This Day in History
March 8

What happened in history on this day: March 8? On March 8 in ... 883 - Albumasar [Ahmad Aboe M Gafar al-Balkhi], Arabic astronomer, dies. 1075 - Birth of Abu 'l-Kasim Mahmud ibn Omar al-Zamachshari Arab theologist. 1144 - Celestine II [Guido], Italian Pope (1143-44), dies in battle. 1403 - Bajezid I Jildirim fourth sultan of Turkey (1389-1403), dies at age 42. 1418 - Jacoba van Bayern marries her cousin John IV van Brabant. 1466 - Francesco Sforza Italian condottiere/duke of Milan, dies at age 64. 1495 - Birth of Juan de Dios Portugal/Spain, saint/founder (Brothers of Mercy). 1550 - Juan de Dios Port/Sp saint (Brothers of Mercy), dies at age 55. 1586 - Johan van Oldenbarnevelt becomes Dutch chief legal advisor. 1607 - Birth of Johann Rist composer. 1638 - Jacob C van Neck Admiral/mayor of Amsterdam, dies at about age 73. 1640 - Guillaume van Messaus composer, dies at age 50. 1661 - Jules Mazarin Italian cardinal/premier of France, dies at age 58. 1702 - England's Queen Anne ascends throne upon death of King William III. 1702 - John de Baen portrait painter/etcher, buried at age 69. 1702 - William III Dutch King of England (1689-1702), dies at age 51. 1706 - Vienna's Wiener Stadtbank established. 1709 - William Cowper/Cooper English anatomist, dies at about age 62. 1711 - Antoin de Guiscard tries English premier Haley for murder. 1714 - Birth of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach German composer, son of JS Bach. 1716 - Harald Vallerius composer, dies at age 69. 1720 - Georg Bronner composer, dies at age 53. 1722 - Afghan monarch Mir Mahmud occupies Persia. 1724 - Enrico Giovanni Zuccalli Swiss architect, dies at about age 81. 1728 - Gian M Crescimbeni Italian literary/critic (Arcadia), dies at age 64. 1734 - Carolomannus Pachschmidt composer, dies at age 33. 1743 - Birth of Bendix Friedrich Zinck composer. 1746 - Cumberland's troops occupy Aberdeen. 1748 - Birth of Willem V Batavus prince of Orange-Nassau. 1754 - Don José de Carvajal bon Lancaster Spanish minister of Foreign affairs, dies. 1754 - Marquis of Ensenada becomes premier of Spain. 1766 - Willem V (18) becomes Governor of United Provinces. 1778 - Birth of Friedrich August Kanne composer. 1782 - Gnadenhutten Massacre: Ohio militia kills 90 Indians. 1783 - Birth of Gottfied Wilhelm Fink composer. 1783 - Birth of Hannah Hoes Van Buren Kinderhook New York, wife of President Martin Van Buren (1837-41) (died 1819). 1787 - Birth of Karl Ferdinand von Grafe help create modern plastic surgery. 1799 - Birth of Simon Cameron Secretary of War (Union), died in 1889. 1801 - British drive French forces from Abukir, Egypt. 1813 - First concerto of Royal Philharmonic. 1815 - Birth of Jean Delphin Alard French violinist/composer. 1825 - Birth of George William Martin composer. 1828 - Johann Anton Sulzer composer, dies at age 75. 1836 - Birth of Matthew Calbraith Butler Major General (Confederate Army). 1838 - US mint in New Orleans begins operation (producing dimes). 1839 - Birth of James Mason Crafts US chemist (Friedel-Crafts-synthesis). 1840 - Birth of Franco Faccio Italian composer/conductor. 1841 - Birth of Oliver Wendell Holmes Massachusetts, 59th Supreme Court justice (1902-32). 1843 - Birth of Per Jonas Fredrik Vilhelm Svedbom composer. 1847 - Birth of Karl von Bach German engineer (Maschinenelemente). 1853 - Birth of Edward Hubertus Joannes Keurvels Flemish composer (Parisina). 1854 - Birth of Tom Felix Horan cricketer (Ireland Pioneering Australia all-rounder). 1854 - US Commodore Matthew C Perry's second trip to Japan. 1855 - First train crosses first US railway suspension bridge, Niagara Falls. 1857 - Birth of Ruggiero Leoncavallo Italian composer (I pagliacci/Zaza). 1858 - Leoncavallo's opera "I Pagliacci" is produced (Naples). 1859 - Birth of Kenneth Grahame author (The Wind, Willows). 1859 - Birth of Otto Taubmann composer. 1861 - Saint Augustine, Florida, surrenders to Union armies. 1862 - Adrien de La Fage composer, dies at age 56. 1862 - Birth of Joseph Lee helped develop playgrounds. 1862 - Nat Gordon last pirate, hanged in New York City, New York for stealing 1,000 slaves. 1862 - Battle of Elkhorn Tavern ends with Confederate withdrawal. 1862 - Confederate ironclad "Merrimack" launched. 1862 - Naval Engagement at Hampton Roads Virginia: CSS Virginia, Jamestown and Yorktown vs USS Cumberland, Congress and Monitor. 1865 - Birth of Frederick William Goudy US, printer/type designer. 1865 - Battle of Kingston, North Carolina (Wilcox's ridge, Wise's Forks). 1869 - Louis Hector Berlioz French composer (Symphony Fantastic), dies at age 65. 1872 - Birth of Paul Juon Russian/Swiss violinist/composer. 1874 - Millard Fillmore 13th President (1850-53), dies at age 74. 1876 - Birth of Franco Alfano Italian opera composer (Il dottore Antonio). 1879 - Birth of M Lichnowsky writer. 1879 - Birth of Otto Hahn German physicist/chemist (Nobel 44, radiothorium/actinium, co-discoverer-nuclear fission). 1883 - Birth of Manuel Gomez Carillo composer. 1884 - First performance of Edward MacDowell's second Piano suite. 1886 - Birth of Anton Portielje Dutch radio host/zoo director (Artis). 1886 - Birth of Edward Kendall chemist, isolated cortisone (Nobel Prize 1950). 1887 - Everett Horton, Connecticut, patents fishing rod of telescoping steel tubes. 1887 - Pavel Annenkov Russian literature historian/critic, dies at age 73. 1888 - Birth of Stuart Chase Somersworth New Hampshire, writer/economist (Tragedy of Waste). 1889 - Birth of Oscar Ewing US government official (Everybody's Business). 1889 - Jens/John Ericsson Sweden/US, engineer (fire extinguisher), dies at age 85. 1890 - Birth of Oswald von Nell-Breuning German theologist/philosopher. 1892 - Birth of Mátyás Rákosi Hungarian party leader/premier (1952-53). 1894 - Birth of Wäinö V Aaltonen Finnish sculptor. 1894 - New York passes first state dog license law. 1896 - Volunteers of America forms (New York City, New York). 1898 - Birth of Louise Beavers Cincinnati Ohio, actress (Beulah-Beulah, Made for Each Other). 1898 - Birth of Theophilus E Dönges South African minister of Internal Affairs. 1898 - Richard Straus' "Don Quixote" premieres in Keulen. 1899 - Birth of Eric Linklater Scotland, novelist/poet/historical writer (Blue Swallows). 1900 - The Union Castle Steamship Co. Ltd. is registered in England, a merger of Castle Line and Union Line. 1900 - National League decides to go with eight teams; they exclude Baltimore, Cleveland, Louisville and Washington (in 1953 Boston Braves move to Milwaukee). 1901 - Karl Freiherr von Stumm-Halberg German politician, dies at age 64. 1901 - Peter Benoit Flemish composer/conductor (High Mass), dies at age 66. 1902 - First performance of Jean Sibelius' second Symphony. 1902 - Birth of Jennings Randolph (Senator). 1904 - Hugh Trumble takes a hat-trick in his final Test Cricket match. 1906 - Stanley Cup: Ottawa Silver 7 sweep Smiths Falls (Ontario) in two games. 1907 - Birth of Charles Boost movie critic. 1908 - Collingwood Elementary (Cleveland) burns, kills 173 kids and two teachers. 1908 - Dutch utopist Frederick of Eden speaks in Carnegie Hall, New York. 1909 - Birth of Anthony Donato composer. 1909 - Birth of Claire Trevor [Wemlinger] New York City, New York, actress (Murder My Sweet, Marjorie Morningstar). 1909 - Birth of Hugh Murphy English multi-millionaire. 1910 - Baroness Raymonde de Laroche of Paris France becomes first licensed female pilot. 1911 - Birth of Alan Hovhaness Somerville Massachusetts, composer (Lousadzak, Ukiyo). 1911 - Birth of Elsie Agnes Giorgi physician/humanitarian. 1911 - International Women's Day (first celebrated). 1913 - Federal League organizes with six teams. 1913 - Internal Revenue Service begins to levy and collect income taxes. 1914 - Birth of Jacob B Bakema urban developer (Saint Louis Missouri). 1915 - First US navy minelayer, Baltimore, commissioned. 1915 - Birth of Vivien John artist. 1916 - Birth of R W Schnell writer. 1916 - US invades Cuba for third time, this to end corrupt Menocal regime. 1917 - Birth of A Marja [ATE Mooy], Dutch literary (Shreds on the River). 1917 - Ferdinand von Zeppelin Dutch count/air pioneer, dies at age 78. 1917 - Russian revolution breaks out (in Petrograd/St Petersburg). 1917 - US invades Cuba for third time. 1918 - Birth of Alan Hale [MacKahan] Jr Los Angeles California; actor (Skipper Jonas Grumby-Gilligan's Island). 1919 - Auguste Tolbecque composer, dies at age 88. 1919 - Birth of Ivor Keys musician/teacher. 1920 - Birth of Eileen Herlie Glasgow Scotland, actress (Myrtle Fargate-All My Children, Hamlet). 1920 - Birth of Eva Dahlbeck Saltsjo-Duvnas Sweden, actress (Dreams, Lesson in Love). 1920 - Birth of James Daniel "Danny" Turner saxophonist. 1920 - Denmark and Cuba join the League of Nations. 1920 - Rafael Obligado Argentine writer (Santos Vega), dies at age 69. 1921 - Birth of Cyd Charisse [Tula Ellice Finklea] Amarillo Texas, dancer/actress (East Side West Side, Brigadoon). 1921 - Birth of Egbert George "Pete" Pitterson trumpeter. 1921 - Birth of Sahir Ludhianvi; Urdu/Hindustani poet and Hindi film lyricist (dies 1980). 1922 - Birth of Carl Furillo Brooklyn Dodger (National League Batting Champion 1953). 1922 - Birth of H Kipphardt writer. 1923 - Birth of Booth Colman Portland Oregon; actor (Zaius-Planet of the Apes). 1923 - Birth of Juan M G "Wancho" Evertsz premier of Dutch Antilles (NVP, 1973-77). 1923 - Birth of Sembene Ousmane Senegalese author/novelist/director (Doctor Noir). 1923 - Johannes S van der Waals Dutch physicist (Nobel Prize 1910), dies at age 85. 1924 - Birth of Sean McClory Dublin Ireland; actor (Jack-Californians, My Chauffeur). 1924 - Birth of Victor "Toby" Neuberg teacher/writer. 1924 - Coal mine explosion kills 171 at Castle Gate UT. 1925 - Birth of Darwin Horacio Vargas-Wallis composer. 1925 - Birth of Francisco Rabal Aguilas Spain; actor (Holy Innocents, Camorra). 1925 - Birth of Petrus Steenkamp Dutch politician (KVP/CDA). 1927 - Birth of Jaromir Podesva composer. 1927 - Birth of Joseph Berg composer. 1927 - Pan American Airlines incorporates. 1928 - Birth of Frank Michael Beyer composer. 1928 - Birth of Judy Johnson Norfolk Virginia, singer (Your Show of Shows). 1929 - US worker union commission reports of slavery in Liberia. 1930 - Babe Ruth signs two-year contract for $160,000 with New York Yankees general manager Ed Barrow, wrongly predicts "No one will ever be paid more than Ruth". 1930 - Mahatma Gandhi starts civil disobedience in India. 1930 - William Howard Taft, 27th US President (1909-13)/Chief Justice, dies at age 72. 1931 - Birth of John McPhee author (The Control of Nature). 1931 - Birth of Neil Adcock cricketer (South African pace bowler, 104 wickets 1953-62). 1931 - Clara Kathleen Rogers composer, dies at age 87. 1932 - Jan de Louter Dutch lawyer/tutor of Queen Wilhelmina, dies at age 84. 1933 - Birth of Johnny Dollar singer. 1934 - Birth of Christian Wolff composer. 1934 - Birth of Ron Taylor Sydney Australia, cinematographer (Those Amazing Animals). 1934 - Edwin Hubble photo shows as many galaxies as Milky Way has stars. 1936 - Birth of Gabor Szabo Hungarian jazz pianist (Perfect Circle). 1936 - Birth of Sue Ane Langdon Paterson New Jersey, actress (Bachelor Father, Arnie). 1936 - Peter H J "Piet" van Doorne director BOVA Red Peppers, executed at age 52. 1937 - Albert Verwey Dutch poet/literature historian (Motion), dies at age 71. 1937 - Birth of Juvenal Hayarimana president of Rwanda (1973-94). 1937 - Birth of Pamela McEvoy-Johnston psychotherapist-board member (WIC). 1937 - Birth of Raynoma Gordy [Mayberry], US orchestra leader (Rayber Voices). 1938 - Birth of Lew DeWitt Roanoke Virginia, country singer (Statler Brothers-Flowers on the Wall). 1939 - Birth of George William Reed astronomy writer/cartoonist (Dark Sky Legacy). 1939 - Birth of Jim Bouton Newark New Jersey, pitcher (New York Yankees)/author (Ball Four). 1939 - Birth of Lydia Skoblikova USSR, speed skater (Olympics-6 gold-1960, 1964). 1939 - Birth of Mike Lowry (Representative-Democrat-Washington, 1979-). 1939 - Birth of Robert Tear Barry Wales, tenor (Welsh National Opera 1970). 1939 - Birth of Yannis Vlachopoulos composer. 1939 - Lenore Coffee and William Joyce Cowan's "Family Portrait" premieres. 1940 - Birth of Leslie Isben Rogge one of FBI's most wanted. 1940 - Birth of Susan Clark Sarnia Ontario, actress (Night Moves, Webster). 1940 - Birth of Theo Laseroms [The Tank], Dutch soccer player (Feyenoord). 1941 - First baseball player drafted into WWII (Hugh Mulcahy, Philadelphia Phillies). 1941 - Birth of Ivana Loudova composer. 1941 - Birth of Yvar Emilian Mikhashoff composer. 1941 - Jose Serrano Simeon composer, dies at age 67. 1941 - Sherwood Anderson US writer/publisher (Winesburg Ohio), dies at age 64. 1942 - Birth of Ann Packer-Brightwell England, 400 metre/800 metre runner (Olympics-gold-1964). 1942 - Birth of [Dick] Richie Allen baseball player (American League Most Valuable Player 1972). 1942 - Rangoon, Burma, falls to Japanese forces. 1942 - José R Capablanca Cuban chess player (world champion 1927), dies at age 53. 1942 - KNIL, Dutch colonial army on Java, surrenders to Japanese armies. 1943 - 335 allied bombers attack Neurenberg. 1943 - Birth of Lynn Redgrave London England, actress (Georgie Girl) Weight-Watcher. 1943 - Limited gambling legalized in Mexico. 1943 - US Ladies Figure Skating Championship won by Gretchen Merrill. 1943 - US Men's Figure Skating Championship won by Arthur Vaughn. 1944 - Birth of Carole Bayer Sager New York, aka Mrs Burt Bachrach, singer (Arthur). 1944 - US resumes bombing Berlin. 1945 - "Kiss Me Kate" opens in Britain. 1945 - 53 Amsterdammers executed by Nazi occupiers. 1945 - Birth of Graeme Watson cricketer (Australian opening batsman five Tests 1966-72). 1945 - Birth of Jim Chapman (Representative-Democrat-Texas, 1985-). 1945 - Birth of Keith Jarrett pianist/composer. 1945 - Birth of Mickey Dolenz Los Angeles California; actor (Circus Boy) singer (Monkees). 1945 - H J Jamin Dutch resistance fighter, dies in Buchenwald. 1945 - International Women's Day is first observed. 1945 - Jan Beekes resistance fighter, executed at age 26. 1945 - Phyllis M Daley is first black nurse sworn-in as US Navy ensign. 1946 - First helicopter licensed for commercial use (New York City, New York). 1946 - Birth of Mohammad Nazir Pakistani cricket off-spinner (14 Tests 1969-83). 1946 - Birth of Randy Meisner rock bassist/vocalist (Poco, Eagles-Take it Easy). 1947 - Birth of Mike Allsup Modesto California, rock guitarist (Three Dog Night). 1948 - Birth of Ralph Ellis Liverpool England, rhythm guitarist (Swinging Blue Jeans-You're No Good). 1948 - Birth of [Little] Peggy March [Margaret Battavio] Lansdale Pennsylvania, vocalist (I Will Follow Him). 1948 - US Supreme Court rules relgious instructions in pub schools unconstitutional. 1949 - Birth of Charles Lismont Belgian marathon runner (Olympics-silver-1972). 1949 - WBAP-FM, Fort Worth Texas, begins broadcasting. 1950 - First woman medical officer assigned to naval vessel (BR Walters). 1950 - Jaroslav Kocian composer, dies at age 67. 1950 - Marshall Voroshilov of USSR announces they developed atomic bomb. 1951 - Birth of Philippe Henri Edmonds cricketer in Zambia, England slow left-arm. 1951 - International Table Tennis Federation bans Egypt (for refusing to play Israel). 1951 - John Winter Thompson composer, dies at age 83. 1951 - The Honeymoon Killers (Martha Beck and Raymond Fernandez) die in electric chair. 1952 - Antoine Pinay forms French government. 1952 - Birth of Vladimir Vladimirovich Vasyutin USSR, cosmonaut (Soyuz T-14). 1953 - "Two's Company" closes at Alvin Theater New York City after 90 performances. 1953 - Birth of Jim Rice Boston Red Sox outfielder (American League Most Valuable Player 1978). 1953 - Census indicates 239,000 farmers gave up farming in last two years. 1953 - Patty Berg wins LPGA Jacksonville Golf Open. 1954 - Birth of Cheryl Baker rock vocalist (Bucks Fizz-My Camera Never Lies, Making Your Mind Up). 1954 - Birth of David Wilkie England, 200 metre backstroke swimmer (Olympics-gold-1976). 1954 - Birth of Karl Schnabl 90 metre ski jumper (Olympics-gold-1976). 1954 - Birth of Maria-Therese Nadig Switzerland, skier (Olympics-2 gold-1972). 1954 - Herb McKinley sets 1/4 mile record of 6.8 seconds in Melbourne, Australia. 1954 - Percy Twentyman-Jones cricketer (pair in only Test for South Africa), dies. 1955 - Clementine Princess of Belgium, wife of V Napoleon Bonaparte, dies at age 82. 1957 - Birth of Cynthia Rothrock in Wilmington, Delaware, USA; actress (Lady Dragon, Honor and Glory). 1957 - Birth of Ruth Wysocki in Alhambra, California, USA; 800 metre/1500 metre runner. 1957 - Israeli troops leave Egypt; Suez Canal re-opened for minor ships. 1957 - Othmar Schoeck, composer, dies at age 70. 1957 - USSR performs atmospheric nuclear test. 1958 - Birth of Andreas Maurer in West Germany; tennis star. 1958 - Birth of Gary Numan [Gary Webb] in Hammersmith, England; vocalist ("Cars", "Dominion Day"). 1958 - Josephina OFF "Frieda" Herberich, actress (Salontiroler), dies at age 85. 1958 - Silky Sullivan comes from 40 lengths back to win by three at Santa Anita. 1958 - William Faulkner says US schools degenerated to become babysitters. 1959 - Abdel Wahab Shawwaf, Iraqi Colonel/putschist, murdered. 1959 - Birth of Aidan Quinn in Chicago, Illinois, USA; actor (Legends of the Fall, Michael Collins, Benny and Joon, Reckless). 1959 - Groucho, Chico and Harpo's final TV appearance together. 1959 - Mickey Wright wins LPGA Jacksonville Golf Open. 1959 - Pro-Egyptian coup fails in Mosul, Iraq. 1960 - Birth of Buck Williams; NBA forward (Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks). 1961 - Birth of Larry Murphy in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada; NHL defenseman (Toronto Maple Leafs). 1961 - Thomas Beecham; English conductor (Last Night of the Prom), dies at age 81. 1961 - US nuclear submarine Patrick Henry arrives at Scottish naval base of Holy Loch from South Carolina in a record underseas journey of 66 days 22 hours. 1962 - Beatles, with Pete Best, TV debut (perform "Dream Baby" on BBC). 1962 - Birth of Shaun Gayle; NFL strong safety (San Diego Chargers). 1962 - Birth of William Fuller; NFL defensive end (Philadelphia Eagles, San Diego Chargers). 1962 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site. 1963 - Birth of Gursharan Singh; cricketer (Indian batsman played one Test 1989-90). 1963 - Birth of Kathy Ireland; model/actress (Alien From LA, Side Out). 1963 - Birth of Mike Lalor in Buffalo, New York, USA; NHL defenseman (Dallas Stars). 1963 - John Hartley, cricketer (bowl average 115 in two Tests for England 1906), dies. 1963 - Syrian Arab Republic Revolution Day: Military coup in Syria. 1964 - Birth of Cheryl "Salt" James; singer (Salt-N-Pepa). 1964 - Birth of Peter "Ged" Gill; drummer (Frankie Goes to Hollywood - "When Two Tribes Go To War"). 1965 - First US combat forces arrive in South Vietnam (3,500 Marines). 1965 - Birth of Kenny Smith; NBA guard (Houston Rockets). 1965 - Esther Howard, actress (Detour), dies of heart attack at age 72. 1966 - Golden Boy closes at Majestic Theater in New York City after 569 performances. 1966 - An Irish Republican Army bomb destroyed Nelson's Column in Dublin, Ireland. 1966 - Birth of Elliot Boult in Blenheim, New Zealand; Australasia golfer. 1966 - Birth of Holly Ann Salo in Keani, Alaska, USA; Miss Alaska-America (1990). 1966 - Birth of Laura McCabe; cross country skier (Olympics-1994). 1966 - Casey Stengel elected to US baseball Hall of Fame. 1967 - Birth of Brent Fedyk in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada; NHL left wing (Dallas Stars). 1967 - Birth of Dale Joseph; Canadian Football League defensive back (Saskatchewan Roughriders). 1967 - John F Bothwell, actor (Freckles - Our Gang), dies at age 46. 1967 - New Orleans Saints begin selling season tickets (20,000 sold first day). 1968 - Six-year-old Tommy Moore scores hole-in-one in golf (Hagerstown, Maryland). 1968 - Birth of Clare Wood in Zululand, South Africa; tennis star (1986 Futures-Lisbon). 1968 - Birth of Rob Zettler in Sept-Īles, Quebec, Canada; NHL defenseman (Toronto Maple Leafs). 1968 - Students demonstrate in Warsaw. 1969 - Birth of Andrea Parker; actress (Miss Parker-The Pretender). 1969 - Marriage of 12-year-old Marcella Rosciglione in Palermo Italy. 1970 - Birth of Harry Decheiver; soccer player (RKC). 1970 - Birth of Jason Elam; NFL kicker (Denver Broncos-Superbowl 32). 1970 - Birth of Rhett Harty in Pasedena, California, USA; US soccer player (Olympics-1992). 1970 - Birth of Vadim Bekboulatov; NHL forward (Belarus, Olympics-1998). 1971 - Birth of Bob Boughner in Windsor, Ontario, Canada; NHL defenseman (Buffalo Sabres). 1971 - Birth of Marc Tobert; Canadian Football League slot back (Edmonton Eskimos). 1971 - Harold Lloyd, US comic/actor (Why Worry), dies of cancer at age 77. 1971 - Joe Frazier beats Muhammad Ali at Madison Square Garden (New York City, New York) in 15 rounds, retains heavyweight boxing title. 1971 - Milwaukee Bucks win their 20th straight NBA game (team record). 1971 - Radio Hanoi broadcasts Jimi Hendrix's "Star Spangled Banner". 1972 - First airship flown over Britain in 20 years (Europa). 1972 - First flight of the Goodyear blimp. 1972 - Birth of Craig Johnson in Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; NHL left wing (Los Angeles Kings/Olympics-1994). 1972 - Birth of Pat Riley; NFL defensive end (Chicago Bears, Seattle Seahawks). 1972 - Birth of Takuro Abe; WLAF linebacker (Amsterdam Admirals). 1973 - Birth of Kendell Watkins; NFL tight end (Dallas Cowboys). 1973 - Birth of Nanette Pearson in Pleasant Grove, Utah, USA; Miss America-Utah (1996). 1973 - Eisenhower Tunnel, world's highest/US longest, opens. 1973 - Gordon Leggat, cricketer (9 Tests for New Zealand, 351 runs at 21 93), dies. 1973 - Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, rocker (Grateful Dead, Grass Roots), dies at age 27. 1973 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site. 1974 - Birth of Steve Sarkisian; Canadian Football League quarterback (Saskatchewan Roughriders). 1974 - Birth of Toran James; linebacker (San Diego Chargers). 1974 - Charles de Gaulle Airport opens in Paris, France. 1974 - Christian van Geel, Dutch poet/sculptor (Spinroc), dies at age 56. 1974 - Willem "Wim" Sonneveld, Dutch actor (Silk Stockings), dies at age 56. 1975 - Birth of Brett Conway; NFL kicker (Green Bay Packers-Superbowl 31). 1975 - Birth of Kenny Wheaton; cornerback (Dallas Cowboys). 1975 - George Stevens, American film director (Swing Time, Gunga Din), dies at age 70. 1975 - Royal Canadian Mint announces branch opening in Winnipeg, Manitoba. 1976 - 1,774 kg (largest observed) stony meteorite falls in Jilin, China. 1976 - Birth of Freddie Prinze Jr; actor (I Know What You Did Last Summer). 1977 - Birth of James Van Der Beek; actor (Dawson's Creek). 1977 - Birth of Petr Devyatkin; hockey forward (Team Kazakhstan Olympics-1998). 1977 - Henry Hull, actor (Werewolf of London, Boys Town), dies at age 86. 1977 - Princess Anne announces she's expecting her first child (Peter). 1979 - First extraterrestrial volcano discovered (Jupiter's satellite Io). 1979 - 5th People's Choice Awards. 1979 - China withdraws invasion troops from Vietnam. 1979 - Gérard Blitz, Dutch 400 metre swimmer (world record), dies at age 78. 1979 - Shuttle Columbia (OV-102) transported 38 miles overland from Palmdale. 1980 - The first festival of rock music kicks off in the Soviet Union. 1980 - Greg Chappell 235 and Yallop 172, for 217 stand at Faisalabad. 1980 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site. 1981 - Dennis Lillee ct by Queensland 12th man Dennis Lillie in Shield game. 1981 - Nancy Lopez wins LPGA Arizona Copper Golf Classic. 1982 - Birth of Nicoleta Onel; Romanian gymnast. 1982 - Birth of Kat Von D; Mexican-American tattoo artist. 1983 - IBM releases PC DOS version 2.0. 1983 - US President Ronald Reagan calls the USSR an "Evil Empire". 1983 - William T Walton, English composer (Belhazzar's feast), dies at age 80 (born 1902). 1983 - U.S. President Ronald Reagan calls the Soviet Union an "evil empire." 1983 - US House Foreign Affairs Committee endorses nuclear weapons freeze with USSR. 1983 - IBM announces the IBM Personal Computer XT. It features an Intel 8088 processor, 10 MB hard drive, 128 kB RAM, and one double-sided 360 kB floppy drive. Price is $4995. "XT" stands for eXtended Technology. 1985 - Birth of Ewa Sonnet; Polish busty model. 1985 - A car bomb planted in Beirut targetting the Islamic cleric Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah kills more than 80 people, and injures 200. 1985 - Thomas Creighton, US heart patient (3 implants in 46 hours), dies at age 33. 1986 - Four French TV crew members are abducted in west Beirut, Lebanon. 1986 - Hubert Fichte, writer, dies at age 50. 1986 - Japanese spacecraft Suisei flies by Halley's Comet, studying its ultraviolet hydrogen corona and solar wind. 1986 - Martina Navratilova is first tennis player to earn US$10 million. 1987 - 17th Easter Seal Telethon raises US$35,184,425. 1987 - David Hookes (306) Wayne Phillips make 462 stand for South Australia. 1987 - FBI apprehends most wanted Claude L Dallas, Jr in California. 1987 - Jane Geddes wins LPGA GNA/Glendale Federal Golf Classic. 1987 - Nelli Cooman becomes world champion 60 metre indoor. 1988 - U.S. presidential candidate George Herbert Walker Bush defeats Robert Dole in numerous Republican primaries and caucuses on "Super Tuesday." 1988 - Two U.S. Army helicopters collide in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, killing 17 servicemen. 1988 - Death of Werner Hartmann, German physicist (born 1912). 1988 - Death of Henryk Szeryng, Polish-born violinist (born 1918). 1989 - Heidi Chronicles opens at Plymouth Theater in New York City for 621 performances. 1989 - Roger Kingdom runs indoor world record 60 metre hurdles (7.37 seconds). 1989 - Death of Carl Stuart Hamblen, American musician (born 1908). 1990 - New York City's Zodiac killer shoots first victim, Mario Orosco. 1990 - Birth of Abigail and Brittany Hensel, American conjoined twins. 1990 - The German Parliament, Bundestag issues a resolution concerning the border with Poland which, "will at no time, either today or in the future, be questioned through territorial claims on the part of the Germans." 1991 - 17th People's Choice Awards: Julia Roberts, Bill Cosby, Pretty Woman. 1991 - Harry Hamlin and Nicollette Sheridan wed. 1991 - Planeloads of US troops arrive home from the Persian Gulf, Iraq hands over 40 foreign journalists and two American soldiers it captured. 1991 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site. 1991 - Near the east coast of Koryakskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake occurs. Believed to be the largest earthquake ever in this area. 1991 - Birth of Devon Werkheiser, American actor. 1992 - 22nd Easter Seal Telethon. 1992 - Birth of Charlie Ray, American actress. 1992 - Judy Dickinson wins LPGA Inamori Golf Classic. 1992 - Red Callender, US jazz bassist (Unfinished dream), dies at age 76. 1993 - Billy Eckstine, jazz singer (Fools Rush In), dies at age 78 of stroke (born 1914). 1993 - Johan Bodegraven, radio host (Purses Open, Dikes Closed), dies at age 78. 1993 - Joop Scheltens, TV host/director (Explore Your Place), dies at age 69. 1993 - Katharine Hepburn released from the hospital after exhaustion. 1993 - Wells Root, US screenwriter (Prisoner of Zenda), dies at age 92. 1994 - 20th People's Choice Awards. 1994 - B737 collides with Ilyushin-86 in New Dehli, India; at least 8 killed. 1994 - US Defense Department announces smoking ban in workplaces. 1994 - John Ewart, in Sydney, Australia, dies of cancer at age 55. 1994 - Joop C Swart, publisher/founder (World Press Photo), dies at age 69. 1994 - Knut Haukelid, Norway/US resistance fighter (Rjukan 1943), dies at age 82. 1994 - Train accident at Pinetown, Natal kills 47. 1995 - Costis Stephanopoulos becomes President of Greece. 1995 - Dutch Liberal Party wins Provincial-National elections. 1995 - Ota Adler, Czechoslovakian/British fur trader (Jewish Aid Fund), dies at age 83. 1995 - Paul George Vincent O'Shaughnessy Horgan, novelist, dies at age 91. 1995 - The CBS TV network debuts Disney's TV show The George Wendt Show. 1995 - Death of Ingo Schwichtenberg, drummer (Helloween) (suicide) (born 1965). 1996 - Alison McCartney, pathologist/breast cancer campaigner, dies at age 45. 1996 - Jack Malcolm Thorpe Fleming Churchill, commando, dies at age 89. 1996 - Paul Lewis Harrhy, actor/opera singer (Intelligence Park), dies at age 38. 1997 - Alexander Salkind, producer (Superman), dies at age 75. 1998 - Death of Ray Nitschke, American football player (born 1936). 1999 - Death of Joe DiMaggio, baseball player (born 1914). 2000 - In Japan, a sideswipe collision of two Tokyo Metro trains kills five people. 2004 - Death of Abu Abbas, founder of the Palestine Liberation Front (born 1948). 2004 - Death of Robert Pastorelli, American actor (born 1954). 2004 - Death of Tichi Wilkerson Kassel, American film personality and publisher of The Hollywood Reporter (born 1926). 2005 - The Pakistan Army opens fire on insurgents in Baluchistan, in the first armed uprising since General Rahimuddin Khan's stabilization of the province in 1978. 2006 - In the first round of the World Baseball Classic, a Canadian team beats the highly-favored Team USA, 8-6. 2007 - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert admits that Israel had planned an attack on Lebanon in the event of kidnapped soldiers on the border, months before Hezbollah carried out its kidnapping. 2007 - Death of John Inman, English actor (born 1935). 2008 - Elections in Malaysia: the National Front coalition wins election in the federal parliament and 8 of 13 state assemblies, but loses its 2/3 majority in Parliament. 2008 - Debut of The Spectacular Spider-Man on TV in the US and Canada. 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