CoM Moderators

Historical Events 1909 - New York's Queensboro Bridge opens, linking Manhattan and Queens 1922 - KGY-AM in Olympia WA begins radio transmissions 1945 - World War II: a defecting German pilot delivers a Messerschmitt Me 262A-1 to Americans 1946 - Last Test Cricket appearance of Bill O'Reilly (5-14 and 3-19) 1997 - TV network Channel 5 begins broadcasting in the UK More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1835 - Bernhard Scholz, German composer, conductor, and pedagogue, born in Mainz, Grand Duchy of Hesse (d. 1916) 1906 - Max Tishler, American organic chemist at Merck who synthesized Vitamin B2 and developed antibiotic for poultry, born in Boston, Massachusetts (d. 1989) 1926 - Lord Rayner [Derek Rayner], British businessman and chief executive (Marks and Spencer), born in Norwich, Norfolk (d. 1998) 1948 - Justin Deas, American actor (As The World Turns, Santa Barbara), born in Connellsville, Pennsylvania 1964 - Vlado Bozinovski, Yugoslavian-Australian footballer, born in Ohrid, SFR Yugoslavia More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1959 - Riccardo Zanella, president of Free State of Fiume (b. 1875) 1969 - Lucien Bianchi, Italian-Belgian auto racer (24 Hours of Le Mans 1968), dies during Le Mans testing accident at 34 1976 - Jacqueline Royaards-Sandberg, Dutch actress (Hostage Rights), dies at 99 2003 - Valentin Pavlov, Russian politician and Prime Minister of the Soviet Union (1991), dies at 65 2010 - Martin Sandberger, German military officer (b. 1911) More Famous Deaths »

1798 - Republic of Switzerland forms 1809 - King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden abdicates after a coup d'état. At the Diet of Porvoo, Finland's four Estates pledge allegiance to Alexander I of Russia, commencing the secession of the Grand Duchy of Finland from Sweden. 1867 - British North America Act (Canadian constitution) is given Royal Assent 1960 - Darius Milhaud's 9th Symphony, premieres by the Fort Lauderdale Symphony Orchestra and with conductor Mario di Bonaventura 1986 - Records by The Beatles officially go on sale in Russia more than two decades after their release in the West 1993 - Queensland all out for 75 v NSW in Sheffield Shield Final 1998 - Nabisco Dinah Shore Women's Golf, Mission Hills CC: Pat Hurst wins her only major title, 1 stroke ahead of runner-up Helen Dobson after sinking a 5-foot birdie putt at the final green 2007 - Rihanna releases her hit single "Umbrella" featuring Jay-Z, goes to No. 1 on US Billboard Hot 100 for 7 weeks More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1867 - British North America Act (Canadian constitution) is given Royal Assent 1951 - 23rd Academy Awards: "All About Eve", Judy Holliday and José Ferrer win 1988 - US Congress discontinues aid to Nicaraguan contras 1989 - 9th Golden Raspberry Awards: "Cocktail" wins 2015 - WrestleMania XXXI, Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, CA (76,976): Seth Rollins beats Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns in impromptu triple threat match to capture WWE Heavyweight title More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1891 - Ivan Goll, French-German writer (the Landless John), born in Saint-Dié (d. 1950) 1909 - Yvonne Waegemans, Flemish writer (Gnome Patjoepelke), born in Flanders (d. 1991) 1944 - Nana Akufo-Addo [William Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo], Ghanaian politician, President of Ghana (2017-), born in Accra, Gold Coast 1960 - Annabella Sciorra, American actress (The Sopranos), born in Brooklyn, New York 1973 - Marc Overmars, Dutch soccer winger (86 caps; Ajax, Arsenal, FC Barcelona) and executive (director of football Royal Antwerp FC), born in Emst, Netherlands More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1800 - Marc René, Marquis de Montalembert, French military engineer and writer, dies at 85 1911 - Alexandre Guilmant, French organist (La Trinitié, 1871-901), composer and pedagogue (Schola Cantorum, 1894-1911), dies at 74 1945 - Karl Sapper, German traveller, explorer, and natural historian, dies at 79 1955 - Zlatko Baloković, Croatian-American concert violinist, dies at 69 1985 - Gerhard Stöck, German athlete (Olympic gold javelin, bronze shot put 1936), dies at 73 More Famous Deaths »

1902 - 27.9 cm precipitation at McMinnville, Tennessee (state record) 1922 - Stanley Cup Final, Mutual Street Arena, Toronto, ON: Toronto St Patricks (NHL) beat Vancouver Millionaires (PCHA), 5-1 for a 3-2 series win 1930 - 1st performance of Walter Piston's Suite for orchestra (Boston) 1942 - St. Nazaire Raid (Operation Chariot): obsolete British destroyer HMS Campbeltown, rigged with explosives and flying German flags, rams gates of German occupied St Nazaire port in France, and self detonates; kills 360 Germans, and disables the dry dock for duration of the war 1950 - 12th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: CCNY beats Bradley, 71-68; City College of NY first to win NCAA and National Invitational Basketball in same year 1953 - 7th Tony Awards: "The Crucible" (Outstanding Play) and "Wonderful Town" (Outstanding Musical) win 1954 - WKAQ TV channel 2 in San Juan, PR (TM) begins broadcasting 1969 - Pope Paul VI names JGM Willebrands cardinal More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1566 - Foundation stone laid for the new city of La Valletta in Malta by Knights Hospitaller Grand Master Jean de Valette 1860 - First Taranaki War: Battle of Waireka begins in New Zealand between Europeans and Māori 1981 - France performs nuclear test 1993 - 13th Golden Raspberry Awards: "Shining Through" wins 2022 - Actor Will Smith issues an apology on Instagram to Oscars host Chris Rock for slapping him live on stage during the ceremony More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1741 - Johann Andre, German composer, born in Offenbach, Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1799) 1902 - Jaromír Vejvoda, Czech composer (Beer Barrel Polka), born in Zbraslav, Czech Republic (d. 1988) 1922 - Joey Maxim, American boxer (World Light Heavyweight Champion 1950-52), born in Cleveland, Ohio (d. 2001) 1947 - Bruce Gilbert, English producer (China Syndrome, 9 to 5, On Golden Pond), born in Watford, Hertfordshire, England 1975 - Will Cain, American radio and TV journalist (The Will Cain Show ), born in Sherman, Texas More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1566 - Siegmund Freiherr von Herberstein, Austrian diplomat, dies at 79 1949 - Grigoras Dinicu, Romanian violin virtuoso and composer, dies at 59 1962 - Hugo Wast, Argentine writer (b. 1883) 1979 - Emmett Kelly, American circus clown (Weary Willy), dies at 80 2001 - Vlastimir Nikolovski, Macedonian composer and pedagogue, (The Serdar), dies at 74 More Famous Deaths »

1003 - Peace deal is signed between Holy Roman Emperor Henry II and the pagan Wends (Slavs) 1709 - Dike at Hardinxveld breaks, flooding Alblasserwaard in the Netherlands 1848 - John Parker Paynard originates medicated adhesive plaster 1958 - Nikita Khrushchev becomes Soviet Premier as well as First Secretary of the Communist Party 1961 - Failed assassination attempt on King Saif al-Islam Achmad of Yemen 1976 - Washington, D.C. underground Metro opens 1978 - The Rutles mockumentary "All You Need is Cash" is shown on British TV 2002 - Passover Massacre: Suicide bomber kills 29 people in Netanya, Israel More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1957 - 29th Academy Awards: "Around World in 80 Days", Ingrid Bergman, Yul Brynner win 1972 - Venera 8 launches to explore Venus 1976 - Washington, D.C. underground Metro opens 1977 - 583 die in aviation's worst ever disaster when two Boeing 747s collide at Tenerife airport in Spain 1986 - Disney-MGM Studio Tour groundbreaking More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 972 - Robert II of France [the Pious, the Wise], King of the Franks (996-1031), born in Orléans, France (d. 1031) 1809 - Georges Eugene, Baron Haussmann, French administrator and architect, born in Paris (d. 1891) 1886 - Sergey Kirov [Kostrikov], Russian Bolshevik leader and politician (First Secretary (Mayor) of Leningrad, 1926-34), born in Urzhum, Russia (d. 1934) 1957 - Billy MacKenzie, Scottish rock vocalist (The Associates - "Affectionate Punch"), born in Dundee, Scotland (d. 1997) 1985 - Ram Charan, Indian actor who works mainly in Teluga cinema (RRR, Rangasthalam), born in Tamil Nadu, India More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1986 - Cass Canfield, US publisher, dies at 88 1991 - Ralph Bates, British actor (Persecution, Graveyard), dies at 50 1992 - Easley Blackwood, Sr, American expert bridge player, and writer, dies at 89 2017 - David Storey, British novelist and playwright (This Sporting Life), dies at 83 2023 - Wim de Bie, Dutch comedian, satirist, and writer (van Kooten and de Bie - The Simplistic Covenant), dies of complications from Parkinson's disease at 83 More Famous Deaths »

1534 - Lübeck accepts free Dutch ships into East Sea 1886 - 48th Grand National: Tommy Skelton wins aboard 25/1 chance Old Joe 1945 - British Prime Minister Winston Churchill looks over at the Rhine (near Ginsberg) 1972 - LA Lakers break the NBA wins record by winning 69 of 82 games (69-13), record stands for 24 years 1996 - The International Monetary Fund approves a $10.2 billion loan for Russia 1996 - Last day of 1st-class cricket for Allan Border (Qld v Vic) 2018 - US Federal Trade Commission confirms it will investigate Facebook over privacy concerns 2023 - WPL Cricket Final, Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai: Mumbai Indians win inaugural tournament beating Delhi Capitals by 7 wickets with 3 balls to spare; Player of the match: Nat Sciver-Brunt (Mumbai Indians) 60no More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1940 - "The Fifth Column", a play by Ernest Hemingway and adapted by Benjamin Glazer premieres in NYC courtesy of the Theater Guild 1954 - US performs atmospheric nuclear test at Bikini Island 2017 - Mass protests in Chile over country's privatised pension system 2018 - US soldier receives world's first penis and scrotum transplant at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland 2020 - American cases of COVID-19 exceed all other countries on this date, with 81,578 cases and 1,180 deaths (New York Times) More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1896 - Rudolf Dassler, German entrepreneur (founder sportswear company Puma), born in Herzogenaurach, Germany (d. 1974) 1898 - Renzo Massarani, Italian-Brazilian composer and music critic, born in Mantova, Italy (d. 1975) 1929 - Charles Dumont, French songwriter ("Non, je ne regrette rien", "Mon Dieu"), and singer, born in Cahors, France (d. 2024) 1936 - Fred Parris, American doo-wop singer and songwriter (The Five Satins - "In The Still Of The Night"), born in New Haven, Connecticut (d. 2022) 1977 - Sylvain Grenier, Canadian professional wrestler (WWE Raw, WWE Smackdown!), born in Montreal, Québec More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1736 - Georg Balthasar Schott, German composer, dies at 49 1857 - Wei Yuan, Chinese scholar and geographer of Qing Dynasty, dies at 62 1924 - Augusto (de Oliveira) Machado, Portuguese composer (Lauriane; Camões es os Luziadas), dies at 78 1973 - Noël Coward, English playwright (Hay Fever; Private Lives), director (In Which We Serve -1942 Academy Award), actor and singer, dies of heart failure at 73 1995 - Eazy-E [Eric Lynn Wright], American rapper (N.W.A.), dies from AIDS-related illness at 30 More Famous Deaths »

1821 - The Greek Revolution against the Ottoman Empire is officially declared, after hostilities begin two months earlier 1951 - 5th Tony Awards: "Guys and Dolls" (musical) and "The Rose Tattoo" (play) win 1967 - USSR performs nuclear test at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in northeast Kazakhstan 1974 - 9th Academy of Country Music Awards: Charlie Rich and Loretta Lynn win 1995 - Boxer Mike Tyson released from jail after serving 3 years 1996 - US issues a redesigned $100 bill 1999 - 13th Soul Train Music Awards: Luther Vandross, R. Kelly and Lauryn Hill win 2006 - Capitol Hill massacre: A gunman kills six people before taking his own life at a party in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1863 - Skirmish at Brentwood, Tennessee 1927 - 86th Grand National: 8/1 favourite Sprig wins; ridden by jockey Ted Leader, trained by his father Tom Leader 1937 - Washington Daily News is 1st US newspaper with perfumed advertising page 1954 - 26th Academy Awards: "From Here to Eternity" best film, William Holden and Audrey Hepburn best actor, actress 1974 - Chipko forest conservation movement begins in Reni Village, Western Himalayas, India, when local woman Gaura Devi hugs a tree to prevent its logging More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1786 - Giovanni Battista Amici, Italian astronomer, physicist and botanist, born in Modena, Duchy of Modena and Reggio (now Italy) (d. 1863) 1909 - Jay Blackton, American conductor and arranger (Guys and Dolls; Oklahoma!), born in New York City (d. 1994) 1965 - Avery Johnson, American NBA point guard, analyst for CBS Sports, and coach (1999 NBA champion, 2006 Coach of the Year), born in New Orleans, Louisiana 1973 - Anthony Barness, English footballer 1981 - Casey Neistat, American YouTube star and co-founder of Beme, born in Gales Ferry, Connecticut More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1979 - Anton Heiller, Austrian organist and composer, dies at 55 1991 - Eileen Joyce, pianist, dies at 78 2006 - Rocío Dúrcal, Spanish pop and mariachi singer, and actress, dies of uterine cancer at 61 (b. 1944) 2012 - Larry Stevenson [Richard], American skateboard innovator, dies from pneumonia and Alzheimer's disease at 81 2022 - John Chapple, British army officer (Chief of General Staff, 1988-92), dies at 90 More Famous Deaths »

1894 - 37 miners killed at Franklin, Washington 1956 - 110th Grand National: race best remembered for Devon Loch's inexplicable fall on final straight, just 40 yards from a certain victory; Dave Dick wins aboard E.S.B. 1959 - Iraq withdraws from the Baghdad Pact 1962 - Mick Jagger and Keith Richards perform as Little Boy Blue and Blue Boys 1980 - 42nd NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Louisville beats UCLA, 59-54; Cardinals' first title in first title game 1997 - 69th Academy Awards: "The English Patient", Geoffrey Rush and Frances McDormand win 2019 - US Attorney William Barr summarizes report submitted by Special Council Robert Mueller (The Mueller Report) in a letter to Congress stating "investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities" and "Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and I have concluded that the evidence developed during the Special Counsel's investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense" 2023 - Africa's first centralised biobank - Biodiversity Biobanks South Africa, collecting more than a million biodiversity samples opens in Pretoria, South Africa More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1379 - First War of the Guelderian Succession ends when Matilda and the Heeckerens are defeated by the Duchy of Jülich, forcing her to resign her rights to the Duchy of Guelders to her half-sister Maria's son, William 1853 - Anti-slavery newspaper "The Provincial Freeman" first published in Windsor, Ontario, edited by Samuel Ringgold Ward and Mary Ann Shadd Cary, first black woman publisher in North America 1876 - 38th Grand National: Joe Cannon aboard 25/1 chance Regal wins by a neck from Congress 1933 - Peter I Island incorporated as a Norwegian dependency 1944 - 76 Allied officers escape Stalag Luft 3 (Great Escape) More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1848 - Honoré Beaugrand, French Canadian journalist, newspaper publisher (La Patrie), and politician (Mayor of Montreal, 1885-87), born in Saint-Joseph-de-Lanoraie, Quebec, Canada East (d. 1906) 1850 - Silas K. Hocking, British novelist and Methodist preacher (Her Benny), born in Cornwall, England (d. 1935) 1866 - Jack McAuliffe, Irish-American boxer and undefeated World Lightweight champion (1886-93), born in Cork, Ireland, United Kingdom (d. 1937) 1909 - Clyde Barrow, American bank robber and outlaw (Bonnie and Clyde), born in Ellis County, Texas (d. 1934) 1923 - Murray Hamilton, American character actor (Rich Man Poor Man, Anatomy of a Murder), born in Washington, North Carolina (d. 1986) More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1455 - Nicholas V [Tommaso Parentucelli], Italian Pope (1447-55), dies at 57 1955 - John W. Davis, American politician and United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom, dies at 81 1993 - Erik Andriesse, Dutch painter (skulls, skeletons, flowers), dies at 35 2007 - Henson Cargill, American country music singer ("Skip a Rope", "The Most Uncomplicated Goodbye I Ever Heard"), dies while undergoing surgery at 66 2021 - Richard Stoker, British pianist and composer (Antic Hay; Ecco homo), dies at 82 More Famous Deaths »

1867 - Congress passes 2nd Reconstruction Act over President Andrew Johnson's veto 1880 - Flour rolling mill patent is issued to John Stevens of Wisconsin 1919 - Bashkir Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, designated as the first autonomous republic of Soviet Russia 1972 - Geoge Harrison and Friends' "The Concert for Bangladesh" concert film, directed by Saul Swimmer released in the US 1998 - 70th Academy Awards: "Titanic", Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt win 2016 - GPR investigation of Shakespeare's tomb at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford concludes the Bard's skull probably has been stolen 2019 - More than 130 Fulani people killed in Ogossagou, Mali, in attack by Dogon hunters, prompting government ban on the hunters 2021 - Brazil's daily COVID-19 death toll passes 3,000 (3,251) for the first time (298,676 total deaths reported) as country's Supreme Court blocks President Jair Bolsonaro overturning local restrictions More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1857 - Elisha Otis installs his first elevator at 488 Broadway in New York City 1939 - 1st performance of Béla Bartók's 2nd Violin Concerto at the Concertgebow, Amsterdam with Zoltán Székely on violin and Willem Mengelberg conducting the Concertgebouw Orchestra 1988 - Geffen Records releases "Chalk Mark In A Rain Storm", Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell's 13th studio album 2007 - After some initial hesitation, Emma Watson signs on to appear as Hermione in the final three Harry Potter films 2020 - New York confirmed as new center of the COVID-19 pandemic in the US with 20,875 cases (5,707 in the last day) and 157 deaths More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1919 - Carl Graffunder, American mid-century modernist architect in Minnesota, born in Rock Island, Illinois (d. 2013) 1933 - Hayes Jenkins, American figure skater (Olympic gold singles 1956; World C'ship gold 1953-56), born in Akron, Ohio 1937 - Craig Breedlove, American auto racer (5 x world land speed record holder; first to reach 500mph (800km/h) and 600mph (970km/h), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2023) 1944 - George Scott, MLB first baseman, 1966-79 (Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, and 2 other teams), born in Greenville, Mississippi, (d. 2013) 1972 - Jonas Bjorkman, Swedish tennis player (World #1 doubles 2001; 9 x Grand Slam doubles titles; Davis Cup 1994, 97, 98; Tour Finals 1994, 2006), born in Vaxjo Sweden More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1680 - Nicolas Fouquet, French politician and Superintendent of Finances (1653-61) who became fabulously wealthy and later imprisoned for maladministration of state funds, dies in jail in Pinerolo at 65 1881 - Nikolay Rubinstein, Russian pianist, conductor, and composer, dies at 45 1979 - Philip Bourneuf, actor (Big Night, Frankenstein), dies at 71 2006 - Sarah Caldwell, American conductor/opera director (Flagstaff), dies at 82 2015 - Lil' Chris [Hardman], British rock singer (Checkin' It Out), takes his own life at 24 More Famous Deaths »

1865 - Wilson's Raid: 13,480 cavalry troops led by Union General James H. Wilson destroys most of Confederate Alabama and Georgia's arms-manufacturing and rail capabilities; raid lasts through mid-April 1896 - Charilaos Vasilakos of Greece wins the first modern marathon in 3:18 at the Panhellenic Games 1985 - NASA launches Intelsat VA F-10 1989 - Pete Rozelle announces retirement as NFL commissioner after 29 years 1992 - US Air NY to Cleveland crashes on take off at LaGuardia, 27 die 2003 - 23rd Golden Raspberry Awards: "Swept Away" wins 2013 - 37 people are killed and 200 are injured in a refugee camp fire in Ban Mae, Thailand 2018 - Musical "Frozen" opens on Broadway, based on the film and starring Patti Murin and Caissie Levy More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1692 - Emperor Leopold I names Duke Earnest August of Braunschweig, king 1929 - 88th Grand National: Robert W. H. Everett wins aboard 100/1 outsider Gregalach 1975 - AIAW Women's Basketball Tournament, Delta State beats Immaculata 90-81 in Harrisonburg 1992 - Herb Gardner's stage drama "Conversations with My Father", starring Judd Hirsch and Tony Shalhoub, opens at Royale Theatre, NYC, runs for 462 performances and a Tony Award for Hirsch 2024 - British runner Jasmin Paris is the first woman and 20th person to complete one of the world's hardest ultramarathons, the Barkley Marathons in Tennessee, with one minute and 39 seconds to spare More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1459 - Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor (1508-19, established Hapsburg dynasty in Spain), born in Wiener Neustadt, Austria (d. 1519) 1908 - Jack Crawford, Australian tennis player (6 Grand Slam singles titles), born in Urangeline, NSW (d. 1991) 1921 - Wilhelmus Norbert Schmelzer, Dutch foreign minister (KVP), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2008) 1931 - Billy Vessels, American College Football Hall of Fame halfback (Heisman Trophy 1952, University of Oklahoma), born in Cleveland, Oklahoma (d. 2001) 1932 - Leo "Bud" Welch, American gospel and Delta blues singer-songwriter and guitarist ("You Can't Hurry God"; "Cadillac Baby"), born in Sabougla, Mississippi (d. 2017) More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1838 - Hendrik Fagel de Jonge, Dutch-English baron and diplomat (Fagel collection National Library of the Netherlands and Trinity College), dies at 73 2009 - Jade Goody, English reality TV Star and Entrepreneur, dies of cancer at 27 2016 - Eli Louw, South African politician (Minister of Transport), dies at 88 2017 - Francine Hughes Wilson, American domestic abuse victim "The Burning Bed" who changed pubic perceptions, dies at 69 2020 - Stan Bronstein, American rock saxophonist (Elephant's Memory), dies at 81 More Famous Deaths »

1931 - US Ladies' Figure Skating championship won by Maribel Vinson 1939 - Nazi Germany demands the return of Danzig (Gdańsk) from Poland 1958 - Dr. Ernest Lawrence, nuclear scientist and Nobel laureate, receives first West Point Sylvanus Thayer Award, presented to an outstanding US citizen whose service in the national interest exemplifies devotion to ideals of West Point motto: "Duty, Honor, Country" 1978 - San Francisco passes the most comprehensive homosexual rights bill in US history 1995 - NYC agrees to sell its 2 owned radio stations (WNYC AM and FM) 2012 - Sergio Agüero and Samir Nasri score to give Manchester City 2-1 win over Chelsea at City of Manchester Stadium; EPL record 20th consecutive home win; streak ends with 3-3 draw v Sunderland 31/3 2018 - English TV presenter Ant McPartlin charged with drink driving following an accident in London 2019 - Emilia Clarke reveals she suffered two brain aneurysms while filming "Games of Thrones" in an article for "The New Yorker" More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1925 - Tennessee Governor Austin Peay passes the "Butler Act," making Tennessee the first state to outlaw teaching the theory of evolution (repealed in 1967) 1934 - Fire destroys Hakodate, Japan, killing about 1,500 1948 - "Stop the Music" with Bert Parks premieres on ABC radio 1953 - NBA record 106 fouls and 12 players foul out (Boston-Syracuse) 1985 - Canadian Rick Hansen sets off on his 'Man in Motion' world tour in his wheelchair raising money for spinal research, from Oakridge Mall, Vancouver (successfully completes May 1987) More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 927 - Taizu [Zhao Kuangyin], Founder and 1st Emperor of the Song Dynasty (960-976) who reunified most of China by conquering the states of Southern Tang, Later Shu, Southern Han and Jingnan, born in Luoyang, Henan, China (d. 976) 1768 - Joseph Fourier, French mathematician (mathematical theory of heat conduction) and Egyptologist, born in Auxerre, France (d. 1830) 1887 - Edwin Scharff, German sculptor, and educator, deemed "entartete" (degenerate) by Nazi regime, born in Neu-Ulm, Gemrany (d. 1955) 1915 - Dude Martin [John Stephen McSwain], American country and Western swing singer, bandleader, radio and early television personality, born in Plainsburg, California (d. 1991) [Note: some sources cite date as 11, and some as 15] 1939 - Tommy Davis, American baseball utility (3 x MLB All Star; World Series 1963; NL batting champion 1962, 63 LA Dodgers), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2022) More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1801 - Andrea Lucchesi, Italian organist, composer, and Kapellmeister for the Court of Bonn (1774-94), dies at 59 1864 - Luke Howard, British manufacturing chemist and meteorologist (nomenclature system for clouds), dies at 91 2014 - Jack Fleck, American golfer (US Open 1955), dies at 92 2017 - Chuck Barris, american TV game show producer and host (Gong Show), dies at 87 2024 - Ron Harper, American actor (Planet of the Apes (TV series); Wendy and Me), dies at 91 More Famous Deaths »

1852 - Harriet Beecher Stowe's anti-slavery novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" is published in Boston 1937 - Franco's Republican army launch their (eventually successful) counter-offensive against Italian International Brigades fighting for the Nationalists at the Battle of Guadalajara, Spain 1951 - Indonesian army offensive against Darul Islam on Java 1952 - Final ratification of peace treaty restoring sovereignty to Japan by US Senate 1987 - Yvonne van Gennip skates ladies' world record 5 km (7:20.36) 1989 - Major League Baseball announces Reds manager Pete Rose is under investigation 1994 - "Flowering Peach" opens at Lyceum Theater NYC for 41 performances 2016 - Barack Obama becomes the first US President to visit Cuba since 1928, arriving for a three-day tour with First Lady Michelle More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1934 - Rudolf Kuhnold demonstrates radar in Kiel Germany 1937 - England beats Scotland, 6-3 at Murrayfield, Edinburgh to clinch the Home Nations Rugby Championship and Triple Crown 1942 - Convoy PQ13 departs Reykjavik Iceland to Russia 1951 - Fujiyoshida, a city located in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, in the center of the Japanese main island of Honshū is founded 1973 - NBC TV premiere of pilot episode of "Police Story", based on Los Angeles Police Dept. Joseph Wambaugh's writings More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1823 - Ned Buntline [Edward Judson Sr.], American publisher, journalist, and writer, born in Harpersfield, New York (d. 1886) 1833 - Henry Southwick Perkins, American composer, educator, and founder of Music Teachers' National Association, born in Stockbridge, Vermont (d. 1914) 1940 - Gianpiero Moretti, steering wheel designer (Momo), born in Milan, Italy (d. 2012) 1951 - Curt Smith, American author, media host, speech writer for President George H. W. Bush, and authority on baseball broadcasting (The History of Baseball and the White House), born in Caledonia, New York 1974 - Andrzej Pilipiuk, Polish humoristic fantasy and science fiction writer (Pan Samochodzik series, Ivanov the Wizard), born in Warsaw, Poland More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 457 - Siyah Chan K'awil, 11th ruler of the Maya city of Tikal, dies 1866 - Rikard Nordraak, Norwegian composer, dies at 23 1963 - Karl Otten, German Expressionist writer, dies at 73 1990 - Maurice Cloche, French film director and screenwriter, dies at 82 2020 - Borislav Stanković, Serbian Basketball Hall of Fame administrator (International Basketball Federation secretary general 1976-2002), dies at 94 More Famous Deaths »

1808 - Charles IV, king of Spain, abdicates after riots and a popular revolt at the winter palace Aranjuez. His son, Ferdinand VII, takes the throne 1962 - Columbia Records releases the self-titled debut album of American folk singer Bob Dylan; quickly recorded collection of mostly cover tunes, with two original songs is largely ignored 1969 - Chicago 8 indicted in aftermath of Chicago Democratic convention 1974 - Jefferson Starship begins their 1st tour 1985 - US Senate votes 55-45 to authorize production of the MX "Peacekeeper" intercontinental ballistic missile 1995 - Revival of Brien Friel's stage drama "Translations", starring Brian Dennehy, opens at Plymouth Theater NYC for 25 performances 2001 - 16th Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees: Aerosmith; Solomon Burke; The Flamingos; Michael Jackson; Queen; Paul Simon; Steely Dan; Ritchie Valens; James Burton; Johnnie Johnson; and Chris Blackwell 2003 - Airstrikes by an American and British-led coalition signal the beginning of the invasion of Iraq without United Nations support and in defiance of world opinion More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1914 - Stanley Cup, Arena Gardens, Toronto ON: Toronto HC (NHA) defeat Victoria Aristocrats (PCHA), 2-1 for a 3-0 series sweep; final series of the "challenge" era 1956 - Biggest NBA margin of victory - Minn Lakers-133, St Louis Hawks-75 1984 - STS 41-C vehicle moves to launch pad 1995 - Arizona begins using new telephone area code 520, outside of Phoenix 1995 - Finnish Social Democratic Party wins parliamentary election More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1914 - Fred Clark, American actor (Burns and Allen, Auntie Mame, Hazard), born in Lincoln, California (d. 1968) 1933 - Renee Taylor [Wexler], American actress (Jack Paar Show; The Nanny - "Sylvia"), born in New York City 1953 - Lord Blair of Boughton [Ian Blair], British police officer who was Metropolitan police commissioner during the 7/7 London terror attacks, born in Chester, England (d. 2025) 1971 - Dalton James, American actor (My Father, The Hero; Beverly Hills 90201 - "Mark"), born in Sacramento, California 1983 - Matt Sydal [Matthew Korklan], American professional wrestler (WWE Raw, AEW Dark), born in St. Louis, Missouri More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1263 - Hugo of St-Cher/a S Caro, French cardinal, dies 1623 - Uesugi Kagekatsu, Japanese samurai and warlord (b. 1556) 1717 - John Campbell, 1st Earl of Breadalbane and Holland, Scottish royalist 1969 - Theodor Schaefer, Czech composer, dies at 65 2003 - Michael Mathias Prechtl, German illustrator, dies at 76 More Famous Deaths »

1859 - Vera Cruz besieged by Miramon (Cons) in Mexican War of Reform 1891 - Britain is linked to the continent by Telephone 1900 - Japan uses its influence over Korea to deny Russia's efforts to obtain a naval station at Korean Port of Masampo, the lead up to the Russo-Japanese war 1902 - Italian operatic tenor Enrico Caruso becomes the first well-known performer to make a record 1948 - Philips begin experimental TV broadcasting 1950 - CCNY beats Bradley 69-61 for the NIT championship 1982 - 8th People's Choice Awards: Burt Reynolds, Sally Field and Jane Fonda win (Motion Picture) and Alan Alda and Barbara Mandrell win (TV) 2005 - Terri Schiavo's feeding tube is removed at the request of her husband More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1582 - Prince William I of Orange injured in attack at Antwerp 1933 - US Ladies' Figure Skating championship won by Maribel Vinson 1961 - 6th Eurovision Song Contest: Jean-Claude Pascal for Luxembourg wins "Nous les amoureux" in Cannes 1963 - "Tovarich" opens at Broadway Theater NYC for 264 performances 1989 - Dino Ciccarelli sets Washington Capital record of 7 pts in a game More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1877 - Clem Hill, Australian cricket batsman and captain (49 Tests, 7 x 100, HS 191; South Australia CA), born in Adelaide, Australia (d. 1945) 1886 - Marianne Philips, Dutch author (Between Heaven and Earth), born in Amsterdam (d. 1951) 1946 - Michael Reagan, American conservative talk show host and adopted son of Ronald Reagan and Jane Wyman, born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2026) 1950 - Frank O’Keefe, American southern rock bassist (The Outlaws, 1968-76), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1995) 1986 - Abdennour Cherif El Ouazzani, Algerian footballer More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1907 - Marcellin Berthelot, French chemist (Thomsen–Berthelot principle of thermochemistry), dies at 79 1918 - Willem Coenen, Dutch pianist and composer, dies at 81 1982 - George Lampe, Dutch painter and director (Free Academy), dies at 60 1983 - Kenneth E. Boulding, English economist (b. 1910) 1999 - Elizabeth Huckaby, American educator, dies at 93 More Famous Deaths »