Today in History for 17th August 2024

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Historical Events

682 - Leo II begins his reign as Catholic Pope
1858 - 1st bank in Hawaii opens
1959 - 7.1 quake strikes Yellowstone National Park
1988 - US Republicans nominate George H. W. Bush for President
2008 - Jamaica dominates the 100m at the Beijing Olympics with Shelly-Ann Fraser taking the gold medal in 10.78; her teammates Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart dead-heat for silver in 10.98
2015 - Bomb blast in Bangkok at Erawan Shrine kills at least 19, injures over 100

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Famous Birthdays

1913 - Rudy York, American baseball player (Detroit Tigers), born in Ragland, Alabama (d. 1970)
1932 - V. S. Naipaul, Trinidadian-British writer (In a Free State, Middle Passage), born in Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago (d. 2018)
1938 - Abu Bakar Bashir, Indonesian Muslim cleric, born in Jombang, Dutch East Indies
1947 - Francine Hughes Wilson, American domestic abuse victim "The Burning Bed" who changed pubic perceptions, born in Stockbridge, Michigan (d. 2017)
1984 - Dee Brown, American basketball player (2005 Sporting News National Player of the Year), born in Jackson, Mississippi
2003 - The Kid Laroi [Charlton Howard], Australian singer-songwriter (Without You), born in Waterloo, Australia

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Famous Deaths

1153 - Eustace IV of Boulogne, son of Stephen of England (b. 1130)
1838 - Lorenzo Da Ponte [Emanuele Conegliano], Italian-American librettist (Don Giovanni; Cosi Fan Tutti), poet, and libertine priest, dies at 89
1976 - Murvyn Vye [Marvin], American actor (Road to Bali, Bob Cummings Show), dies of natural causes at 63
2004 - Gérard Souzay, French baritone, dies at 85
2007 - Bill Deedes, British journalist and politician (b. 1913)
2023 - Gary Young, American rock drummer (Pavement), dies at 70

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