This Day in History
January 9

What happened in history on this day: January 9? On January 9 in ... 1038 - In Shensi, China, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake occurs, resulting in 23,000 deaths. 1296 - Earl Floris V signs accord with French king. 1317 - Phillips V, the Tall, crowned king of France. 1349 - 700 Jews of Basel Switzerland, burned alive in their houses. 1428 - Pope Martinus V declares Jacoba van Beierens marriage invalid. 1464 - First meeting of States-General of Netherlands. 1493 - Italian explorer Christopher Columbus, sailing near the Dominican Republic, sees three "mermaids" - in reality manatees. 1499 - Johan Cicero elector of (Brandenburg, 1486-99), dies at age 43. 1514 - Anna de Bretagne wife of Maximilian, dies at age 36. 1522 - Adriaan F Boeyens of Utrecht elected only Dutch/last non-Italian pope (Adrian VI). 1554 - Birth of Gregory XV [Alessandro Ludovisi], Roman Catholic pope (1621-23). 1558 - Geneva becomes independent from Berne canton, Switzerland. 1570 - Tsar Ivan the terrible kills 1000-2000 residents of Novgorod. 1574 - Birth of Christoph Buel composer. 1620 - Birth of Johann Weichmann composer. 1674 - Birth of Reinhard Keiser in Weissenfels, Germany; composer of 120 operas, from Baroque to Rococo. 1677 - Aernout "Aert" van der Neer cartoonist/landscape painter, dies at age 73. 1679 - Werner Fabricius composer, dies at age 45. 1695 - Birth of John E Loovens lawyer. 1699 - Birth of Robert J Pothier French lawyer. 1718 - France declares war on Spain. 1728 - Birth of Thomas Warton poet laureate of England (Pleasures of Melancholy). 1748 - Birth of Stefan Paluselli composer. 1760 - Afghans defeat Marathas in battle of Barari Ghat. 1788 - Connecticut becomes 5th state. 1790 - Birth of Per Daniel Amadeus Atterbom Swedish poet (Lycksalighetens). 1792 - Russia and Turkey sign Peace of Jassy. 1793 - Dutch Prince Willem V establishes two brigades Drive Artillery. 1793 - Jean Pierre Blanchard makes first balloon flight in North America (Philadelphia). 1798 - Pedro Pablo Abarca d Bolea Earl of Aranda Spanish officer, dies at age 79. 1799 - Income Tax introduced in Great Britain. 1803 - Birth of Christopher Memminger in Nayhingen, Germany; secretary of the treasury for the Confederate States of America government. 1811 - First Women's Golf Tournament held. 1812 - Swedish Pomerania (Germany) seized by Napoleon. 1815 - Birth of William Jackson composer. 1816 - Birth of John Palmer Usher Secretary Interior (Union) died in 1889. 1820 - Birth of Pavel Krizkovsky composer. 1822 - Birth of John Porter Hatch volunteers Brevet Major General (Union), died in 1901. 1823 - Birth of Friedrich von Esmarch in Tönning, Germany; military surgeon, professor of surgery, handbook on first aid for civilians and military, first-aid bandage on the battlefield. 1828 - Pieter Hoen Dutch journalist/patriot (Neder-Rhijn), dies at age 83. 1829 - Birth of Adolf von Schlagintweit German explorer (Tarimbekken). 1829 - Birth of Thomas William Robertson England, playwright (Caste). 1832 - Birth of Esquire Maurits A de Savornin Lohman Dutch Governor of Suriname. 1834 - HMS Beagle/Charles Darwin arrives in Port San Julian, Patagonia. 1839 - Birth of John Knowles Paine Portland Maine, composer. 1839 - Daguerrotype photo process announced at French Academy of Science. 1839 - Thomas Henderson measures first stellar parallax (Alpha Centauri). 1843 - Birth of Christiaan A Ulder Curaçao, composer (waltzes/tumbas). 1843 - Caroline Herschel "first lady of astronomy", dies at age 98 in Germany. 1847 - First San Francisco newspaper published (California Star). 1848 - Death of Caroline Lucretia Herschel in Hannover, Germany; discovered three nebulae and eight comets, given a gold medal by the British Astronomical Society. 1848 - First commercial bank in San Francisco established. 1848 - People's uprising in Palermo Sicily. 1849 - Jan Kops Dutch agriculturist/vicar, dies at age 83. 1851 - Birth of Giuseppi Gallignani composer. 1851 - Birth of Luis Coloma Spanish jesuit/writer/theologian (Pequeñeces, Boy). 1853 - Juan N Gallego Spanish poet/interpreter (El dos de Mayo), dies at age 75. 1854 - Astor Library opens in New York City, New York. 1854 - Filippo Traetta [Philip Trajetta], Italian composer, dies at age 77. 1855 - Clipper Guiding Star disappears in Atlantic, 480 dies. 1856 - Birth of Anton Askerc Slavic priest/poet (Primoz Trubar). 1856 - Birth of Lizette Woodworth Reese US poet (Branch of May, Tears). 1856 - Birth of Stevan Mokranjac composer. 1857 - In Fort Tejon, California, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake occurs on the San Andreas fault, which ruptured a distance of about 300 kilometres. 1857 - Birth of Henry B Fuller American writer (Under the Skylights). 1859 - Birth of Carrie Lane Chapman Catt women's rights leader/founder (League of Women Voters). 1859 - Birth of Frederik Pijper Dutch vicar/church historian (The Monasteries). 1861 - First hostile act of Civil War; Star of the West fired on, Sumter, South Carolina. 1861 - Mississippi becomes second state to secede. 1863 - Ferdinand Huber composer, dies at age 71. 1863 - (to January 11) Battle of Arkansas Post, Arkansas (Fort Hindman). 1866 - Birth of Albert Baertsoen Flemish painter/etcher. 1866 - Fisk University establishes. 1867 - Birth of Jacques Urlus Dutch tenor (Opera of Leipzig, Song of the Earth). 1869 - Birth of Richard Abegg in Danzig, Prussia; physical chemist, concept of valence. 1870 - Birth of Joseph B Strauss civil engineer/builder (Golden Gate Bridge). 1871 - Birth of Charles Kortright British cricket player. 1873 - Birth of Hayyim Nahman Bialik Rädi Ukraine, Hebrew poet/translator. 1876 - Birth of Robert Michels in Cologne, Germany; political sociologist and economist, developed the thesis that all organizations develop into authoritarian oligarchies. 1876 - Birth of Hans Bethge writer. 1878 - Victor Emmanuel II king of Sardinia (1849-61)/Italy (1861-78), dies at age 57. 1879 - Birth of John Broadus Watson behaviorist psychologist. 1879 - Cheyenne prisoners led by Dull Knife revolt at Fort Robinson. 1879 - Don Joaquin BF Espartero fieldmarshall/viceroy of Navarra, dies at age 86. 1879 - Kirland Warbler discovered on Andros Island in Bahamas. 1880 - 6' (1.8 metres) of snow falls in Seattle in five days. 1881 - Birth of Giovanni Papini Italy, writer (Il Diavolo). 1881 - Birth of Lascelles Abercrombie English poet/critic (Revaluations). 1886 - Jakob Eduard Schmolzer composer, dies at age 73. 1890 - Birth of Karel Capek Czechoslovakia, writer (R U R); coined the word "robot". 1890 - Birth of Kurt Tucholsky in Berlin; German satirist and cabaretist. 1891 - Birth of August Gailit Estonia, writer (Ekke Moor). 1893 - Mohara Arab ivory/slave trader, dies in battle and is eaten. 1894 - "Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze" released in movie theaters. 1894 - Birth of Henryk Stazewski Polish abstract painter/graphic artist. 1894 - Georges Feydeau's "Un à la Patte" premieres in Paris. 1897 - Birth of Luis Gianneo composer. 1898 - Birth of Gracie Fields [Stansfield], England, music hall/vaudeville performer. 1898 - Birth of Vilma Banky Budapest Hungary, silent screen actress (Eagle, Rebel). 1899 - Birth of Alexander Tcherepnin Saint Petersburg Russia, composer. 1900 - Birth of Joseph Frederick Wagner composer. 1901 - Birth of Chic Young cartoonist (Blondie). 1901 - New South Wales (918) defeat South Australia (157 and 156) by innings and 605. 1902 - Birth of Jose Maria Escrivá de Balaguer y Albás Spanish priest (Opus Dei). 1902 - Birth of Rudolph Bing opera manager (New York Metropolitan Opera). 1902 - Gustaaf Rolin-Jaequemyns Belgian lawyer/Interior minister, dies at age 66. 1903 - Baseball's National and American Leagues make peace. 1903 - Frank Farrell and Bill Devery purchase American League Baltimore franchise for $18,000 and move it to New York City, New York (New York Yankees). 1903 - Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota established. 1904 - Alfred Richard cricketer (6 and 0 in only Test for South Africa 1895-96), dies. 1904 - Birth of George Balanchine dancer/choreographer/ballet producer. 1905 - Bloody Sunday-demonstrators fired on by tsarist troops. 1908 - Abraham Goldfaden US Yiddish stage performer (Shulamis), dies at age 67. 1908 - Birth of Simone de Beauvoir France, author (Mandarins, second Sex). 1908 - Frans Schollaert succeeds De Trooz as premier of Belgium. 1908 - Muir Woods National Monument, California established. 1908 - Death of Wilhelm Busch in Mechtshausen bei Seesen, Germany; humorous writer, painter and poet, Max und Moritz (The Katzenjammer Kids) and Die fromme Helene, forerunner to the comic strip. 1909 - Birth of Herva Nelli soprano. 1909 - Ernest Shackleton reaches 88 degrees 23' south. 1910 - Birth of Dick Henry Jurgen bandleader. 1911 - Birth of Richard Selwyn Francis Schiling professor of occupational health. 1911 - Birth of Stafford William Somerfield British newspaper editor. 1911 - Edwin Arthur Jones composer, dies at age 57. 1912 - Birth of Ralph Tubbs architect. 1912 - US marines invade Honduras. 1913 - Birth of Lavad "Dr Hepcat" Durst vocal/piano. 1913 - Birth of Peter John Norton naval diplomat/artist. 1913 - Birth of Richard Milhouse Nixon Yorba Linda California, (Republican) 37th President (1969-74). 1914 - Birth of Derek Allhusen England, equestrian (Olympics-gold-1968). 1914 - Birth of Gypsy Rose Lee [Rose Hovick], Seattle, burlesque actress (Gypsy). 1914 - Birth of Kenny (Klook) Clarke Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, jazz/drummer, composer (Epistrop). 1915 - Birth of Anita Louise New York City, New York, actress (My Friend Flicka). 1915 - Birth of Fernando Lamas Buenos Aires Argentina; actor ("You look marvelous"). 1915 - Birth of Les Paul guitarist/inventor (Les Paul Guitar). 1915 - Exposition (now Civic) Auditorium dedicated, San Francisco. 1916 - Birth of Alain Bernardin impressario (Crazy Horse Saloon). 1916 - Birth of Vic Mizzy Brooklyn New York, orchestra leader (Don Rickles Show). 1917 - Birth of Herbert Lom Czech; actor (Pink Panther Strikes Again, Dorian Gray). 1921 - Birth of Seymour Barab composer. 1922 - Birth of Ahmed Sékou Touré President of Guinea (1957-84). 1922 - Birth of Har G Khorana India/Canada bio-chemist (Nobel Prize 1968). 1922 - KQV-AM in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania begins radio transmissions. 1922 - Rotterdam metal strike ends. 1923 - Juan de la Cierva makes first autogiro (helicopter) flight, Spain. 1923 - Katherine Mansfield New Zealand/British writer (Dove's Nest), dies at age 34. 1924 - Birth of Julián B Coco Curaçao guitarist/bassist (Utrecht Symphony Orchestra). 1925 - Birth of Abdelhamid Benhadugah novelist. 1925 - Birth of Lee Van Cleef New Jersey; actor (For a Few Dollars More, Escape from New York). 1925 - German Postal Minister A Höfle resigns due to corruption. 1927 - Dmitri Shostakovich's Octet opus 11, premieres in Moscow. 1927 - Fire in Laurier Palace cinema in Montréal, 78 children died. 1927 - Houston S Chamberlain British/German race theorist, dies at age 71. 1928 - Birth of Domenico Modugno Italy, rocker (Polignano A Mare). 1928 - Birth of Fernand J Saint Germain (Representative-Democrat-Rhode Island, 1961-). 1928 - Birth of Judith Krantz New York City, New York, author (Scruples, I'll Take Manhattan, Princess Daisy, Dazzle). 1928 - Eugene O'Neill's "Marco Millions" premieres in New York City, New York. 1929 - BG DeSylva and Lew Brown's musical "Follow Thru" premieres in New York City, New York. 1929 - Birth of Heiner Muller dramatist. 1929 - Heiner Müller writer, dies. 1929 - KDB-AM in Santa Barbara California begins radio transmissions. 1930 - Boston Bruins wins then NHL record 14th straight game. 1930 - Edward W Buck Dutch/US editor (Ladies Home Journal), dies at age 66. 1931 - Birth of Algi[rda]s [Jonas] Budrys Prussia, sci-fi author (Man of Earth). 1931 - Birth of Geoffrey Wragg British reorganizer. 1931 - Claude Anet [Jean Schopfer] French writer (La fille perdue), dies. 1933 - Amsterdam confectionery worker go on strike against wage reduction. 1933 - Birth of Robert Garcia (Representative-Democrat-New York, 1978-). 1933 - Birth of Sonia Garmers [Justina], Curaçao, author (Dear Queen). 1934 - Birth of Bart Starr NFL quarterback/coach (Green Bay). 1935 - Birth of Bob Denver New Rochelle New York; actor (Dobie Gillis, Gilligan's Island). 1935 - Birth of Dick Enberg Mount Clemens Michigan, sportscaster (Where's Huddles). 1935 - Birth of Kenneth "Buddy" Scott blues guitarist/Singer. 1936 - Birth of Peter Fletcher music teacher. 1936 - John Gilbert actor (Love, Downstairs), dies at age 40. 1936 - Noël Coward's "Astonished Heart" premieres in London. 1936 - Semi-automatic rifles adopted by US army. 1937 - Birth of K Schlesinger writer. 1937 - Italian regime bans marriages between Italians and Abyssinians. 1937 - Maxwell Anderson's "High Tor" premieres in New York City, New York. 1938 - Birth of Aad Kosto Dutch theologist/actor/assistant secretary of Justice. 1939 - Johann Strauss Austrian conductor/Royal ball director, dies at age 72. 1940 - Two German officers make emergency landing in Belgium. 1940 - Birth of Barbara Buczek composer. 1940 - Birth of Jimmy Boyd McComb Missouri; actor/singer (Howard-Bachelor Father). 1940 - J Thurber and E Nugent's "Male Animal" premieres in New York City, New York. 1940 - Finns destroy the remains of the Russian 44th Division at Lake Kianta, taking 1000 prisoners. 1941 - 6,000 Jews exterminated in pogrom in Bucharest Romania. 1941 - Birth of Joan Baez Staten Island, folk singer/human rights advocate. 1941 - Birth of Susannah York London, actress (A Man for All Seasons, Tom Jones). 1941 - Ko Boezeman Dutch resistance fighter, dies. 1941 - Maiden flight by Canada's Avro Lancaster military plane. 1942 - Birth of K Callan Dallas Texas, actress (This House Possessed, Splendor in the Grass, Martha-Lois and Clark). 1942 - Joe Louis knocks out Buddy Baer in one for heavyweight boxing title. 1942 - US Joint Chiefs of Staff created. 1943 - Birth of Dick Yount rocker (Harpers Bizarre). 1943 - Birth of Kathryn Walker Philadelphia Pennsylvania, actress (Beacon Hill, Barbara-Another World). 1943 - Birth of Kenneth Kelley US singer (Manhattans, One Life to Live). 1943 - Birth of Rob Hoeke Dutch pianist/singer (Drinking on My Bed). 1943 - Japanese government in Java limits sale and use of motorcars. 1943 - Robin G Collingwood English philosopher (Roman Britain), dies at age 53. 1944 - Birth of Jimmy Page London England, rock guitarist (Led Zeppelin-Stairway to Heaven). 1944 - Birth of Scott Engel vocalist (Walker Brothers-Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore). 1945 - Birth of Frank J Biondi Jr president (HBO). 1945 - Birth of Harun Farocki actor/director (Nicht loeschbares Feur). 1945 - US soldiers led by General Douglas MacArthur invade Philippines. 1946 - "Would-Be Gentleman" opens at Booth Theater New York City, New York for 77 performances. 1946 - Birth of Leo Gullotta actor (Sinbad of the 7 Seas). 1946 - Countee Cullen US poet (Black Christ, One Way to Heaven), dies in New York City, New York at age 42. 1947 - "Street Scene" opens at Adelphi Theater New York City, New York for 148 performances. 1947 - Karl Mannheim sociologist (Diagnosis of Our Time), dies at age 53. 1947 - Lambertus Zijl sculptor (Merchant Exchange-Amsterdam), dies at age 80. 1947 - Roger Sessions' second Symphony, premieres in San Francisco. 1948 - Birth of Paul King rocker (Blue Oyster Cult). 1948 - Birth of William Cowsill Newport Rhode Island, rock guitarist/vocals (Cowsills-We Can Fly). 1948 - Walter Piston's third Symphony in E, premieres in Boston. 1949 - Amilcare Zanella composer, dies at age 75. 1950 - Birth of David Johansen [Buster Poindexter], New York, singer (Hot! Hot! Hot!). 1950 - Birth of Rio Reiser rock singer. 1951 - Birth of Crystal Gayle Kentucky, country singer (Don't it make my brown eyes blue). 1951 - Birth of Rosalyn Kind Brooklyn, singer (half sister of Barbra Streisand). 1951 - Life After Tomorrow, first film to receive an "X" rating, premieres. 1951 - Washington Capitals NBA club folds. 1952 - Belgian Pholien government resigns. 1952 - Birth of Eveline L Herfkens Dutch Member of Parliament (PvdA). 1952 - Karel Sys wins European heavyweight boxing title. 1952 - Marines give notice that they will recall Ted Williams to active duty. 1953 - Bevo Francis, Rio Grande College, scores 116 points in basketball game. 1953 - Hans Aanrud Norwegian author (Storken), dies at age 89. 1953 - Korean ferryboat "Chang Tyong-Ho" sank off Pusan killing 249. 1954 - -87 degrees F (-66 degrees C), Northice Station, Greenland (Greenland record). 1954 - Bert Olmstead, Montreal Canadiens, ties NHL record of 8 points in game. 1954 - Birth of Lance Hoppens rocker (Orleans-Still the One, Dance With Me). 1954 - Bollingen Prize for poetry awarded to Louise Bogan and Leonie Adams. 1956 - Abigail Van Buren's "Dear Abby" column first appears in newspapers. 1956 - Birth of David Smith cricketer (England lefty batsman in two Tests vs West Indies 1986). 1956 - Birth of Kimberly Beck Hilton Glendale California, actress (Kim-Peyton Place). 1956 - Samir el-Rifai forms government in Jordan. 1957 - Checheno-Ingush ASSR reformed in RSFSR. 1957 - Dutch Newspaper Society expels communist daily paper Truth. 1957 - Karachayevo-Cherkess Autonomous Region reestablished in RSFSR. 1957 - Mary Carr Moore, composer, dies at age 83. 1958 - Paul Fechter, German writer/historian (God's Magician), dies. 1959 - Rawhide with Clint Eastwood premieres on CBS TV. 1959 - Birth of Otis Nixon; US baseball outfielder (Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers). 1959 - Dam across Tera River collapses after heavy winter rains, 135 die. 1959 - Pat O'Connor beats Dick Hutton in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA to become NWA champ. 1959 - Paul Malengreau, composer, dies at age 71. 1960 - Birth of David Peoples in Augusta, Maine, USA; Nike golfer (1991 Buick Southern Open). 1960 - Birth of Lisa Walters in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada; LPGA golfer (Itoki Hawaiian-1992, 1993). 1960 - Building of Aswan dam in Egypt begins. 1961 - Minnesota Twins agree on US$500,000 payment to AA for Minneapolis/St Paul territory. 1962 - Birth of Phil Lewis in London, England; rock vocalist (LA Guns-It's Over Now). 1962 - LeRoy B Shield, US pianist/composer (Union Pacific Suite), dies at age 68. 1962 - Mister M (Dr X) beats Verne Gagne in Minnesota, to become NWA champ. 1962 - NFL prohibits grabbing of face masks. 1962 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site. 1963 - Mao Tse-tung writes his poem "Reply to Comrade Kuo Mo-jo". 1964 - Anti-US rioting breaks out in the Panamá Canal Zone. 1964 - Birth of Stan Javier in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic; outfielder (Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants). 1964 - Halide Edib Adevar/Salih, Turkish feminist (Handan), dies at about age 80. 1965 - "Beatles' '65" album goes #1 and stays #1 for 9 weeks. 1965 - Birth of Atsuo Kudo; hockey defenseman (Team Japan 1998). 1965 - Birth of Carin Garbarra in East Orange, New Jersey, USA; soccer forward (Olympics-1996). 1965 - Birth of Cindy Brooks in East Hampton, Connecticut, USA; rower (Olympics-1996). 1965 - Birth of Darren Bennett; NFL punter (San Diego Chargers). 1965 - Birth of Georg Franz in Straubing, Germany; hockey forward (Team Germany, Landshut). 1965 - Birth of Vincent Brown; NFL inside linebacker (New England Patriots). 1965 - Birth of [Tyrone] Muggsy Bogues; NBA guard (Charlotte Hornets, San Francisco Warriors, Washington Bullets). 1966 - Birth of Jimmie Jones; defensive end/defensive tackle (Philadelphia Eagles). 1966 - Haro Levoni Step'anyan, composer, dies at age 68. 1966 - Polish government denies exit visa to Cardinal Wyszynski revisionism. 1967 - Birth of Dave Matthews; singer/musician (Dave Matthews Band). 1967 - Birth of Dave Mcllwain in Seaforth, Ontario, Canada; NHL center (Pittsburgh Penguins). 1967 - Birth of Jamie Huscroft in Creston, British Columbia, Canada; NHL defenseman (Calgary Flames). 1967 - The NFL New Orleans franchise takes the name "Saints". 1968 - First ABA All-Star Game: East 126 beats West 120 at Indiana. 1968 - Birth of Jimmy Adams; cricketer (prolific West Indian lefty bat since 1992). 1968 - Birth of Katie Anderson in Kingston, Jamaica; Canadian 100m hurdler (Olympics-7th-1992, 1996). 1968 - Birth of Mardi Lunn in Liverpool, Sydney, Australia; golfer (1991 Thailand Open). 1968 - Kokichi Tsuburaya, Japanese marathoner (Olympics-bronze-1964), commits suicide. 1968 - Louis-François-Marie Aubert, French composer (Habanera), dies at age 90. 1968 - Surveyor 7 space probe soft lands on the Moon. 1969 - Birth of Domingo Jean; Dominican/US baseball pitcher (Houston Astros). 1969 - Birth of Johanna Ikonen; ice hockey defenseman (Finland, Olympics-1998). 1969 - Concorde jetliner's first test flight (Bristol, England). 1969 - Ladislav Vycpalek, composer, dies at age 86. 1970 - Birth of Graciela Schutt in El Paso, Texas, USA; WPVA volleyballer (Deerfield-25th-1995). 1970 - Constitution of Singapore enacted. 1971 - Birth of Bill Schroeder; NFL wide receiver (Green Bay Packers-Super Bowl XXXI). 1971 - Birth of Elizabeth Punsalan in Syracuse, New York, USA; dance skater (and Swallow, Olympics-15-1994). 1971 - Birth of Scott Thornton in London, Ontario, Canada; NHL left wing (Edmonton Oilers). 1972 - Billionaire Howard Hughes says Clifford Irving's biography is a fake. 1972 - Birth of Eddie Mason; NFL linebacker (New York Jets). 1972 - Birth of Jay Powell in Meridian, Mississippi, USA; pitcher (Florida Marlins). 1972 - Birth of Kristie Hicks in Bardstown, Kentucky, USA; Miss Kentucky-America (1995). 1972 - Marlene Hagge wins LPGA Burdine's Golf Invitational. 1972 - Passenger ship Queen Elizabeth destroyed by fire. 1972 - Ted Shawn, American dancer, dies at age 80. 1973 - Birth of Aaron Holbert; US baseball infielder (Saint Louis Cardinals). 1973 - Birth of Ronald Hamming; soccer player (FC Groningen, Fortuna Sittard). 1974 - Birth of Craig Wishart; cricketer (Zimbabwe Test batsman vs South Africa 1995). 1974 - Birth of Jamain Stephens; NFL offensive tackle (Pittsburgh Steelers). 1975 - 600 employees of Royal Canadian Mint go on strike. 1975 - Australia beat England by 171 runs in fourth Test to regain Ashes. 1975 - Birth of Justin Huish in Fountain Valley, California, USA; archer (Olympics-gold-1996). 1975 - Birth of Mariano Friedick in Tarzana, California, USA; pursuit cyclist (Olympics-1996). 1975 - John Slater, actor (Deadlock, Three on a Spree), dies at age 58. 1975 - Pierre Fresnay, French actor (Monsieur Vincent), dies at age 77. 1976 - Birth of Amy Safe; Australian rower (Olympics-1996). 1976 - Birth of Radek Bonk in Koprivnice, Czechoslovakia; NHL center (Ottawa Senators, Team Czechoslovakia). 1976 - Bryan Trottier faila in fourth New York Islanders' penalty shot. 1976 - CW McCall CB song "Convoy" hit #1 on the country music charts. 1977 - Alexey Kozlovsky, composer, dies at age 71. 1977 - Hal Sawyer, TV host (Sawyer Views Hollywood), dies at age 62. 1977 - Super Bowl XI: Oakland Raiders defeat Minnesota Vikings, 32-14, in Pasadena, California; Most Valuable Player: Fred Biletnikoff, Wide Receiver. 1978 - Commonwealth of Northern Marianas established. 1978 - Eddie Gilbert, cricket (Aboriginal Queensland quick got Don for a duck), dies. 1979 - Avery Claflin, composer, dies at age 80. 1979 - Birth of Lavinia Magruder; Miss Vermont Teen-USA (1996). 1979 - Bollingen Prize for poetry awarded to WS Merwin. 1979 - High-school basketball player Daryl Moreau makes 126th consecutive free throw. 1979 - K-Mart pulls Steve Martin's "Let's Get Small" for being in "bad taste". 1979 - Sara Carter, vocalist/guitarist (Carter Family), dies at age 80. 1979 - US Supreme Court strikes down (6-3) Pennsylvania law requiring doctors performing an abortion to try to preserve lives of potentially viable fetuses. 1980 - In Saudi Arabia, 63 Muslim fanatics are beheaded for their part in the siege of the Great Mosque in Mecca in November, 1979. 1980 - Birth of Sergio García; Spanish golfer. 1981 - Kazimierz Serocki, composer, dies at age 58. 1981 - Birth of Euzebiusz Smolarek; Polish footballer. 1981 - Francisco Balsamao elected President of Portugal. 1982 - 5.9 earthquake in New England and Canada; first since 1855. 1982 - Steve D'Innocenzo scores three hockey goals in 12 seconds in Massachusetts high school game. 1982 - Birth of David Barrett; American festival player. 1983 - British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher visits the Falkland Islands. 1984 - Wolfgang Staudte, German director (Ciske de Rat), dies at age 77. 1984 - TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes premieres on NBC TV. 1984 - Atlanta Braves' pitcher Pascual Perez is arrested for cocaine possession. 1985 - Don Brennan, cricket wicketkeeper (England in two Tests 1951), dies. 1985 - Calgary Flames set NHL record 264th regular season game without being shut-out. 1986 - New York Islanders, greatest shutout margin (9-0) vs Pittsburgh Penguins. 1986 - After losing a patent battle with Polaroid, Kodak leaves the instant picture camera business. 1987 - Arthur Lake, actor (Dagwood - Blondie), dies at age 81. 1987 - Chinese/Vietnamese border fights, 1500 killed. 1987 - The Star Tours attraction opens in Tomorrowland at Disneyland. It cost US$32 million to create. 1987 - New Nicaraguan constitution takes effect. 1987 - Sir Rudolf Bing (of New York Metropolitan Opera) marries Lady Carroll Douglass. 1988 - August Wilson's Piano Lesson premieres in Boston. 1988 - English Earl of Saint Andrews marries Sylvana Tomaselli. 1988 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Brian Boitano. 1988 - Birth of Glyn Wise, Welsh television/radio personality - runner-up, Big Brother 2006. 1989 - Pat Sajak Show premieres on CBS. 1989 - Johnny Bench and Carl Yastrzemski elected to Baseball Hall of Fame. 1990 - 64th US manned space mission STS 32 (Columbia 10) launches into orbit. 1990 - Boston Celtics worst-ever (6 points in second vs New Jersey Nets) and lose 87-78. 1990 - Jim Palmer and Joe Morgan are elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. 1990 - Ugandan Lt. Gen. Bazilio Olara-Okello, who led a coup against Dr. Apolo Milton Obote's government, dies in Ormduruman Hospital in Khartoum, Sudan. 1990 - Death of Spud Chandler, baseball player (born 1907). 1991 - Baker and Aziz meet in Geneva, Switzerland; talks fail to defuse the Persian Gulf crisis. 1991 - Baseball officially bans Pete Rose from being elected to Hall of Fame. 1991 - Dean Smith of North Carolina is 6th to win 700 career coaching basketball games. 1991 - Microsoft releases Microsoft Excel for Windows 3.0, with Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) technology. 1992 - Steve Brodie, actor (Desperate, Bodyguard), dies of cancer at age 72. 1992 - William JF "Bill" Naughton, Irish/British playwright (Alfie), dies at 81 (born 1910). 1992 - At the Winter Consumer Electronics Show, Apple Computer chairman John Sculley coins the term Personal Digital Assistant, referring to handheld computers that typically operate via a stylus on a LCD display. Sculley announces that Apple will enter the consumer-electronics market by the end of the year. 1993 - Alois Brunner, German/Syrian commandant of KZ-Lower Drancy, dies. 1993 - Felix Grucci, fireworks expert, dies of Alzheimer's disease at age 87. 1993 - Franziska van Almsick swims world record 100 metre free style (53.33). 1994 - 14th United Negro College Fund raises $11,000,000. 1994 - Gunda Niemann skates world record (167.282 points). 1994 - Rintje Ritsma skates world record (156.201 points). 1994 - Silas Hogan, blues singer/guitarist, dies at age 82. 1994 - Death of Johnny Temple, baseball player (born 1927). 1995 - Ecuador and Peru are involved in a boundary fight. 1995 - Peter Cook, English comic/actor (Peter n' Dud, Bedazzled), dies at age 57 (born 1937). 1995 - Souphanouvong [Red Prince], President of Laos (1975-87), dies at age 85. 1995 - Valeri Polyakov completes 366 days in space while aboard the Mir space station, breaking a duration record. 1996 - Mary "Fearless" Nadia Wadia, Indian actress and stuntwoman, dies at age 88 (born 1908). 1996 - Kurt Schmucker, German RFA minister of Economy (1963-66), dies. 1996 - Michael Lynn Synar, politician, dies at age 45. 1996 - Death of Sultan Rahi, Pakistani film actor (born 1938). 1996 - Art forger Eric Hebborn is assassinated in Rome, Italy. 1997 - Birth of Lauryn McClain, American actress and singer. 1997 - Edward Osobka-Morawski, prime minister of Poland (1945-47), dies. 1997 - Heart attacks sends Frank Sinatra back to hospital. 1997 - Jesse [Marc Weidenfeld] White, actor (Maytag repairman, Bedtime for Bonzo), dies at age 77. 1997 - Junaidu ibn Buhari, scholar, dies at age 90. 1997 - Michael Eisner signs a new ten-year contract as chairman of Disney. His base salary is US$750,000 per year, plus a bonus tied to the company's financial performance, and he receives stock options for 8 million shares to be exercised between 2003 and 2006. The value of the options is estimated at US$195-771 million. 1997 - Yachtsman Tony Bullimore is found alive, five days after his boat capsized in the Southern Ocean. 1998 - Anatoly Karpov defeats Viswanathan Anand to retain chess title. 1998 - Anatoly Solovyov and Pavel Vinogradov spacewalk record 3 hours 8 minutes. 1998 - Boston Red Sox player Mo Vaughn pleads not guilty to drunken driving. 1998 - Decapitated head of Danish Little Mermaid is returned. 1998 - Hockey News selects Wayne Gretzky best NHL player ever. 1998 - Death of Kenichi Fukui, Japanese chemist and Nobel Prize laureate, at age 79 (born 1918). 2001 - The Cleveland Indians sign Juan Gonzalez to a one-year, US$10 million deal. 2001 - Death of Maurice Prather, American motion picture and still photographer (born 1926). 2002 - Billy Wagner signs a US$27 million deal with the Houston Astros. 2002 - The United States Department of Justice announces it will pursue a criminal investigation of Enron. 2004 - Death of Norberto Bobbio, Italian philosophist (born 1909). 2005 - The same storm which pounded the U.S. earlier in the month hits England, Scandinavia, and the Baltic States, leaving 13 dead with widespread flooding and power cuts. 2005 - Carlos Beltran becomes the tenth $100 million player in major league history as he agrees to seven-year deal for $119 million with the New York Mets. 2005 - A peace agreement is signed between north and south Sudan ending about 50 years of war, killing about 2 million Sudanese. 2005 - Mahmoud Abbas is elected to succeed Yasser Arafat as Palestinian Authority President. 2006 - Death of Andy Caldecott, off-road motorcycle racer (born 1964). 2006 - The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 11,000 for the first time since June 7, 2001, closing at 11,011.90. 2007 - An AerianTur-M Antonov An-26 crashes in Balad, Iraq. The Islamic Army in Iraq claims to have shot it down. 2007 - U.S. planes conduct air strikes in Somalia against suspected terrorists. 2007 - Death of Jean-Pierre Vernant, French historian and anthropologist (born 1914). 2008 - The government of China announces tighter price controls on a range of products. 2008 - Death of Sir John Harvey-Jones, British chairman of Imperial Chemical Industries, at age 83. 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