YouViewed/Editorial

Today In The Past

 

 

Events

 

421 - Flavius Constantine becomes Co-Emperor as Emperor Constantius III of the Western Roman Empire with Honorius

1526 - Heavy storm strikes Dutch coast, many die

1575 - University Leiden founded, and given the motto “Praesidium Libertatis”

1600 - Vatican convicts scholar Giordano Bruno to death

1601 - Earl Robert Devereux of Essex armies draws into London

1622 - King James I disbands the English parliament

1672 - Isaac Newton reads 1st optics paper before Royal Society in London

1690 - French & Indian troops set Schenectady settlement NY on fire

 

 

 

1693 - William & Mary college is 2nd college chartered in US

 

 

 

 

 

1743 - Comet C/1743 C1 approaches within 0.0390 AUs of Earth

1807 - Napoleon defeats Russians in battle of Eylau

1855 - The Devil’s Footprints mysteriously appear in southern Devon.

1861 - Confederate States of America organizes in Montgomery, Ala

1862 - Battle of Roanoke Island NC, Federals gain control of Pamlico Sound

1865 - 1st black major in US army, Martin Robinson Delany

1879 - Sandford Fleming first proposes adoption of Universal Standard Time at a meeting of the Royal Canadian Institute.

1883 - Louis Waterman begins experiments to invents fountain pen

1887 - Aurora Ski Club of Red Wing, Minn became the 1st US ski club

1887 - Under the Dawes Act indians living apart from tribe granted citizenship

1887 - The Dawes Act authorized the President of the United States to survey Native American tribal land and divide it into individual allotments.

1894 - Enforcement Act repealed, making it easier to disenfranchise blacks

1896 - Western Conference forms of Midwestern U, later renamed Big 10 Conf

1898 - John Ames Sherman patents 1st envelope folding & gumming mach (Mass)

1904 - Russo-Japanese War begins

1905 - Cyclone hit Tahiti & adjacent islands, killing some 10,000 people

 

 

1910 - The Boy Scouts of America is incorporated by William D. Boyce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1911 - US helps overthrow Pres Miguel Devila of Honduras

1915 - ”Birth of a Nation” opens at Clune’s Auditorium in LA

1916 - French cruiser “Admiral Charner” torpedoed off Syrian coast, kills 374

1918 - ”Stars & Stripes,” weekly US armed forces newspaper, 1st published

1920 - Swiss men vote against women’s suffrage

1923 - Coal mine explosion at Dawson, New Mexico kills 120

1925 - Marcus Garvey enters federal prison in Atlanta

1926 - Walt Disney Studios forms

1928 - 1st transatlantic TV image received, Hartsdale, NY

1928 - Scottish inventor J Blaird demonstrates color-TV

1930 - ”Happy Days Are Here Again” by Benny Mereoff hits #1

1931 - Gas explosion Fire in Fushun-coal mine, Manchuria kills 3,000

1933 - -23°F (-31°C), Seminole, Texas (state record)

1933 - 1st flight of all-metal Boeing 247

 

 

 

1934 - Export-Import Bank organizes in Washington, DC

 

 

 

 

 

1936 - 1st ski jumping tournament, Red Wing, Minn

1936 - Pandit Jawaharlal follows Gandhi as chairman of India Congress Party

1940 - Lodtz, 1st large ghetto established by Nazis in Poland

1941 - Japanese armored barges cross Strait of Johore to attack Singapore

1942 - Congress advises FDR that, Americans of Japanese descent should be locked up en masse so they wouldn’t oppose the US war effort

1943 - Red Army recaptures Kursk

1944 - 1st black reporter accredited to White House, Harry McAlpin

1944 - U-762 sunk off Ireland

1945 - Allied air attack on Goch/Kleef/Kalkar/Reichswald

1946 - Premier Salazar of Portugal forbids opposition parties

1947 - Jan van der Hoorn wins 8th Dutch 11-cities skating race (10:51)

1948 - 5th Winter Olympic games close at St Moritz, Switzerland

1955 - Malenkov resigns as USSR premier, Bulganin replaces him

1955 - The Government of Sindh abolished Jagirdari system in the province. One million acres (4000 km²) of land thus acquired is to be distributed among the landless peasants.

1958 - French planes bomb Sakiet Tunisia, 75 die

1960 - Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom issued an Order-in-Council, stating that she and her family would be known as the House of Windsor, and that her descendants will take the name “Mountbatten-Windsor”.

1965 - Supremes release “Stop In the Name of Love”

1967 - Longest losing streak in Toronto Maple Leaf history (10 games)

1967 - Peter (Asher) & Gordon (Waller) discontinue their singing partnership

1968 - Officers kill 3 students demonstrating in SC State (Orangeburg)

1969 - Meteorite weighing over 1 ton falls in Chihuahua, Mexico

1971 - South Vietnamese troops invade Laos

1973 - Senate names 7 members to investigate Watergate scandal

1974 - ”Good Times,” debuts on CBS TV

1974 - Ringo releases “You’re 16″

1974 - Skylab 4′s astronauts land

1974 - Soap opera “Secret Storm” ends a 20 year run

1975 - 1800 Unification church couples’ wed in Korea

1978 - Proceedings of the United States Senate are broadcast on radio for the first time.

1981 - US female Figure Skating championship won by Elaine Zayak

1981 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Scott Hamilton

1982 - Dodgers trade Davey Lopes to A’s breaking up the longest-playing infield (Cey-Russell-Lopes-Garvey)

1983 - Wayne Gretzky sets NHL all star record of 4 goals in 1 period

1983 - Champion thoroughbred Shergar kidnapped in Ireland; never found Lloyds of London pays $10.6 million insurance

1984 - 14th Winter Olympic games opens in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia

1984 - 1st time 8 people in space

1984 - Soyuz T-10 launches with crew of 3 to Salyut 7

1985 - Michael Gross swims world record 800m freestyle (7:38.75)

1986 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Brian Boitano

 

 

 

1986 - 1984 Summer Olympics head of the LAPD bomb squad, Arleigh McCree, and his partner Officer Ronald Ball of the Firearms and explosives unit were killed while trying to dismantle two pipe bombs when they responded to a call. McCree was recognized as one of the top explosive experts in the world.

  

 

 

 

 

1988 - NASA launches DOD-2

1991 - Roger Clemens signs record $5,380,250 per year Red Sox contract

1992 - 16th Winter Olympic games opens in Albertville, France

1992 - Ulysses spacecraft passes Jupiter

1993 - GM sues NBC, alleging that “Dateline NBC” program had rigged 2 car-truck crashes to show that 1973-87 GM pickups were prone to fires

1994 - Jack Nicholson uses a golf club to attack a car

1994 - Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee charge with possession of loaded firearm

1996 - The U.S. Congress passes the Communications Decency Act.

2005 - Israel and Palestinians agree to cease-fire.

2008 - Nebraska bans electric chair as sole execution method.

 

 

Births

 

412 - St Proclus, patriarch of Constantinople

1191 - Yaroslav II of Russia (d. 1246)

1291 - Afonso IV, King of Portugal (1325-57)

1487 - Ulrich, Duke of Württemberg (d. 1550)

1552 - Agrippa d’Aubigné, French poet and soldier (d. 1630)

1577 - Robert Burton, writer, Anglican clergyman (Anatomy of Melancholy)

1612 - Samuel Butler, England, poet/satirist (Hudibras) (baptized)

1649 - Gabriel Daniel, French Jesuit historian (d. 1728)

 

1685 - Charles-Jean-François Hénault, French historian (d. 1770)

1720 - Emperor Sakuramachi of Japan (d. 1750)

1795 - Friedlieb F Runge, German chemist (Chinoline)

1804 - Richard Lemon Lander, British explorer (d. 1834)

1807 - Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins, English sculptor and naturalist (d. 1889)

1811 - Edwin Denison Morgan, Sect of War (Confederacy), died in 1883

1817 - Richard Stoddert Ewell, Lt Gen (Confederate Army), died in 1872

1819 - John Ruskin, writer/critic/artist/Gothic Revivalist (Prerafaelite)

 

 

 

1820 - William Tecumseh Sherman, Major General (Union Army), died in 1891

 

 

 

 

 

 

1824 - Barnard Elliot Bee, Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1861

 

 

 

1828 - Jules Verne, France, pioneered sci-fi (From the Earth to the Moon)

 

 

 

 

 

 

1882 - George Siegmann, actor (Birth of Nation, Queen of Sheba, Oliver Twist)

1882 - Thomas Selfridge, First person to die in an airplane crash (d. 1908).

1883 - Joseph A Schumpeter, Austria/US economist/minister of finance

1886 - Charlie Ruggles, LA California, actor (Ruggles, Aesop-Bullwinkle Show)

1895 - King Vidor, director (War & Peace, Stella Dallas)

1906 - Chester F Carlson, inventor (photocopy)

1911 - Anne Aitken, [nee Hopkins], Chicago, co-found (Diamond Sangha)

1911 - Elizabeth Bishop, US poet (North & South)/Pulitzer Prize (1956)

1911 - Henri Knap, Dutch resistance fighter/journalist/writer

1913 - John Grandy, Brits RAF-marshal

1918 - John Intoxication, resistance fighter

1919 - Buddy Morrow, orchestra leader (Jimmie Rodgers Show)

1920 - Lana Turner, Wallace Idaho, actress (Survivors, Falcon Crest)

1922 - Joeri Averbach, Russian chess grandmaster

1924 - Audrey Meadows, Wu Chang China, actress (Alice-Honeymooners)

 

 

 

1925 - Jack Lemmon, Boston Mass, actor (Days of Wine & Roses, Missing)

 

 

 

 

 

 

1925 - Raimondo d’Inzeo, It, equestrian (Oly-gold/2 silver/3 bronze-1948-76)

1926 - Neal Cassady, American writer (d. 1968)

1927 - Stanley Baker, Ferndale Wales, actor (Concrete Jungle, Zorro, Zulu)

1930 - Alejandro Rey, Buenos Aires, actor (Carlos-Flying Nun)

1930 - Catherine Hardy, Carollton Ga, 4x100m runner (Olympic-gold-1952)

1930 - James Deetz, American anthropologist (d. 2000)

1931 - James Dean, Marion IN, stage/film actor (Giant, Rebel Without a Cause)

1933 - Jack Larson, LA California, actor (Jimmy Olsen-Superman)

1934 - Galina Bystrova, USSR, pentathelete (1957, 58)

1934 - Nick Nolte, Omaha Nebr, actor (Teachers, 48 Hrs, Rich Man Poor Man)

1935 - Vincent Weir 3rd baron Inverforth, Scottish shipping magnate

1936 - Cletis Boyer, 3rd baseman (NY Yankees)

1938 - Ray Sharpe, singer

1940 - Ted Koppel, Lancashire England, American journalist (ABC Nightline)

1941 - Tom Rush, NH, rock guitarist/vocalist (Circle Game, Urge For Going)

1943 - Creed Bratton, California, rock guitarist (Grass Roots-Sooner or Later)

1946 - ”Fito” Adolpho De La Parra, LA California, rocker (Canned Heat-Hot Money)

1946 - Paul Wheatbread, rocker (Gary Puckett & Union Gap-Young Girl)

1948 - Dan Seals, McCamey Texas, country singer (England Dan & John Ford Coley-You Still Move Me)

1949 - Brooke Adams, NYC, actress (Cynthia-OK Crackerby, Body Snatchers)

1949 - Scott Allen, USA, skater (Olympic-bronze-1964)

1950 - Jose Armando Lopez-Falcon, Cuba, cosmonaut

1950 - Ted Turner, rocker (Wishbone Ash)

1950 - Cristina Ferrare, American former supermodel and actress

1952 - Nancy Lord, Libertarian VP candidate (1992)

1953 - Mary Steenburgen, Newport Ark, actress (Parenthood, Time After Time)

1955 - John Grisham, writer (Client, Firm, Pelican Brief)

1959 - Irina Kalinina, USSR, springboard diver (Olympic-gold-1980)

1959 - Pamela Jean Bryant, Indianapolis In, playmate (April, 1978)

1960 - Alex Scott, British horse trainer

1960 - Linda Fratianne, LA California, figure skater (Olympic-silver-1980)

1961 - Sammy Llanas, rocker (Bodeans)

1961 - Vince Neil, American singer (Mötley Crüe)

1961 - Bruce Timm,TV Producer (DC Animated Universe)

1963 - Joshua Kadison, American pianist and songwriter

1966 - Gary Coleman, Zion Ill, American actor (Arnold-Diff’rent Strokes)

1968 - Joy Fawcett, Inglewood California, soccer defender (Olympics-96)

1970 - Alonzo Mourning, NBA center (Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets)

1971 - Heidi Mark, Columbus OH, playmate (Jul, 1995)

1973 - Michelle Brogan, Australian basketball forward (Olympics-bronze-96)

1973 - Tom King, Australian 470 class yachter (Olympics-96)

1974 - Kimbo Slice, American mixed martial artist

1976 - Holly Manthei, Edina Minn, soccer midfielder/forward (Olympics-96)

1976 - Jim Parque, Norwalk California, baseball pitcher (Olympics-bronze-96)

1977 - Dave Farrell, American musician (Linkin Park)

1977 - Bridgette Kerkove, American actress

1978 - Christa Williams, Houston TX, softball pitcher (Olympics-gold-96)

1980 - Cameron Muncey, Australian guitarist (Jet)

1987 - Carolina Kostner, Italian European champion figure skater

 

 

 

Deaths

 

1124 - Stefanus of Thiers/Muret, founder of order of Grammond/saint, dies

1245 - Johannes de Rupella/de la Rochelle, French theologist, dies

 

 

 

1250 - Robert I of Artois, French crusader (b. 1216)

 

 

 

 

 

1265 - Hulagu Khan, Mongol ruler (b. 1217)

 

 

 

 

 

 

1296 - King Przemysł II of Poland (b. 1257)

1303 - Nanshu, Zen teacher (Rinzai line)/founder (Zounan temple), dies

1513 - Alonso de Ojeda, Spanish explorer (Curacao & Bonaire), dies

1623 - Thomas Cecil, 1st Earl of Exeter, English politician (b. 1546)

1650 - John Adriaensz, hydraulic engineer (Haarlemmermeer), dies at about 74

1676 - Aleksei M Romanov, 1st Romanov-czar of Russia, dies at 46

1686 - Francois Tak, Dutch diplomat on Java, murdered

1691 - Carlo di Girolamo Rainaldi, Italian architect/composer, dies at 79

 

 

 

1725 - Peter the Great [Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov], tsar of Russia (1682-1725) dies of uremia at 52

 

 

 

 

 

 

1768 - George Dance the Elder, English architect (b. 1695)

1771 - Augusta von Saxen-Gotha, German prince Frederick Louis of Wales, dies

1856 - Agostino Bassi, Italian entomologist (b. 1773)

1878 - Elias M Fries, Swedish botanist (mycologicum), dies at 83

1884 - Arnold Henry Guyot, Swiss/US geologist/meteorologist, dies at 76

1907 - Hendrik W Bakhuis Roozeboom, chemist (fasenleer), dies at 52

1924 - Gee John, US mobster (1st executed in gas chamber-Nevada), dies

 

 

 

1932 - Vincent “Mad Dog” Coll, mobster, killed by Dutch Schultz gang

 

 

 

 

 

1956 - Connie Mack, baseball manager (Phila A’s, 1901-50), dies at 93

1957 - John Von Neumann, astronomer, dies at 53

 

 

 

1959 - William J “Wild Bill” Donovan, Office Strategic Services, Medal of Honor Recipient , dies at 76

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1960 - Giles Gilbert Scott, British architect (b. 1880)

1960 - John Langshaw Austin, British philosopher, (b. 1911)

1963 - Abdul Karim Kassem, PM of Iraq (58-63), assassinated in Baghdad at 48

1974 - Fritz Zwicky, Swiss/US astronomer (supernova), dies at 75

1975 - Robert Robinson, British chemist, Nobel laureate (b. 1886)

1982 - John Hay Whitney, US newspaper magnate, dies at 76

1985 - William Lyons, British automobile manufacturer, dies at 84

1987 - Harriet MacGibbon, actress (Mrs Drysdale-Beverly Hillbillies), dies

1990 - Del Shannon, rock vocalist (Runaway), shoots self at 50

1993 - Paul Brickhill, Dutch/US WW II pilot/physician, dies

1995 - B G Hooghoudt, radiotelescope build (Dwingeloo/Westerbork), dies at 70

1995 - William Fulbright, US politician, dies

1996 - Mercer Kennedy Ellington, trumpeter bandleader/composer, dies at 76

1998 - William Lambert, Pulitzer prize-winning reporter, dies at 78

1998 - Julian Lincoln Simon, American economist and author (b. 1932)

1998 - Enoch Powell, British Conservative MP and shadow cabinet member (b.1912)

1999 - Iris Murdoch, Irish author (b. 1919)

2001 - Ivo Caprino, Norwegian animated film director (b. 1920)

2002 - Joachim Hoffmann, German historian (b. 1930)

2004 - Julius Schwartz, American comic book and science fiction editor (b. 1915)

2005 - Keith Knudsen, American drummer, vocalist and songwriter (The Doobie Brothers) (b. 1948)

2007 - Anna Nicole Smith, Playboy playmate and tabloid fixture dies suddenly at 39