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Historical Events 221 - Liu Bei, a Chinese warlord and member of the Han royal house, declares himself Emperor of Shu-Han, claiming legitimate succession to the Han Dynasty 1906 - Britons Henry Rolls, Charles Royce and Claude Johnson formalize their existing partnership as Rolls Royce Ltd 1913 - 1st US presidential press conference, held by Woodrow Wilson 1954 - "CBS Morning Show" premieres with Walter Cronkite and Jack Paar 2023 - Another atmospheric river creates a storm across California, bringing widespread flooding and power outages, with Monterey County issuing a 25 mile evacuation order More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1831 - Edward Aylesworth Perry, American soldier and politician (General under Lee for Confederate Army, 14th Governor of Florida 1885-89), born in Richmond, Massachusetts (d. 1889) 1831 - Daniele Comboni, Italian Catholic missionary and Vicar Apostolic of Central Africa (1877-81), born in Limone sul Garda, Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia (d. 1881) 1838 - Alice Cunningham Fletcher, American ethnologist and anthropologist who studied native American culture (advocated for Dawes Act), born in Havana, Cuba (d. 1923) 1969 - Yutaka Take, Japanese jockey (Japan Cup x 5; JRA Grand Prize Jockey 1997-2000, 02-06; Japanese Triple Crown 2005), born in Kyoto, Japan 1974 - Vaughan Gething, Welsh first minister (2024-) Labour and Co-operative politician, born in Usaka, Zambia More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1842 - Luigi Cherubini, Italian musical prodigy, composer (Médée; Requiem in D minor), and educator (Conservatoire de Paris, 1822-42), dies at 81 1987 - W. Sterling Cole, American politician (Rep-R-NY, Director International Atomic Energy Agency), dies at 82 2015 - Mike Porcaro, American rock bassist (Toto, 1982-2007 "Stranger In Town"), dies from Lou Gehrig’s disease at 59 2018 - Robert Grossman, American illustrator, dies of heart failure at 78 2020 - Suzy Delair, French singer and actress (The Murderer Lives at Number 21; Utopia; White Paws), dies at 102 More Famous Deaths »

1644 - England grants a patent to Providence Plantations for what is now Rhode Island 1845 - -5.3°F (-20.7°C) in Groningen, Netherlands 1903 - W.B. Yeats and Lady Gregory's play "Hour-glass" premieres in Dublin 1912 - King Vittorio Emanuel III of Italy injured in an assassination attempt 1990 - Mikhail Gorbachev becomes president of the Soviet Congress 1993 - Ricky Ponting hits twin tons for Tasmania aged 18 years 84 days 1993 - 14th Big East Men's Basketball Tournament: Seton Hall beats Syracuse, 103-70 2016 - NASA releases data showing February 2016 warmest month ever recorded globally - 1.35C above the long-term average More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1800 - Luigi Chiaramonti elected Pope Pius VII 1900 - Dutch botanist Hugo de Vries rediscovers Gregor Mendel's laws of heredity and genetics 1972 - NBA's Cincinnati Royals, plagued by poor home attendance, announce they are moving franchise to Kansas City 2013 - 7 people are killed after gunmen storm a bar in Cancun, Mexico 2021 - UK police officer charged with the death of Sarah Everard, who disappeared walking home in south London, and whose death sparked debate about violence against women More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1804 - Johann Strauss the Elder, Viennese violinist and composer (Radetzky March), born in Leopoldstadt, Austria (d. 1849) 1898 - Arnold Chikobava, Georgian linguist, born in Sachikobavo, Georgia, Russian Empire (d. 1985) 1917 - Macha Rosenthal, American critic and poet (Poetry as Confession), born in Washington D.C. (d. 1996) 1938 - Eleanor Bron, British actress (Women in Love, Bedazzled), born in Stanmore, England 1945 - Michael Martin Murphey, American country singer (Wildfire), born in Dallas, Texas More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1903 - Jan Hendrik Weissenbruch, Dutch landscape painter, dies at 88 1917 - Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia, Duchess of Connaugh and Strathearn, dies of influenza at 56 1976 - Busby Berkeley [Enos], American film choreographer (42nd Street) and director (Strike Up The Band; They Made Me A Criminal), dies at 80 1991 - Howard Ashman, American playwright and lyricist (Little Shop of Horrors; The Little Mermaid), dies of AIDS-related complications at 40 2023 - Jim Ferree, American golfer (1 x PGA Tour win; 2 x Senior PGA Tour wins), dies at 91 More Famous Deaths »

1901 - Amidst increasing anti-gambling sentiment, wagering on horse racing is banned in San Francisco, CA; Ingleside Race Track closes March 15 1922 - NHL Championship: Ottawa Senators outscore Toronto St Pats, 5 to 4, in 2 games 1961 - Elizabeth Gurley Finn (70) becomes President of US Communist Party 1973 - "Irene" opens at Minskoff Theater NYC for 605 performances 1979 - NHL New York Islanders Mike Bossy's 5th career hat trick 1982 - Ice Pairs Championship at Copenhagen won by Baess and Thierbach (GDR) 1985 - Funeral services held for Konstantin Chernenko in Moscow 2019 - British MPs vote to reject a no-deal Brexit, defeating Theresa May's government 321 votes to 278 More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1759 - 27th recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet 1913 - Kansas legislature approved censorship of motion pictures 1921 - Mongolia (formerly Outer Mongolia) declares independence from China 1930 - Clyde Tombaugh announces the discovery of Pluto at Lowell Observatory 1954 - Braves' Bobby Thomson breaks his ankle, he is replaced by Hank Aaron More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1372 - Louis I, Duke of Orléans, Brother of Charles VI of France, born in Paris (d. 1407) 1599 - Johannes Berchmans, Dutch Jesuit and Roman Catholic saint, born in Diest, Seventeen Provinces (d. 1621) 1700 - Michel Blavet, French composer, born in Besançon, France (d. 1768) 1910 - Karl Gustav Ahlefeldt, Danish actor (Gertrud, Hooray for the Blue Hussars), born in Copenhagen, Denmark (d. 1985) 1950 - Charles Krauthammer, American conservative political commentator and psychiatrist (The Washington Post), born in New York City (d. 2018) More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1808 - Christian VII, King of Denmark and Norway (1766-1808), dies of a stroke at 59 1965 - Fan S. Noli, Albanian bishop, poet, and politician (b. 1882) 1994 - Murt [Edward James] O'Donoghue, New Zealand snooker player (1st witnessed 147 break), dies at 93 1995 - Odette Hallowes, British classified agent in France (WWII), dies at 82 1996 - Krzysztof Kieślowski, Polish film director (The Double Life of Veronique), dies of a heart attack at 54 More Famous Deaths »

1755 - 1st steam engine in America installed, to pump water from a mine 1910 - Stanley Cup, Montreal Arena, Westmount, Quebec: Montreal Wanderers beat Berlin Dutchmen (ON), 7-3 1912 - Helen Hayes Theater (Little Theatre) opens at 240W 44th St, NYC 1933 - Franklin D. Roosevelt conducts his first "fireside chat" as US President via radio, speaking directly to 60 million listening Americans, eight days after his inauguration 1958 - 3rd Eurovision Song Contest: Andre Claveau for France wins singing "Dors, mon amour" in Hilversum 1977 - Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet bans the Christian-Democratic Party 1985 - Larry Bird scores Boston Celtic record 60 points 2006 - 47th SEC Men's Basketball Tournament: Florida beats South Carolina, 49-47 More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1365 - University of Vienna is founded 1877 - Great Britain annexes Walvis Bay at Cape colony, Southern Africa. 1966 - Chicago Black Hawks Bobby Hull's 51st goal of season, sets record 1969 - 120 cannabis joints found at George Harrison and Patti Harrison's home in Esher, England 1991 - 5th Soul Train Music Awards: Johnny Gill, Mariah Carey win More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1888 - Hall Johnson, American composer (Hall Johnson Choir), born in Athens, Georgia (d. 1970) 1924 - Martha Nierenberg [née Weiss de Csepel], Hungarian-American biochemist, furniture designer and co-founder of Dansk Designs, born in Budapest, Hungary (d. 2020) 1938 - Norman Hogg, British MP 1948 - James Taylor, American singer-songwriter and guitarist ("Fire And Rain"; "You've Got A Friend"; "Shower The People"), born in Boston, Massachusetts 1949 - David Mellor, British MP who resigned due to scandal, born in Wareham, England More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1924 - Hilaire de Chardonnet, French industrialist and inventor (rayon), dies at 84 1950 - L Heinrich Mann, German/American writer (Between the Races), dies at 78 2004 - Sylvi Saimo, Finnish kayaker (Olympic gold K-1 500m 1952, 1st Finnish female summer Olympic champion), dies at 89 2010 - Lesley Duncan (Cox), British session singer (Pink Floyd; Jesus Christ Superstar), and singer-songwriter ("Love Song"; "Sing Children Sing"), dies of cerebrovascular disease at 66 2012 - Michael Hossack, American rock drummer (The Doobie Brothers), dies of cancer at 65 More Famous Deaths »

1779 - US Army Corps of Engineers established (1st time) 1862 - Confederate Army General Stonewall Jackson begins evacuation of Winchester, Virginia 1919 - General strike in Germany crushed 1991 - 17th People's Choice Awards: Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts win (Motion Picture star) and Bill Cosby and Kirstie Alley win (TV) 2000 - 21st Big East Men's Basketball Tournament: St. John's beats Connecticut, 80-70 2001 - 48th ACC Men's Basketball Tournament: #3 Duke beats #6 North Carolina, 79-53 2011 - 9.0 magnitude earthquake strikes 130 km (80 miles) east of Sendai, Japan, triggering a tsunami that kills thousands and causes the second worst nuclear accident in history at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant 2013 - Falkland Islands’ sovereignty referendum: 99.8% choose to remain an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1513 - Giovanni de' Medici chosen Pope Leo X 1665 - NY approves new code guaranteeing Protestants religious rights 1924 - 3rd term of Belgium Theunis government begins 1982 - Failed military coup under Rambocus and Hawker in Suriname 2020 - Smallest dinosaur ever discovered - skull preserved in piece of amber smaller than a fingertip from a mine in Myanmar, reported in "Nature" More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1819 - Marius Petipa, French ballet dancer and choreographer (Don Quiotte), born in Marseille, France (d. 1910) 1907 - Eleni Gatzoyiannis, Greek heroine (subject of "Eleni" by son Nicholas Gage about how she saved her children), born in Greece (d. 1948) 1915 - Vijay Hazare, Indian cricket batsman and captain (30 Tests, 7 x 100, HS 164no; Maharashtra, Central India, Baroda, Holkar), born in Sangli, India (d. 2004) 1945 - Dock Ellis, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star and World Series 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates; pitched no-hitter 1971), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2008) 1961 - Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, ruler and President of the UAE (2022-), born in Al Ain, Trucial States More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1915 - Thomas Alexander Browne, Australian writer (Robbery Under Arms), dies at 88 1989 - John Jay McCloy, American lawyer and banker (Secretary of War 1941-45, Chairman Chase Manhattan Bank, President of World Bank 1947-49), dies at 93 1997 - Hugo Weisgall, American composer (4 Impressions), dies at 84 2000 - Alfred Schwarzmann, German gymnast (Olympic gold individual, team, horse vault, 2 x bronze 1936; silver 1952), dies at 87 2019 - Hal Blaine [Harold Belsky], American pop and rock session drummer (The Wrecking Crew), dies at 90 More Famous Deaths »

1900 - Stanley Cup, Montreal Arena, Westmount, Quebec: Montreal Shamrocks outclass Halifax Crescents, 11-0 to sweep challenge series, 2-0 1925 - Cyprus becomes a British crown colony 1927 - Albania mobilizes due to threats from the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes 1928 - Christine Collins' son, Walter Collins, disappears in Los Angeles 1931 - Oswald Mosley leaves British Labour party and founds the "New Party" 1956 - General strike in Cyprus protesting exile of Archbishop Makarios 1981 - "Bette Davis Eyes" single released by Kim Carnes (Billboard Song of the Year 1981) 1990 - Prosper Avril resigns as President of Haiti More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1791 - Pope condemns France's Civil Constitution of the clergy 1874 - Purdue University (Indiana) admits its 1st student 1962 - Gala preview dinner held atop the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington, prior to opening of the Century 21 Exposition (World's Fair) 1964 - Simon and Garfunkel record the first version of "The Sound of Silence" at Columbia Studios in New York City 1996 - 37th SEC Men's Basketball Tournament: Mississippi State beats Kentucky, 84-73 More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1769 - Joseph Williamson, English philanthropist and tunnel builder (Williamson tunnels in Liverpool), born in West Riding, England (d. 1840) 1887 - Toshitsugu Takamatsu, Japanese martial artist and Bujinkan teacher, born in Akashi, Japan (d. 1972) 1916 - Pamela Mason [Ostrer], British actress, author and talk-show host (Lady Possessed), born in Rochford, England (d. 1996) 1933 - Ralph Emery, American country music DJ and television host (Nashville Now), born in McEwen, Tennessee (d. 2022) 1970 - Matt Barlow, American heavy metal vocalist (Ashes of Ares; Iced Earth; Pyramaze), born in Biloxi, Mississippi More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1897 - Teodulo Mabellini, Italian composer, dies at 79 1967 - Yiorgos Batis, Greek composer and rebetiko musician, dies at about 82 1994 - Robert Shea, American author (Illuminatus!), dies of cancer at 61 1999 - Oswaldo Guayasamín, Ecuadorian master painter and sculptor, dies at 79 2024 - Karl Wallinger, Welsh rocker and songwriter (The Waterboys, 1983-85; World Party - "Give It All Away"; "Ship Of Fools"), dies of a stroke at 66 More Famous Deaths »

1842 - Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Nabucco" premieres in Milan 1849 - Carl Nikolais opera "Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor" premieres 1918 - Russian Bolshevik Party is renamed the All-Russian Communist Party 1954 - WMUR TV channel 9 in Manchester, NH (ABC) begins broadcasting 1962 - US advisors in South-Vietnam join the fight 1984 - Tim Witherspoon beats Greg Page in 12 for heavyweight boxing title 2011 - Bonham's Auctions in New York City conducts sale of Eric Clapton and friends' guitars and amplifiers to benefit Crossroads Centre at Antigua, a drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation facility he co-founded in 1997, raising over $1.75M 2021 - Brazil records its highest daily COVID-19 death toll to date of 1,972 deaths with 168,370 deaths overall More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1776 - Adam Smith publishes the influential economics book "The Wealth of Nations" 1809 - A group of conspirators break into Gripsholm Castle and imprison King Gustav IV Adolf and appoint Charles XIII in his place as Regent of Sweden 1922 - Eugene O'Neill's "Hairy Ape" premieres in NYC 1984 - The Competitive Enterprise Institute is founded in Washington, D.C. 2020 - National one-day women's strike held in Mexico to protest high rates of femicide (more than 10 women murdered every day) More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1891 - José P. Laurel, 3rd President of the Philippines (1942-44), born in Tanauan, Batangas (d. 1959) 1892 - Frank Puglia, Italian actor (Black Orchid, Jungle Book), born in Sicily, Italy (d. 1975) 1930 - Thomas Schippers, American conductor (Amahl and Night Visitors), born in Kalamazoo, Michigan (d. 1977) 1937 - Grahame Chevalier, South African cricketer (one Test for South Africa 1970, 0 and 0*, 5-100), born in Cape Town, South Africa (d. 2017) 1981 - Clay Rapada, American baseball player, born in Chesapeake, Virginia More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1688 - Claude Mellan, French engraver, cartoonist and painter, dies at 89 1980 - Olga Chekova, actress (Moulin Rouge, Pawns of Possession), dies at 82 2010 - Doris Haddock, American political activist (b. 1910) 2011 - Inge Sørensen, Danish swimmer (youngest female Olympic Games medalist in an individual event [12] bronze 200m breaststroke 1936), dies at 86 2012 - Peter Bergman, American comedian, dies from leukemia at 72 More Famous Deaths »

1711 - Antoin de Guiscard, a French and English spy, fails in an attempt to murder English Chancellor of the Exchequer Robert Harley; Harley survives stabbing, and Guiscard dies later from injuries sustained in the fracas 1722 - Afghan monarch Mir Mahmud occupies Persia 1924 - Coal mine explosion kills 171 at Castle Gate, Utah 1967 - New Orleans Saints begin selling season tickets (20,000 sold 1st day) 1973 - Paul and Linda McCartney are fined £100 for growing cannabis 1979 - China withdraws invasion troops from Vietnam 1981 - "Shakespeare's Cabaret", Lance Mulcahy's settings of words of William Shakespeare, closes at the Bijou Theater, NYC, after 54 performances 2021 - US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says COVID-9 pandemic has had an "extremely unfair" effect on income and economic opportunities for women More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1934 - Edwin Hubble photo shows as many galaxies as Milky Way has stars 1946 - 1st helicopter licensed for commercial use (NYC) 1949 - WAGA TV channel 5 in Atlanta, GA (CBS) begins broadcasting 1996 - "Fargo" directed and written by Joel and Ethan Coen, starring Frances McDormand, William H. Macy and Steve Buscemi released in the US 2022 - President Joe Biden announces the US is banning Russian oil imports with UK phasing out imports by the end of the year More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1726 - Richard Howe, British admiral, born in London (d. 1799) 1902 - Jennings Randolph, American politician, Senator from West Virginia (1958-85), last living member of the Congress to have served during the first 100 days of Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration, born in Salem, West Virginia (d. 1998) 1922 - Carl Furillo, American baseball outfielder (NL Batting Champ 1953; MLB All-Star 1952, 53; World Series 1955, 59; Brooklyn/LA Dodgers), born in Stony Creek Mills, Pennsylvania (d. 1989) 1936 - Sue Ane Langdon, actress (Bachelor Father, Arnie), born in Paterson, New Jersey 1975 - Peggy Zina [Panagiota-Calliope Chrysicopoulou], Greek pop and modern laika singer, and piano player, born in Athens, Greece More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1819 - Benjamin Ruggles Woodbridge, American doctor, Massachusetts militia officer, member of the Massachusetts legislature, dies at 80 1869 - Hector Berlioz, French composer (Symphonie fantastique), dies at 65 1919 - Auguste Tolbecque, French cellist, instrument maker, and composer, dies at 88 1976 - Alfons Rebane, Estonian military officer during WWII and MI6 intelligence officer, dies at 67 1993 - Joop Scheltens, TV host/director (Explore Your Place), dies at 69 More Famous Deaths »

1573 - Turkey and Venice sign a peace treaty 1801 - Massachusetts enacts first state voter registration law 1930 - NY Times agrees to capitalize the n in "Negro" 1935 - Malcolm Campbell sets world land speed record speed of 276.71 mph driving his famous Blue Bird car; last record set at Daytona Beach, Florida 1939 - Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians 1st record "Auld Lang Syne" 1953 - South African cricket opening batsman Jackie McGlew scores an unbeaten 255 in 1st Test win against New Zealand in Wellington 1963 - John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman record their self-titled album "John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman" at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey 2021 - Oprah Winfrey interview with Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex broadcast on CBS, alleges Meaghan was made suicidal and subject to racist treatment by the palace More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1939 - Glamour magazine begins publishing 1945 - Yugoslavia government of Josep Broz Tito forms 1959 - "Bells Are Ringing" closes at Shubert Theater NYC after 925 performances 1998 - 19th Big East Men's Basketball Tournament: Connecticut beats Syracuse, 69-64 2024 - Sweden officially joins NATO as the alliance's 32nd member, abandoning its 200-year policy of neutrality More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1556 - Guillaume du Vair, French writer and thinker, born in Paris (d. 1621) 1844 - Anthony Comstock, American anti-vice crusader and philatelist, born in New Canaan, Connecticut (d. 1915) 1942 - Paul Preuss, American sci-fi author (Medusa Encounter, Starfire), born in Albany, Georgia 1960 - Ivan Lendl, Czech-American tennis player (world #1 270 weeks; 8 x Grand Slam singles title winner; 5 x Tour Finals, 2 x WCT Finals), born in Ostrava, Czech Republic 1967 - Randel "Randy" Guss, American musician and drummer (Toad the Wet Sprocket), born in Detroit, Michigan More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1810 - Albertus Henricus Wiese, governor-general of Netherlands Indies, dies at about 48 1891 - Franz von Miklosich, Slovenian philologist, dies at 77 1964 - Franz Alexander, Hungarian-American pioneering psychoanalyst (pioneered psychosomatic medicine), dies at 73 1991 - Greta Schoon, German poet, and kindergarten teacher, dies at 81 2002 - Abdul Mati [Matias Klarwein], French artist known for his works used on music album covers (Santana's Abraxus; Miles Davis' Bitches Brew; Osibisa's Heads; Jon Hassel's Dream Theory), dies at 69 More Famous Deaths »

1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of the Prussian Confederation pledge allegiance to the Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland, Casimir IV, who agrees to help in their struggle for independence from the Teutonic Knights 1665 - Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society begins publication 1946 - France recognizes Vietnam statehood within Indo-Chinese federation 1967 - WACS TV channel 25 in Dawson, GA (PBS) begins broadcasting 1974 - Australian cricketing brothers Ian (145 and 121) and Greg Chappell (247no and 133) score unique twin centuries in drawn 1st Test vs New Zealand in Wellington 1990 - SR-71 sets a transcontinental record, flying 2,404 miles in 1:08:17 2018 - American WWII aircraft carrier USS Lexington rediscovered in Australia's Coral Sea, lost during 1942 Battle of the Coral Sea 2021 - Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama is vaccinated against COVID-19 in Dharamsala, India and urges others to do so More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1882 - Monarch Milan Obrenovic of Serbia crowns himself king 1904 - The Japanese fleet bombards Vladivostok, the major Russian port on the Pacific 1933 - Poland occupies the free city of Danzig (Gdańsk) 1976 - 23rd ACC Men's Basketball Tournament: Virginia beats North Carolina, 67-62 1978 - Hustler publisher Larry Flynt and his lawyer shot by a militant white supremacist sniper in Georgia, leaving Flynt crippled and wheelchair bound More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1898 - (Johanne) "Jo" Vincent, Dutch concert soprano (St. Matthew's Passion; Benjamin Britten's Spring Symphony), and voice teacher, born in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1989) 1916 - Virginia Gregg, American radio and screen actress, singer and double bassist, born in Harrisburg, Illinois (d. 1986) 1966 - Maurice Ashley, American chess player and commentator (1st Black Grandmaster), born in St. Andrews, Jamaica 1970 - Edward Berger, German film director (All Quiet on the Western Front; Conclave), born in Wolfsburg, West Germany 1976 - Ken Anderson, American professional wrestler also known as "Mr. Kennedy" (WWE Smackdown!; TNA iMPACT! Wrestling), born in Wisconsin Rapids More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1490 - Ivan the Young, Russian Prince of Moscow, heir of Ivan III of Russia, and ruler of Tver by marriage to Maria of Tver, dies at 32 1954 - Louis Zimmermann, Dutch violinist (1st concert master of Amsterdam Symphony), composer, and educator, dies at 80 1967 - Nelson Eddy, American baritone (Phantom of the Opera), dies at 65 1984 - Ian Cromb, New Zealand cricket all-rounder (5 Tests, 1 x 50, 8 wickets; Canterbury), dies in a car accident at 78 1994 - Max Schubert, Australian pioneering winemaker (Penfolds), dies at 89 More Famous Deaths »

1579 - Betuwe joins the Union of Utrecht 1820 - Dutch city of Leeuwarden forbids Jews to go to synagogues on Sundays 1942 - World première of Dmitri Shostakovich' 7th Symphony in Kuybyshev, Russia 1966 - 75 MPH air currents causes BOAC 707 crash into Mount Fuji, 124 die 1969 - Price of gold reaches then record high ($47 per ounce) in Paris 1974 - First performance in 3,000 years of world's oldest known song "Hymn to Nikkal" a 3,400 year old Hurrian hymn to moon god Nikkal from Ugarit in Syria, played at Berkeley University by Anne Kilmer and Richard Crocker 1981 - Michael Stewart's musical "Bring Back Birdie" opens at Martin Beck Theater, NYC for 4 performances 1997 - Tommy Lasorda, Nellie Fox and Willie Wells inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1858 - Abolitionists establish "Crispus Attucks Day" in Boston 1959 - Iran and US sign economic and military treaty 1970 - "Airport" based on the book by Arthur Hailey, directed by George Seaton and starring Burt Lancaster and Dean Martin is released 1994 - Jefffesron Airplane/Starship singer Grace Slick arrested for pointing a gun at a cop 2019 - Japanese architect Arata Isozaki wins architecture's Pritzker Prize More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1817 - Austen Henry Layard, British archaeologist and diplomat (work in Mesopotamia including rediscovery of Nineveh), born in Paris, France (d. 1894) 1921 - Elmer Valo, American baseball outfielder (one of only 4, four-decade MLB players 1939-61; Philadelphia, KC Athletics), born in Rybník Czechoslovakia (d. 1998) 1932 - Earl Woods, American author (father of Tiger Woods; 2 x books about upbringing and coaching), born in Manhattan, Kansas (d. 2006) 1948 - Eddy Grant, Guyanese–British reggae singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist ("Electric Avenue"), born in Plaisance, British Guiana 1973 - Nicole Pratt, Australian tennis star (1995 Futures Australia), born in Mackay, Queensland More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1950 - Sid Grauman, American entrepreneur, established the Chinese Theatre and Egyptian Theatre, dies from coronary occlusion at 70 1994 - Abdullah Al-Sallal, President of Yemen (1962-67), dies 2006 - Richard Kuklinski, American mafia hit man, dies at 70 2010 - Peter Woodcock, Canadian serial killer who killed three children, dies in prison at 71 2018 - Hayden White, American "literary criticism" historian (Metahistory: The Historical Imagination in Nineteenth-Century Europe), dies at 89 More Famous Deaths »

1665 - English King Charles II declares war on Netherlands 1824 - The "National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck" founded in the United Kingdom, later to be renamed The Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 1858. 1918 - Terek Autonomous Republic established in RSFSR (until 1921) 1925 - Swain's Island, a remote coral atoll, is annexed by the United States and incorporated into American Samoa 1962 - AEC announces 1st atomic power plant in Antarctica in operation 1973 - 15th Grammy Awards: 1st Time Ever I Saw Your Face, America 2001 - Hintze Ribeiro disaster, a bridge collapses in northern Portugal, killing up to 70 people 2002 - Canada bans human embryo cloning but permits government-funded scientists to use embryos leftover from fertility treatments or abortions More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1841 - Dion Boucicault's stage comedy "London Assurance" opens at Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, London 1845 - James K. Polk inaugurated as 11th US President 1970 - Jacksonville is 1st college basketball team to avg 100+ pts per game 1995 - Replacement NY Yankees beat NY Mets 2-1 2023 - Andrew Tate's legal team states he has a dark spot on his lung, sparking rumors about lung cancer More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1889 - Oren E. Long, American politician and 10th Territorial Governor of Hawai'i (1951-3), born in Altoona, Kansas (d. 1965) 1907 - Maria Branyas, 2nd oldest American-Catalan supercentenarian (117 years, 168 days), born in San Francisco, California (d. 2024) 1909 - Harry B. Helmsley, American billionaire real estate developer (purchased Empire State Building, 1961), born in New York City (d. 199) 1938 - Alpha Condé, Guinean politician (President of Guinea, 2010-21), born in Boke, Lower Guinea 1973 - Jasper Somsen, Dutch jazz double bassist, composer and producer, born in was born Bennekom, Netherlands More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1193 - Saladin, 1st Sultan of Egypt and Syria and the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, dies of fever at about 55 1868 - Jesse Chisholm, American pioneer of the Chisholm Trail (b. 1805) 1927 - Ira Remsen American chemist, Johns Hopkins first Chemistry professor, dies at 81 1945 - Lucille La Verne, American actress (b. 1872) 2007 - Natalie Bodanya [Bodanskaya], American soprano, dies at 98 More Famous Deaths »

493 - Ostrogoten King Theodorik the Great beats Odoaker 1845 - US Congress authorizes ocean mail contracts for foreign mail delivery 1863 - Free city delivery replaces zone postage; 449 letter carriers hired 1883 - Congress authorizes the 1st steel vessels in US navy 1915 - US National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) created, the predecessor of NASA 1959 - The Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts opens in Yerevan, Armenia, with a collection of over 23,000 manuscripts 1966 - Kwame Nkrumah flees Ghana to exile in Conakry, Guinea 1987 - Ray Dandridge, third baseman in Negro Leagues, eleected to Hall of Fame More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1838 - Rebellion at Pelee Island, Ontario, Canada 1851 - Congress authorizes smallest US silver coin (3 cent piece) 1863 - Free city delivery replaces zone postage; 449 letter carriers hired 1939 - Mahatma Gandhi begins a fast in Bombay to protest against autocratic rule in India 2020 - World Bank pledges $12 billion in emergency aid for developing countries dealing with COVID-19 More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1838 - George William Hill, American astronomer (calculated Moon's orbit) and considered to be the greatest master of celestial mechanics of his time, born in New York (d. 1914) 1851 - Alexandros Papadiamantis, Greek author (The Murderess), born in Skiathos, Greece (d. 1911) 1911 - Jean Harlow [Harlean Carpentier], American actress and 1930s' sex goddess (Dinner at 8; Bombshell), born in Kansas City, Missouri (d. 1937) 1923 - (Arthel) "Doc" Watson, American Grammy Award-winning bluegrass, folk, and blues guitarist, songwriter, and singer, born in Deep Gap, North Carolina (d. 2012) 1929 - Jim Tunney, American football official (Super Bowl VI, XI, XII; record 29 post-season assignments), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2024) More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1806 - Heinrich Christian Boie, German author and editor, dies at 61 1926 - Cyril Metodej Hrazdira, Czech composer and conductor, dies at 58 1994 - Roman Haubenstock-Ramati, Polish-Israeli composer and music editor, dies at 75 2008 - Norman "Hurricane" Smith, British sound engineer (The Beatles, 1962-65), producer (Pink Floyd; The Pretty Things), and musician ("Oh, Babe, What Would You Say?"; "Don't Let It Die"), dies at 85 2014 - William R. Pogue, American astronaut, dies at 84 More Famous Deaths »