Today in History for 6th August 2023

[CoM Moderators]

Historical Events

1890 - At Auburn Prison in New York, murderer William Kemmler becomes the 1st person to be executed by electric chair
1919 - 1st air flight over a major body of water in Australia (Harry Butler)
1940 - Estonia is annexed into Soviet empire
1967 - Minnesota Twins pitcher Dean Chance throws a perfect no-hitter vs Boston Red Sox, 2-0 in 5 innings before game is called because of weather
1983 - Supertanker Castillo de Bellvar catches fire and sinks northwest of Capetown, South Africa
1984 - 203.05 million shares traded in NY Stock Exchange

More Historical Events »

Famous Birthdays

1819 - Samuel Powhatan Carter, American Brevet Major General (Union Army), born in Elizabethton, Tennessee (d. 1891)
1826 - Thomas Alexander Browne, Australian writer (Robbery Under Arms), born in London (d. 1915)
1874 - Charles Fort, American writer and researcher (specialized in anomalous phenomena), born in Albany, New York (d. 1932)
1915 - Jim Ameche [James Amici], American voice actor (Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy), born in Kenosha, Wisconsin (d. 1983)
1925 - Leland Smith, American composer, bassoonist and computer coder who led music publishing into the digital age (SCORE), born in Oakland, California (d. 2013)
1945 - John Kongos, South African singer and songwriter ("He's Gonna Step On You Again"), born in Johannesburg

More Famous Birthdays »

Famous Deaths

1866 - John Mason Neale, English divine, scholar and hymnwriter (b. 1818)
1945 - Hiram Johnson, American progressive politician, US Senator, Governor of California (1911-17), dies at 78
1945 - Prince Wu of Korea (b. 1912)
1956 - Johan Frans van Bemmelen, Dutch zoologist, dies at 96
2009 - John Hughes, American film director (Breakfast Club; Ferris Bueller's Day Off), dies of a heart attack at 59
2011 - Mark Hatfield, American politician (29th Governor of Oregon), dies at 89

More Famous Deaths »