Today in History for 26th October 2025

[CoM Moderators]

Historical Events

740 - An earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing damage to city walls and buildings
1926 - Belgium stabilizes current value of franc (5 franc becomes 1 "Belga")
1968 - KMIR TV channel 36 in Palm Springs, CA (NBC) begins broadcasting
1972 - Edwin Land introduces the first truly instant camera the Polaroid SX-70 camera at an event in Miami, Florida
1981 - British rock band Queen and David Bowie release their serendipitous collaborative single "Under Pressure"

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Famous Birthdays

1886 - Hermann Unger, German composer, music journalist, pedagogue and administrator (Rheinische Musikschule), born in Kamenz, Germany (d. 1958)
1930 - John Arden, English novelist and playwright (Left Handed Liberty), born in Barnsley, England (d. 2012)
1965 - Kelly Rowan, Canadian actress (Kirsten Cohen in "The O.C."), born in Ottawa, Ontario
1967 - Shelly Stokes, American softball catcher (Olympic gold 1996), born in Sacramento, California
1981 - Sam Brown, American comedian (The Whitest Kid U'Know), born in Sandwich, Massachusetts

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Famous Deaths

1902 - Elizabeth Cady Stanton, American women's rights activist, abolitionist and writer, dies of heart failure at 86
1975 - Herman van San, Belgian classical and electro-acoustic composer, dies at 46
1990 - Guus Jansen, Dutch pianist, Hammond organist, and popular song composer ("Net als Toen" - Eurovison, 1957), dies at 79
2004 - Bobby Ávila, Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame second baseman (MLB All-Star 1952, 54, 55; AL batting champion 1954; Cleveland Indians), dies of diabetes and lung ailment at 80
2005 - David Townsend, American session and touring RandB guitarist (Isley Brothers; Port Authority; Surface - "Shower Me With Your Love"), and songwriter, dies at 50

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