This Day in History
March 4

What happened in history on this day: March 4? On March 4 in ... 1152 - Friedrich I (Barbarossa) is elected German King in Frankfurt. 1172 - Stephan III King of Hungary (1162-72), dies. 1238 - Some 200,000 Mongols defeat the Russian armies, killing Grand Prince Yuri II. 1275 - Chinese astronomers observe a total eclipse of the sun. 1394 - Birth of Prince Henry the Navigator; sponsors Portuguese voyages of discovery. 1461 - Battle at Towton: Duke Edward of York beats English queen Margaretha Edward IV recognized as king of England. 1484 - Kazimierz the Saint, Polish ruler/saint, dies at age 25. 1492 - Birth of Francesco de Layolle composer. 1540 - Protestant count Philip of Hessen marries second wife. 1570 - King Philip II bans foreign Dutch students. 1590 - Mauritius of Nassau's ship reaches Breda. 1611 - George Abbot appointed archbishop of Canterbury. 1615 - Hans von Aachen German painter, dies. 1617 - Arcangelo Crivelli composer, dies at age 70. 1621 - Jacarta, Java renamed Batavia. 1651 - Birth of John Baron Somers (Whig), William III's chief minister (1696-1700). 1665 - English King Charles II declares war on Netherlands. 1675 - John Flamsteed appointed first Astronomer Royal of England. 1678 - Birth of Antonio Vivaldi in Venice; Baroque violin virtuoso/composer (Four Seasons). 1681 - King Charles II grants William Penn royal charter for Pennsylvania. 1699 - Jews are expelled from Lubeck Germany. 1719 - Birth of Aert Schouman Dutch bird/portrait painter. 1741 - English fleet under Admiral Ogle reaches Cartagena. 1742 - Birth of Johann Heinrich Egli composer. 1747 - Birth of Casimir Pulaski Count/American Revolutionary War general. 1754 - Birth of Benjamin Waterhouse physician (smallpox vaccine pioneer). 1754 - Birth of Dieudonne-Pascal Pieltain composer. 1757 - Birth of Ignaz Malzat composer. 1765 - Birth of Charles Dibdin England, composer/author (Sea Songs)/actor (baptized). 1773 - Birth of Pierre-Louis Hus-Desforges composer. 1774 - William Herschel becomes the first to sight the Orion Nebula. 1782 - Birth of Johann Wyss Swiss folklorist/writer (Swiss Family Robinson). 1789 - FirstUS Congress declares constitution in effect (9 senators, 13 representatives). 1789 - Birth of Pavel P Gagarin Russian monarch. 1791 - First Jewish member of US Congress, Israel Jacobs (Pennsylvania), takes office. 1791 - President Washington calls the US Senate into its first special session. 1791 - Vermont admitted as 14th state (first addition to the 13 colonies). 1792 - Oranges introduced to Hawaii. 1793 - French troops conquer Geertruidenberg Netherlands. 1793 - Isaac Ouwater Amsterdam painter/cartoonist, dies at age 44. 1793 - President Washington's second inauguration, shortest speech (133 words). 1794 - Henri D count de Larochejacquelin Fr Royalist Army leader, dies at age 21. 1797 - John Adams inaugurated as second President of US. 1798 - Birth of John Joseph Abercrombie Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1877. 1798 - Catholic women force to do penance for kindling sabbath fire for Jews. 1801 - First President inaugurated in Washington DC (Thomas Jefferson). 1804 - Karl Leopold Rollig composer, dies. 1805 - Jean-Baptiste Greuze French painter, dies at age 79. 1809 - Madison becomes first President inaugurated in American-made clothes. 1813 - Birth of Wijnand J J Nuijen romantic/water colors painter (Wrecked). 1819 - Birth of Charles Oberthur composer. 1825 - John Quincy Adams inaugrated as 6th President. 1826 - First US railroad chartered, Granite Railway in Quincy Massachusetts. 1826 - Birth of John Buford Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1863. 1828 - Birth of Elisha Franklin "Bull" Paxton Brigadier General (Confederate Army). 1829 - Andrew Jackson inaugurated as 7th President. 1829 - Unruly crowd mobs White House during President Jackson inaugural ball. 1830 - V Bellini's opera "I Capuleti e i Montecchi" premieres in Venice. 1831 - Georg Michael Telemann composer, dies at age 82. 1834 - Birth of Peter Nicolai von Wilm composer. 1835 - Birth of Giovanni Schiaparelli Italy, astronomer (discovered canals of Mars). 1835 - HMS Beagle moves into Bay of Concepción. 1837 - City of Chicago incorporates. 1837 - Martin Van Buren inaugrated as 8th President. 1837 - Weekly Advocate changes its name to the Colored American. 1838 - Birth of Paul Lacome composer. 1839 - Ignace Antoine Ladurner pianist/composer, dies at age 72. 1841 - Birth of Kristian Mandrup Elster Norwegian author (And fremmed Fugl). 1841 - Dion Boucicault's "London Assurance" premieres in London. 1841 - Longest inauguration speech (8,443 words), William Henry Harrison. 1843 - Antonio López de Santa Anna becomes President (7th time) of Mexico. 1844 - Birth of Josip Jurcic Slovenian writer (10th Brother). 1845 - James K Polk inaugrated as 11th President of the United States. In his inaugural address, Polk states that the US claim to "the country of the Oregon" is "clear and unquestionable". 1848 - Sardinia-Piemonte gets new Constitution. 1849 - US had no President, Polk's term ends on a Sunday, Taylor couldn't be sworn-in, Senator David Atchison (pres pro tem) term ended March third. 1851 - Michael Henkel composer, dies at age 70. 1852 - Nikolai Gogol writer, dies at age 43. 1853 - Pope Pius IX recovers Catholic hierarchy in Netherlands. 1853 - William Rufus de Vane King (Democrat) sworn in as 13th US Vice President. 1861 - Lincoln inaugurated as 16th President; first time US has five former Presidents living. 1861 - President Lincoln opens Government Printing Office. 1861 - Confederate States adopt "Stars and Bars" flag. 1862 - Birth of Robert Emden Swiss geologist/astro-physicist (Emden-polytroop). 1863 - Territory of Idaho established. 1863 - Battle of Thompson's Station, Tennessee. 1864 - Thomas Starr King Unitarian clergyman (Christianity and Humanity), dies. 1865 - President Lincoln inaugurated for his second term as President. 1865 - Confederate congress approves final design of "official flag". 1866 - Alexander Campbell Irish/US founder Disciples of Christ, dies at age 77. 1869 - Ulysses Grant inaugurated as 18th President. 1873 - New York Daily Graphic, first illustrated daily newspaper in US, published. 1875 - Birth of Alberto Vaccari Italian Jesuit/old testament scholar/interpreter. 1875 - Birth of Enrique Larreta [E R Maza] Argentine diplomat (Gloria de Don Ramiro). 1875 - Birth of Suze Groeneweg first Dutch female parliament member (SDAP, 1918-37). 1876 - Alfred Holmes composer, dies at age 38. 1876 - US Congress decides to impeach Minister of War Belknap. 1877 - Birth of Alexander Fyodorovich Gedike composer. 1877 - Birth of Daniël G van Beuningen Dutch art collector. 1877 - Hendrik E van Rijgersma Dutch Governor (Saint Maarten), dies at age 42. 1877 - Tsjaikovski's incomplete ballet "Zwanenmeer" premieres in Moscow. 1879 - Birth of Bernhard Kellermann; writer. 1880 - New York Daily Graphic publishes first half-tone engraving, by S H Horgan. 1881 - California becomes first state to pass plant quarantine legislation. 1881 - Holmes and Watson begin "A Study in Scarlet", first case together. 1881 - James A Garfield inaugurated as 20th President. 1881 - South African President Kruger accepts ceasefire. 1882 - Britain's first electric trams run in East London. 1883 - Alexander H Stephens Vice President Confederate States, dies at age 71. 1883 - John Gordon Cashmans begins "Vicksburg Evening Post" in Mississippi. 1885 - Birth of Willem H Winkel Dutch physician/founder (Red Cross of Curaçao). 1885 - Grover Cleveland inaugrated as first Democratic President since Civil War. 1887 - Gottlieb Daimler unveils his first automobile, which he test runs in Esslingen and Cannstatt, Germany. 1888 - Amos Bronson Alcott US theory/poet (Table Talk), dies at age 88. 1888 - Birth of Knute Rockne; Norwegian/US football player/coach (Notre Dame). 1889 - Benjamin Harrison inaugurated as 23rd President. 1889 - Birth of Pearl White [Victoria] US actress/stunt woman (Perils of Pauline). 1890 - The longest bridge in the United Kingdom, the Forth Bridge (railway) (1,710 ft) opens in Scotland. 1891 - Birth of Dazzy Vance hall of fame pitcher (led National League in strike-outs 7-years). 1893 - Francis Dhanis' army attacksthe Lualaba, occupies Nyangwe. 1893 - Grover Cleveland (Democrat) inaugrated as 24th US President (second term). 1894 - Great fire in Shanghai; over 1,000 buildings destroyed. 1895 - Gustav Mahler's second Symphony, premieres in Berlin. 1897 - Birth of Francis "Lefty" O'Doul baseball player/organized Japanese baseball. 1897 - William McKinley inaugurated as 25th President of US. 1900 - Birth of Roberto Soundy El Salvador, trap shooter (Olympics-1968). 1901 - First advanced copy of inaugural speech (Jefferson-National Intelligencer). 1901 - Birth of Charles H Goren bridge master (26 US Titles). 1901 - Birth of Jean-Joseph Rabéarivelo Madagaskisch poet (Enfants d'Orphée). 1901 - President William McKinley inaugurated for second term as President. 1901 - Term of George H White, last of post-Reconstruction congressmen, ends. 1902 - American Automobile Association (AAA) founded in Chicago. 1903 - Birth of Harold Berens comedian. 1903 - Joseph H Shorthouse English writer (John Inglesant), dies at age 68. 1904 - Birth of George Gamow nuclear physicist/cosmologist/writer (1, 2, 3...'infinity'). 1905 - Birth of Lili Kràus Budapest Hungary, pianist (Austrian Cross of Honor 1978). 1905 - Gerhart Hauptmann's "Elga" premieres in Berlin. 1907 - Birth of Edgar Barrier New York City, New York; actor (Cobra Woman, Macbeth, Rocky, Cornered). 1908 - Birth of Boris N Poveloi [Kampov], Russian journalist/writer. 1908 - Collingwood Ohio primary school catches fire; 180 die. 1909 - Birth of Harry B Helmsley New York City, New York, billionaire builder (Empire State Building). 1909 - President Taft inaugrated as 27th President during 10" snowstorm. 1909 - US prohibits interstate transportation of game birds. 1910 - Birth of Tancredo Neves president of Civil rights activist. 1911 - Victor Berger (Wisconsin) becomes first socialist congressman in US. 1912 - Birth of Afro [Basaldella] Italian painter. 1912 - Birth of John Garfield New York City, New York; actor (Air Force, Destination Tokyo, Juarez). 1913 - First US law regulating the shooting of migratory birds passed. 1913 - Department of Commerce and Labor split into separate departments. 1913 - Gabriel Fauré's opera "Pénélope" premieres in Monte Carlo. 1913 - New York Yankees are first to train outside US (Bermuda). 1913 - Woodrow Wilson inaugurated as 28th President. 1915 - Birth of Carlos Surinach Barcelona Spain, composer (Monte Carlo). 1915 - Birth of Eunice Catunda composer. 1915 - Birth of Petrus de Jong Dutch premier (KVP, 1967-71). 1916 - Birth of Giorgio Bassani Italian writer (Botteghe Oscure). 1916 - Birth of Hans Eysenck psychologist. 1916 - Franz Marc German painter/co-founder (Blaue Reiter), killed at age 36. 1917 - Jeannette Rankin (Representative-Republican-MT) becomes first female member ofUS Congress. 1918 - Birth of Margaret Osborne DuPont Joseph Oregon, tennis pro (US Open 1948-50). 1918 - Eugene D'Harcourt composer, dies at age 58. 1918 - Terek Autonomous Republic established in RSFSR (until 1921). 1920 - Birth of Marcella Grady Jennings rancher. 1920 - Last day of Julian civil calendar in Greece. 1921 - Birth of Halim El-Dabh composer. 1921 - Birth of Joan Greenwood London, actress/director (Amorous Mr Prawn). 1921 - Hot Springs National Park created in Arkansas. 1922 - Bert Williams famous black, dies at age 46, in New York City, New York. 1923 - Birth of Patrick Moore England, astronomer/writer (A-Z of Astronomy). 1923 - Birth of Piero J d'Inzeo France, equestrian show jumper (Olympics-gold-1952, 64). 1923 - Lenin's last article in Pravda (about Red bureaucracy). 1924 - "Happy Birthday To You" published by Claydon Sunny. 1925 - Moritz Moszkowski Polish/German composer, dies at age 70. 1925 - President Coolidge's inauguration broadcast live on 21 radio stations. 1925 - Swain's Island (near American Samoa) annexed by US. 1926 - De Geer government in Netherlands takes office. 1927 - Birth of Robert Di Domenica composer. 1927 - Birth of Thayer David Medford Massachusetts; actor (Eiger Sanction, Rocky, Nero Wolfe, Savages). 1928 - "Bunion Run" race from Los Angeles California to New York City begins; It is won by Andy Payne. 1928 - Birth of Alan Sillitoe Nottingham Nottinghamshire England, writer (Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner). 1928 - Birth of Samuel Adler composer. 1929 - Birth of Bernard Haitink Amsterdam Netherlands, conductor (London Philharmonic Orchestra 1969-78). 1929 - Birth of Josep Mestres-Quadreny composer. 1929 - Charles Curtis (Republican-Kansas) becomes first native American Vice President. 1929 - Herbert Hoover inaugurated as 31st President. 1930 - Coolidge Dam in Arizona dedicated. 1930 - Mrs Charles [Emma] Fahning is first woman to bowl a santioned perfect [300] game. 1931 - Birth of Ernesto Rosenstand Arubian playwright (Kiko Ta Di Nos?). 1931 - Birth of Gennady Rozhdestvensky composer. 1931 - Birth of Han Jansen Dutch painter. 1931 - Bradman bowled by Herman Griffith for a duck as W I win the Test. 1931 - West Indies beat Australia for the first time, by 30 runs at SCG. 1932 - Birth of Guido Baggiani composer. 1932 - Birth of Hessel Rienks economist/Dutch second chamber member (PvdA). 1932 - Birth of Miriam Makeba Johannesburg South Africa, singer (Grammy 1965). 1933 - Birth of Ann Burton [Anna Rafalowicz], singer. 1933 - Chancellor Dollfuss disdolves Austrian parliament. 1933 - Franklin Roosevelt inaugrated as 32nd President, pledges to pull US out of Depression and says "We have nothing to fear but fear itself". 1933 - Frances Perkins becomes Secretary of Labor, first US woman cabinet member. 1933 - Henderson, DeSylva and Brown's "Strike Me Pink" premieres in New York City. 1933 - Noordwijk soccer team forms. 1933 - Willie Walker US jazz singer/guitarist (Dupree Blues), dies at age 36. 1934 - Birth of Barbara McNair Racine Wisconsin, singer/actress (Barbara McNair Show). 1934 - Birth of Jane van Lawick-Goodall ethologist/chimp expert (1974 Walker Prize). 1934 - Birth of John Duffey bluegrass musician. 1934 - Birth of Mario Davidovsky Buenos Aires Argentina, composer (Synchronisms). 1934 - Easter Cross on Mount Davidson (San Francisco) dedicated. 1936 - First flight of airship Hindenburg, Germany. 1936 - Birth of Aribert Reimann composer. 1936 - Birth of David Thompson British food magnate/multi-millionaire. 1936 - Birth of Eric Allandale rocker (Foundations). 1936 - Birth of Jim Clark race car driver (Indianapolis 500). 1936 - Ruben Mattias Liljefors composer, dies at age 64. 1937 - Birth of Graeme Dowling cricketer (New Zealand, 239 vs India 1968). 1937 - Birth of Ron Carter jazz bassist (Ron Carter Meets Bach). 1937 - Birth of Yuri Aleksandrovich Senkevich Russian cosmonaut. 1937 - Birth of [Bernard Barney Jean] Wilen musician. 1939 - Birth of James Aubrey Turner scientist. 1939 - Birth of Paula Prentiss [Ragusa] San Antonio Texas, actress (Parallax View, He and She). 1940 - Birth of Kas Garas Kaunas Lithuania; actor (Hamlyn-Strange Report). 1941 - Eighteen Geuzen resistance fighters sentenced to death in The Hague. 1941 - Birth of Adrian Lyne director (Fatal Attraction, 9 1/2 Weeks, Jacob's Ladder). 1941 - Birth of Ji-Tu Cumbuka Helena Alabama; actor (Roots, Man Called Sloane). 1941 - Birth of John Aprea Englewood New Jersey; actor (Lucas-Another World, Godfather 2). 1941 - Birth of John Hancock Hazen Arkansas; actor (Black Marble, Traxx, Houston Knights). 1941 - Edoardo Mascheroni composer, dies at age 81. 1941 - NHL Chicago goalee Samuel LoPresti stops record 80 of 83 Boston shots. 1941 - Serbian Prince Paul visits Hitler. 1941 - British commandos make a large-scale raid on Lofoten Islands, Norway. The raid is a complete success, capturing 225 prisoners and evacuating 315 Norwegian volunteers. 1942 - Yuliya Lazarevna Veysberg composer, dies at age 62. 1943 - Birth of Zoltan Jeney composer. 1943 - Nikolaos "Sokrates" Politis Greek foreign minister, dies at age 71. 1943 - Pieter C Boutens Dutch poet (Beatrijs), dies at age 73. 1943 - Transport nr 50 departs with French Jews to Maidanek/Sobibor. 1944 - First US bombing of Berlin. 1944 - Anti-Germany strikes in North Italy. 1944 - Birth of Bobby Womack Cleveland Ohio, R&B singer/guitarist (Woman's Got to Have It). 1945 - Birth of Dieter Meier Swiss singer/children book writer (Yello). 1945 - Birth of Jaime Tirelli New York City, New York; actor (Orlando Lopez-Ball Four). 1945 - Finland declares war on Nazi-Germany. 1946 - Birth of Haile Gerima director (Ashes and Embers). 1946 - Birth of Harvey Goldsmith impresario. 1946 - Birth of Michael Ashcroft English entrepreneur/multi-millionaire (Hawley-ADT). 1946 - Birth of Ralph Kirshbaum Denton Texas, cellist (RNCM Manchester International Festival). 1946 - Birth of Robert Raymond rocker. 1948 - Antonin Artaud French poet/actor (Napoleon), dies at age 51. 1948 - Birth of Billy Gibbons rock guitarist (ZZ Top-Cheap Sunglasses, Legs, Fandango). 1948 - Birth of Chris Squire London, rock bassist (Yes-Fish Out of Water). 1948 - Birth of Shakin' Stevens [Mike Barrett], Ely Wales, rocker (You Drive Me Crazy). 1948 - Elsa Brändström [Angel of Siberia], Swedish philanthropist, dies at age 59. 1949 - Andrei Vishinsky succeeds Molotov as Soviet Foreign minister. 1949 - Piet Van de Pol (Netherlands) becomes world champion billiard player. 1949 - Security Council of United Nations recommends membership for Israel. 1950 - Birth of Emilio Estefan Cuba, rocker (Miami Sound Machine-1 2 3). 1950 - Birth of Judy Dickinson Akron Ohio, LPGA golfer (1985 Boston Five Classic). 1950 - Birth of Kenny Dalglish soccer manager. 1950 - Birth of Rafael Canizares Poey Alacs Mountains Cuba, basketballer (Olympics-bronze-72). 1951 - Birth of Chris Rea Middlesborough England, rock guitarist (Fool If You Think It Is Over, Heaven). 1951 - Birth of Gwen Welles Chattanooga Tennessee, actress (Desert Hearts, Sticky Fingers, Angel On My Shoulder). 1951 - Birth of Kenny Dalglish British soccer star (100+ goals). 1952 - Birth of Ronn Moss Los Angeles California; actor (Ridge-The Bold and the Beautiful, Santa Barbara). 1952 - Ronald Reagan marries Nancy Davis. 1953 - Birth of Christopher H Smith (Representative-Republican-New Jersey, 1981-). 1953 - Birth of Kay Lenz Los Angeles California, actress (Moving Violations, Rich Man Poor Man). 1953 - Sergei S Prokoviev Russian composer (Peter and the wolf), dies at age 61. 1954 - Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, announces the first successful kidney transplant. 1954 - Birth of Catherine O'Hara in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; comedienne (Beetlejuice, SCTV). 1954 - Birth of Irina Ratushinskaya USSR, poet (Grey is the color of hope). 1954 - Birth of Peter Erling Jacobsen Portland Oregon, PGA golfer (1990 Bob Hope). 1954 - Birth of Adrian Zmed in Chicago, Illinois; actor (TJ Hooker, Dance Fever). 1954 - Georg Gohler composer, dies at age 79. 1954 - JE Wilkins, appointed first Black US sub-cabinet member. 1954 - Noel Gay [Richard Moxon Armitage], composer, dies at age 55. 1955 - First radio facsimile transmission sent across the continent. 1955 - Birth of Benny Alexander Secretary-General (South African Pan-Africanist Movement). 1958 - Albert Kuyle [Lou Kuitenbrouwer], writer (Jesus' Carpet), dies at age 54. 1958 - Birth of Patricia Heaton in Cleveland, Ohio, USA; actress (Debra - Everybody Loves Raymond). 1959 - Birth of Kelly Lynch in Golden Walley, Minnesota, USA; actress (Warm Summer Rain, Cocktail). 1959 - US Pioneer IV misses Moon and becomes second (US first) artificial planet. 1960 - Birth of Reggie McElroy; NFL tackle (Denver Broncos). 1960 - Birth of Russell Todd in Troy, New York, USA; actor (Dr Jamie Frame - Another World). 1960 - French freighter La Coubre explodes in Havana, Cuba, killing 100. 1960 - Leonard Warren, US baritone, dies on stage at age 48. 1960 - Lucille Ball files for divorce from Desi Arnaz. 1961 - Birth of David "Tinker" Juarez in Los Angeles, California, USA; cyclist (Olympics-19th-1996). 1961 - Birth of Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini; boxer (killed a boxer in the ring). 1961 - Birth of Roger Wessels in Port Elizabeth, South Africa; golfer (1994 Canadian Masters). 1961 - Birth of Steven Weber in Queens, New York, USA; actor (Brian Hackett - Wings). 1961 - Paul-Henri Spaak resigns as Secretary-General of NATO. 1962 - The United States Atomic Energy Commission announces that the first atomic power plant at McMurdo Station in Antarctica is in operation. 1962 - Birth of Brant Ian Woodward in Hurstville, New Zealand; trap shooter (Olympics-1996). 1962 - Birth of Greg Kragen; NFL nose tackle (Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers). 1962 - Birth of Steve Fletcher in London, England; actor (Brad - One Life to Live). 1962 - Cairine R Wilson, first Canadian female senator (appointed), dies at age 77. 1963 - Birth of Anne Minter in Australia; tennis star. 1963 - Birth of Jason Newsted; US heavy-metal bassist (Metallica - "Kill 'em All"). 1963 - Birth of MDV [Michiel de Vos]; Dutch pop bassist (Burma Shave-Stash). 1963 - William Carlos Williams, US physician/poet, dies at age 79. 1964 - Birth of Emilia Eberle in Romania; gymnast, scores a perfect 10 in 1980 Olympics. 1964 - Birth of Linda French in Oak Park, Illinois, USA; badminton player (Olympics-1996). 1964 - Birth of Tom Lampkin in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; catcher (San Francisco Giants). 1965 - Birth of Alexandra Harbold, New York City, New York, USA; sprint kayak (Olympics-1996). 1965 - Birth of Dana Brown in Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Miss Tennessee-America (1990-third). 1965 - Birth of Stacy Edwards in Glasgow, Montana, USA; actress (Santa Barbara). 1965 - David Attenbrough became the new controller of BBC2. 1966 - Birth of Kevin Johnson; NBA guard (Phoenix Suns). 1966 - Birth of Mike Small in Aurora, Illinois, USA; Canadian Tour golfer (1993 Emerald Coast). 1966 - Birth of Patrick Hannan; English pop drummer (Sundays-Can't Be Sure). 1966 - Canadian Pacific airliner explodes on landing in Tokyo, Japan; 64 die. 1966 - Janis Medins, composer, dies at age 75. 1966 - John Lennon says "We (The Beatles) are more popular than Jesus". 1966 - North Sea Gas is first pumped ashore by British Petroleum. 1967 - Birth of Daryll Cullinan; South African cricketer (batsman Warne's bunny). 1967 - Birth of Juliana Furtado in New York City, New York, USA; mountain cyclist (world champion-1991, 1992, Olympics-10th-1996). 1967 - World Ice Dance Championship in Vienna, Austria won by Diane Towler and Bernard Ford (Great Britain). 1967 - World Ice Pairs Figure Skating Championship in Vienna, Austria won by Ljudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov (USSR). 1967 - World Ladies Figure Skating Championship in Vienna won by Peggy Fleming (USA). 1967 - World Men's Figure Skating Championship in Vienna won by Emmerich Danzer (Austria). 1968 - Alexandre Cellier, composer, dies at age 84. 1968 - Birth of Brian Hunter in Torrance, California; infielder (Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros). 1968 - Birth of Dinky van Rensburg in South Africa; tennis star. 1968 - Birth of Dionna Harris in Wilmington, Delaware, USA; softball outfielder (Olympics-gold-1996). 1968 - Birth of Evan Dando; rocker (Lemonheads). 1968 - Birth of Patsy Kensit in Hounslow, London, England; rocker/actress (Lethal Weapon 2, 21, Hanover St). 1968 - Joe Frazier TKOs Buster Mathis in 11 rounds for heavyweight boxing title. 1968 - Martin Luther King Jr announces plans for Poor People's Campaign. 1968 - Orbiting Geophysical Observatory 5 launched. 1969 - Birth of Chastity Bono in Los Angeles, California, daughter of Sonny and Cher. 1969 - Birth of Jeff Tinsley in Shelbyville, Kentucky, USA; outfielder (Boston Red Sox). 1969 - Birth of Karrie Poppinga in Manhattan Beach, California, USA; volleyballer (Pismo Beach-4-1995). 1969 - Birth of Kenneth Benson; Canadian Football League linebacker (Toronto Argonauts). 1970 - Birth of Dave Stevens in Fullerton, California, USA; pitcher (Minnesota Twins). 1970 - Birth of Marja Helena Paluila; ice hockey defenseman (Finland, Olympics-1998). 1970 - Birth of Matt Gay; WLAF safety (Rhein Fire). 1970 - Birth of Tina Paternostro in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, USA; golfer (1995 JAL Big Apple-57th). 1970 - French submarine Eurydice explodes. 1970 - Jacksonville is first college basketball team to average 100+ points per game. 1970 - New York Rangers set NHL record of 126 games without being shut-out. 1971 - "City Command" kidnaps four US military men at Ankara, Turkey. 1971 - Birth of Edwin van Holten; soccer player (FC Volendam). 1972 - Birth of Chris Borg in Lexington, South Carolina, USA; canoe (alternate-Olympics-1996). 1972 - Birth of Martin Saint Pierre in Ripon, Québec, Canada; 20k walker (Olympics-1996). 1972 - Birth of Robert Smith; NFL running back (Minnesota Vikings). 1972 - Birth of Sherida Pawiroredjo in Suriname; Miss Indra Maju (1993). 1972 - Erhard Keller (Germany) skates world record 1000 metre (1:18.5). 1972 - Last train run between Penrith to Keswick, United Kingdom. 1972 - Libya and USSR sign cooperation treaty. 1973 - 15th Grammy Awards: "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", America. 1973 - Birth of Phillip Daniels; NFL defensive end (Seattle Seahawks). 1974 - Adolph Gottlieb, US painter, dies at age 71. 1974 - Birth of Jarrett Deuling Vernon; NHL left wing (New York Islanders). 1974 - Birth of Karol Kucera in Bratislava, Slovakia; tennis star (1995-Rosmalen). 1974 - Birth of Sherry Wigginton in Austin, Texas, USA; diver (Olympics-1996). 1974 - Harold Wilson replaces resigning Ed Heath as British premier. 1976 - John Pezzin bowls 33 consecutive strikes in Toledo, Ohio. 1976 - San Francisco Giants are bought for US$8 million by Bob Lurie and Bud Herseth. 1977 - The first Cray-1 supercomputer is shipped to the Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico. 1977 - Birth of Anna Baitchik; Miss Russia-Universe (1997). 1977 - Colin Croft takes 8-29 against Pakistan at Port-of-Spain. 1977 - Earthquake in Romania kills 1,541. 1978 - Chicago Daily News, founded in 1875, publishes last issue. 1979 - 200th episode of TV show All in the Family. 1979 - Sally Little wins LPGA Bent Tree Golf Classic. 1979 - US Voyager I photo reveals Jupiter's rings. 1980 - Birth of Jung Da Bin; Korean actress (dies 2007). 1980 - 40th hat trick in New York Islanders' history-Mike Bossy. 1980 - Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF wins parliamentary election in Zimbabwe. 1980 - Birth of Omar Bravo; Mexican football player. 1980 - Birth of Jack Hannahan; American baseball infielder. 1981 - Torin Thatcher, actor (Houdini, Isranbul, Lady Godiva), dies. 1981 - Birth of Carol Banawa; Filipina singer. 1982 - Second double hat trick in New York Islanders' history-Mike Bossy and Denis Potvin. 1982 - NASA launches Intelsat V. 1982 - Birth of Charity Rahmer; American actress. 1982 - Birth of Landon Donovan; American soccer player. 1983 - Hergé [Georges Rémi], Belgian cartoonist (Rin-Tin-Tin), dies at age 75 (born 1907). 1983 - Birth of Max Vergara Poeti; Colombian writer. 1984 - Pee Wee Reese and Rick Ferrell elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame. 1984 - Shalva Mikhaylovich Mshvelidze, composer, dies at age 79. 1984 - Birth of Ai Iwamura, Japanese actress. 1984 - Birth of Donny Tourette, lead singer of British punk rock band Towers of London. 1984 - Birth of Zak Whitbread, American soccer player. 1984 - Birth of Tamir Cohen, Israeli footballer. 1984 - Nancy Lopez wins Uniden LPGA Golf Invitational. 1985 - STS 51-E vehicle rolls back to Vandenberg Air Force Base; mission cancelled. 1985 - Virtual ban on leaded gas ordered by EPA. 1985 - War veterans returned to the Bridge over the River Kwai. 1985 - The Food and Drug Administration approves a blood test for AIDS, used since then to screen all blood donations in the United States. 1986 - Birth of Margo Harshman; American actress. 1986 - Border completes twin Test tons (140 and 114) vs New Zealand. 1986 - Henri Knap, Dutch journalist/writer, dies at age 75. 1986 - Richard Manuel, Canadian rock vocalist/pianist (The Band), commits suicide at age 40 (born 1943). 1986 - Today tabloid launched (Britain's first national color newspaper). 1986 - Death of Howard Greenfield, American songwriter (born 1936). 1987 - U.S. President Ronald Reagan addresses the American people on the Iran-Contra Affair, acknowledging that his overtures to Iran had 'deteriorated' into an arms-for-hostages deal. 1987 - The ABC TV network airs the first episode of the Disney TV show Harry. 1989 - Actress Phoebe Cates marries actor Kevin Kline. 1989 - Javier Sotomayor high jumps indoor world record (2.43 metre). 1989 - The first Australian Capital Territory elections are held. 1989 - Time, Inc. and Warner Communications announce plans for a merger, to form Time Warner. 1989 - The Disney Channel debuts the TV series Chip 'n' Dale's Rescue Rangers. 1989 - The Purley Station rail crash in London, England, leaves five dead and 94 injured. 1990 - 20th Easter Seal Telethon. 1990 - Beth Daniel wins LPGA Women's Kemper Golf Open. 1990 - US 65th manned space mission STS 36 (Atlantis 6) returns from space. 1990 - In Pakistan, a magnitude 6.1 earthquake occurs. At least 11 people killed, about 40 injured and many homes and buildings damaged. 1990 - Birth of Andrea Bowen, American actress. 1991 - Bank of Credit and Commerce International divests itself of first American Bank. 1991 - Iraq releases six US, three British, and one Italian prisoners-of-war. 1991 - Vance Colvig, actor (UHF, Barfly, My Chauffeur), dies at age 72. 1991 - Birth of Diandra Newlin, American actress, singer, and model. 1992 - Birth of Jazmin Grace Rotolo, daughter of Albert II, Prince of Monaco. 1992 - Arthur Babbitt, animator (Mr Magoo, Goofy), dies at age 84 of heart failure (born 1907). 1992 - C Meijer, Dutch editor in chief (Typhoon), dies. 1992 - Christian K Nelson, inventor (Eskimo Pie), dies at age 98. 1992 - Mary Osborne, jazz guitarist, dies at age 70 of liver cancer. 1992 - Nestor Almendros, Spanish/US cameraman (Kramer vs Kramer), dies at age 61. 1993 - "Goodbye Girl" opens at Marquis Theater New York City for 188 performances. 1993 - Art Hodes, Russian/US jazz/blues pianist/editor (Jazz Record), dies. 1993 - Birth of Abigail Mavity, American actress. 1993 - Birth of Jenna Boyd, American actress. 1993 - Birth of Alice Jones, English actress. 1993 - Authorities announce the capture of suspected World Trade Center bombing conspirator Mohammad Salameh. 1993 - Birth of Bobbi Kristina Brown daughter of Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown. 1993 - Richard Sale, writer/director (Oscar, Torpedo Run), dies at age 80. 1994 - Four terrorists are convicted for their roles in the World Trade Center bombing, which killed six and injured more than 1,000. 1994 - Guus Verstraete Sr, Dutch actor/director (Two Drops of Water), dies at age 79. 1994 - John Candy, Canadian comedian and actor (SCTV, Uncle Buck), dies from a heart attack at age 43 (born 1950). 1994 - Space shuttle STS-62 (Columbia 16), launches into orbit. 1994 - Buena Vista releases the Hollywood Pictures / Caravan Pictures live-action feature film Angie to theaters in the USA. 1995 - Blind teenage boy receives a 'Bionic Eye' at a Washington Hospital. 1995 - Eden Ahbez, songwriter, dies at age 86. 1995 - George Foreman loses WBA boxing title, refusing to fight Tony Tucker. 1995 - Michael Johnson runs world record 400 metre indoor (44.63 seconds). 1995 - Replacement New York Yankees beat New York Mets 2-1. 1996 - Barbara Lewis, British obituarist, dies at age 55. 1996 - Minnie Pearl, American country comedienne (Grand Ole Opry), dies at age 84 (born 1912). 1997 - Brazil Senate allows women to wear slacks. 1997 - Comet Hale-Bopp directly above the Sun (1.04 AU). 1997 - Zeya Start-1 launched (Russia). 1997 - U.S. President Bill Clinton bars federal funding for any research on human cloning. 1997 - Death of Robert H. Dicke, American experimental physicist (born 1916). 1997 - Death of Carey Loftin, American actor and stuntman (born 1914). 1998 - The Supreme Court of the United States rules that federal laws banning on-the-job sexual harassment also apply when both parties are the same sex. 1999 - Death of Ingrid Washinawatok, Native American activist (born 1957). 1999 - Death of Harry Blackmun, American judge (born 1908). 1999 - Death of Del Close, American actor, writer, and teacher (born 1934). 1999 - In a military court, United States Marine Corps Captain Richard Ashby is acquitted of the charge of reckless flying which resulted in the deaths of 20 skiers in the Italian Alps, when his low-flying jet hit a gondola cable. 2000 - Sony releases the PlayStation 2 video game system in Japan. It features 294.912 MHz 128-bit Emotion Engine processor, 32 MB RAM, 147.456 MHz Graphics Synthesizer with 4 MB embedded VRAM cache, 2 MB sound RAM, 48 sound channels, 24X CD-ROM, 4X DVD ROM drive. Price is 39,800 yen. One million units are sold on the first weekend. 2001 - Hintze Ribeiro disaster: A bridge collapses in northern Portugal, killing up to 70 people. 2001 - Death of Harold Stassen, American politician (born 1907). 2001 - Death of Fred Lasswell, American cartoonist (born 1916). 2001 - Death of Glenn Hughes, American singer (born 1950). 2002 - Death of Elyne Mitchell, Australian author of children's novels (born 1913). 2002 - Death of Claire Davenport, British actress (born 1933). 2002 - Death of Eric Flynn, British actor and singer (born 1939). 2004 - Death of Claude Nougaro, French singer (born 1929). 2004 - Death of Stephen Sprouse, American fashion designer, artist, and photographer (born 1953). 2005 - The car of released Italian hostage Giuliana Sgrena is fired on by U.S. soldiers in Iraq, causing the death of one passenger and injuring two more. 2005 - The United Nations warns that about 90 million Africans could be infected with HIV in the future, without further action against the spread of the disease. 2006 - Death of Dave Rose, American artist (born 1910). 2006 - Death of Edgar Valter, Estonian illustrator and cartoonist (born 1929). 2006 - Death of John Reynolds Gardiner, American author and engineer (born 1944). 2006 - The final contact attempt with Pioneer 10 receives no response. 2006 - Prince Sverre Magnus of Norway is christened by Bishop Ole Christian Kvarme at the chapel inside The Royal Palace in Oslo. 2007 - Parliamentary elections take place in Estonia and in Abkhazia. 2007 - Death of Natalie Bodanya (Natalie Bodanskaya), American soprano (born 1908). 2007 - Death of Thomas Eagleton, American politician (born 1929). 2007 - Death of Bob Hattoy, American activist (born 1950). 2007 - Death of Richard Joseph, British game music composer (born 1954). 2007 - Death of Sunil Kumar Mahato, Indian parliamentarian (born 1966). 2007 - Death of Tadeusz Nalepa, Polish composer, guitar player, vocalist and lyricist (born 1934). 2007 - Death of Ian Wooldridge, British sports journalist (born 1932). 2008 - Russian energy company Gazprom cuts gas supplies to the Ukraine by a further 25 percent. 2008 - Reverend Ian Paisley announces he will stand down in May as Northern Ireland's first minister and leader of Democratic Unionists. 2008 - Death of Gary Gygax, creator of Dungeons & Dragons game, at age 69. 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