Today in History for 26th July 2023

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Historical Events

1755 - Giacomo Casanova is arrested in Venice for affront to religion and common decency and imprisoned in the Doge's Palace
1931 - 25th Tour de France won by Antonin Magne of France
1945 - After Labour landslide in general election, Clement Attlee becomes British Prime Minister
2009 - British Senior Open Men's Golf, Sunningdale: American Loren Roberts wins his second Open Senior title in a playoff with Mark McNulty and Fred Funk
2018 - Sir Paul McCartney performs a "secret" gig at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, where the Beatles began
2021 - Dominant British breaststroke swimmer Adam Peaty successfully defends his 100m title at the Tokyo Olympics beating Arno Kamminga of the Netherlands and Italian Nicolò Martinenghi

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Famous Birthdays

1801 - John Drake Sloat, 1st Military Governor of California (Union Navy), born in Sloatsburg, New York (d. 1867)
1863 - Jāzeps Vītols, Latvian composer, born in Valmiera, Russian Empire (d. 1948)
1928 - Peter Lougheed, Canadian politician (10th Premier of Alberta), born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada (d. 2012)
1931 - Patti Bown, American jazz pianist and composer (Gene Ammons, Quincy Jones), born in Seattle, Washington (d. 2008)
1957 - Nana Visitor, American actress (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), born in NYC, New York
1974 - Dean Sturridge, English football striker, born in Birmingham, England

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Famous Deaths

1471 - Pope Paul II [Pietro Barbo], Italian Pope (1464-71), dies at 54
1926 - Robert Todd Lincoln, American politician, lawyer, Captain (Union Army), diplomat, businessman, and son of President Abraham Lincoln, dies in his sleep at 82
1941 - Benjamin Lee Whorf, American linguist (the relation of language to thinking and cognition), dies at 44
1992 - Mary Wells, American pop and soul singer ("My Guy"), dies of laryngeal cancer at 49
2005 - Betty Astell, British actress (b. 1912)
2012 - Franz West, Austrian artist, dies at 65

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