This Day in History
January 21

What happened in history on this day: January 21? On January 21 in ... 879 - Boudouin with the Iron Arm, Earl of Flanders, dies. 1077 - German King Heinrich IV petitions Pope Gregory VII for forgiveness. 1118 - Paschalis II [Raniero], pope (1099-1118), dies. 1189 - Philip II, Henry II and Richard Lion-Hearted initiate third Crusade. 1276 - Pierre de Tarantaise elected Pope Innocent V. 1324 - Zen Buddhist religious debate between Tendai and Shingon. 1338 - Birth of Charles V (the Wise) king of France (1364-80). 1522 - Head inquisitor Adrian Florisz Boeyens elected pope. 1542 - Parliament passes bill of attainder against Queen Katherine Howard. 1571 - Birth of John I Pontanus physicist/historian (Amsterdam). 1596 - John Ligarius German theologist/prime minister, dies at age 66. 1604 - Tsar Ivan IV defeats the False Dmitri, who claims to be the true tsar. 1609 - Joseph Justus Scaliger French inventor of "Julian Period", dies at age 68. 1626 - John Dowland English musician/lyric poet (In Darkness We Dwell), dies at about age 63. 1659 - Birth of Adriaen van der Werff Dutch portrait painter/engraver/architect. 1664 - Count Miklós of Zrinyi sets out to battle Turkish invasion army. 1665 - Domenico Mazzocchi composer, dies at age 72. 1665 - Pierre de Fermat French mathematician (Fermat theorem), dies at age 63. 1670 - Honorat de Brueil seigneur de Racan French playwright, dies at age 80. 1677 - First medical publication in America (pamphlet on smallpox), Boston. 1683 - Anthony Ashley Cooper first Earl of Shaftesbury, dies at age 61. 1686 - Nicolas-François Blondel French architect, dies. 1704 - Willem B Schepers Dutch merchant/ship owner, dies at about age 83. 1732 - Russia and Persia sign Treaty of Riascha. 1735 - Birth of Johann Gottfried Eckard composer. 1743 - Birth of John Fitch inventor (had a working steamboat years before Fulton). 1746 - Birth of Johann H Pestalozzi Zurich Switzerland, educator (Leonard and Gertrude). 1746 - Gottfried Kirkhoff composer, dies at age 60. 1751 - Birth of Josephus Andreas Fodor composer. 1759 - Birth of Johan Valckenaer Dutch politician/patriot. 1762 - Birth of Giuseppe Antonio Silvani composer. 1771 - Birth of Arnold A Buyskes Dutch Vice-Admiral/colonial director. 1774 - Mustapha III sultan of Turkey (1957-74), dies at age 56. 1775 - Birth of Manuel Garcia composer. 1789 - First American novel, WH Brown's "The Power of Sympathy", is published. 1792 - Birth of Tsjalling Hiddes Halbertsma Fries story teller (Rhymes and Tales). 1793 - Louis XVI French king (1774-93), beheaded by revolutionaries at age 38. 1793 - Prussia and Russia sign partition treaty (Poland divided). 1796 - Birth of John Gelinde van Blom Frisian notary/author. 1799 - Edward Jenner's smallpox vaccination is introduced. 1801 - Birth of Ramon Vilanova y Barrera composer. 1813 - Birth of John C Frémont [Pathfinder], map maker/explorer (western US)/Governor (AZ). 1814 - Birth of Thomas Attwood Walmisley composer. 1815 - Birth of Horace Wells dentist (pioneered use of medical anesthesia). 1815 - M Claudius writer, dies at age 74. 1818 - Keats writes his poem "On a Lock of Milton's Hair". 1821 - Birth of John Cabell Breckinridge (Democrat) 14th US Vice Pressident (1857-61)/Major-General (Confederacy). 1821 - Paramaribo Suriname catches fire, four die. 1823 - Birth of Alexandre Edouard Goria composer. 1824 - Ashantees defeat British at Accra, West Africa. 1824 - Birth of Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson Lieutenant-General second Corps (ANV, Confederacy). 1827 - Freedom Journal, first Black paper, begins publishing. 1829 - Birth of Oscar II Frederik King of Sweden (1872-1907)/Norway (-1905)/poet. 1830 - Portsmouth (Ohio) blacks forcibly deported. 1831 - Achim vs Arnim writer, dies at age 49. 1833 - Birth of Norman Willis union leader (Britain's Trades Union Congress). 1840 - Birth of Sophia Louisa Jex-Blake pioneer English woman physician. 1846 - First edition of Charles Dickens' "Daily News". 1848 - Birth of Henri Duparc French composer. 1851 - Gustav Albert Lortzing composer, dies at age 49. 1853 - Envelope-folding machine patented by Russell Hawes, Worcester Massachusetts. 1855 - Birth of John M Browning US, weapons manufacturer. 1859 - Birth of Antoni Wincenty Rutkowski composer. 1861 - Jefferson Davis of Mississippi and four other southern senators resign. 1862 - Bozena Nemcová [Barnora Panklová], Czechoslovakian author, dies at age 41. 1863 - City of Dublin leases part of Cattle Market for 100,000 years. 1865 - Birth of Heinrich E Albers-Schönberg German röntgenologist. 1867 - Birth of James Marcus; actor (Eagle, Little Lord Fauntleroy, Lone Avenger). 1867 - Birth of Maxime Weygand French General/Governor-General (Algeria). 1867 - Birth of Willem C Royaards Dutch theater director (Summer Games). 1871 - John J Rochussen Governor-General of Netherlands-Indies (1845-51), dies at age 73. 1872 - Birth of Jonkhr Frans Beelaerts van Blokland Dutch foreign minister. 1872 - Franz Grillparzer Austrian playwright (Sappho/Libussa), dies at age 81. 1874 - Franz Grillparzer's "Libussa" premieres in Vienna. 1875 - Birth of John Lindworsky German jesuit/psychologist (Der Wille). 1875 - Birth of Paul E Kahle Germany, professor of oriental studies. 1878 - Birth of Egon Friedell Austria, journalist/actor/writer (Der Partylowe). 1879 - Henrik Ibsen's "Et Dukkehjem" premieres in Copenhagen. 1880 - First US sewage disposal system separate from storm drains, Memphis Tennessee. 1882 - Anton Emil Titl composer, dies at age 72. 1883 - Birth of Olav Aukrust Norway, poet. 1883 - Jacopo Tomadini composer, dies at age 62. 1884 - Auguste Franchomme composer, dies at age 75. 1884 - Birth of Katie Sandwina Germany, legendary woman weight-lifter. 1884 - Birth of Roger Nash Baldwin founder (American Civil Liberties Union). 1885 - Birth of Umberto Nobile Italian General. 1886 - Birth of Gustaaf Sap Belgian minister of Finance/Economy. 1887 - Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) forms. 1887 - Birth of Alfred Henry Ackley composer. 1887 - Birth of Wolfgang Köhler German/US Gestalt psychologist (Mentality of Apes). 1888 - Stephan Hale Alonzo Marsh composer, dies at age 83. 1889 - Birth of Bert Collins cricketer (Aussie batsman in the post WWI years). 1889 - Birth of Pitirim A Sorokin Russian/US sociologist (Social mobility). 1890 - First issue of Propria Cures, Amsterdam student-weekly newspaper. 1891 - Birth of Francisco Lazaro Portuguese runner. 1891 - Birth of Nikolay Semyonovich Golovanov composer. 1891 - Birth of Timothy Mather Spelman composer. 1891 - Calixa Lavallee composer, dies at age 48. 1892 - John Couch Adams English co-discoverer of Neptune, dies. 1894 - Guillaume Jean Joseph Nicolas Lekeu composer, dies at age 24. 1894 - Oscar Fredriksen skates world record 500m in 47.8 seconds. 1897 - Birth of J Carrol Naish New York City, New York; actor (Charlie Chan-Adventures of Charlie Chan). 1898 - Birth of Avery Claflin composer. 1898 - Birth of John George Syria; actor (Kolb-Adventures of Fu Manchu). 1901 - Clyde Fitch's "Climbers" premieres in New York City, New York. 1903 - "Wizard of Oz" premieres in New York City, New York. 1903 - Harry Houdini escapes police station Halvemaansteeg in Amsterdam. 1903 - Hermanus J A M Schaepman Dutch clergyman/politician, dies at age 58. 1903 - International Theater (Majestic, Park) opens at 5 Columbus Circle New York City, New York. 1904 - Birth of Joseph Ford McGuinn Brooklyn New York; actor (Dick Tracy's G-Men). 1904 - Birth of Richard P Blackmur Massachusetts, critic/poet (Anni Mirabiles, Good European). 1904 - Leos Janacek's opera "Jenufa" premieres in Brno Czechoslovakia. 1905 - Birth of Christian Dior Normandy France, fashion designer (long-skirted look). 1906 - Birth of Fred Fehl Austrian/US Broadway photographer. 1906 - Birth of John Putz journalist. 1907 - Kenora Thistles sweep Montana Wanderers in two for the Stanley Cup. 1908 - August Strindberg's "Spoksonaten" premieres in Stockholm. 1908 - Birth of Bengt Strömgren Göteborg Sweden, astrophysicist (studied gas cloud). 1908 - New York City, New York regulation makes it illegal for a woman to smoke in public. 1909 - Birth of Todor Skalovski composer. 1910 - Birth of Lord Cayzer British financier/Schweppes magnate/multi-millionaire. 1910 - Birth of Patsy Kelly Brooklyn New York, actress (Cowboy and the Lady). 1910 - British-Russian military intervention in Persia. 1911 - Birth of Stanley William Reed cineaste. 1912 - Birth of Konrad Bloch Germany, biochemist (studied cholesterol-Nobel Prize 1964). 1913 - Aristide Briand forms French government. 1915 - Birth of Alan Hewitt New York City, New York; actor (Detective Brennan-My Favorite Martian). 1915 - Kiwanis International founded in Detroit. 1917 - Birth of Rohan Butler historian. 1918 - Birth of Geoffrey Dawes physiologist. 1919 - Birth of Jinx Falkenburg Barcelona Spain, actress (Masquerade Party). 1919 - Sinn Fein proclaims parliament of Free Ireland. 1920 - Birth of Donald Cuthbert Coleman economic historian. 1920 - Birth of Errol Walton Barrow Prime Minister of Barbados (DLP) (1966-76, 1986-87). 1920 - Birth of Torsten Nilsson composer. 1921 - Birth of Barney Clark first to receive a permanent artificial heart. 1921 - Birth of John Doucette Brockton Massachusetts; actor (Lock Up, Big Town). 1921 - Birth of Todor Popov composer. 1922 - First slalom ski race run, Mürren, Switzerland. 1922 - Birth of Jean P Vroom Dutch sculptor. 1922 - Birth of Paul Scofield Hurst England; actor (Man for All Seasons, Train). 1923 - Birth of Judith Merril [Josephine Juliet Grossman], sci-fi writer. 1924 - Birth of Benny Hill Southampton England, comedian (Benny Hill Show). 1924 - Birth of Telly [Aristotle] Savalas Garden City Long Island New York; actor (Acapulco, Kojak). 1924 - Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov Lenin Russian leader, dies of a stroke at age 54. 1925 - Albanian parliament announces itself a republic; Ahmed Zogoe President. 1925 - Birth of Lola Flores Cadiz Spain, singer/actress (Kuma Ching, Faraona). 1925 - Birth of Oswald "Ossie" Stevens Nock railway writer. 1926 - Belgian parliament accepts Locarno treaties. 1926 - Birth of Franco Evangelisti Italian composer. 1926 - Birth of Paul Burke New Orleans Louisiana; actor (Neal-Dynasty). 1926 - Birth of Raf Reymen Flemish actor. 1926 - Birth of Steve Reeves Glasgow Montana; actor (Hercules, Hercules Unchained). 1926 - Camillo Golgi Italian medical research (malaria, Nobel Prize 1906), dies at age 81. 1927 - First national opera broadcast from a US opera house (Faust, Chicago). 1927 - Floris H Verster Dutch painter/cartoonist/etcher, dies at age 65. 1929 - Robert Sherriff's "Journey's End" premieres in London. 1930 - Birth of Valentin Ignatyevich Filatyev Russia, cosmonaut. 1931 - Felix Blumenfeld composer, dies at age 67. 1932 - Birth of Boris Shakhlin Russia, gymnast (Olympics-gold-1956-60-64). 1932 - Finland and the Soviet Union sign a five-year Pact of Non-Agression. 1932 - [Giles] Lytton Strachey British biographer/critic, dies at age 51. 1933 - Birth of Itzhak Fuks Israeli El Al captain, crashed in Amsterdam. 1933 - Birth of William Wrigley III chewing gum mogul (Wrigleys). 1935 - Birth of Ann Wedgeworth Abilene Texas, actress (Tiger's Tale, Men's Club, Bogie). 1935 - The Wilderness Society is founded. 1935 - WFI-AM in Philadelphia Pennsylvania merges with WLIT as WFIL (now WEAZ). 1938 - Dutch government starts obligatory unemployment insurance. 1939 - Birth of Mary Ellen McAnally Illinois, poet (Dance of the Zygotes). 1939 - Birth of Wolfman Jack [Bob Smith], Brooklyn New York, DJ (Midnight Special). 1939 - George Kaufman and Moss Hart's "American Way" premieres in New York City, New York. 1939 - US female Figure Skating championship won by Joan Tozzer. 1939 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Robin Lee. 1940 - Birth of Jack Nicklaus Columbus Ohio, golfer (Player of Year 1967,72,73,75,76). 1940 - Birth of Marquis of Tavistock English large landowner/multi-millionaire. 1940 - Foreign correspondents in Netherlands under censorship. 1941 - First anti-Jewish measures in Bulgaria. 1941 - First commercial extraction of magnesium from seawater, Freeport Texas. 1941 - Australian infantry with 16 Matilda tanks attack Tobruk, Libya, forcing the surrender of 25,000-30,000 Italians and 87 tanks. 1941 - Birth of Edwin Starr [Charles Hatcher], US singer (War). 1941 - Birth of Placido Domingo Madrid Spain, opera tenor (Pinkerton-Madame Butterfly). 1941 - Birth of Richie Havens Brooklyn New York, folk singer (Here Comes the Sun). 1941 - British communist newspaper "Daily Worker" banned. 1942 - Birth of Mac Davis Lubbock Texas, singer/actor (Mac Davis Show, North Dallas 40). 1942 - Bronx magistrate rules all pinball machines illegal. 1942 - Count Basie records "One O'Clock Jump". 1942 - Henryk Opienski Polish composer/musicologist/conductor, dies at age 72. 1942 - Japanese air raid on Rabaul New Britain. 1942 - Tito's partisans occupy Foca. 1943 - Otakar Sini composer, dies at age 61. 1943 - Soviet forces reconquer Gumrak airport near Stalingrad. 1943 - Soviet forces reconquer Worosjilowsk. 1943 - Vice-Admiral Cunningham appointed British Admiral of fleet. 1944 - 447 German bombers attack London. 1944 - 649 British bombers attack Magdeburg. 1944 - Birth of John Kenneth Tavener composer. 1944 - Birth of Neely Bruce composer. 1944 - Gustaaf DFL Schamelhout Flemish physician/writer, dies at age 74. 1944 - US General Dwight Eisenhower accepts the revised plan for Operation Overlord, with five divisions landing on fifty miles of Normandy beaches. Americans are to land on the west, aiming for Chrebourg, Brest, and ports around the Loire estuary. British and Canadian forces are to land on the east near Caen, seizing Caen on the first day. D-Day is set for June 5. 1944 - Heinrich zu Sayn-Wittgenstein German major/pilot, shot down. 1945 - Birth of Andrew Stein president of New York City council (Democrat). 1945 - Birth of Chris Britton rocker (Troggs-Rock and Roll Goldmine). 1945 - British troops land on Ramree, near coast of Burma. 1946 - "Nellie Bly" opens at Adelphi Theater New York City, New York for 16 performances. 1946 - Birth of Vincent Placoly Martinique, writer (L'eau-de-mort guildive). 1947 - "Sweethearts" opens at Shubert Theater New York City, New York for 288 performances. 1947 - Arthur Honegger's 4th Symphony premieres in Basel. 1947 - Birth of Jill Eikenberry New Haven Connecticut, actress (Ann Kelsey-L.A. Law, Manhattan Project). 1947 - Birth of Jimmy Ibbotson Penn, country singer (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band). 1948 - Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari composer, dies at age 72. 1948 - West Indies vs England, Test debut Walcott, Weekes and Jim Laker. 1949 - First inaugural parade televised (Harry Truman). 1950 - "Lend an Ear" closes at National Theater New York City, New York after 460 performances. 1950 - Birth of Billy Ocean [Leslie S Charles], Trinidad, singer (Suddenly, Caribbean Queen). 1950 - Birth of Joseph R Tanner Danville Illinois, astronaut (STS 66, 82, sk 97). 1950 - Birth of Richie Ranno rocker. 1950 - George Orwell [Eric Arthur Blair] author (Animal Farm, 1984), dies from tuberculosis in London at age 46. 1950 - New York jury finds former State Department official Alger Hiss guilty of perjury. 1950 - T S Eliot's "Cocktail Party" premieres in New York City, New York. 1951 - Babe Didrikson-Zaharias wins LPGA Tampa Women's Golf Open. 1952 - Nehru's Congress party wins general election in India. 1953 - Birth of Fausto Bara Mexico; actor (Gaucho-Renegades). 1953 - John Foster Dulles appointed as Secretary of State. 1954 - First atomic submarine, USS Nautilus, launched on Thames River, christened by First Lady Mamie Eisenhower. 1954 - First gas turbine automobile exhibited (New York City New York). 1954 - Billy Jenkins dies at age 69. 1955 - Birth of Peter Fleming New Jersey, tennis player (US Open Doubles 1979, 81, 83). 1955 - Birth of Robby Benson Dallas Texas; actor (One on One, Running Brave, ChosenIce Castles, Beauty and the Beast). 1955 - Maarten P Vrij Dutch lawyer/criminologist/High Council, dies at age 59. 1956 - "Comedy in Music (Victor Borge)" closes at Golden New York City, New York after 849 performances. 1956 - Birth of Bob Brill New York City, New York, drummer (Berlin-You Take My Breath Away). 1956 - William Shawn succeeds Harold Ross as editor of the New Yorker. 1957 - Arthur L Bowley English statistician/economist, dies at age 87. 1957 - Birth of Geena (Virginia) Davis Wareham Massachusetts, actress (Beetlejuice, The Fly). 1957 - Birth of Jacob Green NFL defensive end (Seattle Seahawk). 1957 - Birth of Shaukat Dukanwala cricketer (Baroda off-spinner, United Arab Emirates World Cup 1996). 1958 - Birth of Miguel Alejandro in New York City, New York, USA; actor (Popi). 1958 - Philadelphia Phillies agree to televise 78 games into New York City, New York (doesn't happen). 1959 - Cecil B[lount] de Mille, producer (Ten Commandments), dies at age 77. 1959 - Lamar Stringfield, composer, dies at age 61. 1960 - Buena Vista releases Disney's live-action feature film Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with a Circus to theaters. The film is based on the novel by James Otis Kaler. 1960 - Little Joe 4 suborbital Mercury test reaches 16 km. 1960 - Rock fall traps 437 at Coalbrook, South Africa, 417 die of methane poisoning. 1961 - Birth of Gabrielle Carteris in Phoenix, Arizona, USA; actress (Andrea - Beverly Hills 90210). 1961 - Birth of Sherry Ramsay in Staunton, Virginia, USA; actress (Trish Mason - As the World Turns). 1961 - Blaise Cendrars, Swiss/French poet (J'ai tué), dies at age 73. 1961 - John Joseph Becker, composer, dies a day before 75th birthday. 1961 - Portuguese rebels seize cruise ship Santa Maria. 1962 - André Lhote, French painter/art historian, dies at age 76. 1962 - Mickey Wright wins LPGA Sea Island Women's Golf Invitational. 1962 - Snow falls in San Francisco, California. 1963 - Al Saint John, actor (Law and Order, Devil Riders), dies at age 70. 1963 - Birth of Cindy Schreyer in Forest Park, Georgia, USA; LPGA golfer (1993 Sun-Times Challenge). 1963 - Birth of Detlef Schrempf in Germany; NBA forward (Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers, Seattle Supersonics). 1963 - Birth of Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon in Nigeria; NBA center (Houston Rockets, Olympics-gold-1996). 1963 - Birth of Jessie Hester; NFL player (Saint Louis Rams). 1963 - Franz Jung, writer, dies at age 74. 1964 - Carl T Rowan named director of US Information Agency. 1964 - Joseph Schildkraut, actor (Cleopatra, Diary of Anne Frank), dies at age 68. 1965 - Birth of Brian Bradley in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada; NHL center (Tampa Bay Lightning). 1965 - Birth of Cordell Crockett; rocker (Ugly Kid Joe-Mad Man, Too Bad). 1965 - Birth of Eric Moore; NFL tackle (Cleveland Browns). 1965 - Birth of Tania Abitbol in Madrid, Spain; LPGA golfer (1994 US Women's Open-4th). 1965 - Harvey Zorbaugh, doctor/TV host (Play the Game), dies at age 68. 1966 - The Beatles' George Harrison marries model Patti Boyd. 1966 - Birth of Chris Hammond; US baseball pitcher (Florida Marlins). 1966 - Birth of Katrine Michaelsen in Gentokte, Denmark; Miss Denmark (1984). 1967 - AFL Pro Bowl: East beats West 30-23. 1967 - Ann Sheridan, actress (Pistols 'n' Petticoats), dies of cancer at age 51. 1967 - Birth of Ulf Stenlund in Sweden; tennis star. 1967 - US female Figure Skating championship won by Peggy Fleming. 1967 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Gary Visconti. 1968 - AFL Pro Bowl: East beats West 25-24. 1968 - Birth of Charlotte Ross in Chicago, Illinois; actress (Eve - Days of Our Lives). 1968 - Birth of Tom Urbani in Santa Cruz, California, USA; pitcher (Saint Louis Cardinals, Detroit Tigers). 1968 - NFL Pro Bowl: West beats East 38-20. 1968 - US B-52 bomber with nuclear bomb crashes in Greenland. 1969 - 22nd NHL All-Star Game: West beat East 3-3 at Montréal, Quebec, Canada. 1969 - Birth of Ashley Sheppard; NFL linebacker (Jacksonville Jaguars). 1969 - Birth of Matt Willig; NFL tackle/guard (Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets). 1969 - Birth of Rusty Greer in Fort Rucker, Alabama, USA; outfielder (Texas Rangers). 1969 - Birth of Ted Long; Canadian Football League slot back (Hamilton Tiger Cats). 1970 - Birth of Brennan Little in Saint Thomas, Ontario, Canada; golfer (1994 Western States mini-tour). 1970 - Birth of Ian Salisbury; cricketer (Sussex and England leg-spinner 1992-96). 1971 - Alias Smith and Jones premieres on ABC TV. 1971 - Birth of Doug Edwards; NBA forward (Vancouver Grizzlies). 1971 - Birth of Doug Weight in Warren, Michigan, USA; NHL center (Edmonton Oilers, Team USA 98). 1971 - Birth of Tommy Puett in Gary, Indiana, USA; actor (Tyler - Life Goes On, America's Top 10). 1971 - Richard B Russell (Senator-Democrat-Georgia), dies at age 73. 1972 - Assam's North East Frontier Agency becomes Arunachal Pradesh territory. 1972 - Belgium government of Eyskens-Cools forms. 1972 - Birth of Alan Benes in Evansville, Indiana, USA; pitcher (Saint Louis Cardinals). 1972 - Birth of Howard Nathan; NBA guard (Atlanta Hawks). 1972 - Birth of Shelley Looney; ice hockey forward (USA, Olympics-1998). 1972 - Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura become separate states of Indian union. 1973 - Third NFL Pro Bowl: AFC beats NFC 33-28. 1973 - Birth of Bubba Miller; corner (Philadelphia Eagles). 1973 - Birth of Grady Jackson; defensive tackle (Oakland Raiders). 1973 - Birth of Jamal Cox; WLAF linebacker (Rhein Fire). 1974 - Birth of Jerald Sowell; fullback (New York Jets). 1974 - Birth of Jerry Wunsch; tackle (Tampa Bay Buccaneers). 1974 - Birth of Orpheus Roye; defensive end (Pittsburgh Steelers). 1974 - Gold hits record US$161.31 an ounce in London, England. 1974 - Jan Arends, Dutch poet/author, dies at age 48. 1974 - Ken Viljoen, cricketer (played 27 Tests for South Africa 1930-47), dies. 1974 - Lewis L Strauss, head US Atomic Energy Commission (1953-58), dies at age 78. 1974 - Silver hits record US$3.97 an ounce in London, England. 1975 - 28th NHL All-Star Game: Wales beat Campbell 7-1 at Montréal. 1975 - Birth of Anette Oldenborg; Miss Denmark-Universe (1996). 1975 - Birth of Faghma Absalom; Miss Namibia-Universe (1996). 1975 - Birth of Willem Korsten; Dutch soccer player (Vitesse). 1975 - Marie Lohr, actress (Pygmalion, Small Hotel, Escapade), dies at age 84. 1976 - Birth of Amanda Little; Miss Texas-USA (1997, top 6). 1976 - Birth of Emma Lee Bunton "Baby Spice" in Finchley, London, England; vocalist (Spice Girls). 1976 - Supersonic Concorde, first commercial flights, by Britain and France. 1977 - Italy legalizes abortion. 1977 - John Vincent, composer, dies at age 74. 1977 - Zoltan Vasarhelyi, composer, dies at age 76. 1978 - Bee Gees' "Saturday Night Fever" album goes #1 for 24 weeks. 1979 - Birth of Kelly Gaudet; Miss Florida Teen-USA (1996). 1979 - Neptune becomes outermost planet (Pluto moves closer). 1979 - Super Bowl XIII: Pittsburgh Steelers beat Dallas Cowboys, 35-31 in Miami, Florida; Most Valuable Player: Terry Bradshaw, quarterback. 1980 - The MS Athina B is beached at Brighton, becoming a temporary tourist attraction. 1980 - Birth of Kevin McKenna; Canadian footballer. 1980 - Birth of Aubrie Rippner in Los Angeles, California; tennis star (1995 USTA National Girls 18). 1980 - Les Henson, Virginia Tech, makes 89-foot 3-inch basketball field goal. 1980 - Birth of Nana Mizuki; Japanese voice actress and singer. 1980 - Death of Georges Painvin, French cryptographer (born 1886). 1980 - The London Gold Fixing hits its highest price ever, at US$850 a troy ounce. 1981 - The first De Lorean DMC-12 automobile, a stainless steel sports car with gull-wing doors, rolls off the production line in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland. 1981 - Allyn Joslyn, actor (They Won't Forget, Cafe Society), dies at age 79. 1981 - Birth of Dany Heatley; German-born hockey player. 1981 - Birth of Gillian Chung; Hong Kong singer (Twins). 1983 - Bollingen Prize for poetry awarded to Anthony E Hecht. 1983 - Reagan certifies El Salvador human-rights abuses have decreased making country eligible for US military aid. 1983 - Birth of Moritz Volz; German footballer. 1984 - Death of Jackie Wilson, American singer (born 1934). 1984 - Jackie Wilson, US singer ("I Get the Sweetest Feeling"), dies at age 49. 1984 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Scott Hamilton. 1985 - -19 degrees F (-28 degrees C), Caesar's Head, South Carolina (state record). 1985 - -34 degrees F (-37 degrees C), Mount Mitchell, North Carolina (state record). 1985 - Barbara Cowsill, rocker (Cowsills), dies of emphysema. 1985 - Bomb attack on Borobudur temple in Java. 1985 - Dennis Potvin ties Bobby Orr's career record of 270 NHL goals. 1986 - 100 participate in Nude Olympics race in 38 degrees F (3 degrees C), Indiana. 1986 - Allison J Brown, 17, of Oklahoma, crowned fourth Miss Teen USA. 1986 - Bomb attack in East-Beirut, 27 killed. 1987 - BB King donates his 7,000 record collection to University of Mississippi. 1987 - Pieter G Buckinx, Flemish writer (Seventh Day), dies at age 83. 1987 - Death of Charles Goodell, American politician (born 1926). 1988 - Abraham Sofaer, actor (Naked Jungle, Elephant Walk), dies. 1988 - US accepts immigration of 30,000 US-Vietnamese children. 1989 - Wayne Gretzky passes Marcel Dionne to become NHL's second all time scorer. 1989 - Death of Billy Tipton, American musician (born 1914). 1990 - 41st NHL All-Star Game: Wales beat Campbell 12-7 at Pittsburgh. 1990 - Bob Goodenow succeeds Alan Eagleson as NHL players association executive director. 1990 - John McEnroe becomes the first ever expelled from the Australian Open for throwing a tantrum and swearing at an official. 1990 - Patty Sheehan wins LPGA Jamaica Golf Classic. 1990 - The East German political party, the Socialist Unity Party of Germany, changes its name to the Party of Democratic Socialism to minimize negative association with East Germany. 1991 - Birth of Brittany Tiplady, Canadian actress. 1991 - Birth of Paige and Ryanne Kettner, American actresses. 1991 - CBS News correspondent Bob Simon captured by Iraqis in Persian Gulf. 1991 - Frank Mitchell, actor (Music is Magic, Prairie Gunsmoke), dies. 1991 - Howard "Red" Grange, football's galloping ghost, dies at age 87. 1991 - Richard Bolling, (Representative-Democrat-Missouri)/US civil-rights leader, dies at age 74. 1992 - William T "Champion Jack" Dupree, US boxer/pianist, dies at age 81. 1992 - Birth of Logan O'Brien, American actor. 1993 - Nigerian singer Fela Kuti arrested on suspicion of murder. 1994 - Basel al-Assad, Syrian President Assad's son, dies in car accident at age 31. 1994 - Dow Jones Industrial Average passes 3900 (record 3,914.20). 1994 - In Halmahera, Indonesia, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake occurs. Seven people killed, 40 injured and 550 houses damaged in the Kau area. 1994 - Birth of Marny Kennedy, Australian actress. 1995 - The last show of the TV series The Crusaders airs. 1995 - 52th Golden Globes: Forrest Gump, Tom Hanks, Jessica Lange, Brad Pitt. 1995 - Flavio "Negao" Pires da Conceicao, drug trafficker, dies at age 25. 1995 - John Halas, animator, dies at age 82. 1995 - Philippe Casado, Moroccan/French cyclist, dies at age 30. 1996 - 53th Golden Globes: Mel Gibson, Nicole Kidman, John Travolta. 1996 - Karrie Webb wins LPGA HealthSouth Inaugural Golf Tournament. 1996 - Roman Ciesiewicz, artist/graphic designer, dies at age 65. 1996 - Sam Green, industrialist/inventor, dies at age 88. 1996 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Rudy Galindo. 1997 - Death of Colonel Tom Parker, Dutch-born celebrity manager (Elvis Presley), at age 87 (born 1909). 1997 - Dennis Main Wilson, TV/radio producer, dies at age 72. 1997 - Michael Duane, educationalist, dies at age 81. 1997 - In Southern Xinjiang, China, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake occurs. At least 12 people killed, 40 injured, and 2,500 families homeless; about 31,000 homes destroyed or damaged. 1997 - Newt Gingrich becomes the first Speaker of the United States House of Representatives to be internally disciplined for ethical misconduct. 1998 - Death of Jack Lord, American actor (Hawaii Five-O) (born 1920). 1998 - Pope John Paul II visits Cuba. 1999 - In one of the largest drug busts in American history, the United States Coast Guard intercepts a ship with over 9,500 pounds (4.3 t) of cocaine aboard, headed for Houston, Texas. 2004 - Birth of Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway. 2005 - In Belmopan, Belize, unrest over the government's new taxes erupts into riots. 2005 - Roger Clemens agrees to one-year, 18 million deal with the Houston Astros, making Clemens the most expensive pitcher in major league history. 2005 - Death of Don Poier, U.S. play-by-play man for the Memphis Grizzlies (born 1951). 2005 - Death of Theun de Vries, Dutch writer (born 1907). 2006 - Death of Ibrahim Rugova, first President of Kosovo (born 1944). 2007 - Yokozuna Asashoryu wins the Emperor's Cup at the New Year's Grand Sumo Tournament (Hatsu Basho) in Tokyo, Japan. 2007 - Death of U;Nee, K-pop singer and actress (born 1981). 2008 - Stock market share prices worldwide drop in the worst day of trading since September 11, 2001. 2008 - Death of Marie Smith (native name Udachkuqax*a'a'ch), last speaker of the Egak language, at age 89, in Alaska. 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