinist (Bill Frisell; Allison Miller), and singer, born in San Francisco, California More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1606 - Forges Dimitri #1, Tsar of Russia (1605-06), murdered 1797 - Michel-Jean Sedaine, French dramatist (Le Philosophe sans le savoir), dies at 77 1889 - William Roxby Beverly, artist, dies 1944 - Félix Éboué, French colonial administrator, dies at 60 1999 - Henry Jones, American actor (Vertigo, Phyllis, Falcon Crest, Gun Shy), dies from complications from a fall at 86 2022 - Vangelis [Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou], Greek composer, keyboardist, and Academy Award winner (Chariots of Fire), dies at 79 More Famous Deaths »

1763 - Samuel Johnson 1st meets his future biographer James Boswell in London 1914 - American Horseshoe Pitchers Association organizes in Kansas City 1941 - Nazis forbid Dutch Organization of Actors (NOT) 1946 - Irving Berlin, Dorothy and Herbert Fields' musical "Annie Get Your Gun" starring Ethel Merman and featuring "There's No Business Like Show Business" opens at Imperial Theater, NYC 1963 - "Beast in Me" opens at Plymouth Theater NYC for 4 performances 1969 - US nuclear sub Guitarro sinks off San Francisco 1977 - 5 die as NY Airway helicopter topples on Pan Am building in NYC 1986 - Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy) comes back from the dead on TV show "Dallas" 1988 - US Supreme Court rules trash may be searched without a warrant 2019 - South African Saray Khumalo is the first black African woman to climb Mt Evervest More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1861 - Kentucky proclaims its neutrality 1902 - 2 deaf-mutes face each other for 1st time as Dummy Hoy leads off for the Reds against Dummy Taylor of the Giants, Reds win 5-3 1941 - Italian army under Aosta surrenders to Britain at Amba Alagi, Ethiopia 1957 - US launches its 3rd atomic submarine, USS Skate, at Groton, Connecticut 1997 - Atlanta Braves beat St Louis Cardinals, 1-0 in 13 innings 2014 - Paris Saint-Germain F.C. and Manchester City F.C. are each fined €60 million for breaching Fair Play Regulations More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1929 - Betty Carter [Lillie Mae Jones], American jazz singer and scat vocalist, born in Flint, Michigan (d. 1998) 1931 - Donald James Martino, American classical composer (Notturno - Pulitzer Prize, 1974), born in Plainfield, New Jersey (d. 2005) 1961 - Kevin McDonald, Canadian comedian and actor 1968 - Patrick Waite, British reggae-rock bassist (Musical Youth - "Pass the Dutchie"), born in Birmingham, England (d. 1993) 1984 - Pania Rose, Australian fashion model, born in Perth, Western Australia 1984 - Rick Rypien, Canadian ice hockey player, born in Alberta, Canada (d. 2011) More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1703 - Charles Perrault, French author and fairy tale writer (Tales of Mother Goose), dies at 75 1782 - Daniuel Charles Solander, botanist, dies 1977 - Edouard Van Remoortel, Belgian conductor (St Louis Symphony, 1958-62), dies at 50 2013 - Bernard Waber, American children's book author ("The House on East 88th Street"; "Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile"), dies from kidney failure at 88 2013 - Paul Shane, English comedian and actor, dies at 72 2016 - Julia Meade [Kunz], American actress and TV hostess (Spotlight Playhouse), dies at 90 More Famous Deaths »

1248 - Archbishop Konrad von Hochstaden lays cornerstone for Cologne Cathedral 1525 - The battle of Frankenhausen: German peasant army surrounded, 5,000 slaughtered ; ends the peasants' uprising 1928 - Mickey Mouse makes his 1st ever appearance in silent film "Plane Crazy" 1944 - Dwight D. Eisenhower, Bernard Montgomery, Winston Churchill and King George VI discuss the plan for D-Day 1967 - Paul McCartney meets his future wife, American photographer Linda Eastman 1976 - The Provisional Irish Republican Army kill 3 Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) officers in County Fermanagh and 1 in County Down 1983 - Madison Hotel (Boston) destroyed by implosion 2008 - California becomes the second U.S. state after Massachusetts in 2004 to legalize same-sex marriage after the state's own Supreme Court rules a previous ban unconstitutional. 2018 - Malaysian politician Anwar Ibrahim is released from prison after being pardoned by King Muhammad V 2022 - Hassan Sheikh Mohamud elected President of Somalia in a vote restricted to the country's 328 members pf parliament amid security concerns More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1864 - Battle of New Market, Virginia 1911 - The Georgios Averof cruiser is bought by Greece 1943 - Joseph Stalin dissolves the Comintern (or Third International) to avoid upsetting his Western allies with claims he was trying to foment revolution globally 1988 - 2nd American Comedy Award: Robin Williams and Tracey Ullman 2018 - Controversial Kerch bridge linking Russia and annexed Crimea opened by Russian President Vladimir Putin. At 19km the longest bridge in Europe. 2018 - Flyover collapses in Varanasi, India, killing at least 18 More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1795 - Adolf Bernhard Marx [Samuel Moses Marx], German music theorist and pedagogue, born in Halle, Duchy of Magdeburg, Holy Roman Empire (now Germany) (d. 1866) 1891 - Mikhail Bulgakov, Russian playwright and novelist (The Master and Margarita, Black Snow), born in Kiev, Russian Empire (d. 1940) 1911 - Leo Fuchs, Polish-born Jewish American actor (The Six Million Dollar Man, Avalon), born in Lemberg, Galicia, Austria-Hungary (d. 1994) 1914 - Pierre Froidebise, Belgian organist, composer, and musicologist, born in Chey, Belgium (d. 1962) 1939 - Dudley Wysong, American golfer (PGA C'ship 1966 runner-up), born in McKinney, Texas (d. 1998) 1940 - Álvaro Mejía, Colombian athlete (Boston Marathon 1971 2:18:45), born in Medellín, Colombia (d. 2021) More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1685 - Henri Otto, Spanish marquis of Caretto/Savona/Grana, dies 1773 - Alban Butler, English Catholic priest and writer, dies at 62 1824 - Alexander Campbell, Scottish composer and writer (associate of Walter Scott), dies at 60 1886 - Emily Dickinson, American poet (Collected Poems), dies of nephritis at 55 1972 - Nigel Green, South African-born British character actor (Zulu, Skull, Tobruk, Ipcress File), dies of an accidental barbiturate overdose at 47 1998 - Earl Manigault, American basketball player (b. 1944) More Famous Deaths »

1889 - The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) is launched in London, England, led by Benjamin Waugh 1918 - Sunday baseball is made legal in Washington, D.C. 1920 - Washington Senator Walter Johnson wins his 300th game vs Detroit 1944 - 91 German bombers harass Bristol 1960 - Michael Flanders and Donald Swann's musical review "At the Drop of a Hat" closes at John Golden Theater, NYC, after 216 performances 1975 - US forces raid Cambodian island of Koh Tang to free Mayaguez ship 1981 - NASA launches space vehicle S-192 1994 - FA Cup Final: Manchester United defeat Chelsea 4-0 at Wembley Stadium, London 1995 - Dalai Lama proclaims 6-year-old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima 11th reincarnation of Panchen Lama, Tibet's 2nd most senior spiritual leader 2002 - Ten members of the Darwin-based Network Against Prohibition invade the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory of Australia. More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1940 - Admiral Johannes Furstner, Royal Dutch Navy, departs to England 1957 - Bob Merrill's musical "New Girl in Town" opens at 46th St Theater, NYC; runs for 432 performances 1972 - In Willie Mays' 1st game as New York Met, his homer beats San Francisco Giants, 5-4 (his former team of over 20 years), at Shea Stadium, New York 1987 - Colt revolver (Peacemaker) of 1873 sells for $242,000 1997 - Baseball's Executive Council suspends NY Yankees owner George Steinbrenner for his suing other team owners 2020 - Global death toll from COVID-19 passes 300,000 with 4.4 million confirmed infections More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1316 - Charles IV, King of Bohemia (1346-78) and Holy Roman Emperor (1355-78), born in Prague (d. 1378) 1895 - Renato Lunelli, composer Italian organist, composer, and musicologist, born in Trent, Austria-Hungary (now Trento, Italy) (d. 1967) 1899 - Earle Combs, American Baseball HOF center fielder (9 × World Series 1927, 28, 32, 36–39, 41, 43; New York Yankees), born in Richmond, Kentucky (d. 1976) 1928 - Will "Dub" Jones, American bass singer (The Coasters - "Charlie Brown"), born in Shreveport, Louisiana (d. 2000) 1973 - Voshon Lenard, NBA guard (Miami Heat) 1997 - Jennifer Kupcho, American golfer (Chevron Championship 2022; Evian Championship 2019 runner-up), born in Littleton, Colorado More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 649 - Theodore, Greek Pope (642-49) (excommunicated by Paul II), dies 1873 - Gideon Brecher, Austrian physician and writer (b. 1797) 1966 - Megan Lloyd George, English politician (1st female MP for Welsh - Carmarthen), dies at 64 1977 - Robert Maynard Hutchins, American educational philosopher (University of Chicago), dies at 78 1991 - Shintaro Abe, minister of Exterior of Japan (1982-86), dies 2009 - Bob Rosburg, American golfer, broadcaster (PGA Championship 1959), dies of head injuries from a fall at 82 More Famous Deaths »

641 - Eligius (Saint Eloy) becomes bishop of Doornik-Noyon 1364 - Peter Coutherel banished from Leuven 1877 - Caesar Franck's symphonic poem "Lesson Eolides" premieres 1946 - US sentences 58 camp guards of Mauthausen concentration camp to death 1949 - 1st British-produced jet bomber, the Canberra, makes its 1st test flight 1975 - "Rodgers and Hart" opens at Helen Hayes Theater NYC for 108 performances 1982 - Braniff Airlines files for bankruptcy 1996 - Severe thunderstorms and a tornado in Bangladesh kill 600 people. 2018 - China's first domestically built aircraft carrier begins sea trials in Dalian, China 2023 - 67th Eurovision Song Contest: Loreen wins for Sweden, for the second time, singing "Tattoo", in Liverpool, England, hosting on behalf of Ukraine More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1638 - Construction of the Red Fort begins at Shahjahanabad, Mughal Empire (now Dehli, India) 1890 - 18th Preakness: W Martin aboard Montague wins in 2:36.75 1917 - 1st appearance of Mary to 3 shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal 1966 - The Rolling Stones release "Paint it Black" in the UK 1973 - "Cyrano" opens at Palace Theater NYC for 49 performances 2000 - In Enschede, the Netherlands, a fireworks factory explodes, killing 22 people, wounding 950, and resulting in approximately €450 million in damage More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1929 - Creed Taylor, American Grammy Award-winning jazz and bossa nova record producer (Stan Getz; Wes Montgomery), and label founder (Impluse!; CTI Records), born in Lynchburg, Virginia (d. 2022) 1937 - Roch Carrier, Canadian novelist (The Hockey Sweater), born in Sainte-Justine, Quebec 1939 - Hildrun Laufer-Claus, German long jumper, born in Dresden, Germany 1949 - Franklyn Ajaye, American comedian and actor (Car Wash, The Jazz Singer, Bridesmaids), born in Brooklyn, New York 1966 - Alison Goldfrapp, English singer-songwriter (Seventh Tree), born in London 1983 - Timnit Gebru, Eritrean-Ethiopian computer scientist (Distributed Artificial Intelligence Research Institute), born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1312 - Theobald II, Duke of Lorraine (b. 1263) 1951 - Marianne Philips, Dutch author (Issue Beukennoot), dies at 65 1975 - Vladislav Zolotaryov, Soviet Russian bayanist (button accordion player), and composer (Six Children's Suites), takes his own life at 53 1984 - Stanislaw Ulam, Polish-American mathematician and nuclear physicist (Manhattan Project, H-bomb), dies at 75 1985 - Leatrice Joy, silent screen star, dies in Riverdale (Bronx) NYC at 91 2009 - Frank Aletter, American character actor (Mac-It's About Time, Tom-Nancy), dies of lung cancer at 83 More Famous Deaths »

1534 - German Duchy of Wurttemberg becomes Lutheran under Ulrich, Duke of Württemberg 1864 - Battle of Spotsylvania, fought near Courthouse, Virginia (Overland Campaign), inconclusive result (US Civil War) 1919 - New York Yankees and Washington Senators play second straight extra inning tie, 4-4 in 15 innings at the Polo Grounds; 0-0 in 12 the previous day 1948 - Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands abdicates due to ill health 1953 - KUHT TV channel 8 (PBS) in Houston, TX, begins broadcasting 1967 - 20th Cannes Film Festival: "Blowup" directed by Michelangelo Antonioni wins the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film 1972 - Milwaukee Brewers beat Minnesota Twins, 4-3, in 22 innings (completed 5/13) 1976 - 20th European Cup: Bayern Munich beats Saint-Etienne 1-0 at Glasgow 1995 - Jose Mesa gets 1st of his M.L. record 37 consecutive saves 2001 - 46th Eurovision Song Contest: Tanel Padar, Dave Benton and 2XL for Estonia wins singing "Everybody" in Copenhagen More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1525 - Battle at Biblingen: Zwabische Union beats rebel Wurttemberg farmers 1789 - William Wilberforce makes his first major speech on abolition in the UK House of Commons, reasoning the slave trade morally reprehensible and an issue of natural justice 1911 - 1st Inter-Empire Championships open in London 1942 - Russia occupies Crackow, until Aug 23, 1943 1952 - Gaj Singh is crowned Maharaja of Jodhpur 2008 - Wenchuan earthquake, measuring 7.8 in magnitude occurs in Sichuan, China, killing over 87,000, injuring 374,643 and leaving homeless between 4.8 million and 11 million people More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1496 - Gustav I, King of Sweden (1523-60) who abolished Sweden's elective monarchy, born in Rydboholm Castle, Sweden (d. 1560) 1806 - Amos Beebe Eaton, American Brevet Major General (Union Army), born in Catskill, New York (d. 1877) 1923 - Hector Laing, English biscuit manufacturer (McVitie and Price), pilot and Director of the Bank of England (d. 2010) 1938 - Millie Perkins, American actress (Diary of Anne Frank, Table for 5, Shooting), born in Passaic, New Jersey 1948 - Steve Winwood, English singer, songwriter and musician (Spencer Davis Group - "Gimme Some Lovin'"; Traffic - "Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys"; solo - 'Higher Love"; "While You See A Chance"), born in Birmingham, England 1966 - Rafael Bournigal, Dominican infielder (Oakland A's), born in Azua, Dominican Republic More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1878 - Catherine Beecher, American educator (championed higher education for women), dies at 77 1909 - Bertha Townsend, American tennis player (US Nat C'ship 1888-89), dies at 40 1935 - Józef Piłsudski, Father of the Second Polish Republic who served as its Chief of State (1918-22), Marshall of Poland and later its de facto leader (1926-35), dies at 67 1963 - Stanisław Wiechowicz, Polish composer, dies at 69 1998 - Hermann Lenz, German writer (Swabian Chronicles), dies at 75 2001 - Alexei Tupolev, Russian aircraft designer (b. 1925) More Famous Deaths »

1310 - Fifty-four members of the Knights Templar are burned at the stake in France for being heretics 1911 - The United States becomes a signatory to the Buenos Aires copyright treaty 1926 - Airship Norge leaves Spitsbergen for 1st air crossing of Arctic Ocean 1950 - Belgium mine disaster at Borinage, 39 die 1968 - Toronto Transit Commission opens the largest expansion of its Bloor-Danforth Line, going to Scarborough in the east, Etobicoke in the west 1970 - Henry Marrow is murdered in a violent racially-motivated crime in Oxford, North Carolina. 1988 - France performs nuclear test 1991 - NHL Prince of Wales Conference Final: Pittsburgh Penguins beat Boston Bruins, 4 games to 2 2015 - Record price for a work of art at auction: Picasso's The Women of Algiers (Version ‘O’) sells for US$179.3 million at Christies in New York 2018 - Mass murder-suicide in Margaret River, Australia, grandfather shoots six members of his family and himself More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1887 - 13th Kentucky Derby: Isaac Lewis aboard Montrose wins in 2:39.25 1927 - England's football team beat Belgium 9-1 1956 - Pinky Lee Show last airs on NBC-TV 1975 - Israel signs an agreement with European Economic Market 2013 - English FA Cup Final, Wembley Stadium, London (86,254): Wigan Athletic upsets Manchester City, 1-0; Ben Watson scores 90+1' winner 2022 - First ever US government report into Indian boarding school deaths released (not complete), documents more than 500 deaths across 400 schools and 50 gravesites over 150 years More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1731 - Johann Gottfried Seyfert, German composer and violinist, born in Augsburg, Electorate of Bavaria (now Germany) (d. 1772) 1752 - Johann Friedrich Blumenbach, German anthropologist (d. 1840) 1954 - Lubomir Stoykov, Bulgarian journalist and broadcaster 1967 - Eric Young, infielder (Colorado Rockies), born in New Brunswick, New Jersey 1987 - Louis Murphy, American college football player 1997 - Coi Leray [Collins], American rapper (No More Parties), born in Boston, Massachusetts More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1778 - William Pitt the Elder, British Prime Minister (Whig, 1756-61, 66-68) known as the `Great Commoner', dies at 69 1881 - Henri-Frédéric Amiel, Swiss writer (Journal Intime), dies at 59 1907 - John Albert Delany, Australian composer, dies at 54 1916 - Karl Schwarzschild, German astronomer (Schwarzschild effect), dies on the Eastern front at 42, mere months after working out a solution to Einstein's Theory of Relativity 2019 - Harold Lederman, American boxing judge and analyst (HBO), dies of cancer at 79 2022 - Henk Groot, Dutch soccer attacking midfielder/forward (39 caps; Ajax, Feyenoord), dies at 84 More Famous Deaths »

1559 - Scottish Protestants under John Knox uprise against queen mother Mary 1775 - American Revolution: Green Mountain Boys capture Fort Ticonderoga, New York 1913 - Yanks commit 8 errors and still beat Tigers 10-9 in 10 innings 1932 - Government declares "Wilhelmus" as the Netherlands' national anthem 1933 - Deutsche Arbeitsfront (DAF) forms 1936 - Manuel Azaña elected the second President of the Spanish Republic 1941 - 66th Preakness: Eddie Arcaro wins aboard Whirlaway, 2nd leg of successful Triple Crown 1972 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site 1973 - 27th NBA Championship: NY Knicks beat LA Lakers, 4 games to 1 2021 - NBC says it will not televise the 2022 Golden Globes because of criticism of its lack of diversity More Historical Events »