This Day in History
March 19

What happened in history on this day: March 19? On March 19 in ... 1227 - Count Ugolino of Segna elected Pope Gregory IX. 1263 - Hugo of St-Cher/a S Caro French cardinal, dies. 1452 - Frederick III of Hapsburg crowned Roman German Emperor. 1503 - Birth of Benedetto Varchi Italy, humanist/historian (Storia Fiorentina). 1524 - Giovanni de Varrazano of France sights land around area of Carolinas. 1540 - Court of Holland names Amsterdam sheriff John Hubrechtsz a "heretic". 1556 - Lieven van der Maude [Ammonius], South Netherlands poet, dies at age 70. 1563 - Peace of Amboise; Rights for Huguenots. 1571 - Spanish troops occupy Manila. 1589 - Birth of William Bradford Governor of Plymouth colony for 30 years (baptized). 1593 - Birth of Georges de la Tour French painter. 1601 - Birth of Alonzo Cano Spanish painter/sculptor (Cathedral Granada). 1604 - Birth of Johan IV composer/king of Portugal (1640-56). 1610 - Birth of Hasegawa Tohaku Japanese painter. 1628 - Massachusetts colony founded by Englishmen. 1629 - Birth of Aleksei M Romanov first Romanov tsar of Russia. 1635 - Pieter Christiaensz Bor Dutch historian, dies. 1638 - Paul Moreelse Dutch painter/master builder, dies at about age 66. 1644 - 200 members of Peking imperial family/court commit suicide. 1644 - Si Sang last Ming-emperor of China, commits suicide. 1673 - Birth of Pedro Vaz Rego composer. 1682 - Nationally Council accept independence of French church. 1687 - Rene-Robert Cavelier La Salle French explorer (Louisiana), murdered in what is now Texas at age 43. 1702 - James II's daughter Anne Stuart becomes queen of England. 1702 - Willem III Henry [Dutch William], king of England/Scotland, dies at age 51. 1715 - Birth of Charles-Joseph van Helmont composer. 1716 - Birth of Guillaume Coustou Jr French sculptor (Mausolée du Dauphin). 1721 - Birth of Tobias Smollett Scottish writer, baptized. 1721 - Clement XI [Giovanni F Albani], Italian Pope (1700-21), dies at age 71. 1728 - Birth of Pieter-Jozef Verhaghen Flemish (court)painter. 1734 - Birth of Thomas McKean US attorney (signed Declaration of Independence). 1740 - Birth of Johann Georg Roser composer. 1740 - Birth of Joseph F Weigl Germany, violin cellist. 1742 - Birth of Zacharias H Alewijn Dutch literary/poet. 1745 - Birth of Nicolas Sejan composer. 1748 - English Naturalization Act passes granting Jews right to colonize US. 1752 - Birth of Jose Mauricio composer. 1767 - Birth of Leonhard von Call composer. 1775 - Four people buried by avalanche for 37 days, three survive (Italy). 1775 - Poland and Prussia sign trade agreement. 1777 - Birth of Anton R Falck Dutch minister of Education/diplomat. 1782 - Adrien Trudo Sale composer, dies at age 59. 1782 - Louis-Henry Paisible composer, dies at age 33. 1785 - Birth of Pierre-Joseph-Guillaume Zimmermann composer. 1796 - Stephen Storace composer, dies at age 33. 1797 - Philip Hayes composer, dies at age 58. 1799 - Joseph Haydn's "Die Schöpfung" premieres in Vienna. 1803 - Johann von Schillers "Die Braut von Messina" premieres in Weimar. 1809 - Birth of Fredrik Pacius composer. 1811 - Frantisek Adam Mica composer, dies at age 65. 1813 - Birth of David Livingstone Scotland, explorer (found by Stanley in Africa). 1816 - Birth of Johannes Josephus Hermanus Verhulst composer. 1817 - Birth of Lewis Henry Little Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1862. 1819 - Birth of David Henry Williams Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1891. 1821 - Birth of Francis Barretto Spinola Brigadier General (Union volunteers). 1821 - Birth of Sir Richard Burton explorer/translator (Arabian Nights). 1821 - Birth of William Allingham Irish poet (Laurence Bloomfield in Ireland). 1822 - Boston Massachusetts incorporated as a city. 1823 - Birth of Cornelis A van Sypesteyn Dutch Governor of Surinam (1873-82). 1827 - Birth of Alexander Shaler Brevet Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1911. 1831 - First US bank robbery (City Bank, New York/$245,000). 1837 - Birth of Robert Daniel Johnston Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1919. 1844 - Birth of Ulrika "Minna" Cant-Johnstown Finnish playwright (Kovan onnen lapsia). 1845 - Birth of Willem H de Beaufort Dutch historian/politician. 1845 - George Augustus Kollmann composer, dies at age 56. 1847 - Birth of Constantin Dimitrescu composer. 1848 - Birth of Wyatt Earp Monmouth Illinois, marshall-fought in Gunfight at the OK Corral. 1850 - Adalbert Gyrowetz composer, dies at age 87. 1851 - Birth of Roque Sáenz Peña President of Argentina (1910-14). 1856 - The Electoral Act of the Colony of Victoria (Australia) enacts the first law requiring parliamentary election by secret ballot vote. 1859 - Charles François Gounod's opera "Faust" premieres in Paris France. 1860 - Birth of William Jennings Bryan "The Great Commoner" orator/statesman. 1862 - F Wilhelm von Schadow German painter (Modern Vasari), dies at age 73. 1864 - Charles François Gounod's opera "Mireille" is produced (Paris France). 1865 - Battle of Bentonville - Confederates retreat from Greenville, North Carolina. 1866 - Immigrant ship Monarch of the Seas sinks in Liverpool; 738 die. 1866 - Louis Clapisson composer, dies at age 57. 1869 - Guillaume Nerenburger Belgian General (triangulatie), dies at age 64. 1870 - Antônio Carlos Gomes's opera "Il Guarany" premieres in Milan Italy. 1871 - Birth of Joseph McGinnity Rock Island Illinois, baseball pitcher (New York Giants). 1871 - Birth of Schofield Haigh cricketer ("Sunshine of the Yorkshire 11"). 1872 - Birth of Sergei Diaghilev Gruzino Novgorod Russia, ballet director. 1873 - Birth of Max Reger Brand Bavaria, composer/pianist/professor (Leipzig University). 1874 - Birth of Arthur Hoyt Georgetown Colorado; actor (Gold Dust Gertie, Goldie Get Along). 1876 - Jozef Stefani composer, dies at age 75. 1877 - Australia beat England by 45 runs in very first Test match. 1879 - Birth of Joseph Haas German (opera) composer (Tobias Wunderlich). 1882 - Birth of Gaston Lachaise US sculptor (Standing Woman). 1883 - Birth of Josef Matthais Hauer composer. 1883 - Birth of Joseph W Stilwell US General (China). 1883 - Jan Matzeliger invents first machine to manufacture entire shoes. 1884 - Alfonse Charles Renaud de Vilback composer, dies at age 54. 1885 - Louis Riel returns to Canada, proclaims provisional government, Saskatchewan. 1888 - Birth of Josef Albers German/US graphic artist/painter/writer (Bauhaus). 1889 - Birth of Manoel II last king of Portugal (1908-10). 1891 - Birth of Earl Warren California, (Governor-Republican-California)/14th supreme court chief justice (1953-69). 1892 - Three brothers Hearne play in same Test Cricket England vs South Africa (Cape Town). 1892 - Birth of Robert Denzler composer. 1892 - Birth of Siegfried T Bok neurobiologist/anatomist (Cybernetica). 1893 - Karel Komzak composer, dies at age 69. 1894 - Birth of Jackie "Moms" Mabley Brevard South Carolina, comedienne (Merv Griffin Show). 1895 - Los Angeles Railway established to provide streetcar service. 1897 - Antoine T d'Abbadie French explorer (Ethiopia), dies at age 87. 1897 - Birth of Betty Compson Beaver Utah, actress (Millionaire Kid, Mad Youth). 1897 - Birth of L O'Flaherty writer. 1898 - Joao da Cruz Brazilian poet, dies at age 26. 1900 - Birth of Roy Roberts Tampa Florida; actor (Petticoat Junction, Lucy Show). 1900 - Birth of [Jean] Frédéric Joliot-Curie French physicist (Nobel Prize 1935). 1901 - Birth of Gerrit Jan van Heuven Goedhart Dutch Minister of Justice (Nobel Prize 1954). 1901 - Birth of Jo Mielziner Paris France, set designer (Carousel, Death of a Salesman). 1903 - Birth of Benjamin M Telders President of Dutch Liberal States Party. 1903 - Birth of James Bullock colliery manager. 1904 - Birth of John J Sirica US federal judge (Watergate hearings). 1904 - Birth of Tadeusz Zygfryd Kassern composer. 1905 - Birth of Albert Speer German architect/minister of Armament (NSDAP). 1905 - Makar Grigori Ekmalyan composer, dies at age 49. 1906 - Birth of Adolf Eichmann Ruhr Germany, Nazi Gestapo officer. 1906 - Birth of Normand Lockwood composer. 1906 - Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari's "Quattro Rusteghi" premieres in Munich. 1907 - 18.8 cm precipitation at Lewer's Ranch Nevada (state record). 1907 - Birth of Cor Treslem [Cornelis L Melsert]; actor/director (Willem van Oranje). 1907 - Birth of Elizabeh LeFanu Maconochy composer. 1907 - Birth of Kent Smith New York City, New York; actor (Peyton Place, Invaders). 1907 - Birth of Marc Vaubourgoin composer. 1907 - Birth of Nakagawa Soen Formosa, Zen teacher (Rinzai line). 1907 - Thomas Bailey Aldrich US writer (Stillwater Tragedy), dies at age 70. 1909 - Birth of Louis Hayward Johannesburg South Africa; actor (Lone Wolf, Survivors). 1910 - Birth of Sergei Nikolayevich Anokhin cosmonaut. 1911 - Birth of Kenneth Robinson politician/businessman. 1912 - Birth of Adolf Galland fighter Pilot. 1912 - Birth of Russ Case Hamburg Iowa, orchestra leader (Julius La Rosa Show). 1913 - Birth of William Chatterton cricketer (48 in only Test for England 1892). 1913 - John Thomas composer, dies at age 87. 1914 - Birth of J Jay Berwanger first Heisman Trophy winner (1935). 1914 - Birth of Patricia Morison actress (Peyton Place, Dressed to Kill). 1914 - Stanley Cup: Toronto Blueshirts (NHA) sweep Victoria Capitals (PCHA) in three game. 1915 - Birth of Norman Yardley England cricket captain (late 1940s). 1915 - Pluto photographed for first time (although unknown at the time). 1916 - Birth of Irving Wallace author (People's Almanac, The Man). 1917 - Birth of Dino Lipatti composer. 1917 - US Supreme Court upheld 8-hour work day for railroad employees (Adamson Act). 1918 - US Congress authorizes time zones and approves daylight saving time. 1918 - S Potter becomes first US pilot to shoot down a German seaplane. 1918 - Willem H de Beaufort Dutch historian/liberal politician, dies at age 73. 1919 - Birth of Cornelis Berkhouwer Member of second chamber (Dutch Liberal Party). 1920 - US Senate rejects Treaty of Versailles for second time refusing to ratify League of Nations' covenant (maintaining isolation policy). 1923 - Birth of Janine Dacosta French pianist. 1923 - Birth of Tige Andrews Brooklyn New York; actor (Captain Adam Greer-Mod Squad). 1924 - Charles Villiers Stanford Irish composer/author, dies at age 71. 1925 - Angelo G Roncalli (Pope John XXIII) becomes a bishop. 1925 - Birth of Brent Scowcroft Ogden Utah, Lieutenant General (USAF)/National Security Council. 1927 - Birth of Richie Ashburn baseball infielder (Philadelphia Phillies)/sportscaster. 1927 - Bloody battles between communists and Nazis in Berlin. 1928 - "Amos and Andy" debuts on radio (NBC Blue Network-WMAQ Chicago). 1928 - Birth of Clive Van Ryneveld cricketer (South African all-rounder 1951-58). 1928 - Birth of Hans Kung theologian. 1928 - Birth of Patrick McGoohan Astoria New York; actor (Number 6 - The Prisoner, Secret Agent). 1929 - Birth of Herman van San composer. 1929 - Birth of Michael Ryan actor (John Randolph-Another World). 1929 - Birth of Robert Muczynski composer. 1930 - Arthur J Balfour British theologist/premier (1902-05), dies at age 81. 1930 - Birth of Bill Henderson Chicago Illinois, jazz singer (Torpedo-Dreams). 1930 - Birth of Ornette Coleman jazz composer (Downbeat Musician of Year 1966). 1930 - Nakagawa Soen accepted as a student of Katsube Keigaku Roshi. 1931 - Birth of Bill Hoskyns England, épée fencer (Olympics-silver-1964). 1931 - Nevada legalizes casino gaming and most other forms of gambling. Nevada Governor Fred Balzar signs into law Assembly Bill 98, allowing faro, monte, roulette, keno, fan-tan, twenty-one, blackjack, seven-and-a-half, big injun, klondike, craps, stud poker, draw poker, or any card, dice, machine, at licensed establishments. 1932 - Birth of Gay Robert Brewer Middletwon Ohio, PGA golfer (1972 Canadian). 1933 - Birth of Philip Roth Newark New Jersey, novelist (Goodbye Columbus, Portnoy's Complaint). 1934 - Anthony J Block lawyer (Dutch strafproces), dies at age 66. 1934 - Birth of Börge Andersen Denmark, Danish Chess Champion (1967, 68). 1935 - Birth of Burt Metcalfe Saskatchewan Canada; actor/director (Father of the Bride). 1935 - Birth of Phyllis Newman Jersey City New Jersey, actress (Coming of Age, TW3). 1935 - Birth of Renee Taylor New York City, New York, actress (Jack Paar Show, Mary Hartman, Nanny). 1936 - Birth of Amancio D'Silva musician. 1936 - Birth of Ursula Andress Berne Switzerland, actress (Dr No, She, Sensuous Nurse). 1936 - John Larkin IV actor/writer (Charlie Chan in Panamá), dies at age 63. 1937 - Birth of Clarence "Frogman" Henry musician (You Always Hurt the One You Love). 1937 - Horacio Quiroga Uruguayan author/poet, commits suicide at age 58. 1937 - Pope Pius XI publishes encyclical Divini redemptoris against communism. 1938 - Toronto Maple Leafs score 8 goals in 5 minutes. 1939 - Birth of Abbas Ali Baig cricketer (Indian bat 112 on debut vs England 1959). 1939 - Birth of Joe Kapp NFL quarterback (Minnesota Vikings, Boston Patriots, Houston Oilers). 1940 - Failed British air raid on German base at Sylt. 1940 - French government of Daladier, falls. 1940 - Gustaaf Sap Belgian minister of Economic Affairs, dies at age 54. 1941 - Birth of Lord Vestey British food magnate/billionaire (Union International). 1941 - Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestraestra record "Green Eyes" and "Maria Elena". 1942 - Birth of David Minge (Representative-Democrat-Minnesota). 1942 - Birth of Jeff Neighbour US bassist (Joy of Cooking). 1942 - Birth of Robin Luke rocker (Susie Darlin'). 1942 - Birth of Ross Valory rocker (Journey). 1942 - Franklin Roosevelt orders men between 45 and 64 to register for non military duty. 1942 - Thoroughbred Racing Association of US formed in Chicago. 1943 - Airship Canadian Star torpedoed and sinks. 1943 - Vicente Ripolles composer, dies at age 75. 1944 - Birth of Joseph Celli composer. 1944 - Birth of Lynda Bird Johnson Robb Lyndon Johnson's daughter. 1944 - Birth of Myung-Wha Chung Seoul Korea, cellist (Chung Sisters). 1944 - Tippett's oratorium "Child of Our Time" premieres in London. 1944 - German troops enter Budapest, Hungary. 1945 - 800 killed as Kamikaze attacked USS Franklin off Japan. 1945 - Adolf Hitler issues an order calling for the destruction of anything of value on retreat. 1945 - British 36th division conquers Mogok (ruby mine). 1945 - Fritz Fromm German supreme commander of Reserve army, executed. 1945 - US Task Force 58 attacks ships near Kobe/Kure. 1946 - Amir Hamzah Indonesian poet (Buah Rindu), dies at age 35. 1946 - Birth of Bigas Luna director/writer (Anguish). 1946 - Birth of Mohammad Ilyas cricketer (Pakistani batsman in ten Tests 1964-69). 1946 - Birth of Paul Atkinson rock guitarist (Zombies-Never Even Thought). 1946 - Birth of Ruth Pointer singer (Pointer Sisters-I'm So Exicted). 1946 - French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion become overseas departments. 1946 - In Budapest, Hungary, three members of Premier Ferenc Szalasy's government of October 1944 are hanged in the jail courtyard: Deputy Prime Minister Eugen Szoelloesi, Foreign Minister Baron Gabriel Kemeny, and Regent Council member Sandor Csia. 1946 - In Paris, France, Marcel Bucard, leader of the French Blue Shirt Fascists, is executed by firing squad. 1946 - Nicolai Schwernik succeeds Kalinin as President of USSR. 1947 - Belgian government of Spaak, forms. 1947 - Birth of Earlie Fires jockey (Hialeah Park). 1947 - Birth of Glenn Close Greenwich Connecticut, actress (The Big Chill, Fatal Attraction). 1947 - Birth of John Beckwith English real estate developer/multi-millionaire. 1947 - Birth of Vince Martino Schenectady New York, WLAF offensive assistant (Barcelona Dragons). 1947 - Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek conquers Jenan. 1947 - Willem F J Pijper Dutch composer/critic, dies at age 52. 1948 - Birth of Vintcent Van der Bijl Natal cricket bowler (superb two metre of 1970s and 1980s). 1948 - Lee Savold knocks out Gino Buonvino in 54 seconds at Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York. 1949 - First museum devoted exclusively to atomic energy, Oak Ridge Tennessee. 1949 - Birth of Denny Albee Oklahoma City Oklahoma; actor (Dr Janssen-One Life to Live). 1950 - 5th US Women's Open Golf Championship won by Babe Didrikson-Zaharias. 1950 - City College of New York defeats Bradley to win the NIT. 1950 - Edgar Rice Burroughs sci-fi author (Tarzan of the Apes), dies at age 74. 1951 - H Zur Mühlen writer, dies. 1951 - Herman Wouk's "Caine Mutiny" is published. 1952 - Birth of Derek Longmuir Edinburgh Scotland, rock drummer (Bay City Rollers-Saturday Night). 1952 - Birth of Warren Lees New Zealand cricket wicket-keeper (late 1970s). 1953 - 25th Academy Awards: "Greatest Show on Earth", Gary Cooper and Shirley Booth win (first time televised). 1953 - Birth of Billy Sheehan rocker (Mr Big-Lean Into It). 1953 - Birth of Hans Rinn German Democratic Republic, two man lugist (Olympics-gold-1976, 80). 1953 - Birth of Ricky Wilson Athens Georgia, rock guitarist (B-52's-Rock Lobster, Love Shack). 1953 - Tennessee Williams' "Camino Real" premieres in New York City, New York. 1954 - First color telecast of a prize fight, Giardello vs Troy in Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York. 1954 - First rocket-driven sled on rails is tested in Alamogordo NM. 1954 - Birth of Charles Pinnell horse trainer. 1954 - US Ladies Figure Skating Championship won by Tenley Albright. 1954 - US Men's Figure Skating Championship won by Hayes A Jenkins. 1954 - Walter Braunfels composer, dies at age 71. 1954 - Weekes, Worrell and Walcott complete tons in innings vs England. 1955 - 17th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: San Francisco beats La Salle 77-63. 1955 - Birth of [Walter] Bruce Willis PennsGrove New Jersey; actor (Moonlighting, Die Hard). 1956 - Biggest NBA margin of victory: Minnesota Lakers-133, Saint Louis Hawks-75. 1956 - Birth of Alina Castro Havana Cuba, daughter of Fidel. 1957 - Birth of Blake Passey; horse trainer. 1957 - Cleveland Indians reject Boston Red Sox' offer of US$1 million for Herb Score. 1958 - Britain's first planetarium opens at Madame Tussaud's in London. 1958 - Sobers completes a century in each inning vs Pakistan. 1958 - Vernon Ransford, cricketer (20 Tests for Australia, 1211 runs), dies. 1959 - Birth of Shelly Burch in Tucson, Arizona, USA; actress (Delila - One Life to Live, Identity Crisis). 1959 - Birth of Terry Hall; rocker (Colourfield - "Animal Liberation"). 1959 - Buena Vista releases Disney's live-action feature film The Shaggy Dog to theaters. This is Disney's first live-action comedy film. The film is based on the novel The Hound of Florence by Felix Salten. 1960 - Redhead closes at 46th Steet Theater in New York City after 455 performances. 1960 - 22nd NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Ohio State beats California 75-55. 1961 - Edric Cundell, composer, dies at age 68. 1962 - Archbishop Suenens of Mechelen-Brussels appointed cardinal. 1965 - Chivu Stoica becomes President of the Council of Romanian People's Republic and Nicolae Ceausescu is appointed first Secretary of Romanian communist party. 1965 - Indonesia nationalizes all foreign oil companies. 1965 - Rembrandt's painting Titus sells for record 7,770,000 gulden. 1966 - 28th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Texas Western beats Kentucky 72-65. 1966 - Belgium government of Vanden Boeynants begins. 1966 - Birth of Paul Devenport in New Zealand; Canadian Tour golfer (1991 Texas Tour). 1967 - French Somaliland (Djibouti) votes to continue association with France. 1967 - Marilynn Smith wins LPGA Saint Petersburg Orange Golf Classic. 1968 - Birth of Liam Jewell in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; kayaker (Olympics-1996). 1968 - Birth of Tyrone Hill; NBA forward (Milwaukee Bucks). 1968 - Howard University students seize administration building. 1969 - Birth of Arjan Vermeulen; soccer player (Vitesse). 1969 - Birth of Michael Bergin; model (Coca Cola)/actor. 1969 - Birth of Scott Alexander Brownlee in Hamilton, New Zealand; rowing coxless four men (Olympics-1996). 1969 - British invade Anguilla. 1969 - Chicago 8 indicted in aftermath of Chicago Democratic convention. 1969 - Theodor Schaefer, composer, dies at age 65. 1970 - Birth of Errol Refos; soccer player (Feyenoord). 1970 - Birth of Janne Laukenen in Lahti, Finland; NHL defenseman (Finland Olympics-Bronze-1998, Washington Senators). 1970 - Birth of Rick Mirer; NFL quarterback (Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears). 1970 - Birth of Sean Fleming; Canadian Football League kicker (Edmonton Eskimos). 1970 - West German Chancellor Willy Brandt and East German Premier Willi Stoph meet. 1971 - Birth of Cory Fleming; NFL wide receiver (Dallas Cowboys). 1971 - Birth of Dalton James; actor (My Father the Hero, Mark - Beverly Hills 90210). 1971 - Birth of Kirk Botkin; NFL tight end (New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers). 1971 - Birth of Louie Debrusk in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada; NHL left wing (Edmonton Oilers). 1971 - Birth of Marty Moore; NFL inside linebacker (New England Patriots). 1971 - Birth of Taase Faumui; NFL defensive linebacker (Pittsburgh Steelers). 1971 - Birth of Whitney Hedgepeth; 100 metre/200 metre backstroke (Olympics-2 silver-1996). 1971 - Jan Greshoff, Dutch poet/author/journalist (Last Things), dies at age 82. 1971 - Mary Dorna, Dutch author, dies at age 79. 1971 - Philadelphia 76ers outscore Cincinnati Royals 90-8 in one half. 1972 - Birth of Maria Maunder in Saint John's, Newfoundland, Canada; rower (Olympics-1996). 1972 - Carol Mann wins LPGA Orange Blossom Golf Classic. 1972 - India and Bangladesh sign friendship treaty. 1972 - Los Angeles Lakers beat Golden State Warriors, 162-99, by record 63 points. 1973 - Birth of John Michels; NFL tackle (Green Bay Packers-Superbowl 31). 1974 - Anne Klien, fashion designer, dies at age 51. 1974 - Birth of Jennifer Lynn Drayton in Saginaw, Michigan, USA; Miss Michigan-America (1996). 1974 - Birth of John Coppinger in El Paso, Texas, USA; pitcher (Baltimore Orioles). 1974 - Hertha Kuusinen, Finnish communist/daughter of Otto K, dies at age 70. 1974 - Jefferson Starship begins their first tour. 1975 - Birth of Antonio Daniels; NBA guard (Vancouver Grizzlies). 1975 - Pennsylvania is first state to allow girls to compete with boys in High School sports. 1976 - Birth of Rachel Blanchard in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; actress (Cher Horowitz - Clueless). 1976 - George Sklavos, composer, dies at age 87. 1976 - Paul Kossoff, rock guitarist (Free), dies of heart failure at age 25. 1976 - Princess Margaret separates from the Earl of Snowdon, after 16 years. 1977 - Side by Side by Sondheim closes at Music Box theater in New York City after 390 performances. 1977 - France performs nuclear test at Muruora Island. 1977 - Jevgeni Kulikov skates world record 1000 metre (1:15.33). 1978 - 50,000 demonstrate in Amsterdam against neutron bomb. 1978 - Sally Little wins LPGA Kathryn Crosby/Honda Civic Golf Classic. 1979 - Al Hodge, actor (Captain Video), dies at age 65. 1979 - House of Representatives begins live TV broadcasts via C-SPAN. 1979 - Richard Beckinsale, actor (Doing Time, Porridge, Lovers), dies at age 31. 1980 - Birth of Agnes Pihlava; Finnish pop singer. 1981 - Three workers are killed and five injured during a test of the Space Shuttle Columbia. 1981 - Birth of Kolo Touré; Ivorian football player. 1982 - Argentines land on South Georgia Island, precipitating war. 1982 - Alan Badel, actor, dies of a heart attack at age 58. 1982 - Birth of Che'Vonne Burton; Miss Michigan Teen-USA (1997)/Miss Michigan-USA (2000). 1982 - National Guard jet tanker crashes killing 27. 1982 - Randy Rhoads, American heavy metal guitarist (Ozzy Osbourne), dies in plane crash at age 25 (born 1956). 1982 - Birth of Matt Littler; British actor. 1984 - Mobil oil tanker spills 200,000 gallons into Columbia River. 1984 - Pitcher Denny McLain indicted on various charges of racketeering. 1984 - STS 41-C vehicle moves to launch pad. 1984 - In Western Uzbekistan, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurs. 1984 - Kate and Allie TV show premieres. 1984 - John J O'Connor named 8th archbishop of New York. 1985 - Birth of Ernesto Viso; Venezuelan race car driver. 1985 - In Bolivia, a magnitude 5.5 earthquake occurs. 1985 - Spin Magazine begins publishing. 1985 - New South Wales wins cricket Sheffield Shield by beating Queensland by one wicket. 1985 - US Senate votes 55-45, to authorize production of the MX missile. 1987 - Arch Oboler, radio writer (Lights Out), dies at age 77. 1987 - Bonnie Blair skates ladies world record 500 metre (39.43 seconds). 1987 - Emile Meyer, actor (Young Jesse James, Lineup), dies. 1987 - Fred Currey acquires Greyhound Bus Company. 1987 - Hassanali inaugurated as President of Trinidad and Tobago. 1987 - Louis-Victor de Broglie, French physicist (Nobel Prize 1929), dies at age 94 (born 1892). 1987 - In Charlotte, North Carolina, televangelist Jim Bakker, head of PTL Ministries, resigns after admitting an affair with church secretary Jessica Hahn. 1987 - Tony Stratton-Smith, journalist/record company CEO (Charisma), dies at age 53. 1987 - Yvonne van Gennip skates ladies world record 3 km (4:16.85). 1988 - British Army Corporals Woods and Howes are lynched in Belfast, North Ireland. 1988 - Yvonne van Gennip skates un-official world record 10 km (15:05.25). 1989 - Boeing V-22 Osprey VTOL aircraft makes maiden flight. 1989 - Lori Garbacz wins Circle K LPGA Golf Open Tucson. 1989 - World Ice Dance Championship in Paris, France won by M Klimova and S Ponomarenko (USR). 1989 - World Ice Pairs Figure Skating Championship in Paris, France won by E Gordeeva and S Grinkov (USSR). 1989 - World Ladies Figure Skating Championship in Paris, France won by Midori Ito (Japan). 1989 - World Men's Figure Skating Championship in Paris, France won by Kurt Browning (Canada). 1989 - Death of Alan Civil, English French horn player (born 1929). 1990 - First world ice hockey tournament for women held (Ottawa, Canada). 1990 - Death of Andrew Wood, American musician (born 1966). 1991 - John Russell Thomas, NFL general manager (Detroit Lions), dies. 1991 - Kansas City Royals announce they are putting Bo Jackson on waivers. 1991 - NFL owners strip Phoenix Cardinals of 1993 Super Bowl game due to Arizona not recognizing Martin Luther King Day. 1991 - Ron Pagano dies after lengthy illness at age 37. 1991 - Sacramento Kings set NBA record of 29 consecutive road loses. 1991 - Saint Louis Blues' Brett Hull is third NHL player to score 80 goals in a season. 1991 - Sunday Wilshin, actor (Murder by Rope), dies at age 86. 1992 - "Master Builder" opens at Belasco Theater New York City for 45 performances. 1992 - Birth of Henry and Angus Bernsen twin sons of Corbin Bernsen and Amanda Pays. 1992 - British Prince Andrew and Princess Sarah Ferguson announce separation. 1992 - Cesare Danova, actor (Cleopatra, Viva Las Vegas), dies from a heart attack at age 66. 1993 - Barend P Tammeling, journalist (Trouw, Peek on the North), dies at age 58. 1993 - Jeff Ward, drummer (9 Inch Nails), commits suicide at age 30. 1993 - World Ice Dance Championship in Prague won by M Usova and A Zhulin (Russia). 1993 - World Ice Pairs Figure Skating Championship in Prague won by I Brasseur and L Eisler (Canada). 1993 - World Ladies Figure Skating Championship in Prague won by Oksana Baiul (Ukraine). 1993 - World Men's Figure Skating Championship in Prague won by Kurt Browning (Canada). 1994 - 2500 kilograms of cocaine intercepted in Zeewolde, Netherlands. 1994 - Giuseppe Diana, Italian anti-mafia priest, murdered. 1994 - Jose Coronel Urtecho, poet, dies at age 87. 1994 - Lara scores 167 for West Indies vs England at Georgetown. 1994 - Largest omelet (1,383 square feet) made with 160,000 eggs in Yokohama, Japan. 1994 - New Jersey Devils club record 41st win of the season. 1995 - "Translations" opens at Plymouth Theater in New York City for 25 performances. 1995 - "Uncle Vanya" closes at Circle in Square Theater in New York City after 29 performances. 1995 - Bonnie Blair skates female world record point total (156.450). 1995 - Fernand Lodewick, literature historian (Literature), dies at age 85. 1995 - Finland Social-Democratic Party wins parliamentary election. 1995 - Gerard Tebroke, 5km and 10km-dasher, dies at age 45. 1995 - Kenneth Norman Joseph Loveless, priest folk musician, dies at age 83. 1995 - Laura Davis wins LPGA Standard Register PING Golf Tournament. 1995 - Michael Jordan rejoins Chicago Bulls after 17 months. 1995 - NBA New York Knicks beat New York Nets in 100th meeting (53-47). 1995 - Neil Marshall skates world record 3 km (3:04.08). 1995 - Death of Yasuo Yamada, Japanese voice actor (born 1932). 1996 - Christopher John Magenis Headington, musician, dies at age 65. 1996 - William Hutchinson Murray, mountaineer/author, dies at age 83. 1996 - Winnie Mandela divorces Nelson after 38 years of marrage. 1996 - Death of Virginia Henderson, American nurse theorist (born 1897). 1996 - Death of Chen Jingrun, Chinese mathematician (born 1933). 1996 - Sarajevo becomes a united city again when Bosniak authorities take control of the last district held by Serbs. 1996 - In Southern Xinjiang, China, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake occurs. At least 24 people killed, 128 injured and more than 15,314 houses destroyed. 1997 - Major League Baseball announces five year/$50M deal with Pepsi. 1997 - US Supreme Court hears Internet indecency arguments. 1997 - Death of Willem de Kooning, Dutch abstract artist, at age 92 of Alzheimer (born 1904). 1998 - "Ah Wilderness!" opens at Vivian Beaumont theater. 2000 - U.S. President Bill Clinton arrives in New Delhi, India, for a state visit. 2002 - US Attack on Afghanistan: Operation Anaconda ends (started on March 1) after killing 500 Taliban and al Qaeda fighters, with 11 allied troop fatalities. 2003 - The first American bombs drop on Baghdad, Iraq. President Saddam Hussein and his sons do not comply with President Bush's 48-hour mandate demanding their exit from Iraq. 2004 - The United Nations launches a political corruption investigation due to the scandal over its Iraqi Oil for Food program. 2005 - A suspected suicide bomber in Doha, Qatar kills one person and injures about 12 others. 2005 - A time bomb explodes in a Muslim shrine in Quetta, southwestern Pakistan, killing at least 29 people and wounding 40. 2005 - A blast occurs at the Xishui coal mine in Shuozhou, China, and rocks nearby Kangjiayao coal mine, killing up to 59. 2005 - Lance Berkman agrees to a six-year, US$85 million contract with the Houston Astros. 2005 - Wales beats Ireland 32 - 20 to win their first Grand Slam since 1978 in Rugby Union's Six Nations tournament. 2007 - Birth of HRH Prince Abdullah bin Al Ali, son of Prince Ali bin Al Hussein and Rym Brahimi. 2007 - Death of Calvert DeForest, American actor and comedian (born 1921). 2007 - Death of Luther Ingram, American singer (born 1937). 2008 - Microsoft releases Service Pack 1 for the Windows Vista operating system. 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