This Day in History
January 19

What happened in history on this day: January 19? On January 19 in ... 379 - Theodosius installed as co-emperor of East Roman Empire. 570 - Birth of Mohammed, Islamic prophet (Koran). 639 - Dagobert I, king of Austrasia/Soissons/Burgundy/Neustrië, dies. 973 - Pope Benedictus VI elected. 1200 - Birth of Dogen Kigen Japan, Zen teacher, first patriarch of the Japanese Soto. 1419 - French city of Rouen surrenders to Henry V in Hundred Years War. 1479 - Johan II king of Aragón/Navarra, dies at age 81. 1493 - France cedes Roussillon and Cerdágne to Spain by treaty of Barcelona. 1544 - Birth of Francis II de Valois-Angoulême king of France (1559-60). 1547 - Henry Howard Earl of Surrey, army commander/poet, beheaded at age 29. 1549 - Barthout van Assendelft first land advocate of Holland, dies. 1576 - Hans Sachs composer, dies at age 81. 1591 - Edmond Auger French jesuit (under Henri III), dies at about age 60. 1613 - Birth of Jacques Huyn composer. 1625 - Erhard Buttner composer, dies at age 32. 1629 - Abbas I Shah of Persia (1588-1629), dies at age 57. 1639 - Birth of Noël Alexandre French theologian/historian. 1647 - Johan van Beverwijck physician (Treasurer of Ongesontheyt), dies at age 52. 1668 - King Louis XIV and Emperor Leopold I sign treaty dividing Spain. 1669 - Leo Allatios Greek/Italian theologist/literary, dies at about age 82. 1676 - Birth of John Weldon composer. 1679 - Birth of Girolamo Chiti composer. 1686 - Birth of Hakuin Ekakuborn Japan, Zen Buddhist. 1692 - John Commelin director of Hortus Botanist (Amsterdam), dies at age 62. 1714 - Richard Steele publishes "The Crisis", defending Hanoverian success. 1729 - William Congreve English dramatist (Love for Love), dies in London at age 58. 1736 - Birth of James Watt Scotland, inventor (steam engine). 1736 - Birth of Laurens P van de Spiegel Dutch regent/secretary of State 1787-95. 1737 - Birth of Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre French writer (Paul et Virgin). 1746 - Bonnie Prince Charlie's troops occupy Stirling. 1747 - Johann Bode "discoverer" of Bode's Law, dies. 1749 - Birth of Isaiah Thomas US, printer/editor/publisher/historian. 1760 - Birth of Melchor Lopez Jimenez composer. 1770 - Battle of Golden Hill (Lower Manhattan). 1790 - Birth of Per Daniel Amadeus Atterbom Swedish historian/poet (Blommorna). 1793 - French King Louis XVI sentenced to death. 1795 - Democratic revolution in Amsterdam ends oligarchy. 1795 - Maria Teresa Agnesi composer, dies at age 74. 1798 - Birth of Auguste Comte philosopher/founder (sociology and positivism). 1802 - Birth of [Jean] Silvain van de Weyer first Belgian minister of Foreign affairs (1831). 1805 - Johann Gottlieb Karl Spazier composer, dies at age 43. 1806 - Birth of Vaclav Jindrich Veit composer. 1806 - Britain occupies the Cape of Good Hope. 1807 - Birth of Robert Edward Lee Stratford Virginia, General-in-Chief (Confederacy). 1808 - Louis Napoleon signs first Dutch aviation law. 1809 - Birth of Edgar Allan Poe in Boston, Massachusetts, USA; poet, author and literary critic (The Fall of the House of Usher, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Purloined Letter, The Raven). 1810 - Overnight temp at Portsmouth New Hampshire drops 50 degrees F (10 degrees C). 1813 - Birth of Sir Henry Bessemer engineer/inventor (Bessemer engine). 1816 - Birth of Henry Gray Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1892. 1820 - Birth of John Haskell King Brevet Major General (Union Army), died in 1888. 1825 - Ezra Daggett and nephew Thomas Kensett patent food storage in tin cans. 1827 - Birth of Carlos Guido y Spano Argentina, conductor (Ráfagas). 1829 - Johann von Goethe's "Faust, Part 1" premieres. 1830 - Birth of George Blake Cosby Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1909. 1830 - Wenzel Thomas Matiegka composer, dies at age 56. 1832 - Birth of Ferdinand Laub composer. 1832 - Birth of Salvador Giner y Vidal composer. 1833 - Charles Darwin reaches Straits Ponsonby, Fireland. 1833 - Louis-J-Ferdinand Hérold French composer (Pré aux clercs), dies at age 41. 1837 - Birth of William Williams Keen surgeon (brain). 1839 - Aden conquered by British East India Company. 1839 - Birth of Bohumil Pazdirek composer. 1839 - Birth of Paul Cézanne France, impressionist painter (Bathers). 1839 - Death of Ludwig, military governor of Hess-Homburg, in Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. 1839 - Georg Abraham Schneider composer, dies at age 38. 1840 - Antarctica discovered, Charles Wilkes expedition (US claim). 1851 - Birth of David Starr Jordan New York, biologist/university president (Leland Stanford). 1851 - Birth of Johannes C Kapteyn Dutch astronomer. 1853 - Napoleon III marries Eugénie de Montijo. 1853 - Verdi's opera "Il Trovatore" premieres, in Rome. 1858 - Birth of Eugene Brieux French playwright (Blanchette, Lesson Avaries). 1859 - Birth of Alice Eastwood Toronto, botanist (Handbook of Trees of California). 1861 - Georgia becomes fifth state to secede. 1861 - Mississippi troops take Fort Massachusetts on Ship Island. 1862 - Battle of Mill Springs, Kentucky (Fishing Creek, Logan's Crossroads). 1863 - Birth of Werner Sombart German fascist (Juden und das Wirtschaftsleben). 1863 - General Mieroslawski appointed dictator of Poland. 1865 - NV Suriname Bank established. 1865 - Union occupies Fort Anderson, North Carolina. 1866 - Birth of Harry Davenport New York City, New York; actor/director (Her Unborn Child, My Sin). 1868 - Birth of Gustav Meyrink writer. 1869 - Birth of Alfred R Zimmerman mayor (Rotterdam 1906-22)/Director (League of Nations). 1871 - First Negro lodge of US Masons approved, New Jersey. 1873 - Birth of Hans E Blaich writer. 1874 - H v Fallersleben writer, dies at age 75. 1877 - Birth of Charles Coburn Savannah Georgia, USA; actor (Devil and Miss Jones). 1878 - Henri V Regnault French physicist/chemist, dies at age 67. 1879 - Birth of Marie Koenen author/wife of Felix Rutten (Wassend Cereal). 1883 - Birth of Hermann Abendroth German conductor. 1884 - Birth of Albert Louis Wolff composer. 1884 - Jules Massenet's opera "Manon" premieres in Paris. 1885 - Battle at Abu Klea Sudan 800-1000 killed. 1885 - Fred Burnaby English Colonel/balloon pioneer, dies in battle. 1886 - Aurora Ski Club, first in US, founded in Minnesota. 1887 - Birth of Alexander Woollcott New Jersey, short story writer/critic (Man Who Came to Dinner). 1889 - Birth of Sophie Taeuber/Täuber-Arp Swiss sculptor/wife of Hans Arp (Dada). 1892 - Birth of Olafur Thors Icelandic Prime Minister (6 times, 1942-63). 1893 - Julius Eichberg composer, dies at age 68. 1894 - François Haverschmidt Dutch writer, dies at age 58. 1897 - Birth of Natacha Rambova Salt Lake City, Utah, costume designer. 1897 - Birth of René Victor Flemish lawyer/knight (Rechtskundig Weekblad). 1898 - Brown defeats Harvard 6-0 in first intercollegiate hockey game. 1899 - Anglo-Egyptian Sudan forms. 1902 - Birth of Heinrich Schmist-Barrien; German author (Moorkeerl). 1903 - First regular transatlantic radio broadcast between US and England. 1903 - New bicycle race "Tour de France" is announced. 1904 - Birth of James Winston Watts; developer (Frontal Lobotomy). 1905 - Birth of Oveta Culp Hobby; government official/newspaper publisher/CEO (Houston Post). 1906 - Birth of Ish Kabbible [Merwyn Bogue] in Pennsylvania, USA; comedian (Kay Kyser's Kollege). 1906 - Birth of Lanny Ross in Seattle, Washington, USA; radio singer (Show Boat, The Swift Show). 1907 - Birth of Lillian Harvey in London, England; actress (Invitation to the Waltz). 1910 - Germany and Bolivia end commerce/friendship treaty. 1912 - Birth of Francis David Charteris; Earl of Wemyss and March/Scottish landowner. 1912 - Birth of Jean G H "Sjeng" Tans; Dutch socialist democratic chairman (1965-69). 1912 - Birth of Leonid V Kantorovich in Saint Petersburg, Russia; economist (Nobel Prize). 1913 - Raymond Poincaré installed as President of France. 1914 - Birth of Lester Flatt; country musician (Flatt and Scruggs - "Ballad of Jed Clampett", "Rocky Top"). 1915 - First German Zeppelin L3s make bombing attack over Great Britain; four die in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. 1915 - Birth of Alvy West in Brooklyn, New York, USA; orchestra leader (Andy Williams Show). 1915 - Neon Tube sign patented by George Claude. 1917 - Silvertown Essex's ammunition factory explodes; 300 die. 1918 - Birth of John H Johnson; US publisher (Negro Digest, Ebony, Jet). 1918 - Russia disallows a Constitution Assembly. 1919 - "Tidal wave" of 2 million gallons of molasses 15 metres high by 25 metres wide drowns 21 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. 1919 - Birth of Walter Fleischmann AKA Anthony Dexter AKA Tony Dexter AKA Walter Craig in New Brunswick, Canada; actor (Valentino). 1919 - Birth of Dharam Singh in India; field hockey player (Olympics-gold-1964). 1920 - Alexandre Millerand forms French government. 1920 - Birth of Javier Pérez de Cuéllar in Lima, Perú; 5th Secretary-General of United Nations (1982-91). 1920 - US Senate votes against membership in League of Nations. 1921 - Birth of Patricia Highsmith [Plangman]; US/Swiss writer (Strangers on a Train, L'amateur d'escargot). 1921 - Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador sign Pact of Union. 1922 - Birth of Arthur Morris; cricket player (great Australian lefty opening batsman). 1922 - Birth of Guy Madison [Robert Moseley] in Bakersfield, California, USA; actor (Wild Bill Hickok). 1922 - Birth of Ken Hughes in Liverpool, England; director (Casino Royale). 1922 - US Geological survey says US oil supply would be depleted in 20 years. 1923 - Birth of Jean Stapleton in New York City, New York, USA; actress (Damn Yankees, Klute, Edith Bunker - All in the Family). 1924 - Birth of 7th Earl of Carnarvon; English large landowner. 1924 - Birth of Jean François Revel; French journalist/author (Ni Marx ni Jésus). 1924 - Birth of Nicholas Colasanto in Providence, Rhode Island, USA; actor (Coach Ernie - Cheers). 1925 - -48 degrees F (-44 degrees C), Van Buren, Maine (state record). 1925 - Birth of Nina [Mary] Bawden; English author (Afternoon of a Good Woman). 1926 - Birth of Fritz Weaver in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; actor (Josef - Holocaust, Day of the Dolphin). 1926 - Birth of Libera Carlier; Flemish author (Action Station Go!). 1927 - British government decides to send troops to China. 1927 - Charlotte, princess of Belgium/Empress of Mexico (1864-67), dies at age 86. 1928 - Birth of Dainin Katagiri in Osaka, Japan; Zen teacher, associate of Shunryu Suzuki. 1929 - Acadia National Park in Maine is established. 1929 - Birth of Ulu Grosbard in Belgium; actor (Straight Time, Georgia, Falling in Love). 1929 - Clas Thunberg skates world record 500m in 42.8 seconds. 1930 - Birth of John Waite; cricket wicket-keeper (great South African). 1931 - Birth of Robert MacNeil in Montréal, Québec, Canada; news anchor (NBC Weekend News 1965-67, MacNeil-Lehrer News Hour). 1931 - Birth of Ron Packard; American politician (Representative-Republican-California, 1983-). 1932 - Birth of Joe Schmidt; NFL Hall of Fame linebacker (Detroit Lions). 1932 - Birth of Richard Lester; movie director (A Hard Day's Night, Help!, Petulia). 1932 - Charlie Conacher becomes first Toronto Maple Leafs' player to score five goals in a game, the first coming at 7 seconds of the game. 1933 - Birth of Marc F A Andries; Flemish actor (Central Station). 1935 - Birth of Tippi Hedren in Minnesota, USA; actress (The Birds, Marnie, The Bold and the Beautiful). 1935 - KLM begins flight path between Curaçao and Aruba. 1937 - Cy Young, Tris Speaker and Nap Lajoie elected to Baseball Hall of Fame. 1937 - Millionaire Howard Hughes sets transcontinental air record (7:28:25). 1938 - Birth of Denny Smith; American politician (Representative-Republican-Oregon, 1981-). 1938 - Birth of Phil Everly in Brownie, Kentucky, USA; singer (Everly Bros - "Wake Up Little Susie"). 1938 - General Motors begins mass production of diesel engines. 1939 - Ernest Hausen of Wisconsin, USA sets chicken-plucking record-4.4 seconds. 1940 - Birth of Barend J du Plessis; South African minister of Finance (1984-). 1941 - British offensive in Eritrea. 1941 - British troops occupy Kassalaf Sudan. 1942 - Birth of Michael Crawford in England; Broadway star (Phantom of the Opera). 1942 - Birth of Shelly Fabares in Santa Monica, California, USA; actress (Donna Reed Show, Coach). 1942 - Titus Brandsma (Carmelite priest) arrested by German occupiers for speaking out against Nazism as a "lie" and "pagan". 1943 - Birth of Janis Joplin in Port Arthur, Texas, USA; blues rock singer ("Down on Me"). 1943 - Birth of Margriet Francisca; Dutch Princess. 1944 - Birth of Dan Reeves; NFL Coach (New York Giants, Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons). 1945 - Birth of Rod Evans; rocker (Deep Purple - "Come Taste the Band"). 1945 - Birth of Vadim Abdrashitov; director (Fox Hunt, Parade of Planets). 1945 - Ernest B Allo, French theologist, dies at age 71. 1946 - Birth of Alexandr Vladimirovich Shchukin; Russian cosmonaut. 1946 - Birth of Dolly Rebecca Parton in Sevierville, Tennessee, USA; country singer (Dolly, 9 to 5). 1946 - Birth of Julian Barnes in England; writer (Before She Met Me). 1947 - Birth of Alessandro Haber; actor (China is Near). 1947 - Birth of Ann Compton; news reporter (ABC TV). 1947 - Greek steamer Himara strikes a wartime mine in Saronic Gulf south of Athens with loss of 392 of 637 aboard. 1949 - Birth of Robert Palmer in Batley, England; rocker ("Addicted to Love", "Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley"). 1950 - Maiden flight by Canada's Avro Canada CF-100 military plane. 1951 - Birth of Dewey Bunnell in Yorkshire, England; rock guitarist (America - "Daisy Jane", "Sister Golden Hair"). 1951 - Birth of Linda Hayden in Middlesex, England; actress (Blood on Satan's Claw, Shattered). 1951 - Wilhelm Schäfer, German writer (Mein Leben), dies at age 82. 1952 - PGA approves allowing black participants. 1953 - Birth of Desi Arnaz Jr in Los Angeles, California, USA; actor (Craig - Here's Lucy, Fakeout, Joyride). 1953 - Jesse Owens named Illinois Athletic Commission secretary. 1954 - Birth of Katey Sagal in Los Angeles, California, USA; actress (Peg Bundy - Married With Children). 1954 - Birth of Steve DeBerg; NFL quarterback (Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers). 1954 - Sydney Greenstreet, actor (Conflict, Maltese Falcon), dies at age 74. 1955 - "Scrabble" debuts on board game market. 1955 - The Millionaire TV program premieres on CBS. 1955 - First Presidential news conference filmed for TV (Dwight Eisenhower). 1955 - Birth of Simon Rattle in England; orchestra conductor (Birmingham Symphony Orchestra). 1956 - Hoboken dedicates a plaque honoring achievements of Alexander Cartwright in organizing early baseball at Elysian Field. 1956 - The General Motors Motorama show opens in the Waldorf Astoria in New York City, running for nine days. The 1956 Corvette makes its debut. The Corvette Impala show car is displayed. 1957 - Birth of Michael "Mickey" Virtue in Birmingham, England; rock keyboardist (UB40 - "Red Red Wine"). 1957 - Birth of Ottis "O J" Anderson; NFL running back (New York Giants). 1957 - USSR performs atmospheric nuclear test. 1958 - Canadian Football Council renamed Canadian Football League. 1960 - Birth of Alfrederick Joyner in East Saint Louis, Illinois, USA; triple jumper (Olympics-gold-1984). 1960 - US President Dwight Eisenhower and Japanese Premier Kishi sign US-Japanese Security pact. 1961 - Birth of Paul McCrane; actor (Hotel New Hampshire, We're Fighting Back). 1961 - Birth of William Ragsdale in Alaska, USA; actor (Fright Night, Mannequin 2, Smooth Talk). 1962 - Birth of Anthony Edwards in Santa Barbara, California, USA; actor (Mike Monroe - Northern Exposure). 1962 - Birth of Chris Sabo in Detroit, Michigan, USA; pitcher (Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles). 1962 - Snub Pollard, actor (Limelight, Arizona Days), dies of cancer at age 72. 1963 - Birth of Caron Wheeler; English singer (Soul II Soul - "Keep on Movin'"). 1963 - Birth of Michael Adams; NBA guard (Charlotte Hornets). 1964 - AFL Pro Bowl: West beats East 27-24. 1965 - Birth of Ricky Reynolds; NFL cornerback (New England Patriots). 1965 - Frank Reicher, actor (King Kong, Nazi Agent, Son of Kong), dies at age 89. 1966 - Birth of Anthony Young; US baseball pitcher (New York Mets, Chicago Cubs). 1966 - Birth of Ronnie Williams; NFL tight end (Miami Dolphins). 1966 - Birth of Stefan Edberg in Sweden; tennis player (Wimbledon 1988, US Open 1991). 1966 - Birth of Sylvain Cote Duberger; NHL defenseman (Washington Capitals). 1966 - Indira Gandhi elected India's third prime minister. 1967 - Birth of Christine Tucci; actress (Amanda Cory - Another World). 1967 - Grace Cunard, actress (Untamed, Ressurection), dies at age 73. 1967 - Herr Karl Tausch writes shortest will "Vse Zene" (All to wife). 1968 - Birth of Marty Conlon; NBA forward (Milwaukee Bucks). 1968 - Birth of Whitfield Crane; rocker (Ugly Kid Joe-Mad Man, Too Bad). 1969 - AFL Pro Bowl: West beats East 38-25. 1969 - Birth of Andrew Murray Stone in Auckland, New Zealand; open 470 yachter (Olympics-1996). 1969 - Birth of Junior Seau; NFL inside linebacker (San Diego Chargers). 1969 - Birth of Luc Longley; NBA center (Chicago Bulls). 1969 - Birth of Orlando Palmeiro in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA; outfielder (California Angels). 1969 - Joanne Carner wins LPGA Burdine's Golf Invitational. 1969 - NFL Pro Bowl: West beats East 10-7. 1970 - Albert Mähll, German writer, dies at age 76. 1970 - Birth of Ghetty Chasun in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA; actress (Red Lips). 1970 - Birth of Rick Krivda in Mckeesport, Pennsylvania, USA; pitcher (Baltimore Orioles). 1970 - Birth of T J Mathews in Bellevillem Illinois, USA; pitcher (Saint Louis Cardinals). 1970 - Dutch bishop says he is in favor of married priest. 1970 - Hal March, actor (Atomic Kit, Outrage, Yankee Pasha), dies at age 49. 1970 - US President Richard Nixon nominates G Harrold Carswell to Supreme Court (fails). 1971 - 24th NHL All-Star Game: West beat East 2-1 at Boston. 1971 - Birth of Jeff Juden in Salem, Massachusetts, USA; baseball pitcher (Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants). 1971 - Birth of Maurice Hofman; Dutch soccer player (MVV). 1971 - Birth of Reggie Brooks; NFL running back (Washington Redskins). 1971 - Birth of Shawn Wayans; actor (In Living Color). 1971 - NHL Writers' Association renamed Professional Hockey Writers' Association. 1972 - Birth of Tyrone Wheatley; NFL running back (New York Giants). 1972 - Sandy Koufax, Yogi Berra, and Early Wynn elected to Baseball Hall of Fame. 1973 - Birth of Chris Stynes in Queens, New York, USA; infielder (Kansas City Royals). 1973 - Max Adrian, actor (Boy Friend, Her Favorite Husband), dies at age 69. 1974 - Belgium government of Leburton falls. 1974 - Birth of Amaury Telemaco in Higuey, Dominican Republic; pitcher (Chicago Cubs). 1974 - Birth of Gregory Playfair; Suriname/Dutch soccer player (PSV). 1974 - Birth of Tarik Oulida; soccer player (Ajax/Seville). 1974 - Birth of Walter Jones; tackle (Seattle Seahawks). 1974 - Notre Dame beats UCLA, ends NCAA-record 88-game basketball win streak. 1975 - Four mail truck assault on El Al B-747 in Paris, escape to Iraq. 1975 - Birth of Natalie Harvey; Australian 3k/5k runner (Olympics-1996). 1975 - In the Kashmir-Xizang border region, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake occurs. 42 dead, 40 seriously injured, 2,500 people left homeless, and extensive damage in the Kinnaur district of the Himachal Pradesh State. 1975 - Kathy Whitworth wins LPGA Colgate Golf Triple Crown. 1975 - Thomas Hart Benson, US artist, dies at age 85. 1976 - Birth of Claire Grech; Miss Malta-Universe (1997). 1976 - Birth of Sky Christopherson in Tucson, Arizona; cyclist (Olympics-1996). 1976 - Kevin Coughlin, actor (T R Ryan - Mama), killed in hit-and-run at age 30. 1977 - Birth of Anne Miller in Midland, Michigan; tennis star (1995 Darmstadt Germany). 1977 - Birth of Taliesin Jaffe in Venice, California; actor (Willy - Hail to the Chief). 1977 - Ernie Banks elected to Baseball Hall of Fame. 1977 - Geraldine Brooks, actress (Faraday and Co, Dumplings), dies at age 51. 1977 - US President Gerald Ford pardons Iva Toguri (Tokyo Rose), convicted in 1949 of treason, as witness testimony included lies under threat by the FBI and occupation police. 1977 - World's largest crowd-12.7 million-for Indian religious festival. 1977 - Rare snow flurries in southeast Florida, USA. 1978 - Eddie Mathews elected to Baseball Hall of Fame. 1978 - Judge William H Webster appointed head of FBI. 1979 - John N Mitchell (former Attorney General) released on parole from federal prison. 1979 - Paul Meurisse, actor (Diabolique, Truth, Suspects, Monocle), dies. 1980 - William O Douglas, member of US Supreme court (1939-75), dies at age 81. 1981 - Muhammad Ali talks a despondent 21-year old out of committing suicide. 1981 - In Irian Jaya, Indonesia, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake occurs. Three hundred five people killed, some injured and about 1,000 missing in the Jayawijaya Mountains. 1981 - United States and Iranian officials sign an agreement to release 52 American hostages after 14 months of captivity. 1982 - Birth of Angela Chang; Taiwanese singer and actress. 1982 - Australia-West Indies one-day game that produced a Privy Council libel case. 1982 - Birth of Jodie Sweetin; American actress (Stephanie Tanner - Full House). 1982 - Heater explodes at Star Elementary School-Oklahoma, kills six kids and teacher. 1982 - Leopold Trepper, Polish/Israeli spy (WWII), dies at age 77. 1982 - Marc Demeyer, Belgian bicyclist (Paris-Roubaix 1976), dies at age 31. 1982 - Death of Elis Regina, Brazilian singer (born 1945). 1983 - Apple Computer announces the Lisa computer. It features a 5 MHz 68000 processor, 12-inch monochrome monitor, 720x364 graphics, two 5.25-inch floppy drives, 5 MB hard drive, and six integrated programs. Its initial price is US$10,000. It is the first commercial personal computer with a graphical user interface. 1983 - Klaus Barbie, SS chief of Lyon in France, arrested in Bolivia. 1983 - Saint Louis Cardinals' infielder Ozzie Smith becomes baseball's first $1 million shortstop, signing a three-year contract. 1983 - Birth of Hikaru Utada; Japanese singer and songwriter. 1984 - Francesco Moser bicycles world record time 50,808 km (he is the first man to break the 50 km/h barrier). 1984 - Birth of Zakia Mrisho Mohamed, Tanzanian long distance runner. 1984 - Birth of Trent Cutler, Australian rugby league player. 1984 - California Supreme Court refuses to allow quadriplegic Elizabeth Bouvia to starve herself to death in a public hospital; she appeals and is later granted the right to die. 1985 - Birth of Rika Ishikawa; Japanese singer and host of television and radio programs. 1985 - Four die in a car and train crash in Buda, Illinois. 1985 - Death of Eric Voegelin, philosopher of history, in Stanford, California (born in Cologne, Germany). 1986 - Israeli premier Simon Peres visits Netherlands. 1986 - The first virus program for the IBM PC appears, called the Brain. It infects the boot sector of 360 kB floppy disks. 1986 - Spain recognizes Israel. 1987 - Gerald Brenan, English writer, dies at age 92. 1987 - Guy Hunt becomes Alabama's first Republican governor since 1874. 1988 - 48 Hours premieres on CBS-TV. 1988 - Ballard Berkeley, actor (East meets West), dies at age 83. 1989 - Norma Varden, actress (Loose in London), dies. 1989 - President Reagan pardons George Steinbrenner for illegal funds for Nixon. 1990 - Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, Indian guru, dies at age 58. 1990 - Herbert Wehner, German ex-communist/chairman (1958-73), dies at age 83. 1990 - Test debut of Mushtaq Ahmed, versus Australia at Adelaide. 1991 - 42nd NHL All Star Game: Campbell beats Wales 11-5 in Chicago, Illinois. 1991 - The Party of the Alliance of Youth, Workers and Farmers of Angola is founded in Luanda, Angola. 1991 - Twenty-nine people are injured by a SCUD attack on Tel Aviv, Israel. 1991 - 48th Golden Globes: Dances with Wolves. 1991 - Don Beddoe, actor (Bullwhip, Loophole, Texas), dies at age 87. 1991 - Glenn Langan, actor (Big Chase, Jungle Heat, Rapture), dies at age 73. 1991 - John Russell, actor/writer (Apache Uprising, Yellow Sky), dies at age 70. 1991 - Jumbo Tsuruta beats Stan Hansen to win All Japan Triple Crown title. 1991 - Sergeant Slaughter defeats Ultimate Warrior for WWF championship belt. 1991 - Birth of Erin Sanders, American actress. 1992 - Cerebral Palsy telethon raises US$23,500,000. 1992 - Nature Boy Ric Flair becomes WWF champion at Royal Rumble. 1992 - Rowdy Roddy Piper beats Mountie to become WWF Intercontinental Champ. 1992 - Birth of Logan Lerman, American actor. 1993 - Chris Street, basketball player, dies at age 20. 1993 - Israel recognizes Palestinian Liberation Organization as no longer criminal. 1993 - Kees Scherer, Dutch photographer (World Press Photo), dies at age 72. 1993 - Oakland Athletics unveil new elephant logo. 1993 - Reginald Lewis, CEO (Beatrice), dies of brain cancer at age 50. 1993 - Robert M Gates ends term as 15th director of US Central Intelligence Agency. 1993 - STS-54 (space shuttle Endeavour) lands. 1993 - IBM announces a US$4.97 billion loss for 1992, the largest single-year corporate loss in United States history. 1993 - Birth of Gus Lewis, English actor. 1993 - Iraq refuses to allow UNSCOM inspectors to use its own aircraft to fly into Iraq, and begins military operations in the demilitarized zone between Iraq and Kuwait, and the northern Iraqi no-fly zones. U.S. forces fire approximately 40 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Baghdad factories linked to Iraq's illegal nuclear weapons program. Iraq then informs UNSCOM that it will be able to resume its flights. 1993 - William LeMassena, actor (All that Jazz), dies of lung cancer at age 76. 1994 - Record cold temperatures hit the eastern United States. The coldest temperature ever measured in Indiana state history, -36 degrees F (-38 degrees C), is recorded in New Whiteland. The coldest temperature ever measured in Ohio state history, -20 degrees F (-29 degrees C), is recorded in Cleveland. 1995 - Eugene Fuller, polymath/linguist, dies at age 80. 1995 - In Colombia, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake occurs. Five people killed, several injured and at least 20 major buildings damaged in the Bogota area. Felt in much of Colombia and western Venezuela and as far as Caracas, Venezuela. 1995 - Jean-Claude Juncker (28) sworn in as premier of Luxembourg. 1996 - Bernard Baily, comic artist, dies at age 79. 1996 - Donald Simpson, film producer, dies at age 52. 1996 - Harold Wolpe, sociologist lawyer/South African activist, dies at age 70. 1996 - NHL approves move of Winnipeg Jets to Phoenix. 1997 - Ivan Rodriguez signs the richest one-year deal in baseball history, agreeing to a contract worth US$6.65 million to play with the Texas Rangers. 1997 - Adriana Caseloti, voice (Snow White), dies at age 70. 1997 - In Beverly Hills, California, the 54th annual Golden Globe Awards ceremony is held. Best Film, Musical or Comedy: Evita; Best Actress, Musical or Comedy: Madonna in Evita; Best Original Song: "You Must Love Me" in Evita; other winners: The English Patient, Brenda Blethyn and Geoffrey Rush. 1997 - George Armin Goyder, businessman/social philosopher, dies at age 88. 1997 - Death of James Dickey, American poet and novelist, at age 84 (born 1923). 1997 - Michelle McGann wins LPGA Healthsouth Inaugural. 1997 - Yasser Arafat returns to Hebron after more than 30 years, and joins celebrations over the handover of the last Israeli-controlled West Bank city. 1998 - Death of Carl Perkins, American singer/songwriter/guitarist, at age 65 (born 1932). 2000 - Death of Bettino Craxi, Prime Minister of Italy (born 1934). 2000 - Death of Hedy Lamarr, Austrian actress (born 1913). 2001 - Death of Dario Vittori, Argentinean actor (born 1921). 2003 - Cuban elections, renewing Fidel Castro as president for next five years, as well as other official candidates for the single-chamber parliament. 2003 - Death of Françoise Giroud, French writer and politician, at age 86. 2004 - U.S. Senator John Kerry (Democrat-Massachusetts) wins the Iowa Democratic caucus. Vermont Governor Howard Dean's concession speech ends with a lively but controversial scream. 2005 - Death of Anita Kulcsár, Hungarian handball player (born 1976). 2006 - After an 80-day departure, Theo Epstein returns to the Red Sox in a yet-to-be named capacity. The youngest general manager in baseball history, who assembled a World Champion team in 2004, left Boston on Halloween Day citing the position was not 'the right fit'. 2006 - Death of Wilson Pickett, American singer (born 1941). 2007 - Israel releases US$100 million in frozen assets to President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian National Authority in order to bolster the president's position. 2007 - Death of Hrant Dink, Turkish-Armenian journalist (born 1954). 2007 - Death of Denny Doherty, Canadian musician (The Mamas and the Papas) (born 1940). 2007 - Death of Bam Bam Bigelow, American wrestler (born 1961). 2008 - French bank Société Générale discovers that stock trader Jérôme Kerviel had managed to defraud the bank of 4.9 million euros (US$7.1 billion) through bad bets on stock futures. This is the biggest trading scandal in banking history. 2008 - Death of Don Wittman, of cancer, age 71; Canadian sports broadcaster for 47 years. 2008 - Death of Suzanne Pleshette, American actress (born 1937). 2009 - The United Kingdom Government launches a second bank rescue plan, allowing banks to insure themselves against losses on their riskiest assets, offering guarantees on their debt, and setting up a 50 billion-pound (US$75 billion) fund to buy up high-quality securities. 2009 - Royal Bank of Scotland records the biggest loss in UK corporate history, up to 28 billion pounds (US$52 billion), and RBS shares close down 67 percent. The government increases its stake in RBS from 58 percent to 70. 2009 - Irish bank shares plunge over 50 percent. 2009 - Baltimore Orioles' outfielder Nick Markakis agrees to a six-year, US$66 million contract. 2010 - US food company Kraft Foods makes a deal to buy British candy maker Cadbury for about US$19.6 billion, the largest European food and beverage deal on record. 2010 - Japan Airlines Corp files for bankruptcy protection owing more than US$25 billion. Shareholders, creditors, and combined banks will give up US$11 billion in debt in a restructuring deal.         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