This Day in History
January 1

What happened in history on this day: January 1? On January 1 in ... 69 - Roman garrison of Mainz uprising. 89 - Governor Lucius Antonius Saturninus of Germany becomes emperor of Rome. 313 - Start of Roman (Pontifical) Indiction. 329 - Kontantinus (Konstantin's Son) becomes Caesar of the Western Roman Empire. His capital is Trier. 379 - Basilius the Great of Caesarea, saint (Moralia), dies. 404 - Last gladiator competition in Rome. 404 - Telemachus, Roman monk, murdered. 414 - King Ataulf of Narbonne marries emperor Honorius' sister Galle Placidia. 722 - Hofmeier Charles Martel flees from bishop Willibrord. 898 - Odo, Earl of Paris/king of France (888-898), dies at about age 39. 962 - Boudouin III count of Flanders, dies. 990 - Russia adopts Julian calendar. 1076 - The Holy Roman Emperor, Heinrich IV, persuades 26 bishops to refuse obedience to the Pope. 1387 - Birth of Charles The Angry One, king of Navarra (1349-87). 1387 - Karel de Boze king of Navarra (1349-87), dies. 1430 - Jews of Sicily are no longer required to attend conversionist services. 1431 - Birth of Alexander VI [Rodrigo Borgia] Spanish/Italian pope (1492-1503). 1438 - Albrecht II von Habsburg becomes king of Hungary. 1449 - Birth of Lorenzo de' Medici [The Magnificent] of Florence. 1467 - Birth of Sigismund I the old, king of Poland. 1484 - Ulrich Zwingli is born in Wildhaus, Switzerland; influential church reformer in the development of Swiss Protestantism. 1494 - Juw Dekama elected potentate of Frisia. 1502 - Gregorius XIII [Ugo Buoncampagni], Italy, pope (1572-85), dies. 1502 - Portuguese navigators discover Rio de Janeiro. 1504 - Birth of Caspar Cruciger German church reformer. 1504 - King Louis XII loses last bulwark in Naples, Caeta. 1515 - François, Duke of Angoulême succeeds Louis XII as François I of France. 1515 - Jews are expelled from Laibach Austria. 1515 - Louis XII Father of People, "the Justified" King of France (1498-1515), dies at age 52. 1517 - Hermann Vischer the Younger, German bronze merchant, dies. 1520 - Birth of Franciscus Balduinus [François Baudouin], lawyer. 1557 - Jacques Cartier French explorer (Canada), dies at age 65. 1559 - Christian III king of Denmark/Norway (1534-59), dies. 1560 - Guillaume du Bellay Sieur de Langey, French soldier, dies. 1573 - Geuzen sets fire to Woudrichem. 1583 - First day of the Gregorian calendar in Holland and Flanders. 1610 - German astronomer Simon Marius first discovers the Jupiter moons, but does not officially report it, Galileo does on July 1 1610. 1617 - Hendrick Goltzius Dutch painter/cartoonist/engraver, dies. 1618 - Birth of Bartolomé Esteban Murillo Spain, Baroque artist [baptized]. 1622 - Birth of Isaac Sweers Dutch Admiral/General/Civil rights activist. 1622 - Papal Chancery adopts January 1 as beginning of the year (was March 25). 1626 - Cornelis Pieterse Hoft Amsterdam merchant/regent, dies at age 68. 1628 - Birth of Christoph Bernhard German composer. 1630 - Tetsugen Zen teacher (Jodo sect converted to Obaku Zen), dies. 1638 - Birth of Antoinette du Ligier de la Guard Deshoulieres French poet/playwright. 1651 - Charles II Stuart crowned king of Scotland. 1652 - Birth of Johann Krieger composer. 1660 - First entry in Samuel Pepys' diary. 1660 - General Moncks army battles with the Tweed on way to London. 1660 - Thomas Fairfax' New Model-army occupies York. 1661 - Pieter Claesz Dutch still life painter, dies at about age 64. 1672 - Jean Racine's "Bajazet" premieres in Paris. 1675 - Don Carlos de Gurrea/Aragón becomes Spanish land guardian of South Netherlands. 1689 - Pro-James II-Earl of Danby occupies York. 1697 - Birth of Johann Pfeiffer composer. 1700 - Protestant West-Europe (except England) begin using Gregorian calendar. 1700 - Russia replaces Byzantines with Julian calendar. 1701 - Great Britain and Ireland union is in effect, creating United Kingdom. 1701 - Pietro Sanmartini composer, dies at age 64. 1707 - Jacob V succeeds his father Pedro II as king of Portugal. 1709 - Birth of Johann H H Bütz German/Dutch organ builder. 1714 - Birth of Kristijonas Donelaitis Lutheran pastor, Lithuanian poet (The Seas). 1716 - William Wycherley dramatist (The Country Wife), dies at about age 75. 1720 - Death of Francis Daniel Pastorius in Germantown, Pennsylvania (born in Sommerhausen, Germany). He purchased land from William Penn and founded the city of Germantown. 1723 - Birth of Christian Friedrich Gregor composer. 1729 - Birth of Edmund Burke British author/famous Whig (Philosophy and Inquiry, Reflections on the Revolution). 1730 - Daniel Finch second Earl of Nottingham, dies at age 82. 1734 - Birth of John F E Acton cruel premier of Naples. 1735 - Birth of Paul Revere; silversmith/US patriot (British are coming). 1739 - J B C Bouvet de Lozier discovers Bouvet Island, near Antarctica. 1745 - Birth of "Mad" Anthony Wayne General. 1748 - Birth of Giovanni Furno composer. 1752 - Birth of Elizabeth Griscom (Betsy) Ross; seamstress, flag maker (dies 1836). 1753 - Louis-Maurice de La Pierre composer, dies at age 55. 1758 - Johann F von Cronegk German playwright (Codrus), dies at age 26. 1764 - Birth of John Kinker Dutch linguist/philosopher/poet (Minderjarige Zangster). 1766 - Frans E Jacobus III Old Pretender, king of Great Britain/Ireland, dies. 1766 - James III Edward Old Pretender/king of Great Britain/Ireland, dies at age 77. 1768 - Jean-Laurent Krafft composer, dies at age 73. 1770 - Date of action in the opera "Madeleine". 1772 - First traveler's checks issued (London). 1776 - General George Washington hoists Continental Union Flag. 1777 - Birth of Micah Hawkins composer. 1777 - Emanuele Barbella composer, dies at age 58. 1780 - Johann Ludwig Krebs composer, dies at age 66. 1782 - Death of Johann Christian Bach in London at age 46 (born in Leipzig, Germany); son of J. S. Bach, composer at the King's Theater; tutor of Mozart. 1783 - Jacobus Enschedé Haarlems printer, dies at age 39. 1784 - Birth of William Beale composer. 1784 - Patrice F Earl de Nény South Netherlands Secret Council chairman, dies at age 67. 1785 - "Daily Universal Register" (Times of London) publishes first issue. 1787 - Arthur Middleton US farmer (signed Declaration of Independence), dies at age 44. 1788 - London's Daily Universal Register becomes the Times. 1788 - Quakers in Pennsylvania emancipate their slaves. 1789 - Christleib Siegmund Binder composer, dies at age 65. 1792 - Birth of Henrik A Bjerregaard Norwegian writer/poet (Sønner af Norge). 1793 - Francesco Guardi Italian painter, dies at age 80. 1797 - Albany replaces New York City as capital of New York. 1798 - Russia appoints first Jewish censor to censor Hebrew books. 1800 - Birth of Sydney Nelson composer. 1800 - Birth of Vaclav Horak composer. 1800 - Dutch East Indies Company dissolves. 1800 - Louis J M Daubenton France, zoologist, dies at age 83. 1801 - Ireland and Great Britain (England and Scotland) form United Kingdom. 1804 - Jean Jacques Dessalines proclaims independence of Haiti from France. 1807 - Curaçao is taken by English (until March, 1816). 1808 - African Benevolent Society (education) forms. 1808 - US Congress prohibits importation of slaves. 1808 - Sierra Leone becomes a British colony. 1809 - Birth of John Pieter Heije Dutch physician/writer/poet (Silver Fleet). 1809 - Holland Brigade under Brigadier General Chassé reaches Madrid. 1814 - Field marshal Blücher's troops cross the Rhine at Kaub. 1815 - Birth of Charles Renouvier French philosopher (neocriticism). 1816 - François Alexander Sallantin composer, dies at age 60. 1817 - Birth of Martin H Klaproth Germany, chemist. 1817 - Martin H Klaproth German chemist (uranium), dies at age 73. 1818 - Fedele Fenaroli composer, dies at age 87. 1818 - Official reopening of the White House. 1819 - Birth of Philip Schaff in Chur, Switzerland; early proponent of Protestant/Catholic ecumenicism. 1819 - Birth of Arthur Hugh Clough poet, friend of Matthew Arnold. 1819 - Birth of George Foster Shepley Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1878. 1823 - Birth of Sándor Petöfi Kikkörös, Hungary, poet, revolutionary (Jáos Vitéz). 1826 - Baron Van der Capellen resigns as Governor of Dutch-Indies. 1827 - Birth of William Lewis "Old Tige" Cabell Brigadier General (Confederate Army). 1827 - Dutch Trade Company NHM gets opium monopoly on Java. 1831 - Birth of William Joseph Westbrook composer. 1831 - William Lloyd Garrison publishes first issue of abolitionist journal. 1833 - British government demands Falkland islands. 1833 - Curaçao census 2,602 whites, 6,531 free people and 5,894 slaves. 1834 - Birth of Ludovic Halévy Paris France; actor (Carmen). 1834 - German Customs Union comes into force. 1838 - First official horse race in South Australia-Adelaide. 1838 - Birth of William Hugh Young Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1901. 1839 - Birth of Maria Louise Ramé "Ouida" Bury St. Edmunds Suffolk England, screenwriter (A Dog of Flanders, The Little Dutch Girl). 1840 - First recorded bowling match in US, Knickerbocker Alleys, New York City, New York. 1842 - First illustrated weekly magazine in US publishes first issue, New York City, New York. 1843 - Birth of Nikolay Nikolayevich Lodizhensky composer. 1844 - First edition of New Rotterdam's Daily (3x per week). 1846 - Birth of Nikola Pasic Serbian nationalist/premier (1891-1926). 1846 - Yucatan declares independence from México. 1847 - Michigan is first state to abolish capital punishment. 1847 - Netherlands Haarlem's Current newspaper starts publishing. 1848 - Britain takes Mosquito Coast from Nicaragua. 1850 - Raphael G Kiesewetter Austria musicologist, dies at age 76. 1851 - City of Glasgow steamer inaugurates Philadelphia-Liverpool line. 1852 - First US public bath opens in New York City, New York. 1852 - Netherlands begins issuing postage stamps. 1853 - First practical fire engine (horse-drawn) in US enters service. 1853 - Birth of Hans Koessler composer. 1854 - Birth of Sir James Frazer Britain, anthropologist/author (The Golden Bough). 1854 - Lincoln University, a black college, chartered (Oxford PA). 1858 - In Great Britain, the Matrimonial Causes Act of 1857 comes into effect, allowing affordable divorce to the middle class. 1858 - Canada begins using decimal currency system. 1860 - Slavery ends of in Netherlands Indies. 1861 - Birth of Isaac Murphy thoroughbred jockey, 628 wins on 1,412 mounts (44.5%). 1861 - Birth of William Morris Boston Massachusetts; actor (Brothers, The Roadhouse Murder). 1861 - Porfirio Diaz conquers Mexico City. 1861 - President Lincoln declares slavery in Confederate states unlawful. 1862 - First US income tax (3% of incomes > $600, 5% of incomes > $10,000). 1862 - Birth of Snitz Edwards Hungary; actor (College, Phantom of the Opera). 1862 - Battle of Fort McRee, Florida, and Battle of Port Royal, South Carolina (Port Royal Ferry). 1863 - First homestead under the Homestead Act claimed, near Beatrice Nebraska. 1863 - Birth of Aleko Konstantinov Bulgarian writer (To Chicago and Back). 1863 - Birth of Baron Pierre de Coubertin France; reviver of the Olympic games. 1863 - Franz Schuberts "Missa Solemnis" premieres in Leipzig. 1863 - Battle of Galveston, Texas - Confederates recapture the city. 1863 - Battle of Helena, Arkansas. 1863 - Emancipation Proclamation (ending slavery) issued by President Lincoln. 1864 - Birth of Alfred Stieglitz US photographer-father of modern photography/art dealer (Camera Work). 1865 - Birth of Giuseppe Ferrata composer. 1865 - (to April 26) Carolinas' campaign. 1866 - Birth of [Lars] Peter Elfelt [Petersen] Denmark, director (Henrettelsen). 1867 - Birth of Charles Edward Montague English author/critic (Fiery Particles). 1867 - Birth of Lew Fields New York City, New York, comedian/actor (of Weber and Fields, 23-Skidoo). 1869 - Birth of Louis de la Vallée-Poussin Belgian indologist. 1871 - Belgium disbands salt tax. 1873 - Birth of Mariano Azuela Mexico, novelist (The Flies, The Bosses). 1873 - Birth of Willis Robards Texas; actor/director (Mothers of Men, Every Woman's Problem). 1873 - Origin of Japanese Era. 1874 - Birth of Hugo Leichtentritt composer. 1874 - New York City annexes the Bronx. 1875 - Birth of Charles Rist French economist. 1875 - Birth of N F Druce cricketer (5 Tests for England vs Australia 1897-98). 1876 - Founding of the Reichsbank and the Mark becomes the German currency. 1876 - Birth of Johan C Altorf sculptor (October third monument). 1877 - England's Queen Victoria proclaimed empress of India. 1878 - Birth of Edwin Franko Goldman composer. 1878 - Birth of François Ambrosiny French dancer/choreograph (L'oiseau enchanté). 1879 - Birth of E[dward] M Forster London England, novelist (Howard's End, Passage to India). 1879 - Birth of Edward Dillon New York City, New York; actor/director (Young Ironsides, The Golden West). 1879 - Birth of Emile Argand Swiss geologist (Dekbladen Theory). 1879 - Birth of Ernest Jones British psychoanalyst (Life and Work of Sigmund Freud). 1879 - Birth of Paul Porcasi Palermo Sicily Itlay; actor (Say It Again, I'll Remember April). 1879 - Birth of William Fox Tulchva Hungary, US film pioneer (Nickelodeon). 1879 - John Brahms' Violin Concerto in D major premieres in Leipzig. 1880 - Birth of Edie Martin London England, actress (Titfield Thunderbolt). 1880 - Birth of Shalom Asch Poland, yiddish writer (Motke Ganev). 1880 - French workers begin official ground-breaking for a sea-level canal across Colombia's Panama province. 1881 - Birth of Carry van Bridges [de Haan], Dutch author (Heleen, Eva). 1881 - Birth of Richard Kean England; actor (Story of Will Rogers, Ten Commandments). 1881 - Dr John H Watson is introduced to Sherlock Holmes. 1882 - Birth of W C Wendelaar mayor of Alkmaar (1919-34)/Dutch Member of Parliament (VVD). 1883 - Birth of Federigo Tozzi Italian writer/journalist (La Torre, Tre Croci). 1883 - Birth of Heiko E Arnoldi Dutch actor (3 Drops of Water)/theater director. 1884 - Birth of George W Meyer Boston Massachusetts, composer/lyricist (Bells of St. Mary's, Broadway Babies). 1885 - Birth of Lawrence Alfred Bowes Newark California; actor (Big Town Ideas). 1885 - Birth of Roland Diggle composer. 1885 - Birth of Winifred Greenwood Geneseo New York, actress (Don't Call Me Little Girl, Love Never Dies). 1886 - First Tournament of Roses, Pasadena California. 1886 - Birth of Willard Robertson Runnels Texas; actor (Deep Valley, Fury at Furnace Creek). 1886 - Birth of William Edmunds Italy; actor (Lost Moment, Big Sombrero). 1887 - Birth of Wilhelm Canaris in Aplerbeck, Germany; admiral, head of German military intelligence. 1887 - Johan Hendrik Koelman portrait painter, dies at age 66. 1888 - Birth of Chesley Bonestell San Francisco California, special effects/actor/writer (Swiss Family Robinson, War of the Worlds). 1888 - Birth of Joseph Marievsky Russia; actor (Three Godfathers). 1888 - Birth of Ludwig Rex Berlin Germany; actor (Der Mensch am Wege). 1889 - Birth of Alexander Smallens Saint Petersburg, Russia, conductor. 1889 - Birth of Tadeusz Jarecki composer. 1889 - Birth of Tom Dugan Dublin Ireland; actor (Circus Clown, Drag, Skyway). 1890 - Birth of Florence Lawrence Hamilton Ontario, silent screen actress (Confidence). 1890 - Birth of Lawford Davidson London England; actor (Love Doctor, Vagabond King). 1890 - Birth of Wanda Capodaglio Asti Italy, actress (La Donna Nuda, Gelosia). 1891 - Birth of Alessandro De Stefani Cividale del Friuli Italy, writer (La Signorina, Africa sotto i mari). 1891 - Birth of Charles Bickford Cambridge Massachusetts; actor (John-The Virginian, Days of Wine and Roses). 1891 - Birth of Frank Pettingell Liverpool England; actor (Gaslight, Goose Steps Out). 1891 - French troops occupy Nioro, West-Sudan, 3000 killed. 1891 - King Pakketvaart sails to Netherlands Indies. 1892 - Birth of Artur Rodzinski Spalato Dalmatia Poland, conductor/composer. 1892 - Birth of Lillian Lorraine San Francisco California, actress (Lonesome Corners, Should a Wife Forgive?). 1892 - Birth of Manuel Roxas y Acuna first President of Philippines. 1892 - Birth of Miklos Radnai composer. 1892 - Ellis Island becomes reception center for new immigrants. 1893 - First US college extension courses for credit, University of Chicago. 1893 - Birth of Frank Badgley Ottowa Canada; actor (Man From Glengarry). 1893 - Birth of Jay Rescher Bayonne New Jersey, cinematographer (Girl of the Sea, Straight To Heaven). 1893 - Japan adopts the Gregorian calendar. 1894 - Death of Heinrich Hertz in Bonn, Germany; physicist, discovered how to produce, send, and receive radio waves. The radio frequency measurement "hertz" is named for him. 1894 - Birth of Iván Petrovich Novi Sad Serbia; actor (Magician, Garden of Allah). 1894 - Denmark adopts Mid-European time. 1894 - Manchester Ship Canal in England opens to traffic. 1895 - Birth of Alice Tissot Paris France, actress (Tambour battant, Jamais deux sans trois). 1895 - Birth of J. Edgar Hoover in Washington DC; Director of US Fedreal Bureau of Investigation (dies 1972). 1895 - Birth of Nathaniel Shilkret New York City, New York, conductor. 1895 - Birth of Rafael Martínez Zaragoza Spain, composer (Nuestra Natacha, Ana María). 1895 - Norway adopts Mid-European time. 1896 - Birth of Maurice Jacobson composer. 1896 - Birth of Teinosuke KinugasaMie Ken Japan, writer/director (Jujiro, Jigoku-mon). 1896 - Birth of Yitzhak Edel composer. 1896 - Wilhelm Röntgen announces his discovery of x-rays. 1897 - First football game between black colleges-Atlanta University 10, Tuskegee 0. 1897 - Birth of Al Martin screenwriter (Blondie Knows Best). 1897 - Birth of Walter Greaza Saint Paul Minnesota; actor (Martin Kane Private Eye, Edge of Night). 1897 - Brooklyn merges with New York to form present City of New York. 1898 - Birth of George van Derton Belgian racer (won 500 race). 1898 - Birth of Viktor Ullmann opera composer (Der Kaiser von Atlantis). 1898 - Lightship replaces whistling buoy at mouth of San Francisco Bay. 1898 - d'Annunzio's "Sogno d'un mattino di primavera" premieres in Rome. 1899 - Birth of Juozas Tallat-Kelpsa composer. 1899 - Birth of Lev V Kuleshov Tambov Russia, director/theorist (Po Zakonu). 1899 - Birth of Raymond Loucheur composer. 1899 - Cuba liberated from Spain by US (National Day) (US occupies till 1902). 1900 - First date in John dos Passos' USA trilogy (The 42nd Parallel). 1900 - Birth of Erwin S. Gelsey New York City, New York, screenwriter (Cover Girl, Touchdown Army). 1900 - Birth of Hubert van Doorne Dutch auto manufacturer (DAF). 1900 - Birth of Lillian Rich Herne Hill London England, actress (One Wonderful Night, Never Say Die). 1900 - Birth of Paola Borboni Parma Italy, actress (La Cage aux folles II, Cicciabomba). 1900 - Birth of William Haines Staunton Virginia; actor (Fast Life, Little Annie Rooney). 1900 - Birth of Xavier Cugat [Francisco de Asís Javier Cugat Mingall de Brue y Deulofeo] Tirona Catalonia Spain, bandleader (married Abbe Lane, Charo). 1900 - British protectorates of Northern and Southern Nigeria established. 1900 - Compulsory education in Netherlands goes into effect. 1901 - Australia declares independence from federation of United Kingdom colonies. 1901 - Birth of Christine Wittewaall van Stoetwegen Dutch Member of Parliament (CDD). 1901 - Ignatius Donnelly US attorney/Lieutenant-Governor (Minnesota), dies at age 69. 1902 - First Rose Bowl game (Pasadena CA) (University of Michigan-49, Stanford-0). 1902 - Birth of Aldo Graziati Scorze Italy, cinematographer (Othello, Indiscretion, The Wayward Wife). 1902 - Birth of Buster Nupen cricketer (1-eyed South African quick, great on matting). 1902 - Birth of Dimiter Nenov composer. 1902 - Nathan Stubblefield makes first public demonstration of radio, Pennsylvania. 1904 - In Great Britain, the Motor Car Act comes into effect (requires driving licenses). 1904 - Netherlands Indies colony begins opium production. 1905 - Nine-hour work day for diamond miners. 1905 - Birth of Melvin Price (Representative-Democrat-Illinois, 1945-). 1906 - Birth of Frank Stack Canada, speed skater (Olympics-bronze-1932). 1906 - Dutch law makes driver's license mandatory. 1906 - Joseph Miroslav Weber composer, dies at age 51. 1907 - Birth of Erich Schmid composer. 1907 - Cyrill Kistler composer, dies at age 58. 1907 - President Theodore Roosevelt shakes a record 8,513 hands in one day. 1908 - Birth of Kinue Hitoma Japan, 800m runner (Olympics-silver-1928). 1908 - Jack Hobbs makes his Test debut at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (83 and 28). 1909 - Birth of Barry Goldwater (Senator-Republican-Arizona, 1953-65, 69-)/Presidential candidate (Republican) 1964). 1909 - Birth of D D Hindlekar cricketer (Indian batsman and wicket-keeper 1936-46). 1909 - Birth of Dana Andrews Collins Mississippi; actor (Battle of the Bulge, Laura). 1909 - Robert Fowler runs then world record marathon (2 52 45.4). 1910 - Birth of Russ Bender actor/writer (Amazing Colossal Man, Space Monster). 1910 - Simpson-Hayward (England) takes 6-43 on debut with underarm lobs. 1911 - Belgian Mining law introduces 9.5-hour work day. 1911 - Birth of Endre Szervanszky composer. 1911 - Birth of Hammerin' Hank Greenberg Hall-of-Fame first baseman (Detroit Tiger). 1911 - South Australia transfers Northern Territory to federal government. 1912 - First running of San Francisco's famed "Bay to Breakers" race (7.63 miles/12.3 km). 1912 - Birth of Kim Philby British spy/Soviet mole. 1912 - Birth of Victor Reuther Wheeling West Virginia, labor leader. 1912 - Sun Yat-sen forms Chinese Republic. 1913 - Birth of Eliot Janeway financial writer (Economics of Chaos). 1913 - Post office begins parcel post deliveries. 1914 - First scheduled commercial passenger airline service, by St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line of St. Petersburg, Florida. Cost is US$5 for the 20 mile flight. 1914 - Klaas ter Laan becomes Netherlands' first socialist mayor (Zaandam). 1914 - Northern and Southern Nigeria united in British colony of Nigeria. 1915 - Birth of François Bondy writer. 1915 - Birth of Lewis Bingham Keeble town planner. 1915 - DW Griffith shows "Clansman" at a sneak preview. 1915 - Jews of Laibach Austria expelled. 1916 - First football game in Rose Bowl (Washington State-Brown). 1916 - First issue of "Journal of Negro History" published. 1916 - Birth of Earl Wrightson Baltimore Maryland, singer (Paul Whiteman's Goodyear Revue). 1918 - Birth of Willy den Ouden Dutch swimmer, (world record 100m, 1 04.06). 1918 - Last day of the Julian calendar in Finland. 1919 - Belorussian SSR established. 1919 - Birth of Bernard Drukker Dutch organist/pianist/orchestra leader (Devil's Wheel). 1919 - Birth of Carole Landis Fairchild Wisconsin, actress (One Million BC, Topper Returns). 1919 - Birth of Jerome David Salinger in New York City, New York, USA; novelist (Catcher in the Rye). 1919 - William W Campbell Canadian poet (Ian of the Orcades), dies at age 60. 1920 - Birth of Elisabeth Andersen [Anna de Bruyn], Dutch actress (Yerma, Titania). 1920 - Birth of Roger Peacock writer. 1920 - Paul Adam French writer (L'enfant d'Austerlitz), dies at age 57. 1921 - Birth of Alain Mimoun O'Kacha Algerian/French world cross-country champion (Olympics-gold-1956). 1922 - Birth of Ernest F Hollings (Senator-Democrat-South Carolina, 1966-). 1922 - Vancouver British Columbia, Canada starts driving on the right side of road. 1923 - Birth of Chalmers Goodlin US test pilot (XS-1). 1923 - Birth of Milton Jackson in the USA; vibraphonist (Milt of Bags). 1923 - Union of Socialist Soviet Republics established. 1924 - Grossdeutsche Völksgemeinschaft/Völkische Block replaces NSDAP. 1925 - American astronomer Edwin Hubble announces the discovery of galaxies outside the Milky Way. 1925 - Birth of George Conner NFL tackle, linebacker (Chicago Bears). 1925 - Birth of Valentina Cortesa Milan Italy, actress (Kidnap Syndicate). 1925 - Norway's capital Christiania changes name to Oslo. 1926 - Birth of Claire Polin [Schaff] composer flautist/musicologist. 1926 - Flood in Rhine strikes Cologne. 1927 - Birth of Barbara Baxley Stockton California, actress (Norma Rae, Countdown). 1927 - Birth of Juliusz Luciuk composer. 1927 - Birth of Maurice Béjart France, ballet choreographer (Rite of Spring). 1927 - Birth of Yuri Grigorovich Leningrad Russia, choreographer. 1927 - Communist uprising in West Java. 1927 - Brooklyn Dodgers announce release of future Hall of Fame Zack Wheat. 1928 - First US air-conditioned office building opens, San Antonio. 1928 - Algemeene Vereeniging Radio Omroep (AVRO) begins broadcasting (Netherlands). 1928 - Birth of Ernest R Tidyman Ohio, novelist/screenwriter (French Connection). 1928 - Birth of Khan Mohammad cricketer (Paki fast-med bowler, 54 wickets in 13 Tests). 1929 - Birth of Holling Gustav Vapor character on Northern Exposure. 1929 - Roy Riegels runs 60 yards the wrong way with Rose Bowl fumble recovery. 1930 - Birth of Gaafar Muhammad Nimeiry Premier/President (Sudan). 1930 - Birth of Werner Heiden composer. 1930 - Earl Claus von Stauffenberg promoted to second lieutenant. 1930 - Jurgens and Van den Berg merge with Lever Brothers to form Unilever. 1931 - Birth of Carel Brons composer. 1931 - Birth of Siddig El Nigoumi ceramicist. 1932 - Birth of Arnfried G D P Dutch manufacturer (breadcrumbs)/drugs dealer. 1932 - Birth of Giuseppe Patane Naples Italy, conductor. 1932 - Jacob Cocey Sr chosen as mayor of Massillon Ohio. 1932 - Rasse und Siedlungshauptamt publishes Himmler's wedding laws. 1933 - Birth of Anders Bo Leif Linde composer. 1933 - Birth of James A Abrahamson USAF/astronaut. 1933 - Birth of Joe Orton England; actor/dramatist (Prick Up Your Ears). 1934 - Alcatraz officially becomes a federal prison. 1934 - Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (US bank guarantor) effective. 1934 - International Telecommunication Union established. 1934 - Death of Jakob Wassermann in Altausee, Austria at age 60 (born in Furth, Germany); novelist: Die Juden von Zirndorf, Caspar Hauser, Christian Wahnschaffe. 1935 - First Sugar Bowl and first Orange Bowl. 1935 - Associated Press inaugurates Wirephoto. 1935 - Birth of Harold Martina Netherlands Antilles, pianist/conductor. 1935 - Birth of Valentin Nikolaevich N Benderov Russia, cosmonaut. 1935 - Eastern Airlines hires Eddie Rickenbacker as GM. 1935 - President Mustapha Kemal Pasha names himself "Atatürk Father of Turkey". 1936 - First newspaper to microfilm its current issues, New York Herald Tribune. 1936 - Birth of Eve Queler New York City, New York, conductor. 1936 - Birth of Willye B White US long jumper (Olympics-silver-1956). 1937 - Anastasio Somoza becomes President of Nicaragua. 1937 - Count Claus von Stauffenberg promoted to captain. 1937 - US Army Air Corps physiological research laboratory completed, Ohio. 1938 - Birth of Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard Queen of Netherlands (1980-). 1938 - Birth of Bill Emerson (Representative-Republican-Missouri, 1981-). 1939 - William Hewlett and David Packard found Hewlett-Packard. 1940 - Birth of Frank Langella Bayonne New Jersey; actor (Dracula, Diary of a Mad Housewife, 12 Chairs). 1940 - Birth of Jack Kiefer Columbia Pennsylvania, PGA golfer (1994 Ralphs Senior Classic). 1940 - Birth of Laszlo Sary composer. 1940 - Birth of Richard Henry Orton composer. 1941 - Netherlands begins taxing wages. 1941 - Russian General Zhukov appointed chief of General staff. 1942 - Birth of Country Joe McDonald California, rock guitarist/vocalist (and the Fish). 1942 - Birth of Gennadi Vassilyevich Sarafanov USSR, cosmonaut (Soyuz 15). 1942 - Birth of George Couroupos composer. 1942 - Birth of Martin Frost (Representative-Democrat-Texas, 1971-). 1942 - Jaroslav Jezek composer, dies at age 35. 1942 - Rose Bowl played in North Carolina due to Japanese threat-Oregon 20, Duke 16. 1942 - In Washington, D.C., representatives of 26 countries sign the Declaration of United Nations. 1942 - Japanese forces enter Manila in the Philippines. 1943 - Birth of Don Novello [Father Guido Sarducci], Ashtabula Ohio, comedian (Saturday Night Live). 1943 - Birth of Jerilyn Britz Minneapolis Minnesota, LPGA golfer (1979 US Women's Open). 1943 - Count Claus von Stauffenberg promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel. 1943 - Adolf Hitler decides to scrap the High Seas Fleet, to use the men, guns, and armor-plating for better uses. 1943 - Negro League star Josh Gibson suffers a nervous breakdown. 1943 - Jimmy Hart is born; wrestling manager. 1944 - First feature-length foreign movie, African Journey, shown on TV, New York City, New York. 1944 - Army defeats Navy 10-7 in football "Arab Bowl", Oran, North Africa. 1944 - Birth of Charlie Davis cricketer (West Indies batsman in 15 Tests 1968-73). 1944 - C T B Turner cricket (17 Tests 1886-95, 101 wicket All time great), dies. 1944 - General Clark replaces General Patton as commander of 7th Army. 1945 - (early) The German Luftwaffe launches 1000 sorties of fighter planes in a series of major raids on 27 Allied airfields in Holland, Belgium, and northwest France. They destroy over 300 Allied aircraft, but lose nearly 200 of their own. German anti-aircraft batteries, which were not informed of the raids, shoot down many of their own planes. 1945 - Birth of Jacques Ickx Belgium, Le Mans auto race (6-time winner). 1945 - France joins the United Nations. 1945 - Vit Nejedly composer, dies at age 33. 1946 - Birth of Manfred Stengl Austria, two man lugist (Olympics-gold-1960). 1946 - Birth of Rick Hurst Houston Texas; actor (Dukes of Hazzard). 1946 - ENIAC, US first computer finished by Mauchly/Eckert. 1946 - In Tokyo, Japan, Emperor Hirohito gives his first message to the public since the announcement of surrender in September. He renounces the notion of his divinity as a matter of legends and myths, and calls on the nation to eliminate evils of the past, and found a new peaceful Japan. 1946 - National Assembly proclaims Hungary a republic. 1946 - In Singapore, Siam signs a peace treaty with the United Kingdom and India. 1947 - Benelux agress to work-related issues. 1947 - Birth of Alexei Ivanovich Bobrov Russia, cosmonaut. 1947 - Birth of Gary "BB" Coleman blues vocal/guitarist/producer. 1947 - Birth of Peter Lankhorst Dutch Member of Parliament (PPR). 1947 - Birth of Vladimir Georgiyevich Titov Russia, cosmonaut (Soyuz T-8, TM-4, STS 63). 1947 - Britain nationalizes its coal industry. 1947 - The United States and Great Britain join their German zones of administration. 1948 - First color newsreel filmed, Pasadena California. 1948 - Bradman scores 132 in the first innings of the third Test vs India. 1948 - Britain nationalizes its railways. 1948 - General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade effective. 1948 - Hermann K J Zilcher German pianist/composer (Liebesmesse), dies at age 66. 1948 - Italy adopts constitution. 1948 - Orissa province accedes to India. 1948 - Willem Louis Frederic Landre composer, dies at age 73. 1949 - Birth of Nikolai Tikhonovich Moskalenko Russia, cosmonaut. 1949 - Birth of Peter Dormer arts writer. 1949 - Malcolm Campbell English cyclist (world speed-record), dies at age 63. 1949 - Tokelau (Union) Islands declared part of New Zealand. 1950 - Birth of Morgan Fisher rock keyboardist (British Lions). 1950 - Birth of Svetlana Georgievna Beregovkina Russia, cosmonaut. 1950 - Birth of Yevgeni Vladimirovich Saley cosmonaut. 1950 - Ho Chi Minh begins offensive against French troops in Indo-China. 1951 - Birth of Frans Kellendonk author (Ruin, The Good for Nothing). 1951 - Massive Chinese/North Korean assault on United Nations-lines. 1952 - Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 5th string quartet. 1953 - Birth of Alpha Blondy [Seydou Kone], Ivory coast, reggae singer (Jerusalem). 1953 - Birth of Kevin Hangon composer. 1953 - Birth of Rochelle S Abramson violinist. 1953 - Ernest Blochs "Suite Hebraique" premieres. 1953 - Hank Williams, country singer (Cold Cold Heart), dies at age 29. 1953 - Ludomir Rózycki Polish composer/conductor (Casanova), dies at age 68. 1954 - Birth of Fr David Paris France, rocker. 1954 - Rose and Cotton Bowl are first sport colorcasts. 1954 - Yugoslav parliament chairman/Vice President Milovan Djilas criticize communism. 1955 - Bhutan issues its first postage stamps. 1955 - Birth of Michael James Sullivan Gary Indiana, PGA golfer (1980 Southern Open). 1956 - Birth of Anatoli Borisovich Polonsky Russia, Lieutenant-Colonel/cosmonaut. 1956 - Birth of Sergei Vasiliyevich Avdeyev Russian cosmonaut (Soyuz TM-15, SK TM-28). 1956 - Elvis Presley records Heartbreak Hotel for RCA in Nashville. 1956 - Sudan (Anglo-Egyptian Sudan) gains independence from Britain and Egypt (National Day). 1957 - Benjamin Britten's ballet "Prince and the Pauper" premieres in London. 1957 - France returns Saar to becomes the 10th state of German Federal Republic. 1957 - International Geophysical Year begins; ends 6/30/1958 (18-month year). 1957 - Ruth Draper US elocutionist, dies at age 67. 1958 - BOAC Britannia flies London to New York in a record 7 hours 57 minutes. 1958 - Birth of Joseph "Grandmaster Flash" Saddler in New York City, New York, USA; rocker (Message). 1958 - Birth of Ren Woods in Portland, Oregon, USA; actress (Fanta - Roots). 1958 - David Broekman, musician (Think Fast), dies at age 55. 1958 - Starting date of the European Economic Community (EEC Common Market) (France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands). 1959 - Birth of Abdul Ahad Mohmand in Afghanistan; cosmonaut (Soyuz TM-6). 1959 - NBC airs the last The Ed Wynn Show TV show. 1959 - Castro leads Cuba to victory as Fulgencio Batista flees to Dominican Republic. 1959 - Chad becomes autonomous republic in French Community. 1959 - Rohan Kanhai completes 256 vs India at Calcutta. 1960 - Bank of France issues new franc, worth 20 cents. 1960 - Birth of Michael David Morrison; actor (Caleb Snyder - As the World Turns). 1960 - Cameroon (French Cameroon) gains independence from France. 1960 - Johnny Cash plays first of many free concerts behind bars. 1960 - Margaret Sullavan, actress (Back Street), dies of overdose at age 48. 1960 - Montserrat adopts constitution. 1961 - Birth of Irv Eatman; NFL tackle (Houston Oilers). 1961 - Briggs Stadium is renamed Tigers Stadium. 1961 - Largest check issued, National Bank of Chicago to Sears (US$960.242 billion). 1962 - Birth of Ravshanbek Aliyev Kirgiz; cosmonaut. 1962 - Diego Martínez Barrio, Spanish president (1939), dies at age 76. 1962 - Rwanda granted internal self-government by Belgium. 1962 - Western Samoa gains independence from New Zealand; Susuga Malietoa Tanumafili II becomes co-chief of Western Samoa. 1963 - Birth of Glenn Trimble; cricketer (son of Sam Two ODI's for Australia 1986). 1963 - Birth of Lance Smith; NFL guard (New York Giants). 1963 - G Woods succeeds Eugene Black as president of the World Bank. 1964 - Alf Hall, cricketer (South African lefty quick took 40 wickets in 7 Tests), dies. 1964 - Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland dissolved. 1964 - Otto Emanuel Olsson, composer, dies at age 84. 1964 - Rika Hopper, Dutch actress (Comedia, Anastasia), dies at about age 86. 1965 - Birth of Andrew O Valmon in Brooklyn, New York, USA; 400m runner. 1965 - Birth of DeDee Pfeiffer; actress (Cybill). 1965 - Birth of Harry Galbreath; NFL guard (Green Bay Packers). 1965 - Birth of Mark Dewey; US baseball player (Pittsburgh Pirates). 1965 - Gertrude Michael, actress (Caged, Cleopatra), dies at age 53. 1965 - International Cooperation Year begins. 1965 - Juan Bautista Plaza-Alfonzo, composer, dies at age 66. 1965 - Palestinian al-Fatah organization forms. 1966 - All US cigarette packs have to carry "Caution Cigarette smoking may be hazardous to your health". 1966 - Birth of Mika Nieminen in Tampere, Finland; hockey forward (Team Finland, Olympics-bronze-1998). 1966 - Birth of Rawley Valberde in Oceanside, California, USA; actor (Amado - Santa Barbara). 1966 - Military coup by Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa in Central African Republic. 1966 - Simon and Garfunkel's song "Sounds of Silence" reaches number 1. 1966 - Vincent Auriol, President of France (1947-53), dies at age 82. 1967 - Birth of Andy Heck; NFL tackle (Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears). 1967 - Birth of Derrick Thomas; NFL linebacker (Kansas City Chiefs). 1967 - CRU becomes the CAFA and turns over the Grey Cup trophy to the Canadian Football League. 1967 - Day's play in the Calcutta Test vs West Indies cancelled by riots. 1967 - US Federal Communications Commission requires AM-FM sister stations to be at least 50 percent different. 1967 - Green Bay Packers beat Dallas Cowboys 34-27 in NFL championship game. 1967 - Kansas City Chiefs beat Buffalo Bills 31-7 in AFL championship game. 1967 - Maurice Leyland, cricketer (41 Tests for England, 2764 runs), dies. 1967 - Moon Mullican, rocker, dies at age 58. 1967 - Saint Helena adopts constitution. 1967 - Tonga revises constitution. 1968 - ABC radio splits into four networks (Info, Entertainment, Contemp and FM). 1968 - Birth of John de Visser; soccer player (SC Heerenveen). 1968 - Birth of Sandy Beasley in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada; softball outfielder (Olympics-1996). 1968 - Evel Knievel fails in his attempt to jump Cæsar's Palace Fountain. 1968 - Netherlands gets color TV. 1969 - Barton Maclane, actor (General Peterson - I Dream of Jeannie), dies at age 68. 1969 - Birth of Morris Chestnut; actor (Boyz N the Hood). 1969 - Birth of Reemt Pyka in Bremerhaven, Germany; hockey forward (Team Germany). 1969 - Jack Kent Cooke, owner of NHL's Los Angeles Kings, fines each player $100 for "NOT" arguing with the referee. 1970 - Afro-American Historical Calendar Series Established. 1970 - Birth of Brian Morton in Wollongong, Australia; canoeist (Olympics-1996). 1970 - Birth of Tom Sier; soccer player (SC Heerenveen). 1970 - Birth of Vadim Glovatskiy; hockey defenseman (Team Kazakhstan Olympics-1998). 1970 - Charles "Chub" Feeney becomes president of baseball's National League. 1970 - Neth Christian Workers Union (NCW) forms. 1970 - Revised calendar for Western (RC) Church goes into effect. 1971 - Birth of Beno Bryant; WLAF running back (Amsterdam Admirals). 1971 - Birth of Bobby Holik in Jihlava, Czechoslavakia; NHL left wing (New Jersey Devils, Team Czech Republic). 1971 - Birth of Bridget Pettis; WNBA guard (Phoenix Mercury). 1971 - Birth of Kevin Lee; NFL wide receiver (New England Patriots). 1971 - Birth of Kevin Mitchell; NFL linebacker (San Francisco 49ers). 1971 - Cigarette advertisements banned on TV in USA. 1972 - Company closes at Alvin Theater in New York City, New York after 690 performances. 1972 - Promises Promises closes at Shubert Theater in New York City, New York after 1281 performances. 1972 - Birth of Barron Miles; NFL defensive back (Pittsburgh Steelers)/WLAF corner (Frankfurt). 1972 - Birth of Ivan Droppa; hockey defenseman (Team Slovakia 1998). 1972 - International Book Year begins. 1972 - Jane Morgan, actress (Mrs Margaret Davis - Our Miss Brooks), dies at age 91. 1972 - Kenneth Patchen, American poet/writer (Cloth of Tempest), dies at age 60. 1972 - Maurice A Chevalier, French actor (Can Can, Gigi), dies at age 83. 1972 - People's Republic of China performs nuclear test at Lop Nor. 1973 - 47th Australian Women's Tennis: Margaret Court beats Goolagong (6-4, 7-5). 1973 - Birth of Clyde Wijnhard; soccer player (Ajax, RKC). 1973 - Birth of Fang Li in Hunan, China; tennis star (1991 Futures-Bilbao-ESP). 1973 - Birth of Justin Armour; NFL wide receiver (Buffalo Bills). 1973 - Birth of Mercury Hayes; wide receiver (Atlanta Falcons). 1973 - Great Britain, Ireland, and Denmark become 7th-9th members of European Common Market. 1973 - West African Economic Community formed (Benin, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Upper Volta). 1974 - Birth of Johnie Church; NFL defensive end (Seattle Seahawks). 1974 - Lee MacPhail takes over as American League president, succeeding Joe Cronin. 1974 - NBC radio begins on-the-hour news 24 hours a day (following CBS lead). 1974 - World Population Year begins. 1975 - Arthur Pierson, actor/director (Hat Check Girl), dies at age 73. 1975 - Birth of Becky Kellar; ice hockey defenseman (Canada, Olympics-1998). 1975 - Birth of Chris Anstey; NBA center (Dallas Mavericks). 1975 - Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Mitchell and Mardian convicted of Watergate crime. 1975 - International Women's Year begins. 1975 - Sweden adopts constitution. 1976 - Liberty Bell moves to new home behind Independence Hall. 1976 - NBC TV replaces the peacock logo. 1976 - Venezuela nationalizes oil fields. 1977 - First woman formally ordained an Episcopal priest (Jacqueline Means). 1977 - Belgium reapportions 2,359 communities into 596. 1977 - Tony Dorsett runs for record 202 yards in the Sugar Bowl. 1978 - Your Arm's Too Short... closes at Lyceum theater in New York City, New York after 429 performances. 1978 - Air India B747 explodes near Bombay killing 213. 1979 - International Year of the Child begins. 1979 - Jura, 26th canton of Switzerland, established. 1979 - US and People's Republic of China begin diplomatic relations. 1979 - The European Currency System (EWS, Europaische Wahrungssystem) comes into force. The ECU is created. The name ECU is later changed to the Euro. 1980 - In Azores Islands, Portugal, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake occurs. At least 60 people killed, 400 or more injured and extensive damage. 1980 - 54th Australian Womens Tennis: Barbara Jordan beats S Walsh (6-3, 6-3). 1980 - Alabama beats Arkansas in Sugar Bowl for college football championship. 1980 - Chrysler UK renamed Talbot. 1980 - Frank Clifford Wykoff, sprinter (Olympics-gold-1928, 1932, 1936), dies at age 70. 1980 - International Decade of Water and Sanitation begins. 1980 - Mob storms Russian embassy in Teheran, Iran. 1980 - Pietro Nenni, Italian politician (Socialists), dies at age 88. 1980 - Premier Adbou Diouf becomes President of Senegal. 1980 - Changes to the Swedish Act of Succession make Victoria of Sweden Crown Princess over her younger brother. 1980 - Birth of Elin Nordegren; Swedish model. 1980 - Birth of Mark Nichols; Canadian curler. 1981 - Birth of Zsolt Baumgartner; Hungarian race car driver. 1981 - Birth of Rashod Moulton; National Football League player. 1981 - Birth of Eden Riegel; American actress. 1981 - Georgia beats Notre Dame in Sugar Bowl for college football title. 1981 - Greece is 10th country to join European Economic Community. 1981 - International Year for the Disabled begins. 1981 - Palau (Trust Territory of Pacific Islands) becomes self-governing. 1981 - Roger Smith becomes CEO of General Motors. 1982 - Clemson wins the Orange Bowl for college football championship. 1982 - Javier Pérez de Cuellar becomes Secretary-General of United Nations. 1982 - Paul Belmondo, French sculptor (Bathing Woman, Orléans), dies at age 83. 1982 - Pope John Paul II prays for an end to martial law in Poland. 1982 - Victor Buono, actor (Mr Schubert-Man from Atlantis), dies at age 43. 1982 - Vladimir K Zworykin, Russian/American engineer (cathode-ray tube), dies. 1982 - Birth of Kevin Dudley; National Football League runningback. 1982 - Birth of David Nalbandian; Argentine tennis player. 1983 - World Communications Year begins. 1983 - The ARPANET officially changes to using the Internet Protocol, creating the Internet. 1983 - Birth of Emi Kobayashi; Japanese gravure idol. 1983 - Birth of Jasmine Dustin; American actress and model. 1983 - PGA inaugurates all-exempt tour. 1983 - Pennsylvania State beats Georgia in Sugar Bowl for college football title. 1984 - Death of Alexis Korner, British blues musician and broadcaster (born 1928). 1984 - AT&T's Bell System companies divest into 24 independent units. 1984 - Brunei becomes independent of United Kingdom. 1984 - Birth of Michael Witt, Australian rugby league player. 1985 - Actress Judith Light (Who's The Boss?) marries actor Robert Desiderio (Knots Landing). 1985 - International Youth Year begins. 1985 - US's first manadatory seat belt law goes into effect (New York). 1985 - VH-1 makes its broadcasting debut. 1985 - Birth of Deivson Rogerio da Silva; Brazilian footballer who plays for Besiktas J.K. 1985 - Birth of Steven Davis; Northern Irish footballer. 1985 - The first British mobile phone call is made (by Ernie Wise to Vodafone). 1985 - The Internet's Domain Name System is created. 1986 - Birth of Lee Sungmin; Korean singer, member of Super Junior. 1986 - Birth of Alexa Ray Joel; American singer/songwriter daughter of Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley. 1986 - Aruba becomes independent from neighbor island Curaçao (part of Kingdom of the Netherlands). 1986 - International Peace Year begins. 1986 - Iowa's All-American running back, Ronnie Harmon, fumbles the ball four times in his last game-the Rose Bowl. 1986 - Oklahoma wins Orange Bowl for college football championship. 1986 - Spain and Portugal become 11th and 12th members of Common Market (European Economic Community). 1986 - Death of Alfredo Binda, Italian cyclist (born 1902). 1987 - Frobisher Bay, Northwest Territories, changes its name to Iqaluit. 1987 - 60 bodies recovered in Dupont Plaza Hotel fire in Puerto Rico. 1987 - China's rudimentary civil code comes into effect. 1987 - Gustav Knuth, actor (Heidi, Rats), dies at age 85. 1987 - International Year of Shelter for Homeless begins. 1987 - Year of the Reader begins. 1988 - Actress Kelly McGillis marries Fred Tillman. 1988 - Czech-born tennis star Hana Mandikova becomes an Australian citizen. 1988 - Leo Steiner, New York Carnegie Deli's owner, dies. 1988 - Miami beats Oklahoma for college football championship. 1988 - The Soviet Union begins its program of economic restructuring (perestroika) with legislation initiated by Premier Mikhail Gorbachev. 1988 - The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is established, creating the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States. 1989 - Year of the Young Reader begins. 1990 - Charles Boost, Dutch film critic, dies at age 82. 1990 - US Federal Communications Commission implements "SYNDEX" giving independent stations more rights over cable TV outlets for exclusive syndicated programs. 1990 - Gerhard Schröder, West German minister of Defense, dies at age 79. 1990 - Joe Hardstaff Jr, cricketer (23 Tests for England, 1636 runs), dies. 1990 - Mitsuko Nishiwaki beats Nakano to become Japan Women wrestling champ. 1990 - Sports News Network begins operation on cable TV. 1990 - Suzuki Sochu, Zen teacher (Rinzai line)/abbot of Ryutakuji, dies. 1991 - 5 percent sales tax on consumer goods and services goes into effect in USSR. 1991 - Charles B Timmer, Dutch writer (Russia Black on White), dies at age 83. 1991 - Iraq rejects peace proposal from Egyptian President Hosi Mubarak. 1991 - Les Miserables opens at Festival Theatre, Adelaide. 1991 - The Colorado Buffaloes claim US college football's national championship with a 10-9 win over Notre Dame in the 1991 Orange Bowl. 1991 - Yvonne Waegemans, Flemish author (Gnome Patjoepelke), dies at age 81. 1992 - Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General. 1992 - George H. W. Bush becomes the first U.S. President to address the Australian Parliament. 1992 - Constantin Poustochkine, jazz critic, dies. 1992 - Corky Geil, dancer, dies in Long Beach, California at age 64. 1992 - Curaçao becomes first in Dutch Antilles to have compulsory education. 1992 - Ginette Leclerc, actress (Baker's Wife), dies at age 79. 1992 - American Rear Admiral Grace Hopper dies, at age 85. Her computer-related career included programming the Mark I in the 1940s, helping invent the COBOL language, contributing to the first practical compiler, and coining the term "bug" in 1945. 1992 - Hette G Abma, vicar/Dutch Member of Parliament (SGP), dies. 1992 - International Space Year begins. 1992 - Mike Frankovich, US producer (Guess Who's Coming to Dinner), dies. 1993 - Twelve-member European Economic Community set up vast free trade zone. 1993 - Blockbuster Bowl 3 Stanford beats Pennsylvania State, 24-3. 1993 - Czechoslovakia separates into Czech Republic and Slovakia. 1993 - June Clayworth, actress (Bodyguard, Criminal Court), dies of lymphoma. 1993 - Phyllis Hill, actress (Singing in the Dark), dies of lung cancer at age 72. 1994 - In Canada, a Celebration '94 ticket on the Lotto 6/49 lottery gives CDN$1 million to a Toronto resident. 1994 - Flying Karamzov Brothers closes at Helen Hayes theater in New York City, New York after 50 performances. 1994 - Grand Night after Singing closes at Criterion theater in New York City, New York after 52 performances. 1994 - Aleksandr Popov swims world record 100m free style (47.83). 1994 - Carquest Bowl 4: Boston College beats Virginia, 32-13. 1994 - Cesar Romero, Cuban-American actor (Joker-Batman), dies at age 86 (born 1907). 1994 - Howard Stern's New Year's Eve Beauty Pageant. 1994 - International Year of Family. 1994 - Jacobs Field opens with "Gateway's New Year's Eve Countdown to '94". 1994 - Microsoft CEO Bill Gates (38) marries Melinda French (29). 1994 - The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) goes into effect in Canada, USA, and Mexico. 1994 - Werner Schwab, Austrian playwright (Female Presidents), dies at age 35. 1994 - Florida State University beats the University Of Nebraska in the Orange Bowl for the US national football championship. 1994 - The Zapatista Army of National Liberation begins their war in Chiapas, Mexico. 1994 - Death of Arthur Espie Porritt, New Zealand politician and athlete (born 1900). 1995 - Glass Menagerie closes at Criterion Theater in New York City, New York after 57 performances. 1995 - Shadow Box closes at Circle in Square Theater in New York City, New York after 49 performances. 1995 - Tuna Christmas closes at Booth Theater in New York City, New York 20 performances. 1995 - Austria, Finland, and Sweden enter the European Union. 1995 - The Draupner wave in the North Sea in Norway is detected, confirming the existence of freak waves. 1995 - Centennial of Canadian Mounties presence in Canada's Yukon Territory. 1995 - Eugene Wigner, physicist (Nobel Prize for physics-1963), dies at age 92 (born 1902). 1995 - Fernando Henrique Cardoso installed as President of Brazil. 1995 - Frederick West, English contractor/serial killer, commits suicide at age 53. 1995 - International Year of Tolerance. 1995 - Jess Stacy, US jazz pianist (Great Gatsby), dies at age 90. 1995 - Last "Far Side" by cartoonist Gary Larson (started 1980). 1995 - Raman Lamba and Ravi Sehgal score 464 for first wicket for Delhi. 1995 - Ted Hawkins, US blues singer (Watch Your Step), dies at age 58. 1995 - The World Trade Organization is established to replace GATT. 1995 - In Germany, the "Solidaritätszuschlag" (a special tax for rebuilding the East) is introduced and applies to income taxes and corporate taxes. 1996 - California begins a three-year moratorium on new cardclubs in the state. 1996 - After 27 years, Betty Rubble debuts as a Flintstones vitamin. 1996 - Arleigh Albert Burke, British Admiral, dies at age 94. 1996 - Arthur Rudolph, rocket engineer, dies at age 89. 1996 - Curaçao gains limited form of self rule (Status Aparte). 1996 - Hamish Imlach, folk singer/comic, dies at age 55. 1996 - Birth of Mary Gibbs, American actress. 1996 - In Minahasa, Sulawesi, Indonesia, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake occurs. At least eight people killed, more than 350 buildings damaged. 1997 - Graham Kersey, cricket wicket keeper, dies in car crash. 1997 - Joan Rice, actress (Payroll, Steel Key, Curtain Up), dies at age 66. 1997 - John Burgess, rugby administrator, dies at age 71. 1997 - Death of Townes Van Zandt, American folk singer, at age 52 (born 1944). 1998 - Smoking is banned in all California bars and restaurants. 1998 - Death of Helen Wills Moody, American tennis player (31 Grand Slams), at age 92 (born 1905). 1998 - Mongolia switches from a 46 hour to 40 hour work week. 1998 - US Census Bureau estimates population at 268,921,733. 1999 - The Euro begins to be introduced as the common currency of Belgium, Germany, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, Holland, Austria, Portugal, Spain and Finland. 1999 - International Year of Elderly. 2000 - Millennium celebrations take place throughout the world. 2000 - Y2K passes without serious, widespread computer failures, as many experts and businesses had feared. 2000 - Scientists Matt and Mike Chapman create the Homestar Runner Flash animated Internet cartoon. 2001 - Many people celebrate the beginning of the new millennium - the 21st century (but not as much as the celebrations in 2000) and have a millennium feast. A black monolith measuring approximately 9 feet tall appears in Seattle, Washington's Magnuson Park, placed by an anonymous artist in reference to the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. 2001 - Swedish Prime Minister Göran Persson begins Sweden's six month role as president of the European Union. 2001 - Death of Ray Walston, American actor (born 1914). 2002 - The Open Skies mutual surveillance treaty, initially signed in 1992, officially enters into force. 2002 - Euro notes and coins are issued in France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Finland, Luxembourg, Belgium, Austria, Ireland and the Netherlands. 2003 - Greece takes over presidency of the European Union for six months. 2003 - Pascal Couchepin becomes President of the Confederation in Switzerland. 2003 - In São Paulo, Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva takes office as president. 2003 - The European Union takes over the United Nation's police mission in Bosnia. 2004 - The single largest expansion of the European Union takes place as the number of member states grows from 15 to 25 due to the accession of Cyprus, Malta, Slovenia, and several former Eastern Bloc countries. 2004 - Pervez Musharraf wins a vote of confidence from an electoral college consisting of Parliament and the provincial assemblies, confirming him as President of Pakistan and de facto dictator until 2007. 2005 - Death of Shirley Chisholm, U.S. Congresswoman (born 1924). 2005 - Death of Eugene J. Martin, U.S. artist (born 1938). 2005 - Death of Bob Matsui, U.S. Congressman from California (born 1941). 2006 - Sydney, Australia, has its hottest day on record, when the city swelters in 45 degree C heat. 2006 - Russia cuts natural gas to Ukraine over a price dispute. 2006 - Death of Charles Steen, American geologist, The "Uranium King". 2007 - Germany begins six-month term of presidency of the European Union. 2007 - Bulgaria and Romania join the European Union. 2007 - Slovenia adopts the euro as its official currency, replacing the tolar. 2007 - South Korea's Ban Ki-moon becomes the new United Nations Secretary-General, replacing Kofi Annan. 2007 - Hong Kong's new smoking law starts. From this day onwards, smoking is prohibited in clubs, karaoke bars, restaurants, and all public places. 2007 - Adam Air Flight 574, a routine domestic flight in Indonesia, disappears. 2007 - Angola joins OPEC. 2007 - A state of emergency is declared in Bangladesh. 2007 - War in Somalia: Fighters of the Islamic Courts Union abandon their last stronghold in Kismayo and flee for the Kenyan border. 2007 - Death of Ernie Koy, American baseball player (born 1909). 2007 - Death of Darrent Williams, American football player (born 1982). 2008 - At the Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo, New York, the first regular-season outdoor NHL hockey game in the US is held. 71217 fans watch the 2008 Winter Classic, in which the Buffalo Sabres play the Pittsburgh Penguins, running into overtime, and ending with a shoot-out with the Penguins winning. 2008 - Jeff Bewkes is new chief executive officer of Time Warner. 2008 - Slovenia begins six-month term of presidency of the European Union. 2008 - Cyprus and Malta adopt the euro currency. 2008 - Venezuela launches new currency, the "strong bolivar", at 1:1000 old currency. 2008 - The United Nations' African Mission in Darfur takes over peacekeeping duty from the African Union. 2008 - Death of Erich Kaestner at age 107, in Cologne, Germany, the last German World War I veteran. You can pick a particular day to view that day's events in history. Bookmark this URL:   http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/thisday/   and revisit each day. (this URL will automatically re-direct to the file containing the current day's events) Or, visit my Timelines of History page. Other web pages of interest: Chronology of World History