This Day in History
January 12

What happened in history on this day: January 12? On January 12 in ... 689 - Benedict Biscop, English saint, dies. 1049 - Abu Sa'id ibn Aboa al-Chair Persian mystic, dies at age 81. 1167 - Aelred of Hexham/Rievaulx English abbot/saint, dies at about age 56. 1390 - Peter van Herenthals Dutch theologist/church historian, dies at age 67. 1483 - Birth of Hendrik van Nassau-Dillenburg en Dietz Governor/Viceroy of Holland. 1492 - Birth of Andrea Alicati Italian author. 1493 - Last day for all Jews to leave Sicily. 1517 - Vasco Núñez de Balboa Spanish conquistador/admiral, beheaded at age 41. 1519 - Death of Maximilian I in Wels, Austria; Archduke of Austria, German king, Holy Roman Emperor. 1528 - Gustav Eriksson Vasa is formally crowned King of Sweden. 1537 - Lorenzo di Credi Italian painter, dies. 1552 - Dutch west coast hit by heavy storm, 100s killed. 1562 - Birth of Charles Emanuel I the great, Duke of Savoy. 1576 - Birth of Peter Scriverius Dutch lawyer/historian. 1580 - Birth of Jean Baptiste van Helmont Belgian chemist, (found boiling point temperature). 1583 - Holland begins use of Gregorian calendar (yesterday was 1/1/1583). 1588 - Birth of John Winthrop first Governor (Massachusetts Bay Colony). 1588 - Birth of Jose Ribera [Lo Spagnoletto] Spanish painter. 1598 - Pope Clement VIII seizes duchy of Ferrara on death of Alfonso. 1599 - Birth of Adrian van Utrecht Flemish painter. 1638 - Birth of Ernst R Tarhemberg Austrian field marshal (Turkish Wars). 1665 - Birth of Pierre de Fermat French lawyer/mathematician. 1665 - Pierre de Fermat French lawyer/mathematician (principle of F), dies at age 63. 1674 - Giacomo Carissimi Italian bandmaster/composer (Jephta), dies at age 68. 1684 - French king Louis XIV marries Madame Maintenon. 1701 - Parts of the Netherlands (Frisia and Groningen) adopt the Gregorian calendar (others one year later). 1711 - Birth of Gaetano Latilla composer. 1715 - Birth of Jacques Duphly composer. 1721 - Birth of Ferdinand in Wolfenbüttel, Germany; dominant military force in Prussia's Seven Years' War against Austria. 1723 - Händel's opera "Ottone" premieres, London. 1729 - Birth of Edmund Burke British author (Philosophy and Inquiry). 1729 - Birth of Lazzaro Spallanzani Modena Italy, physiologist. 1730 - Birth of Johann Joachim Christoph Bode composer. 1737 - Birth of Brizio Petrucci composer. 1737 - Birth of John Hancock; American patriot (first to sign Declaration of Independence). 1746 - Birth of Johann Pestalozzi in Zürich, Switzerland; philosopher of educational reform, writer. 1749 - Birth of Ferdinand Trauttmansdorff Austrian earl/prince/diplomat. 1751 - Birth of Ferdinand I king of Sicily and Naples. 1751 - Birth of Jacob M R Lenz writer (Das Leidende Weib). 1755 - Tsarina Elisabeth establishes first Russian University. 1759 - Anne of Hannover English princess, dies at age 49. 1765 - Johann Melchior Molter composer, dies at age 68. 1773 - First US public museum established (Charleston South Carolina). 1777 - Mission Santa Clara de Asis founded in California. 1780 - Birth of Wilhelm M L de Wette German exegetist/theologist. 1783 - Birth of Erik Gustaf Geijer Swedish historian/poet (Natthimmelen). 1792 - Birth of Robert Patterson Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1881. 1804 - Birth of Hippolyte Monpou composer. 1806 - French evacuate Vienna. 1807 - Adriaan Kluit Dutch historian, dies at age 71. 1807 - Birth of Jan T Beelen Dutch/Belgian bible expert. 1807 - Gunpowder-ship explodes in Leiden Netherlands, 150 die. 1807 - Joan Lucaz Dutch scholar/journalist/patriot, dies at age 60. 1808 - Birth of Paul "the Great" Taglioni Vienna, ballet choreographer. 1809 - British take Cayenne (French Guiana) from the French (until 1814). 1810 - Birth of Ferdinand II king of Sicily. 1812 - First cargo arrives in New Orleans by steam, from Natchez. 1814 - Birth of Jones Mitchell Withers Major General (Confederate Army), died in 1890. 1816 - France decrees Bonaparte family excluded from the country forever. 1819 - Birth of Zealous Bates Tower Brevet Major General (Union Army), died in 1900. 1820 - Royal Astronomical Society founded in England. 1821 - Birth of Nikolai Afanisev composer. 1825 - Birth of Joseph Robert Davis Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1896. 1826 - Birth of Charles Cruft Brevet Major General (Union volunteers) (diesn 1883). 1829 - Death of Friedrich von Schlegel in Hannover, Germany; literary critic, cultural philosopher, poet. 1829 - Michael Gottard Fischer composer, dies at age 55. 1832 - Birth of Richard Waterhouse Jr Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1876. 1833 - Marie-Antoine Carème author (Pattissier Royal Parisien), dies at age 48. 1833 - Birth of Eugen Dühring in Berlin, Germany; political philosopher, professor, writer Captial und Arbeit (1865), Kritische Geschichte der Philosophie (1869) and Cursus der National- und Socialökonomie (1873-92). 1836 - Battle of Wetumka Florida. 1836 - HMS Beagle/Charles Darwin reach Sydney Australia. 1837 - Birth of Adolf Jensen composer. 1837 - Birth of Carlos Troyer composer. 1839 - Anthracite coal first used to smelt iron, Mauch Chunk Pennsylvania. 1839 - Joseph A Koch Austrian painter/cartoonist/etcher/illustrator, dies at age 70. 1842 - Birth of François Coppée French poet. 1842 - Franciscan nuns begin missionary work on Netherlands Antilles. 1851 - Johan Herman Koekkoek painter, dies at age 72. 1852 - Birth of Joseph J C Joffre; French field marshal (Indo-China, Marne). 1853 - Birth of Gregorio Ricci-Curbastro Italian mathematician (tensor analysis). 1856 - Birth of John Singer Sargent US, portrait painter (Wyndham Sisters). 1856 - L'udovít Stúr Slovaaks author/linguistic (Das Slawentum), dies at age 40. 1860 - Martinus J Niewindt bishop on Curaçao (christened slaves), dies at age 63. 1861 - Václav Hanka Czech author/translator/forger, dies at age 69. 1861 - Florida state troops demand surrender of Fort Pickens. 1863 - Birth of Vivekananda Calcutta, Hindu religious leader/reformer. 1863 - President Davis delivers his "State of the Confederacy" address. 1865 - Union fleet bombs Fort Fisher, North Carolina. 1867 - Leo Tolstoy's "Smert Ioonna Groznogo" premieres in Saint Petersburg. 1867 - Victor Cousin French philosopher/minister of Education, dies at age 74. 1871 - Birth of Paul Guthnick German astronomer. 1875 - Birth of Marika Stiernstedt Swedish author (Ulla Bella). 1876 - Birth of Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari Venice Italy, composer. 1876 - Birth of Jack London writer/socialist (Call of the Wild). 1877 - Death of Wilhelm Hofmeister in Lindenau, Germany; botanist, pioneer in comparative plant morphology, professor at the University of Tübingen. 1878 - Birth of Ferenc Molnár Budapest Hungary, playwright (The Play's The Thing, A Pal Utrai Fiuk). 1879 - British Zulu War begins Lieutenant-General Chelmsford invades Zululand. 1880 - Ida Gräfin von Hahn-Hahn author (Aus der Gesellschaft), dies at age 74. 1882 - Birth of Jakob Jud in Wängli, Switzerland; professor of linguistics at the University of Zürich, etymologist. 1884 - Birth of Louis Horst composer. 1886 - Birth of Dorothy Green Los Angeles California, actress (Lavinia-Tammy). 1888 - Birth of Claude Delvincourt composer. 1890 - Birth of Mordecai W Johnson educator. 1893 - Birth of Hermann Göring in Rosenheim, Germany; head of Germany's air force, propaganda minister, one of the highest ranking Nazis. 1893 - Birth of Alfred Rosenberg in Reval, Estonia; editor for Nazi party paper, Völkischer Beobachter, warned of a Jewish plot to take over the world. 1894 - Birth of Billy Gilbert Louisville Kentucky; actor (Paradise Alley, Safari, Rio). 1896 - First X-ray photo in US (Dr Henry Smith, Davidson North Carolina). 1896 - Birth of Rex Ingram Ireland; actor/director (Elmer Gantry, God's Little Acre). 1897 - Birth of Hendrik J Valk painter/cartoonist/graphic artist. 1898 - Birth of Jose Forns y Cuadras composer. 1899 - Birth of Paul Hermann Müller in Olten, Switzerland; Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of the chemical DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane), as an insecticide of significant power. 1901 - Birth of Kurt Jooss in Wasseralfingen, Germany; musician and choreographer, ballet master at the Essen Opera House. 1902 - Birth of Ray Teal in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA; actor (Sheriff Roy Coffee - Bonanza). 1902 - Birth of Simon H Spoor; Dutch General/Intelligence Officer for General MacArthur. 1903 - Birth of Igor V Kurtshatov; Russian nuclear physicist (first Russian nuclear bomb). 1904 - Southwest-Africa uprising under Samuel Maherero against German garrison. 1906 - First time Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 100 (100.26). 1906 - Birth of Tex Ritter in Texas, USA; country singer ("Five Star Jubilee", "The Wayward Wind"). 1906 - Football rules committee legalizes the forward pass. 1907 - Britain grants responsible government to former colony of Transvaal. 1908 - Birth of Ben Seijes; Dutch historian (WWII). 1908 - Birth of José Limón; Mexican/US dancer (I, Odysseus). 1909 - Birth of Mauritz Hugo in Sweden; actor (Atomic Blonde, Road Agent). 1910 - Birth of Luise Rainer in Austria; actress (Escapade, Good Earth, Big City, Hostages). 1910 - Birth of Patsy Kelly in Brooklyn, New York, USA; actress (Rosemary's Baby, North Ave Irregulars). 1912 - -47 degrees F (-44 degrees C), Washta, Iowa (state record). 1915 - Birth of Frank Annunzio; American politician (Representative-Democrat-Illinois, 1965-). 1915 - Birth of Martin Agronsky; journalist (1952 Peabody, 1961 DuPont-Columbia). 1915 - House of Representatives rejects proposal to give women the right to vote. 1916 - Birth of Pieter Willem Botha AKA P. W. Botha in Orange Free State; Prime Minister of South Africa (1978-1984), President of South Africa (1984-1989). 1916 - Britain proclaims Gilbert and Ellice Island colony in the Pacific. 1918 - Montreal Canadiens' Joe Malone scores five goals beating Ottawa Senators 9-4. 1920 - Annual drafting of baseball players from minor leagues is agreed to be done in inverse order of the final standings. 1921 - Birth of John Henry Davis Jr in Smithtown, New York, USA; light-super-heavyweight (Olympics-gold-1948, 1952). 1921 - Kenesaw Mountain Landis becomes first commissioner of Major League Baseball. 1924 - History of Science Society organized at Boston, Massachusetts, USA. 1925 - Birth of Bill Burrud in Hollywood, California, USA; host (Safari to Adventure, Animal World). 1925 - Birth of Ralph Legall; cricket wicket-keeper (West Indies versus India 1954). 1925 - Oskar Brefeld, German botanist, dies at age 85. 1926 - Birth of Ray Price; country singer ("For The Good Times"). 1926 - The two-man comedy series "Sam 'n' Henry" debuts on Chicago's WGN radio station. The creators and the stars of the new radio program are Freeman Gosden and Charles Carrell. 1928 - Birth of Lew Gallo in Mount Kisco, New York, USA; actor (12 O'Clock High). 1929 - Dietrich Schäfer, German historian (Mein Leben), dies at age 83. 1929 - Seatrain (railroad cars on ships) service begins, New Orleans, Louisiana to Havana, Cuba. 1930 - Birth of Glenn Yarborough; singer (Limeliters - "Honey and Wine", "Jubilee"). 1930 - Birth of Jennifer P Johnston; Irish author (Fool's Sanctuary). 1930 - NHL's Boston Bruins win record 14th consecutive game. 1932 - France's Laval government falls. 1933 - US Congress recognizes independence for Philippines. 1933 - Uprising of Guardia Civil in Spain, 25 die. 1934 - Birth of Burdette Haldorson; American basketball player (Olympics-gold-1956, 1960). 1935 - Birth of "The Amazing" Kreskin in Montclair, New Jersey, USA; mentalist/telepath. 1935 - Birth of Ron Harper in Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, USA; actor (Wendy and Me, Planet of the Apes). 1937 - Birth of Liliana Cavani in Bologna, Italy; director (Berlin Affair). 1937 - Birth of Marie Dubois in Paris, France; actress (Wise Guys, Jules and Jim). 1937 - Plow for laying submarine cable patented. 1939 - Birth of Jacobus M "Jacques" Hamelink; Dutch writer/poet (Cold Unrest). 1939 - Birth of William Lee Golden in Brewton, Alabama, USA; country singer (Oak Ridge Boys). 1940 - Birth of Dick Motz; cricket player (first New Zealander to take 100 Test wickets). 1940 - Erich R Jaensch, German psychologist (eidetiek), dies at age 56. 1941 - Birth of Jaime B Fuster; American politician (Representative-Democrat-Puerto Rico, 1985-92). 1941 - Birth of Long John Baldry in England; blues vocalist ("Don't try to Lay No Boogie"). 1942 - Birth of Vladimir Sergeyevich Kozelsky; cosmonaut (Soyuz 24 backup). 1942 - British troops reconquer Sollum. 1942 - Dutch troops on Tarakan surrender. 1942 - George Francis, cricket player (West Indies Test fast-bowler, 23 wickets in 10), dies. 1942 - National War Labor Board created. 1943 - Birth of Henri J "Adriaan" Adriaansen, mime/director (Stinging Nettle King). 1943 - Birth of Ray Manzarek; rock pianist (Doors - "Light my Fire", "People are Strange"). 1943 - Jan R T Campert, Dutch resistance fighter/poet (18 Dead), dies at age 40. 1944 - Birth of Joe Frazier in Beaufort, South Carolina, USA; heavyweight champion boxer (Olympics-gold-1964)/champion (1968-73). 1944 - Birth of Vlastimil Hort; Czechoslovakian/German chess player. 1944 - British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle begin a two-day wartime conference in Marrakesh. 1944 - Failed resistance raid on distribution office of Borgerstraat, Amsterdam. 1945 - German forces in Belgium retreat in Battle of the Bulge. 1945 - US Task Force 38 destroys 41 Japanese ships in Battle of South China Sea. 1946 - Birth of Cynthia Robinson; rock trumpeteer (Sly and Family Stone - "Everyday People"). 1946 - NFL champions Cleveland Rams given permission to move to Los Angeles. 1947 - Birth of Tom Dempsey; NFL record-holder (longest field goal, 63 yards). 1947 - Jonas Cohn, German/English philosopher (Wertwissenschaft), dies at age 77. 1948 - Birth of Anthony Andrews in London, England; actor (Under the Volcano). 1948 - Mohandas Mahatma Gandhi begins his final fast. 1949 - Arthur Godfrey and His Friends premieres on CBS TV. 1949 - Birth of Wayne Wang; director (Chan is Missing, Slamdance). 1949 - Dutch court affirms death sentence against SS chief Hanns Rauter. 1950 - Birth of Bob McEwen; American politician (Representative-Republican-Ohio, 1981-). 1950 - Swedish tanker rams British submarine Truculent in Thames, 64 die. 1950 - USSR re-introduces death penalty for treason, espionage and sabotage. 1951 - Birth of Bill Madlock; four times National League batting champion (Chicago Cubs). 1951 - Birth of Chris Bell in Memphis, Tennessee, USA; rock guitarist (Big Star). 1951 - Birth of Drew Pearson; NFL all-pro receiver. 1951 - Birth of Kirstie Alley in Wichita, Kansas, USA; actress (Star Trek II, Rebecca - Cheers). 1951 - Birth of Larry Hoppens; rocker (Orleans - "Still the One", "Dance With Me"). 1951 - Birth of Rush Hudson Limbaugh III in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA; conservative radio and television host. 1951 - Ezzard Charles TKOs Lee Oma in ten rounds for heavyweight boxing title. 1952 - Birth of Ricky Van Shelton in Danville, Virginia, USA; country musician ("Somebody Lied", "From a Jack to a King", "Rockin' Years"). 1952 - NFL Pro Bowl: National Conference beats American Conference 30-13. 1953 - Nine "Jewish" physicians arrested for "terrorist activities" in Moscow. 1954 - Austria's worst avalanche-kills 200; nine hours later second one-kills 115. 1954 - Birth of Howard Stern in Roosevelt, New York, USA; "Radio's Bad Boy" (WKRK, WYSP, WJFK). 1954 - Queen Elizabeth II opens New Zealand parliament. 1956 - John Raedecker, Dutch sculptor (WWII Monument Amsterdam), dies at age 70. 1956 - Norman Kerry, actor (Air Eagles, Phantom of Opera), dies at age 61. 1957 - Southern Christian Leadership Council (SCLC) founded. 1958 - Mickey Wright wins LPGA Sea Island Golf Open. 1958 - NCAA adds two-point conversion to football scoring. 1958 - NFL Pro Bowl: West beats East 26-7. 1958 - Syracuse National Dolph Schayes sets NBA record at 11,770 points. 1959 - Birth of Per Gessle in Halmstad, Sweden; singer (Roxette - "Must Have Been Love"). 1959 - NBC premieres The Bell Telephone Hour, a 60-minute music program. 1960 - Birth of Dominique Wilkins; NBA forward (Atlanta Hawks). 1960 - Birth of Rob Derksen; Australian baseball head coach (Olympics-1996). 1960 - Nevil Shute [Norway], English/Australian author (Town like Alice), dies at age 60. 1960 - Sobers and Worrell complete 399 stand for fourth wicket versus England. 1960 - Syracuse National Dolph Schayes is first NBA player to score 15,000 points. 1961 - Birth of Andrea Carnevale; soccer player (Napoli). 1961 - United Nations genocide pact goes into effect. 1962 - Birth of Richie Richardson; cricket player (elegant West Indian batsman 1983-95). 1963 - "Go Away Little Girl" by Steve Lawrence peaks at #1. 1963 - Spin bowler Bobby Simpson takes 5-57 for Australia versus England. 1964 - Birth of Laura Gildemeister in Argentina; tennis star. 1964 - Birth of Lynnae Marie Thurik in Vancouver, Washington, USA; Miss Washington-America (1990). 1964 - C R Browne, cricket leg-spinner (West Indies in four Tests, six wickets), dies. 1964 - NFL Pro Bowl: West beats East 31-17. 1964 - Revolution overthrows Sultan of Zanzibar, one month after independence. 1965 - Hullabaloo TV show premieres on NBC-TV. 1965 - Birth of Henry Thomas; defensive tackle (Detroit Lions, New England Patriots). 1965 - Birth of Mark Moore; rocker (S'Express-Winter Course). 1965 - Lorraine Hansberry, US playwright, dies in New York City, New York at age 34. 1965 - Porcupine in Washington DC zoo dies at age 27; oldest known rodent. 1966 - Batman TV show with Adam West and Burt Ward premieres on ABC TV. 1966 - Birth of Craig Parry in Sunshine, Victoria, Australia; Australasia golfer. 1966 - Birth of Linda Ferrando in Italy; tennis star. 1966 - US President Lyndon Johnson says US should stay in South Vietnam until communist aggression ends. 1966 - Red Auerbach wins his 1,000th game as coach of NBA Boston Celtics. 1967 - Birth of Farrah Forke in Corpus Christi, Texas, USA; actress (Dweebs, Mr Rhodes, Disclosure, Heat). 1967 - Birth of Marco Boogers; Dutch soccer player (RKC, Sparta, West Ham United). 1967 - Birth of Mike Simms in Whittier, California, USA; outfielder (Houston Astros). 1967 - Birth of Ulf Dahlen in Ostersund, Sweden; NHL forward (Team Sweden, San Jose). 1967 - Birth of Vendela [Kirsebom] in Stockholm, Sweden; model (Sports Illustrated 1993). 1967 - NBC brings back the Dragnet crime drama TV series, off the air since 1959. 1968 - Birth of Heather Mills in Aldershot, England; model/writer (Out on a Limb). 1968 - Birth of Vince Buck; NFL safety (New Orleans Saints). 1968 - Nighttime version of Hollywood Squares TV show premieres on NBC TV. 1969 - Birth of Cam Russell in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; NHL defenseman (Chicago Blackhawks). 1969 - Super Bowl III: New York Jets beat Baltimore Colts, 16-7 in Miami, Florida; Most Valuable Player: Joe Namath, quarterback for New York Jets. 1970 - Biafran War ends, Biafra surrenders to Nigeria. 1970 - Birth of Jenny Griffith in Burbank, California, USA; WPVA volleyball player (National-13th-1995). 1970 - Birth of Nigel Wilson; Canadian/US baseball outfielder (Florida Marlins). 1970 - Birth of Takahiro Ikenoue; WLAF defensive linebacker (Rhein Fire). 1970 - Blanche Stuart Scott, American pilot, dies at age 84. 1970 - Boeing 747 makes its maiden voyage. 1971 - CBS TV premieres the All in the Family TV show in the USA. 1971 - Birth of Andy Fox in Sacramento, California, USA; infielder (New York Yankees). 1971 - Birth of Oscar Sturgis; NFL defensive end (Dallas Cowboys). 1971 - Birth of Scott Burrell; NBA guard/forward (Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Hornets). 1971 - Birth of Shane Dronett; NFL defensive end (Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos). 1971 - Birth of Tommy Puett; actor/TV host (Life Goes On, America's Top 10). 1971 - US Federal grand jury indicts Reverand Philip Berrigan and five others, including a nun and two priests, on charges of plotting to kidnap Henry Kissinger. 1972 - Birth of Dominique Ross; NFL running back (Dallas Cowboys). 1972 - Padraic Colum, Irish poet/writer/founder (Irish Review), dies at age 90. 1972 - Detroit Tigers sign a lease to build a US$126 million domed stadium (doesn't happen). 1973 - Birth of Greg Morton in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; actor (Scarecrow and Mrs King). 1974 - "Joker" song by Steve Miller Band peaks at #1. 1974 - Birth of Melanie Jayne Chisholm in Widnes, England; vocalist ("Sporty Spice" - Spice Girls). 1974 - Libya and Tunisia announces they are merging as "Islamic Arab Republic". 1975 - Birth of Chase Hampton in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; rocker (Party-Rodeo, "That's Why"). 1975 - Birth of Jocelyn Thibault in Montréal, Québec, Canada; NHL goalie (Montreal Canadiens). 1975 - Caryn Campbell disappears from Snowmass, Colorado, USA (Ted Bundy victim). 1975 - Chrysler Corp offers first car rebates. 1975 - Super Bowl IX: Pittsburgh Steelers beat Minnesota Vikings, 16-6 in New Orleans, Louisiana; Most Valuable Player: Franco Harris, Running Back. 1976 - Agatha Christie, mystery writer (Ten Little Indians), dies at age 85. 1976 - United Nations Security Council votes 11-1 to seat Palestine Liberation Organization. 1977 - Anti-French demonstrations takes place in Israel after Paris releases Abu Daoud, responsible for 1972 Munich massacre of Israeli athletes. 1977 - Birth of Sara Walsh in South Bend, Indiana; fencer-foil (Olympics-1996). 1977 - Henri-Georges Clouzot, director (Diabolique, Truth), dies at age 69. 1978 - Nancy Spungen stabbed to death by boyfriend Sid Vicious. 1979 - 6th American Music Awards: Barry Manilow, Linda Ronstadt win. 1979 - Birth of Jenny Schmidgall; ice hockey forward (USA, Olympics-1998). 1979 - Los Angeles's Hillside Strangler, Kenneth Bianchi, arrested in Bellingham, Washington. 1979 - Record blizzard strikes American midwest killing over 100. 1980 - Birth of Amerie; American singer. 1980 - Hans Ebeling, cricket player (Victory stalwart, bowled for Australia 1934), dies. 1981 - -35 degrees F (-37 degrees C) in Chester, Massachusetts (state record). 1981 - Beulah Bondi, Chicago, Illinois, actress (It's a Wonderful Life), dies at age 89. 1981 - Isobel Elsom, actress (Unseen, Jane Eyre, Illegal), dies at age 87. 1981 - Birth of Quentin Griffin; American football player. 1981 - Dynasty, a prime time soap opera inspired by Dallas, starring Joan Collins, premieres on ABC-TV. 1982 - Birth of Dontrelle Willis; American baseball player. 1982 - In Honduras, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake occurs. 1983 - NCAA creates the football Kickoff Classic to begin in August. 1983 - Brooks Robinson and Juan Marichal elected to Baseball Hall of Fame. 1984 - Birth of Scott Olsen, American baseball player. 1985 - Miami Dolphins win AFC football championship. 1986 - 24th space shuttle mission STS 61-C Columbia 7 is launched with the first Hispanic-American astronaut, Dr. Franklin Chang-Diaz. 1986 - Chicago Blackhawks' Denis Savard scores at 4 seconds of third period. 1986 - Marcel Arland, French author (L'ordre, Lumière du Soir), dies at age 86. 1987 - Birth of Andrew Lawrence in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; actor (Andy Roman - Brotherly Love). 1987 - Birth of Naya Rivera; actress (Cindy - Fresh Prince of Bel Air). 1987 - Britain's Prince Edward resigns from his Royal Marines training. 1988 - Willie Stargell (Pittsburgh Pirates player), elected to Baseball Hall of Fame. 1988 - Birth of Chris Casement, Northern Irish football player. 1988 - Birth of Andrew Lawrence, American actor. 1989 - Idi Amin expelled from Zaire. 1989 - George Bush names William Bennett to be his Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy and James Watkins as Secretary of Energy. 1990 - Civil Rights activist Reverand Al Sharpton is stabbed in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. 1990 - Laurence J Peter, author (The Peter Principle), dies from a stroke at age 70. 1990 - Romania bans Communist party (first Warsaw Pact member to do so). 1991 - Keye Luke, actor (Charlie Chan's No 1 Son), dies after a stroke at age 86. 1991 - Largest crowd to watch Atlantic Coast Womens Basketball game (11,520). 1991 - Melvin Stewart swims world record 200 metre butterfly (1 55.69). 1991 - US Congress gives President George H.W. Bush authority to use military force to liberate Kuwait. 1991 - Vasco Pratolini of Italy, writer (Ragazze di San Frediano), dies at age 77. 1992 - 13th ACE Cable Awards: HBO wins 27 awards. 1992 - The second round of Algeria's general elections is cancelled when the first round is favorable to the Islamic Salvation Front. 1992 - Harry van Doorn, Dutch Member of Parliament (KVP/KRO-chairman/PPR/CRM), dies at age 76. 1992 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Christopher Bowman. 1992 - Walt Morey, US children's book writer (Gentle Ben), dies at age 84. 1992 - Birth of Mao Kobayashi, Japanese gravure idol. 1993 - Birth of Aika Mitsui, Japanese singer. 1993 - Carles Mira, Spanish director (Que Nos Quiten Lo Bailao), dies at age 45. 1993 - Doctors announce Pittsburgh Penguins' player Mario Limeux has Hodgkin's disease. 1993 - A German court in Berlin drops charges against Erich Honecker (related to shootings at the German-German border) with the justification that he was 80 years old and terminally ill. 1994 - Malcolm X's daughter arrested for plotting Louis Farrakhan's murder. 1994 - Samuel Bronston, Romanian/US producer (El Cid), dies at age 85. 1994 - Steve Carlton of the Philadelphia Phillies is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. 1995 - George Price, cartoonist (New Yorker), dies at age 93. 1995 - Major earthquake kills 5,092 in Kobe, Japan. 1995 - Marion Herbst, German/Dutch jewelry designer, dies at age 50. 1995 - Murder trial against OJ Simpson begins in Los Angeles, California. 1995 - Pope John Paul II begins visit to Southeast Asia. 1996 - Birth of Sarah Morales in Mexico, Siamese twin (survives). 1996 - Birth of Sarahi Morales in Mexico, Siamese twin (dies on January 27, 1996). 1996 - Edmund Happold, engineer, dies at age 65. 1996 - John Howard Purnell, scientist, dies at age 70. 1996 - Peggy Braithwaite, lighthouse-keeper, dies at age 76. 1996 - Russian troops arrive in Bosnia (joint operation with US). 1997 - Annika Sorenstam wins LPGA Chrysler-Plymouth Tournament of Champions. 1997 - Death of Charles B. Huggins, Canadian-born cancer researcher, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, at age 95 (born 1901). 1997 - Jill Summers, actress (Agatha - Coronation Street), dies at age 86. 1997 - Space Shuttle STS 81 (Atlantis 18), launches into space. 1997 - Tiger Woods wins Mercedes Golf Championships. 1998 - Nineteen European nations agree to forbid human cloning. 1998 - Lrgest ever oil spill in Nigeria, 6.4 million litres spill from a ruptured oil pipeline to one of Mobil's terminals. 1999 - Setting an all-time record, Mark McGwire's 70th home run ball in one season is purchased at an auction by an anonymous buyer for $3 million. 2000 - Death of Marc Davis at age 86 in California, USA; Disney Studios 1935-78, animator on many films, worked on Disneyland attractions, named Disney Legend 1989. 2001 - Downtown Disney opens, in the Disneyland Resort, between Disneyland and the site of Disney's California Adventure. The 300,000 square foot site features restaurants, nightclubs, shops, and movie theaters. 2001 - Death of William Hewlett, American businessman (born 1913). 2001 - Death of Vladimir Semichastny, former Soviet head of KGB in the 1960s (born 1924). 2002 - The X (roller coaster) opens at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, Santa Clarita, California. 2002 - Death of Stanley Unwin, South African comedian (born 1911). 2002 - Death of Cyrus Vance, United States Secretary of State (born 1917). 2003 - Death of Dean Amadon, American ornithologist (born 1912). 2003 - Death of Leopoldo Galtieri, Argentine dictator (1982-82), at age 76 (born 1926). 2003 - Death of Kinji Fukasaku, Japanese violent film maker, at age 72. 2003 - Death of Maurice Gibb, British musician with the Bee Gees (born 1949). 2004 - Death of Randy VanWarmer, American singer and songwriter (born 1955). 2005 - Paul Lo Duca signs a three-year, US$18 million deal to remain with the Florida Marlins. 2005 - At a Dodger Stadium's news conference, general manager Paul DePodesta announces the team has signed Derek Lowe to a $36 million, four-year deal. 2005 - Steven Contursi and Donald Kagin purchase the unique (US) 1787 Brasher gold doubloon with "EB" punch on breast for US$2,990,000, third highest price ever paid for a rare coin at public auction. 2005 - Death of Amrish Puri, Indian actor (born 1932). 2005 - Deep Impact is launched from Cape Canaveral by a Delta 2 rocket. 2006 - A stampede during the Stoning of the devil ritual on the last day at the Hajj in Mina, Saudi Arabia, kills 362 pilgrims. 2007 - Comet McNaught, the brightest comet in over 40 years, makes perihelion. 2007 - An Argentine judge issues a warrant for the arrest of former President Isabel Martínez de Perón in connection with the disappearance of a human rights worker in 1976. 2007 - The US Embassy in Athens is attacked with a rocket propelled grenade, causing minimal damage and no injuries. 2007 - Death of Alice Coltrane, American jazz musician (born 1937). 2008 - Parliamentary elections are held in Taiwan, resulting in a landslide victory for Ma Ying-jeau's Kuomintang party. 2008 - In Venezuela, the Unified Socialist party for Venezuela is launched, under leadership of Hugo Chávez. 2008 - A Macedonian Army Mil Mi-17 helicopter crashes in thick fog southeast of Skopje, killing all 11 military personnel on board. 2009 - Death of Claude Berri, French film director (born 1934). 2009 - Death of Arne Næss, Norwegian philosopher (born 1912). 2010 - A magnitude 7.0 earthquake strikes Haiti, largely destroying the capital, Port-au-Prince, in the most powerful earthquake to hit the country in more than 200 years. An estimated 100,000 people are killed.         Your Ad Here         You can pick a particular day to view that day's events in history. Bookmark this URL:   http://thisdayinhistoryinfo.info/   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 Today in Sports History Today in USA History Today in Disney History Chronology of World War II Chronology of Personal Computers