Today in History for 11th December 2023

[CoM Moderators]

Historical Events

1572 - Spanish troops begin siege of Haarlem
1862 - Battle of Fredricksburg in Virginia begins between Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Major General Ambrose Burnside
1913 - "Mona Lisa" recovered two years after it was stolen from the Louvre Museum
1937 - Italy withdraws from League of Nations
1975 - MLB New York Yankees make great trade getting Willie Randolph, Dock Ellis and Ken Brett from Pittsburgh Pirates for George "Doc" Medich
2004 - 70th Heisman Trophy Award: Matt Leinart, USC (QB)

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Famous Birthdays

1904 - Joe Coral [Joseph Kagarlitski], British bookmaker (Gala Coral Group), born in Warsaw, Poland (d. 1996)
1926 - Richard Devon, American character actor (Magnum Force, Battle of Blood Island), born in Glendale, California (d. 2010)
1948 - Chester Thompson, American session and touring drummer and percussionist (Frank Zappa; Genesis; Chester Thompson Trio), born in Baltimore, Maryland
1957 - Mike Mesaros, American bassist (The Smithereens, 1980-2005 and 2016-present - "Only A Memory"), born in New Jersey
1973 - Ralph Intranuovo, Canadian NHL center (Edmonton Oilers), born in East York, Toronto, Ontario
1978 - Celine Sciamma, French film director (Tomboy), born in Paris, France

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Famous Deaths

1857 - Castil-Blaze [Francois Henri Joseph Blaze], French composer and music critic, dies at 73
1941 - Charles Émile Picard, French mathematician, died at 85
1971 - Maurice "Mac" McDonald, American fast-food pioneer (b. 1902)
1983 - Szymon Laks, Polish composer (head of prisoners orchestra at Auschwitz), dies at 82
2009 - Richard O'Brien, British Industrial relations expert (Manpower Services Commission), dies at 89
2013 - Barbara Branden, Canadian writer, dies from a lung infection at 84

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