Today in History for 16th March 2026

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Historical Events

1322 - The Battle of Boroughbridge takes place in the First War of Scottish Independence
1802 - US Army Corps of Engineers established (2nd time)
1830 - London's re-organised police force (Scotland Yard)
1865 - Battle of Averasboro North Carolina (1,500 casualties)
1958 - LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Beverly Hanson wins by 5 strokes ahead of Betty Dodd

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Famous Birthdays

1581 - Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft, Dutch historian, poet and playwright (Grandida; Nederduytsche Historiën / History of the Netherlands), born in Amsterdam, Dutch Republic (d. 1647)
1776 - Johan Gijsbert Verstolk van Soelen, Dutch minister of Foreign Affairs, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1845)
1929 - Nadja Tiller, Austrian actress (Ich suche Dich, Rosemary), and beauty queen (Miss Austria, 1949), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 2023)
1964 - Gore Verbinski, American movie director (Pirates of the Caribbean films; Rango), born in Oak Ridge, Tennessee
1991 - Wolfgang Van Halen, American rock bassist son of guitarist Eddie Van Halen and actress Valerie Bertinelli, born in Santa Monica, California

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Famous Deaths

1977 - Kamal Jumblatt, Lebanese politician and founder of the Progressive Socialist Party, assassinated by unknown gunmen at 59
2015 - Andy Fraser, English bass guitarist (Free), dies at 62
2021 - Erhan Önal, Turkish soccer central defender (12 caps; FC Bayern Munich, Standard Liège, Galatasaray), dies at 63
2022 - Bobby Weinstein, American songwriter (with Teddy Randazzo - "I'm on the Outside Looking In", "Goin' Out of My Head", "It's Gonna Take a Miracle"), and music executive, dies at 82
2025 - Doug Laughton, English rugby league lock (15 Tests GB; St. Helens, Wigan, Widnes) and coach (Widnes 504 games), dies at 80

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