This Day in History
January 22

What happened in history on this day: January 22? On January 22 in ... 871 - Battle at Basing: Danish invasion army beats Ethelred of Wessex. 1336 - Louis III last Earl of Loon, dies. 1371 - King Robert II Stuart of Scotland crowned. 1440 - Birth of Ivan III the Great, Russian czar (1462-1505)/conquered Lithuania. 1510 - Jews are expelled from Colmar Germany. 1517 - Turks conquer Cairo. 1528 - England and France declare war on Emperor Charles V. 1531 - Andrea del Sarto Italian artist, dies at age 43. 1552 - Edward Seymour Duke of Somerset, beheaded for treason. 1561 - Birth of Francis Bacon in England; statesman/essayist (Novum Organum). 1571 - Birth of Robert Bruce Cotton English antiquary, politician. 1575 - English queen Elizabeth I grants Thomas Tallis and William Byrd music press monopoly. 1581 - Joost de Damhoudere Flemish lawyer, dies. 1581 - Seerp Galama Dutch nobleman/military/politician, dies at age 52. 1584 - Parts of Switzerland adopt Gregorian calendar (and parts in 1812). 1588 - Pope Sixtus V decrees "Immense aeterni" (Reformed curia). 1592 - Birth of Pierre Gassendi Champtercier Provence, scientist/philosopher. 1599 - Cristofano Malvezzi composer, dies at age 51. 1640 - Erasmus Quellinus I Flemish wood carver, dies at about age 55. 1649 - Birth of Pascal Collasse composer. 1655 - Birth of Geleyn Evertsen Lieutenant-Admiral (Zealand). 1673 - Postal service between New York and Boston inaugurated. 1689 - Lord Halifax becomes Speaker of English House of Lords. 1689 - Prince Willem III calls English parliament together. 1690 - Iroquois tribes renew allegiance to British against French. 1700 - Jacob Balthasar Schutz composer, dies at age 39. 1707 - Birth of Carl Hockh composer. 1709 - Birth of Joseph Reipel composer. 1727 - Birth of Claude-Benigne Balbastre composer. 1729 - Birth of Giuseppe Luigi Tibaldi composer. 1729 - Birth of Gotthold Ephraim Lessing Germany, critic/dramatist. 1748 - Birth of Lewis Edson composer. 1753 - Birth of Peter Fuchs composer. 1756 - Birth of Vincenzo Righini composer. 1758 - Russian troops occupy Königsberg, East Prussia. 1760 - Battle at Wandewash India British troops beat French. 1766 - Birth of Antoine-Vincent Arnault French writer (Les Vénitiens). 1771 - Spain cedes the Falkland Islands to Britain. 1775 - Marshal Oscar von Lubomirski expels Jews from Warsaw Poland. 1779 - Birth of Stefano Pavesi composer. 1781 - Birth of François-Antoine Habeneck composer. 1781 - Johann Siebenkas composer, dies at age 66. 1788 - Birth of Lord [George Gordon Noel] Byron England, romantic poet (Don Juan). 1796 - Bernhard Hupfeld composer, dies at age 78. 1798 - Coup of Midderigh. 1798 - Lewis Morris US farmer (signed Declaration of Independence), dies at age 71. 1798 - Matija A Reljkovic Croatian writer (Satire of Wild Man), dies at age 66. 1799 - Horace B de Saussure Swiss physicist/geologist/alpinist, dies at age 58. 1802 - Birth of Richard Upjohn US, gothic architect (Trinity Chapel, New York). 1813 - Americans capture Frenchtown, Canada. 1814 - First Knights Templar grand encampment in US held, New York City, New York. 1815 - Birth of Ferdinand Christian Wilhelm Praeger composer. 1816 - Lord Byron completes "Parisina" and "The Siege of Corinth". 1817 - English freighter Diana sinks off Malaysia. 1820 - Birth of Hermann von Lingg German playwright/poet. 1820 - Birth of Johan Hendrik Koelman portrait painter (Jahresringe). 1824 - Birth of Josef Leopold Zvonar composer. 1826 - Birth of [Merriwether] Jeff Thompson Partisan (Confederate Army), died in 1876. 1831 - Charles Darwin takes his Bachelor of Arts exam. 1837 - Earthquake in southern Syria kills thousands. 1842 - Birth of Charles Henri Marechal composer. 1845 - Birth of Jacob Verdam Dutch philologist. 1845 - Birth of Paul Vidal de la Blanche France, geographer. 1847 - Georges-Julien Sieber composer, dies at age 71. 1848 - Birth of Samuel Muller Dutch historian/archivist (Middle Ages). 1849 - Birth of August Strindberg Sweden, dramatist/novelist (Apologia). 1850 - Alta California becomes a daily paper, first such in California. 1850 - Vincenzo Pallotti Italian saint, dies at age 54. 1852 - George Rodwell composer, dies at age 51. 1855 - Birth of Ernst Kullak composer. 1857 - National Association of Baseball Players founded, New York. 1858 - Birth of Betrice Potter Webb England, economist. 1858 - Birth of Frederick Lugard British captain/baron (Congo). 1859 - Brahms' first piano concerto (in D minor) premieres, Hanover. 1861 - Birth of Karel Stecker composer. 1862 - Confederate government raises premium for volunteers from $10 to $20. 1863 - Union General Burnside's "Mud March". 1865 - Birth of Friedrich Paschen German physicist. 1868 - Moritz Ganz composer, dies at age 61. 1870 - Birth of Charles Arnold Tournemire composer. 1871 - Birth of Leon Jessel composer. 1873 - Britains SS Northfleet sinks at Dungeness England, 300 die. 1874 - Birth of Wincenty Witoz Galicia, Prime Minister of Poland (1920-21, 1923, 1926). 1875 - Birth of Bonifacius C de Jonge Governor (Dutch East Indies). 1875 - Birth of D[avid] W Griffith movie producer/director (Birth of a Nation). 1875 - Birth of Thomas W Ross; actor (Without Limit, Kings Row, 17, Mortal Storm). 1877 - Birth of Hjalmar Schacht president of German Reichsbank/minister of Economics. 1878 - Birth of Constance Collier Windsor England, actress/writer (Kitty, Whirlpool). 1878 - Birth of Francis Picabia French painter/illustrator. 1879 - Anthony Durnford British Colonel, dies in battle. 1879 - George Shepstone British political affiliate, dies in battle. 1879 - James Shields (Democrat) elected US senator from Missouri after previously serving as US senator from Illinois and Minnesota. 1879 - Zulus attack British Army camp in Isandhlwana South Africa. 1881 - Ancient Egyptian obelisk "Cleopatra's Needle" erected in Central Park. 1883 - England complete first innings victory in Tests vs Australia Melbourne Cricket Ground. 1886 - Birth of John Joseph Becker composer. 1890 - Birth of Fred M Vinson Kentucky, 13th Chief Justice of US Supreme Court (1946-53). 1890 - José Marti forms La Liga (Union of Cuban exiles) in New York City, New York. 1891 - Birth of Franz Alexander Hungarian/US psycho analytical. 1891 - Birth of Moise Kisling Polish/French painter (La Souris Boiteuse). 1892 - Birth of Marcel Dassault [Bloch], French airplane builder. 1893 - Birth of Conrad Veidt Potsdam Germany; actor (Cabinet of Dr Caligari). 1893 - Vincenz Lachner composer, dies at age 81. 1894 - Birth of Charles Morgan England, writer (Fountain). 1894 - Birth of Matt McHugh Pennsylvania; actor (Taxi, Freaks, Barbary Coast, Innocent Affair). 1895 - Edward Solomon composer, dies at age 39. 1895 - National Association of Manufacturers organized in Cincinnati Ohio. 1897 - Birth of Josef Stanislav composer. 1897 - Birth of Rosa Ponselle opera diva (Casta Diva, La Forza del Destino). 1898 - Birth of Alexander Abramsky composer. 1898 - Birth of Ben van Eysselsteijn Dutch writer (Arid Earth). 1898 - Birth of Gustaf Paulson composer. 1898 - Birth of Hans van Werveke Flemish historian (Diocese Terwaan). 1898 - Birth of Ross R Barnett lawyer/(Governor-Democrat-Mississippi). 1899 - Birth of Guido Kisch Czech/German/US historian (Jews in medieval Germany). 1899 - Birth of Martti Haavio [P Mastapää], Finnish linguist/poet. 1900 - Birth of Franz Salmhofer composer. 1901 - After 63 years England stops sale of Queen Victoria postage stamps series and begins King Edward VII series. 1901 - Birth of Hans-Erich Apostel Austrian composer (Sonata Ritmica). 1901 - Victoria [Alexandrine], Britain's Queen (1837-1901), dies at age 81. 1903 - Birth of Robin Humphrey Milford composer. 1904 - Birth of George Balanchine composer/choreographer. 1905 - "Bloody Sunday"; Russian demonstrators fired on by tsarist troops. 1906 - Birth of Robert E[rvin] Howard US, sci-fi author (Conan the Conqueror). 1906 - Birth of Willa B Brown (Coffey) US black air pioneer (NAAA). 1907 - Birth of Marie Dressler actress (Anna Christie, Dinner at 8). 1909 - Birth of Ann Sothern [Harriette Lake], North Dakota, actress (Lady in a Cage, My Mother the Car). 1909 - Birth of Lev D Landau Russian physicist (Nobel Prize 1962). 1909 - Birth of [Sithu] U Thant Burma, third United Nations Secretary-General (1962-72). 1909 - Richard A C E Erlenmeyer German chemist, dies at age 83. 1909 - Vassily Kandinsky forms Künstlerverein in Munich. 1910 - The opera "Germania" is first performed in New York City, New York. 1911 - Birth of Bruno Kreisky Austria, bandleader/chancellor (1970-83). 1911 - Birth of Roberto Garcia Morillo composer. 1913 - Birth of Verdina Shlonsky composer. 1913 - Ferdinand van der Haeghen Flemish librarian/bibliographer, dies at age 82. 1914 - Birth of Dimitri Dragatakis composer. 1914 - Birth of Suzanne Danco Belgian singer. 1914 - Frederik Rung composer, dies at age 60. 1914 - Paul Claudel's "L'échange" premieres in Paris. 1915 - Birth of Tom Burtt cricketer (slow left-armer took 33 wickets for New Zealand). 1916 - Birth of Henri Dutilleux Angers France, composer. 1916 - Iwan Knorr composer, dies at age 63. 1917 - Birth of Albert "Pud" Brown clarinetist/saxophonist. 1917 - Birth of Herwig Hensen [Flor Mielants], Flemish poet/playwright. 1918 - Birth of Richard Eastham Opelousas Louisiana; actor (Wonder Woman, Falcon Crest). 1918 - Ukraine proclaimed a free republic (German puppet). 1920 - Birth of George Breakston Paris France; actor/director (Jungle Stampede). 1920 - Birth of Piet Van Lishout Flemish writer (Eva and I). 1920 - Birth of William Warfield singer (Show Boat). 1921 - Birth of Andre Hodeir composer. 1921 - Birth of Andy Ganteaume cricketer (West Indies batsman, 112 in only Test innings 1948). 1922 - Benedictus XV [Giacomo Markies D Chiesa], pope (1914-22), dies at age 67. 1922 - Birth of Howard Moss poet/editor (New Yorker). 1923 - Birth of Diana Douglas Devonshire Bermuda, actress (The Cowboys). 1923 - Birth of Friedrich Zehm composer. 1923 - Birth of Leslie Bassett composer. 1923 - Max Nordau [Südfeld], German physician/zionists leader, dies at age 73. 1924 - Baldwin government resigns in England. 1924 - Birth of J J Johnson composer/jazz trombonist. 1924 - Birth of Margaret Whiting big band singer. 1924 - Dutch Blast Furnace and Steel Factory opens. 1924 - KGO-AM in San Francisco California begins radio transmissions. 1924 - Maurice du Plessys French poet (Le Feu Sacré), dies at age 59. 1925 - Albania Republic proclaimed under President Achmed Zogu. 1925 - Birth of Leslie Silver English paint manufacturer/multi-millionaire. 1926 - Belgian chief of staff General Maglinse quits. 1926 - Birth of Lord Erskine of Rerrick peer. 1926 - Birth of Tom Blackburn writer. 1927 - Birth of Joe Perry NFL Hall-of-Famer. 1927 - Birth of Lou Creekmur Baseball Hall-of-Famer. 1928 - Birth of Birch Bayh (Senator-Democrat-Indiana). 1929 - Birth of Rita Gillespie TV director. 1930 - -35 degrees F (-37 degrees C), Mount Carroll Illinois (state record). 1930 - Birth of Roy Cooper London England; actor (Amistad, Julian Po, Trevor-Beacon Hill). 1931 - Birth of Galina Zybina USSR, discus thrower (15 world records between 1952-58). 1931 - Birth of Rauno Makinen Finland, Greco-Roman featherweight (Olympics-gold-1956). 1931 - Birth of Sam Cooke Clarksdale Mississippi, gospel and blues singer (You Send Me, Another Saturday Night, Twisting The Night Away). 1931 - French government of Steeg falls. 1931 - VARA begins experimental TV broadcast in Diamantbeurs Amsterdam. 1932 - Birth of Piper Laurie [Rosetta Jacobs], Detroit Michigan, actress (Twin Peaks). 1932 - British Anglicans and Old-Catholic church merge. 1934 - Birth of Bill Bixby in San Francisco, California, USA; actor (The Incredible Hulk, My Favorite Martian). 1934 - Birth of Graham Kerr chef (Galloping Gourmet). 1934 - Dmitri Shostakovich's opera "Lady MacBeth" premieres in Leningrad. 1935 - Birth of Pierre S Du Pont IV (Governor-Delaware). 1935 - Birth of Seymour Cassel Detroit Michigan; actor (Faces, Plain Clothes, Valentino). 1936 - French Laval government falls. 1936 - Louis Glass composer, dies at age 71. 1937 - Birth of Eden Pastora Gomez Nicaraguan contra leader. 1937 - Birth of Joseph Wambaugh East Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, police writer (Onion Fields). 1938 - "Our Town", Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer-winner of small-town life in Grover's Corners New Hampshire, performed publicly for first time (New Jersey). 1939 - Aquatic Park, near Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco California, is dedicated. 1939 - Uranium atom first split, Columbia University. 1940 - First radio broadcast of "Road to Happiness" on CBS. 1940 - Birth of Addie "Micki" Harris Passaic New Jersey, singer (Shirelles-Soldier Boy). 1940 - Birth of John Hurt England; actor (Elephant Man, Alien, Midnight Express). 1940 - Birth of Tilo Medek German composer. 1941 - First mass killing of Jews in Romania. 1941 - British/Australian troops capture Tobruk from Italians. 1942 - Japanese air raid on Rabaul, New Britain. 1942 - Reimond Tollenaere leader Flemish National Front, dies at age 81. 1942 - Sietze de Groot wins 8th Dutch 11 city skate (8 44 06). 1942 - Walter Richard Sickert British painter (Free House!), dies at age 81. 1943 - Birth of H James "Jim" Saxton (Representative-Republican-New Jersey, 1984-). 1943 - Joint Chiefs of Staff determine invasion in Sicily for July 10th. 1943 - Temperature rises 49 degrees F (9 degrees C) in two minutes in Spearfish South Dakota. 1944 - Battle of Anzio (Italy); Allies stopped on the beach. 1945 - A Wolfenstein writer, dies at age 61. 1945 - Birth of Michael Cristofer actor/writer (Little Drummer Girl). 1945 - Birth of Oliver rocker. 1945 - Burma highway reopens. 1945 - Carlo Felice Boghen composer, dies a day before 76th birthday. 1945 - Else Lasker-Schüler writer, dies at age 48. 1945 - Heavy US air raid on Okinawa. 1945 - Johan Eykman theologist (World Church), dies at age 52. 1946 - Birth of Andrew Rubin New Bedford Massachusetts; actor (Hometown, Joe Bash). 1946 - US President sets up Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency. 1947 - KTLA TV channel 5 in Los Angeles California (IND) begins broadcasting (first commercial TV station west of Mississippi). 1948 - Jim Laker takes 7-103 in his first Test Cricket innings vs West Indies Barbados. 1949 - "All for Love" opens at Mark Hellinger Theater New York City, New York for 121 performances. 1949 - Birth of James P Pennington rocker (Exile). 1949 - Birth of Rein P Hummel Dutch Member of Parliament (PvdA). 1949 - Birth of Steve Perry in Hanford, California, USA; vocalist (Journey - "Open Arms", "Oh Sherry"). 1949 - Chinatown telephone exchange closed. 1950 - Alan Hale Sr actor (The Seahawk, Yellowstone), dies at age 57. 1950 - Polly Riley wins LPGA Tampa Golf Open. 1951 - Bollingen Prize for poetry awarded to Johncrowe Ransom. 1951 - Eastwood Lane composer, dies at age 71. 1951 - Fidel Castro ejected from a Winter League game after beaning batter. 1952 - Birth of Karen Moe [Thornton] US swimmer (Olympics-gold-1972). 1952 - Birth of Teddy Gentry Fort Payne Alabama, country music star (Alabama-Mountain Music, Take Me Down). 1952 - Roger Vitrac French poet/dramatist (Mysteries of Love), dies at age 52. 1952 - The first Jet airliner (the de Havilland Comet) enters service for BOAC. 1953 - Arthur Miller's "Crucible" premieres in New York City, New York. 1953 - Birth of Myung-Whun Chung Seoul South Korea, pianist/conductor. 1954 - Birth of Chris Lemmon Los Angeles California; actor (Brothers and Sisters, Duet). 1955 - Birth of Thomas David Jones Baltimore Maryland, PhD/Astronaut (STS 59, 68, 80, sk 98). 1955 - Norwegian government of Einar Gerhardsen forms. 1955 - ABC begins airing the Pantomime Quiz TV game show. 1956 - 30 die in a train crash in Los Angeles. 1956 - Betsy Rawls wins LPGA Tampa Golf Open. 1956 - Birth of Becky Pearson LPGA golfer. 1956 - Birth of John Wesley Shipp actor (The Flash, Dawson's Creek, Kelly-Guiding Light). 1956 - Canadian Football Council forms. 1956 - P A M Speet Dutch broadcast CEO (KRO), dies. 1957 - Birth of Mike Bossy NHL forward (New York Islanders). 1957 - Israeli forces withdraw from the Sinai Penisula. 1957 - Mad Bomber (George P Metesky) accused of 30 explosions, arrested. 1959 - A J Else Mauhs, German/Dutch actress (Hamlet, Nora), dies at age 73. 1959 - Birth of Linda Blair in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA; actress (Exorcist, Chained Heat, Savage St). 1959 - USAF concludes less than 1 percent of UFOs are unknown objects. 1960 - 10th NBA All-Star Game: East beats West 125-115 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 1960 - Birth of Michael Hutchence in Australia; rock vocalist/actor (INXS - "Need You Tonight", Dogs in Space). 1960 - Coal mine of Johnburg caves-in, 417 die. 1960 - French President Charles de Gaulle escapes assassination attempt by General Massu. 1960 - Paul Pender beats Sugar Ray Robinson for middleweight boxing title. 1961 - Birth of Barb Thomas Whitehead in Sibley, Iowa, USA; LPGA golfer (1995 Hawaiian Open). 1962 - Birth of Robert Mailhouse in New Haven, Connecticut, USA; actor (Brian - Days of Our Lives). 1963 - Elysée Treaty of friendship signed by President Charles de Gaulle of France and Chancellor Konrad Adenauer of West Germany. 1963 - Birth of Diane Lane in New York City, New York, USA; actress (Cotton Club, 6 Pack, Big Town). 1963 - Birth of Jeff Treadway; US baseball infielder (Los Angeles Dodgers). 1963 - Ruth Jessen wins LPGA Naples Professional Golf Tournament. 1964 - Birth of Ann Rowe in Auburn, Maine, USA; Miss Maine-America (1990). 1964 - Birth of Maria Ellingsen in Reykjavik, Iceland; actress (Katrina - Santa Barbara). 1964 - Birth of Stojko Vrankovic; NBA center (Los Angeles Clippers). 1964 - Birth of Wayne Kirby in Williamsburg, Virginia, USA; outfielder (Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers). 1964 - Kenneth Kaunda becomes premier of North-Rhodesia (Zambia). 1964 - Marc Blitzstein, US composer (Cradle Will Rock), dies at age 58. 1964 - World's largest cheese (15,723 kg) manufactured in Wisconsin, USA. 1965 - Birth of Jazzy Jeff Townes; rapper ("Parents Just Don't Understand"). 1965 - Birth of Ray Mayhew; rocker (Sigue Sigue Sputnik-Love Missile F-111). 1965 - Birth of Steven Adler in Cleveland, Ohio, USA; drummer (Guns and Roses - "Sweet Child"). 1965 - Birth of Tim Prukop; WLAF linebacker-secondary coach (Amsterdam Admirals). 1965 - US launches TIROS 9 weather satellite. 1966 - Birth of Carlton Haselrig; NFL guard (New York Jets). 1966 - Birth of Nishantha Ranatunga; cricket (brother of Arjuna Sri Lankan ODI allrounder). 1966 - Herbert Marshall, actor (Dark Angel, Duel in the Sun), dies at age 75. 1967 - Birth of Manabu Nakanishi; wrestler (NJPW). 1967 - Birth of Nicholas Gillingham; British swimmer (world record 200m freestyle). 1967 - Birth of Olivia d'Abo in London, England; actress (Wonder Years, Single Guy). 1967 - Jobyna Ralston, actress (Wings, Girl Shy, Freshman), dies at age 66. 1967 - NFL Pro Bowl: East beats West 20-10. 1968 - Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In TV show premieres on NBC. 1968 - Apollo 5 launched to Moon; unmanned lunar module tests made. 1968 - Birth of Andrey Sokolov; hockey defenseman (Team Kazakhstan Olympics-1998). 1968 - Birth of Brian Jones; NFL linebacker (New Orleans Saints). 1968 - Duke Kahanamoku of Hawaii, 100m swimmer (Olympics-gold-1912, 1920, 1924), dies at age 77. 1968 - NBA announces it will expand to Milwaukee and Phoenix. 1969 - Billy Preston becomes the fifth member of The Beatles. 1969 - Birth of Keith Gordon; US baseball outfielder (Cincinnati Reds). 1969 - Birth of Ousmane Bary; WLAF cornerback (Barcelona Dragons). 1969 - Birth of Shelley Sandie; Australian basketball guard (Olympics-1988, 1996). 1969 - Birth of Vinnie Clark; NFL cornerback (Jacksonville Jaguars). 1969 - Judy Garland, singer/actress (Wizard of Oz), dies at age 48 of an overdose. 1969 - Orbiting Solar Observatory 5 launched into earth orbit. 1969 - Roy Campanella and Stan Musial elected to baseball Hall of Fame. 1970 - First commercial Boeing 747 flight (Pan Am), New York to London in 6.5 hours. 1970 - Birth of Brian Gaskill; actor (David Michaels - Models Inc, Bob - All My Children). 1970 - Birth of Keith Wagner; NFL/WLAF tackle (New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Scottish Claymores). 1970 - Test debut of Barry Richards, South Africa vs Australia, Cape Town. 1971 - Birth of Bucky Brooks; wide receiver (Jacksonville Jaguars). 1971 - Birth of Jennifer Christine Joseph in Wendover, Nevada, USA; Miss Nevada-America (1995). 1972 - Emergency with Robert Fuller premieres on NBC TV. 1972 - 22nd NBA All-Star Game: West beats East 112-110 at Los Angeles, California. 1972 - Birth of Steve Scifres; guard/tackle (Dallas Cowboys). 1972 - Birth of Toddrick McIntosh; NFL defensive end (Tampa Bay Buccaneers). 1973 - Birth of Deon Minor in Paris, Texas, USA; 400m runner. 1973 - Birth of George Noga; Canadian Football League linebacker (Winnipeg Blue Bombers). 1973 - Birth of Reggie Barlow; wide receiver (Jacksonville Jaguars). 1973 - Birth of Said Larossi; soccer player (Emmen/Vitesse). 1973 - Birth of Vincent Bradford; linebacker (San Francisco 49ers). 1973 - George Foreman TKOs Joe Frazier in two rounds for heavyweight boxing title. 1973 - Lyndon B Johnson, US President (1963-69), dies at his Texas ranch at age 64. 1973 - Roe vs Wade: US Supreme Court declares abortion a constitutional right. 1973 - US, North and South Vietnam and Vietcong sign boundary accord. 1974 - Birth of Pavel Mikhalevitch; soccer player (NEC). 1974 - Birth of Stephanie Rottier in Saint Niklaas, Belgium; tennis star (1995 semi Prague). 1974 - Leon Lontoc, actor (Henry - Burke's Law), dies at age 64. 1975 - Birth of Lee Maxwell Francis Vertongen in Palmerston North, New Zealand; cyclist (Olympics-1996). 1975 - Klaas Voskuil, Dutch journalist, dies at age 79. 1975 - Landsat 2, an Earth Resources Technology Satellite, launched. 1976 - Bank robbery in Beirut, Lebanon, nets $20-50 million (record). 1976 - Birth of Balthazar Getty; actor (Young Guns 2, Lord of the Flies). 1978 - Herbert Sutcliffe, cricketer (54 Tests for England 4555 runs), dies. 1979 - Ali Hassan Salameh [Abu Hassan], killed by car bomb; believed to have helped mastermind massacre of 1972 Munich Olympics athletes. 1979 - Birth of Melanie Winiger; Miss Switzerland-Universe (1997). 1980 - Andrei Sakharov, a Soviet scientist and human rights activist, is arrested in Moscow. He and Jelena Bonner are banished to Gorki. 1980 - Iris Meredith, actress (Lawless Land, Gambling Terror), dies at age 64. 1980 - PGA begins a senior golf tour. 1980 - West Indies beat England 2-0 to win first World Series Cup. 1980 - Birth of Christopher Masterson; American actor. 1980 - Birth of Jake Grove; American football player. 1981 - Fowzi Nejad, sole survivor of the terrorists from the Iranian Embassy siege in London, pleads guilty to manslaughter of two hostages and is jailed for life. 1981 - Birth of Chantelle Anderson; American basketball player. 1981 - Birth of Willa Ford; American singer, television hostess, and actress. 1981 - 40th New York Islanders' shut-out 3-0 vs Detroit Red Wings-Billy Smith' 15th. 1981 - Fannie Thomas, American, dies at age 113. 1981 - O A "Bum" Phillips becomes head coach of the New Orleans Saints. 1981 - Birth of Beverley Mitchell; American actress. 1981 - Birth of Ben Moody; American guitarist (formerly of Evanescence). 1982 - Birth of Liane Bahler; German professional cyclist (dies 2007). 1982 - 75 percent of North America is covered by snow. 1982 - Birth of Kevin Sheridan; actor (Soul Man). 1982 - Eduardo Frei Montalva, President of Chile (1964-70), dies at age 71. 1982 - Birth of Jason Peters; American football player. 1982 - Free agent Reggie Jackson signs a four-year, nearly US$4 million contract with the California Angels. 1983 - Birth of Shaun Cody; American football player. 1983 - Björn Borg retires from tennis after winning five consecutive Wimbledon championships. 1983 - Second flight readiness firing of space shuttle Challenger's main engines; 22 seconds. 1983 - Fred Bakewell, cricketer (dashing England bat of 1930s, 6 Tests), dies. 1984 - Annette Kennedy of SUNY sets women's basketball record with 70 points. 1984 - Hilbert van de Thumb becomes European all-round skates. 1984 - NFL Super Bowl XVIII: Los Angeles Raiders beat Washington Redskins 38-9 in Tampa, Florida; Most Valuable Player: Marcus Allen, Running Back. 1984 - Apple Computer runs its "1984" 60 second TV commercial during the NFL SuperBowl football game, introducing the Macintosh computer, without showing the computer, or listing features. Apple Computer runs the ad publicly only once, but dozens of news and talk shows replay it, making it one of the most memorable advertisements in TV history. 1984 - Death of Sir Count Michael Gonzi, Archbishop of Malta and past politician (born 1885). 1984 - Birth of Raica Oliveira, Brazilian supermodel. 1985 - -30 degrees F (-34 degrees C), Mountain Lake Bio Station, Virginia (state record). 1985 - Cold wave damages 90 percent of Florida's citrus crop. 1985 - Kelly Hu, 16, of Hawaii, crowned third Miss Teen USA. 1985 - Zak Starkey (Ringo's son) marries Sarah Menikides. 1986 - Birth of Daniel Smith; son of Anna Nicole Smith (dies 2006). 1987 - 27-year old Glen Tremml pedals the ultralight aircraft Eagle over Edwards Air Force Base, California, for a human-powered flight record of 37.2 miles. 1987 - Blizzard in New Jersey, as 334 attend the New Jersey Devils - Calgary Flames NHL game, New Jersey wins 7-5. 1987 - R Budd Dwyer, Pennsylvania State Treasurer, facing prison for conspiracy and perjury, shoots himself to death at a televised news conference. 1988 - First-class cricket debut of Brian Lara, Trinidad and Tobago vs Leeward Island. 1988 - First-class cricket debut of Hansie Cronje, OFS vs Transvaal. 1988 - Georgi M Malenkov, Russian premier (1953-55), dies at age 86. 1988 - Mike Tyson TKOs Larry Holmes in four rounds for heavyweight boxing title. 1988 - Parker Fennelly, actor (Kettles on Old MacDonald's Farm), dies at age 96. 1988 - Birth of Greg Oden, American basketball player. 1988 - Death of Parker Fennelly, American comedian and actor (born 1891). 1988 - In Tennant Creek, Australia, magnitude 6.3, 6.4, and 6.6 earthquakes occur. Felt over two-thirds of Australia. 1989 - Super Bowl XXIII: San Francisco 49ers beat Cincinnati Bengals, 20-16 in Miami; Most Valuable Player: Jerry Rice, San Francisco, Wide Receiver. 1989 - USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakstan/Semipalatinsk. 1989 - Birth of Jared Smith, American singer. 1989 - In Tajikistan, a magnitude 5.3 earthquake occurs. Two hundred seventy-four people killed, many injured, extensive damage. 1990 - Robert Tappan Morris, Jr. is convicted of releasing the 1988 Internet worm. 1990 - 17th American Music Awards: Milli Vanilli. 1990 - Wasim Akram scores Test century (123) at Adelaide. 1990 - Will Clark, National League's Most Valuable Player signs a $15 million four-year contract with San Francisco Giants. 1990 - Death of Roman Vishniac, Russian-American photographer (born 1897). 1991 - Three SCUDs and one Patriot missile hit Ramat Gan in Israel, injuring 96 people. Three elderly people die of heart attacks. 1992 - A J Antoon, director (That Championship Season), dies at age 47. 1992 - Ali Amini, Prime Minister of Iran (1961-62), dies. 1992 - Rebel forces occupy Zaire's national radio station in Kinshasa and broadcast a demand for the government's resignation. 1992 - STS-42: Dr. Roberta Bondar becomes the first Canadian woman in space, aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. 1993 - Disney releases the Hollywood Pictures live-action feature film Aspen Extreme to theaters in the US. 1993 - Alexander Bodon Hung, Dutch architect (RAI, Dollywood), dies at age 86. 1993 - Charlie Gehringer, baseball player, dies at age 89. 1993 - Johan Koss skates world record 5 km in 6:38.77. 1993 - Kobo Abe, Japanese writer (Wife in the Sand), dies at age 68. 1993 - Maria Vlamynck, Flemish author, dies at age 75. 1994 - 45th NHL All-Star Game; East beat West 9-8 at New York Rangers. 1994 - 5.5 earthquake strikes Sumatra. 1994 - 51st Golden Globes: Schlinder's List, Steven Spielberg. 1994 - Frances Gifford dies of emphysema, at age 71. 1994 - Irving B Kahn, inventor (teleprompter), dies at age 76. 1994 - Jean-Louis Barrault, French actor (La Ronde), dies at age 83. 1994 - Telly Savalas, actor (Kojak), dies of prostate cancer at age 70 (born 1924). 1995 - Christopher Francis Palmer, orchestrater/author, dies at age 48. 1995 - Mahmoud Sayed Selim, Egyptian Muslim leader, shot to death at age 29. 1995 - Margaret Barbara Lambert, British historian (Saar), dies at age 88. 1995 - Nico Adriaans, founder of Rotterdam Junkiebond, dies of AIDS at age 37. 1995 - Palestinian bomb attack in Beit Lid, Israel, 21-22 killed. 1995 - Pat Bradley wins LPGA HealthSouth Inaugural Golf Tournament. 1995 - Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, mother of President John F Kennedy, dies at age 104 (born 1890). 1996 - Edward Thomas, historian/intelligence expert, dies at age 77. 1996 - Efua Theodore Sutherland, writer, dies at age 71. 1996 - Mabel Leigh, potter, dies at age 80. 1996 - Yisrael Eldad, extremist politician, dies at age 85. 1996 - Andreas Papandreou, Prime Minister of Greece, resigns due to health problems; a new government forms under Costas Simitis. 1997 - Ian Arthur Hoyle Munro, medical journalist, dies at age 73. 1997 - Irwin Levine, composer ("Tie a Yellow Ribbon"), dies at age 58. 1997 - Mollie Panter-Downes, writer, dies at age 90. 1997 - Space Shuttle Atlantis returns to Earth. 1997 - Wally Whyton, musician/broadcaster, dies at age 66. 1997 - Madeleine Albright becomes the first female Secretary of State after confirmation by the United States Senate. 1998 - NHL's Minnesota franchise selects the nickname Wild. 1998 - Rickey Henderson rejoins Oakland Athletics for fourth time. 1998 - STS 89 (Endeavour 12) launches into orbit. 1998 - World League of American Football becomes NFL East. 1998 - Suspected "Unabomber" Theodore Kaczynski pleads guilty, and accepts a sentence of life without the possibility of parole. 1999 - Death of Graham Staines, Australian missionary burnt alive in India (age 58). 2001 - Death of Tommie Agee of cardiac arrest in Manhattan, New York, at age 58; Major League Baseball center fielder for the New York Mets, American League Rookie of the Year in 1966. 2002 - Death of Peggy Lee, American singer and actress (born 1920). 2003 - General elections in the Netherlands: Christian Democrats 44, Labour 42, or 150 seats total. 2003 - Catcher Ivan Rodriguez signs a one-year deal worth $10 million to play with the Florida Marlins. 2003 - The last successful contact arrives from the spacecraft Pioneer 10, one of the most distant man-made objects. 2003 - Death of Marvin Bower at age 100, management consultant at McKinsey since 1933. 2003 - The entire German Bundestag visits Elysée Palace in France to re-affirm the German-France friendship treaty of 40 years ago. This is the largest gathering of German dignitaries in the French palace since 1871. 2004 - Death of Ann Miller, American dancer and actress (born 1923). 2004 - Death of Jack Tunney, Canadian wrestling promoter (born 1935). 2006 - Kobe Bryant scores 81 points in regulation NBA basketball play and is second only to the legendary 1960s center Wilt Chamberlain, who had 100 points. 2007 - A bombing in a market in Baghdad, Iraq, kills 88 people. 2007 - Death of Abbé Pierre, French priest and founder of Emmaus (born 1912). 2007 - Death of Carlos Olivier, Venezuelan actor (born 1952). 2008 - The U.S. Federal Reserve reduces the federal funds rate by 0.75 points, to 3.5 percent, the largest single drop in 23 years. 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