This Day in History
April 1

What happened in history on this day: April 1? On April 1 in ... 374 - Halley's Comet approaches within 0.0884 astronomical units (AUs) of Earth. 527 - Flavius Anicius Justinianus becomes compassionate emperor of Byzantium. 1064 - Body of bishop Eleutherius of Blandain moved to Doornik. 1204 - Eleanor of Aquitaine wife of Louis VII and Henry II, dies at age 81. 1205 - Amalrik II King of Cyprus/Jerusalem, dies. 1283 - Birth of Ludwig IV of Baveria Roman Catholic Bavarian emperor (1314-47). 1504 - English guilds/corp goes under state control. 1548 - Sigismund I the Elder, King of Poland, dies at age 81. 1572 - Bloys van Treslong conquers Brielle. 1574 - Origin of All Fool's Day as King Charles IX of France changes calendar to start January 1. 1578 - Birth of William Harvey in England; physician (discovered blood circulation). 1581 - Portugese Cortes subjects himself on Philip II. 1582 - Birth of Gaspar de Crayer Flemish painter. 1582 - Birth of Thomas Simpson composer. 1611 - Gillis van Valkenborch Flemish painter, buried at about age 72. 1643 - Birth of Christian Demelius composer. 1663 - Gemert fines unwed motherhood (50 guilder penalty). 1697 - Birth of Abbé Prévost French novelist/journalist (Manon Lescaut). 1700 - English pranksters begin popularizing the annual tradition of April Fools' Day by playing practical jokes on each other. 1721 - Birth of Pieter Hellendaal Dutch violinist/organist/composer (Glees). 1724 - Henry Pelham becomes English minister of War. 1724 - Jonathan Swift publishes Drapier's letters. 1725 - Birth of François Bainville composer. 1734 - Louis Lully composer, dies at age 69. 1748 - Ruins of Pompeii found. 1755 - Birth of Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin French politician/author (Physiologie du Goût). 1772 - Birth of Ignaz Franz von Mosel composer. 1776 - Friedrich von Klinger's "Sturm und Drang", premieres in Leipzig. 1777 - Death of John Morton in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania; served 18 multi-year terms in Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly, elected to First Continental Congress and Second Continental Congress, cast tie-breaking vote for independence, signed Declaration of Independence. 1778 - Oliver Pollock, a New Orleans businessman, creates "$" symbol. 1785 - Birth of J H Ferdinand Olivier German painter. 1789 - House of Representatives first full meeting, New York City, New York, F Muhlenberg first speaker. 1792 - Gronings feminist Etta Palm demands women's right to divorce. 1793 - Birth of Edouard Corbière French captain/writer (Le negrier). 1793 - Volcano Unsen on Japan erupts killing about 53,000. 1799 - Narciso Casanovas composer, dies at age 52. 1803 - French law rules the use of intention. 1807 - Birth of Fredrik Cygnaeus Finnish poet/literature critic. 1807 - Louis François Chambray composer, dies at age 69. 1807 - Miklós Révai Hungarian linguistic/poet, dies at age 57. 1807 - Vaclav Josef Bartolomej Praupner composer, dies at age 61. 1809 - Birth of Nikolai Gogol writer. 1809 - Birth of Willem Ruys J Dz Dutch ship owner. 1814 - Jozef de Ferraris French/Austrian General/cartographer, dies at age 87. 1815 - Birth of Otto Von Bismarck in Germany; architect of German Empire, chancellor (1866-90). 1817 - Birth of Johannes J van Oosterzee Dutch theologist. 1823 - Birth of Simon Bolivar Buckner Lieutenant General (Confederate Army), died in 1914. 1826 - Samuel Morey patents internal combustion engine. 1830 - Carl Borromaus Neuner composer, dies at age 51. 1832 - Robert the Hermit US ex-slave/hermit in Massachusetts, dies. 1834 - Birth of Isidore Edouard Legouix composer. 1836 - Charles Darwin aboard HMS Beagle reaches Cocos Islands. 1843 - Birth of Ludwig Enneccerus German jurist. 1847 - Birth of Gavriil Musicescu composer. 1847 - Birth of Jules-Nicolas Crevaux French explorer (South America). 1850 - San Francisco County government established. 1852 - Birth of Edward Austin Abbey US, painter (Quest of the Holy Grail). 1853 - Cincinnati becomes first US city to pay firefighters a regular salary. 1858 - Birth of Arnold Aletrino Dutch physician-criminologist/author (From Life). 1858 - Birth of Gaetano Mosca Italian sociologist (Circulation of Elite). 1862 - Shenandoah Valley campaign, Jackson's Battle of Woodstock, Virginia. 1863 - First wartime conscription law in US goes into effect. 1864 - Birth of Marie Jungius Dutch fairy tale writer. 1865 - Birth of Richard Zsigmondy Germany, chemist (Nobel Prize-1925). 1865 - Battle at Blakely, Alabama. 1865 - Battle of Five Forks, Virginia, signalling end of Lee's army. 1866 - Aime Ambroise Simon Leborne composer, dies at age 98. 1866 - Birth of Ferruccio D M B Busoni Italy, pianist/composer/conductor (Arlecchino). 1866 - Birth of Johannes C H de Meÿere Dutch zoologist. 1866 - Birth of Sophonisba Breckenridge scholar/teacher/social activist. 1866 - Johannes C H de Meijere Dutch zoologist, dies. 1866 - US Congress rejects presidential veto gives all equal rights in US. 1867 - Blacks vote in municipal election in Tuscumbia Alabama. 1867 - International Exhibition opens in Paris France. 1867 - Singapore, Penang and Malakka become British crown colonies. 1868 - Birth of Edmond Rostand in France; poet/playwright (Cyrano de Bergerac). 1868 - Hampton Institute opens. 1869 - Anthony G O Ridder van Rappard Minister of Reformed Worship, dies at age 69. 1869 - Birth of Peter A Egge Norwegian writer (De Droom). 1870 - Patrick Gass Sergeant of Lewis and Clark Expedition, dies at age 98. 1871 - Birth of F Melius Christiansen composer. 1872 - First edition of The Standard. 1872 - Birth of Tadeusz Joteyko composer. 1873 - Birth of Sergei Vasilievitch Rachmaninov Novgorod Provine Russia, composer (Prelude in C# Minor). 1873 - British White Star passenger steamship Atlantic sinks in a storm off Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, 585 die. 1873 - Mehmed Kemal's play Vatan premeres in Constantinople. 1875 - Birth of Edgar Wallace England, novelist/playwright/journalist (The Terror). 1876 - First official National League baseball game (Boston-6, Philadelphia-5). 1878 - Birth of Carl Sternheim German playwright (Hyperion/Tabula Rasa). 1878 - Eugene Gautier composer, dies at age 56. 1879 - The Universal Postal Union comes into effect. 1881 - Anti-Jewish riots in Jerusalem. 1881 - Kingdom post office in Netherlands opens. 1883 - Birth of Aleksander V Aleksandrov Russian composer/conductor. 1883 - Birth of Lon Chaney Colorado Springs Colorado, man of 1000 faces; actor (High Noon, Phantom of Opera). 1884 - Birth of Laurette Taylor [Helen LM Cooney], US actress (Broadway). 1885 - Birth of Clementine Ogilvy Spencer-Churchill (Hozier) British baroness. 1886 - Birth of Casimir von Paszthory composer. 1886 - Birth of Wallace Beery Kansas City Missouri; actor (Alias a Gentleman, Dinner at 8, Ah Wilderness). 1887 - Birth of Leonard Bloomfield US linguist. 1888 - Soccer team Sparta forms in Rotterdam. 1889 - First dishwashing machine marketed (Chicago). 1891 - London-Paris telephone connection opens. 1891 - Painter Gauguin leaves Marseille for Tahiti. 1893 - Birth of Cicely Courtneidge Sydney Australia, actress (Double Exposure). 1895 - Birth of Alberta Hunter African-American blues singer/composer (Downhearted Blues). 1897 - Birth of Willem H van de Pol Dutch theologist (Christian Dilemma). 1898 - Birth of Nita Naldi [Anita Donna Dooley] New York City, New York, actress (Blood and Sand). 1898 - Birth of Pola Gojawiczynska Polish writer (Stolica). 1901 - François M Raoult; French physicist/chemist (Law of Raoult), dies at age 70. 1902 - Birth of L P Jai; cricket player (one Test India versus England 1934, scored 19 and 0). 1905 - Birth of "Mother" Clara Hale; US social worker (founded Hale House). 1905 - Birth of Gaston Eyskens; Prime Minister of Belgium (1949, 1958-61, 1968-72). 1905 - Birth of Winfried P I Zillig; German opera composer/conductor (Fantasia Irica). 1905 - British East African Protectorate becomes colony of Kenya. 1906 - Birth of Ned Glass in Poland; actor (Sol - Julia, Uncle Moe - Bridget Loves Bernie). 1906 - Birth of Sigve Lie in Norway; yachtsman (Olympics-gold-1948, 1952). 1906 - Birth of Sjoerd van der Schaaf in Gorredijk, Netherlands; Frisian journalist /writer (Abbingawâld). 1908 - Birth of Abraham H Maslow; US psychologist (humanistic psychology). 1909 - Birth of Abner Biberman in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; director/actor (Imhook - Kodiak). 1910 - Dumitru Dan (Romania) completes a 62,137 mile (100,000 km) walk. 1911 - Birth of Ferdinand J Kranenburg; Dutch Secretary of Defense (Socialist Democrat). 1912 - Greek athlete Konstantinos Tsiklitiras breaks the world record in standing long jump with a 3.47m jump. 1915 - Birth of Art Lund in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; singer (Ken Murray Show). 1915 - Birth of Willy Dixon; blues artist ("Mellow Down Easy"). 1916 - First US national women's swimming championships held. 1916 - Gabrielle Petit, Belgian resistance fighter, is executed. 1917 - Birth of Johnny Andrews in Boston, Massachusetts, USA; singer/host (Songs at Twilight). 1917 - Birth of Leon Janney in Ogden, Utah, USA; actor (Hawk). 1917 - Scott Joplin, ragtime composer (The Sting), dies at age 48. 1918 - England's Royal Flying Corps replaced by Royal Air Force. 1920 - Birth of Toshiro Mifune Tsing-tao in China; writer/actor (Shogun). 1920 - Church disestablished in Wales. 1920 - Stanley Cup: Ottawa Senators (NHL) beat Seattle Metropolitans (PCHA), 3 games to 2. 1921 - Birth of William L Bergsma in Oakland, California, USA; composer (Fortunate Island). 1922 - Birth of William Manchester in Attleboro, Massachusetts, USA; historian (Death of a President). 1922 - Emperor Charles I of Austria and King Charles IV of Hungary dies. 1923 - Birth of Bobby Jordan in Harrison, New York, USA; actor (Bowery Champs, Kid Dynamite, Flying Wild). 1923 - First sound short films shown in New York's Rivoli Theatre. 1923 - San Marino elects two fascist regent-captains, beginning the rule of the Fascist Party. 1924 - British crown takes over Northern Rhodesia from British South Africa Co. 1924 - Adolf Hitler is sentenced to five years labor but General Ludendorff is acquitted. 1924 - Imperial Airways is formed in Britain. 1925 - First transmission of Danish state radio. 1925 - Birth of Sala Burton; American politician (Representative-Democrat-California, 1983-). 1926 - Birth of Anne [Inez] McCaffrey; American sci-fi author (Crystal Singer, Dragonflight, Dragondrums). 1926 - Birth of Lyndon Brook; actor (Invasion, Reach for the Sky). 1927 - First automatic record changer introduced by His Master's Voice. 1928 - Birth of Dimitri Frenkel Frank; Dutch writer/director (Hadimassa). 1928 - Birth of George Grizzard in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, USA; actor (Wrong is Right, Bachelor Party, Attica). 1928 - Birth of Jane Powell in Portland, Oregon, USA; singer/actress (7 Brides for 7 Brothers). 1928 - Chiang Kai-shek's army crosses Yang-tse River. 1929 - Austrian government of Ignaz Seipel falls. 1929 - Birth of Milan Kundera in Czechoslovakia; poet/writer (Unbearable Lightness of Being, L'art du Roman, Joke). 1929 - Louie Marx introduces Yo-Yo. 1929 - Morehouse College, Spelman College and Atlanta University affiliate to form Atlanta University Center. 1930 - Birth of Grace Lee Whitney in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; actress (Yeoman Rand - Star Trek). 1930 - Cosima Liszt, wife of Austrian composer Richard Wagner, dies at age 92. 1930 - Zawditu, first reigning female monarch of Ethiopia, dies. 1931 - Birth of George Baker in Bulgaria; actor (Goodbye Mr Chips, Curse of the Fly). 1931 - Birth of Rolf Hochhuth; German playwright (Deputy). 1932 - Birth of Alex[ander Colleridge Vanderpuiye Baka] Tetteh-Lartey; broadcaster, lawyer and actor (Caught, Laughter of God). 1932 - Birth of Debbie Reynolds in El Paso, Texas, USA; actress (Singin' in the Rain). 1932 - Birth of Gordon Jump in Dayton, Ohio, USA; actor (Arthur Carlson - WKRP, Growing Pains). 1932 - In Canada, the RCMP absorbs provincial police of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, and Alberta. 1933 - Birth of Dan Flavin; US minimalist sculptor. 1933 - Frederick Lord Chelmsford, viceroy of British-India (1916-21), dies at age 64. 1933 - Walter Hammond scores 336 versus New Zealand at Auckland, 47 fours 10 sixes. 1933 - Heinrich Himmler becomes Police Commander of Germany. 1933 - Germany begins persecution of Jews, boycotting Jewish businesses. 1934 - Birth of Don Hastings in Brooklyn, New Yorkm USA; actor (Captain Video, Bob - As the World Turns). 1934 - Birth of Jim Ed Brown in Sparkman, Arkansas, USA; country singer ("Nashville on the Road"). 1934 - Bonnie and Clyde kill two police officers. 1935 - First radio tube made of metal announced, Schenectady, New York. 1935 - Birth of Hans H Boswinkel; actor/director (Surprise Attack, Tutorials in Love). 1935 - Birth of John Murray; cricket player (England 1961-67, first wk called Murray to play Tests). 1936 - Orissa constitutes a province of British India. 1937 - Burma splits from India as self-governing unit of British Commonwealth. 1937 - Aden becomes British crown colony, and issues its first postage stamps. 1938 - Birth of Ali MacGraw in Pound Ridge, New York, USA; actress (Love Story, Goodbye Columbus). 1938 - Baseball Hall of Fame opens in Cooperstown, New York, USA. 1938 - Joe Louis knocks out Harry Thomas in five rounds for heavyweight boxing title. 1939 - German battleship Tirpitz launched at Wilhelmshaven. 1939 - Birth of Phil Niekro; knuckleball pitcher (New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves). 1939 - Birth of Rudolph Isley in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; rocker (Isley Brothers - "Shout"). 1939 - US recognizes Franco government in Spain at end of Spanish civil war. 1939 - Pope Pius XII congratulates Generalissimo Franco's victory in Spain. 1939 - Canada begins regular transcontinental air passenger service. 1941 - Birth of Ajit Wadekar; cricket player (stalwart Indian batsman and captain). 1941 - Hippolyte Delehaye, Flemish historian, dies at age 81. 1941 - US Navy takes over Treasure Island (San Francisco Bay). 1941 - Pro-German Rashid Ali al-Ghailani grabs power in Iraq. 1942 - Allied air raid on harbor city Kupang, Timor. 1942 - Birth of Alan Blakley; rocker (Brian Poole and The Tremeloes). 1942 - Birth of Danny Brooks; rocker (Dovells). 1942 - Birth of Phil Margo in Brooklyn, New York, USA; rock vocalist (The Tokens - "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"). 1942 - Birth of Samuel R[ay] Delany Jr; American sci-fi author (Towers of Toron, Dhalgren, Neveryona). 1942 - México changes from three time zones to two. 1944 - Birth of Carol White in England; actress (Daddy's Gone a Hunting). 1944 - Japanese troops conquer Jessami, East-India. 1945 - First edition of Indonesia Merdeka publishes. 1945 - Birth of Heather Young in Bremerton, Washington, USA; actress (Betty - Land of Giants). 1945 - Canadian troops free Doetinchem, Enschede, Borculo and Eibergen. 1945 - American 1st and 9th Armies complete an encirclement of the Ruhr area of Germany, isolating 325,000 German soldiers of Army Group B. 1945 - Sons of Elburger Soccer team forms in Elburg. 1945 - 50,000 American 10th Army troops land on Okinawa, Japan. 1946 - 400,000 US mine workers strike. 1946 - Birth of Arthur Conley; American soul singer (Sweet Soul Music). 1946 - Birth of John Barbata; drummer (The Turtles - "Happy Together", "Eleanor"). 1946 - Birth of Ronnie "Plonk" Lane in London, England; rock bassist (Small Faces - "Hey Girl"). 1946 - Birth of William Frederick Fisher in Dallas, Texas, USA; MD/astronaut (STS 51-I). 1946 - Noah Beery, actor (Beau Geste, Cimarron Kid, Mammy), dies at age 62. 1946 - Tsunamis generated by an earthquake in Aleutian Trench strike Hilo, Hawaii. 1946 - Van Acker forms Belgian government (without CVP). 1946 - US notifies Cuba it will withdraw from military bases in Cuba. 1947 - First Jewish immigrants to Israel disembark at Port of Eilat. 1947 - George II, king of Greece, dies at age 56. 1948 - Birth of Simon Crowe; rock drummer (Boomtown Rats - "Maxinguaye"). 1948 - H H H Johnson bowls West Indies to win versus England 10-96 match on debut. 1949 - Birth of Gill Scott-Heron; American writer/poet/singer (Whities on the Moon). 1950 - Birth of Ed[uardus] Nijpels; Dutch minister of Environment (VVD). 1950 - Birth of Leonard van Spirit; Dutch/British fruit/food magnate. 1950 - Charles R Drew, surgeon/developer of blood bank concept, dies at age 45. 1952 - Big Bang theory proposed in Physical Review by Alpher, Bethe and Gamow. 1952 - Birth of Abdel Basset Ali Al-Megrahi in Tripoli, Libya; bomber (Pan Am 103). 1952 - Birth of Annette O'Toole in Houston, Texas, USA; actress (Cat People, Superman III). 1952 - Birth of Billy Currie; rock keyboardist/violinist (Ultravox - "We Came to Dance"). 1952 - Birth of Rey Robinson; American 100-metre sprinter (Olympics-1972). 1952 - Ferenc Molnár, Hungarian playwright (Farkas, Tester), dies at age 76. 1952 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site. 1953 - Birth of Aftab Baloch; cricket player (Pakistani in two Tests, scored 428 for Sind 74). 1953 - Birth of Barry Sonnenfeld; director (When Harry Met Sally, Big, Misery). 1953 - J van Bale appointed Governor of New Guinea. 1953 - Walcott Worrell and Weekes all make centuries in innings versus India. 1954 - First Dutch motorway, Amsterdam-Utrecht, opens. 1954 - First army helicopter battalion is formed, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, USA. 1954 - Birth of Jeff Porcaro in Los Angeles, California, USA; drummer/percussionist (Toto - "Roxanne", "Africa"). 1954 - Earthquake/tsunami ravages Aleutians, 200 killed. 1955 - Revised Criminal Code of Canada goes into effect. 1955 - Armed military action taken against bureaucratic strike in Amsterdam, Netherlands. 1955 - Birth of Danny Joe Pohl in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, USA; PGA golfer (1986 Colonial). 1955 - Birth of Stan Ridway; rocker (Wall Of Voodoo). 1955 - EOKA-bomb attacks against British government buildings in Cyprus. 1955 - Silvio d'Amico, Italian theater critic (Il Teatro Italian), dies at age 68. 1956 - CBS airs the last Omnibus TV show. 1956 - 10th Tony Awards: Diary of Anne Frank and Damn Yankees win. 1956 - Violent clashes in Algeria, at least 380 killed. 1957 - Birth of David Gower; cricket player (elegant England left-handed batsman 1978-92). 1957 - Birth of Donald William Hammond in Frederick, Maryland, USA; PGA golfer (1986 Bob Hope). 1957 - Birth of Peter Deutsch; American politician (Representative-Democrat-Florida). 1957 - Gheorge Tatarescu, premier Romania (1933-37, 1939-40), dies. 1957 - Trial begins in Budapest, Hungary against participants' October uprising. 1958 - Birth of Anton Innauer in Austria; 70-metre ski jumper (Olympics-gold-1980). 1958 - Marshal Boelganin becomes director of Russian Staatsbank. 1960 - France performs nuclear test at Reggane Proving Grounds, Algeria. 1960 - Piet[er O] Bakker, Dutch journalist/writer (Ciske), dies at age 62. 1960 - RCA TIROS (TV and Infra-Red Observation 'weather' Satellite) I launched. 1960 - U Nu elected premier of Burma. 1961 - Birth of Jennifer Runyon; actress (Cindy - A Very Brady Christmas, Gwendolyn - Charles in Charge). 1961 - Birth of Jim Jeffcoat; NFL defensive end (Buffalo Bills). 1961 - Birth of Mark White; rock guitarist (ABC - "All of My Heart"). 1962 - Birth of Phillip Schofield; TV personality/designer (Nightfire). 1962 - Birth of Rich Amaral in Visalia, California, USA; outfielder (Seattle Mariners). 1963 - New York City's newspapers resume publishing after a 114-day strike. 1963 - New York Mets purchase Duke Snider from the Los Angeles Dodgers for US$40,000. 1963 - Soap operas General Hospital and The Doctors (NBC, 30 minutes) premiere on TV in the USA. 1964 - Birth of John Morris; cricket player (England right-hand batsman versus India 1990). 1964 - Birth of Kevin Duckworth; NBA center (Milwaukee Bucks). 1964 - Birth of Scott Stevens in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada; NHL defenseman (New Jersey Devils, Team Canada). 1965 - Birth of John "Jumbo" Elliot; NFL tackle (New York Giants, New York Jets). 1965 - Birth of Mark Jackson; NBA guard (Indiana Pacers). 1965 - Birth of Peter O'Toole; Irish pop bassist (Hothouse Flowers - People, Home, Don't Go). 1965 - Henry D G Crerar, Canadian General (World War I, Normandy), dies at age 76. 1965 - South Africa worker's union leader Henry Fazzie sentenced to ten years. 1965 - Syncom 3, first geosynchronous communications satellite, passes from civilian to military control. 1966 - First world festival of black art (Dakar, Senegal). 1966 - Birth of Dave Vankoughnett; Canadian Football League corner (Winnipeg Blue Bombers). 1966 - Birth of Odie Harris; NFL safety/defensive back (Houston Oilers). 1966 - China premier Tsjoe en-Lai starts "Cultural revolution". 1966 - Karl B Adam, German theologist (Jesus Christ), dies at age 89. 1967 - First British ombudsman sir Edward Compton begins work. 1968 - Birth of Joel Smeenge; NFL defensive end (Jacksonville Jaguars). 1968 - Lev D Landau, Russian physicist (Nobel Prize 1962), dies at age 59. 1969 - Birth of Andrew Vlahov; Australian basketball forward (Olympics-1988, 1992, 1996). 1969 - Birth of Arnaud Boetsch in Meulam, France; tennis star (1985 European Junior). 1969 - Birth of Frank Castillo in El Paso, Texas, USA; pitcher (Chicago Cubs). 1969 - Birth of John Forest; soccer player (Go Ahead Eagles). 1969 - Birth of Kevin Dean in Madison, Wisconsin, USA; NHL defenseman (New Jersey Devils). 1969 - Birth of Traci Lin-Tavi in New York City, New York, USA; actress (Ryan's Hope, F/X, Fright Night 2). 1969 - Helena Rubinstein, American cosmetic manufacturer, dies at about age 89. 1969 - Royal Canadian Mint formally forms as a Crown Corporation. 1969 - The Hawker Siddeley Harrier jet enters service with the British Royal Air Force. 1969 - Seattle Pilots trade minor league outfielder Lou Piniella to Kansas City Royals. 1970 - Birth of Mark Wheeler; NFL defensive tackle (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots). 1970 - Birth of Wes Barnett in Saint Joseph, Missouri, USA; 238lb (108kg) weightlifter (Olympics-6th-1992, 1996). 1970 - Birth of Wyatt Jones in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; kayak (alternate-Olympics-1996). 1970 - Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club, headed by Bud Selig, purchases the Seattle Pilots for US$10,800,000. 1970 - US President Richard Nixon signs bill limiting cigarette advertisements on beginning January 1, 1971. 1971 - Birth of Daniel Vacek in Prague, Czechoslovakia; tennis star. 1971 - Birth of Ernest Jones; NFL defensive end (Saints, Denver Broncos-Superbowl 32). 1971 - Birth of Jessica Collins [Capogna]; actress (Dinah Lee Mayberry - Loving). 1971 - United Kingdom lifts all restrictions on gold ownership. 1971 - In Manila, Philippines, a fire that started in a newspaper warehouse burns out of control for over seven hours, burning 15 blocks of the city, leaving 70,000 homeless. Damage estimated at US$330,000. 1972 - 30,000 attend Mar Y Sol rock concert, Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. 1972 - Birth of Kenny Gales; NFL/WLAF cornerback (Chicago Bears, Barcelona Dragons). 1972 - Birth of Mike McCoy; WLAF quarterback (Amsterdam Admirals). 1972 - Major league baseball players stage first collective strike. 1973 - Arthur Wood, cricket wicket-keeper (England 1938-39), dies. 1973 - Betsy Cullen wins LPGA Alamo Ladies Golf Classic. 1973 - Birth of Ferdy Vierklau; soccer player (FC Utrecht). 1973 - Birth of Stephen Fleming; cricket player (New Zealand left-handed Test batsman 1994-). 1973 - Japan allows its citizens to own gold. 1973 - John Lennon and Yoko form a new country with no laws or boundaries, called Nutopia, its national anthem is silence (April Fool's Joke). 1974 - Ayatollah Khomeini calls for an Islamic Republic in Iran. 1974 - The ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 breaks down off Bermuda; The entire passenger load is transferred to Flagship Cruises' liner Sea Venture. 1975 - Birth of Kristine Quance; 100 metre breaststroke/200 metre medley (Olympics-1996). 1975 - Birth of Magdalena Maleeva in Sofia, Bulgaria; tennis star (1995 Chicago Moscow). 1975 - Cambodia President Lon Nol flees for Red Khmer. 1975 - Eugeen Yoors, Flemish draftsman/glass painter, dies at age 95. 1976 - Birth of Clarence Seedorf; Surinam/Dutch soccer player (Ajax, Real Madrid). 1976 - Freddie Lennon, father of John Lennon (The Beatles), dies at age 63. 1976 - Max Ernst, German/French surrealist painter/sculptor, dies at age 85. 1976 - Respected astronomer Patrick Moore first reports the "Jovian-Plutonian gravitational effect" (later found to be a hoax). 1976 - S Constantine Timoshenko, Russian marshal, dies at age 75. 1976 - Steven Jobs and Stephen Wozniak incorporate the Apple Computer Company, on April Fool's Day. 1977 - Attempt for Muslim state in Chad fails. 1977 - NFL decides to experiment with a 7th official in some preseason games. 1979 - Iran proclaimed an Islamic Republic following fall of Shah. 1979 - Joanne Carner wins LPGA Women's Kemper Golf Open. 1979 - Marinus Peijnenburg, Dutch politician, dies at age 51. 1980 - The Mariel boatlift from Cuba to Florida begins. 1980 - Birth of Bijou Phillips; American actress and socialite. 1980 - Baseball Players' Association votes to cancel 92 remaining exhibition games. 1980 - Birth of Bryan Buffinton in Ridgewood, New Jersey; actor (Bill Lewis Jr - Guiding Light). 1980 - Failed assassination attempt on Iraqi vice-premier Tariq Aziz. 1980 - France performs nuclear test. 1980 - Wayne Gretzky breaks Bobby Orr's NHL record with 103rd assist. 1980 - Birth of Randy Orton; American professional wrestler. 1980 - Birth of Yuko Takeuchi; Japanese actress. 1980 - New York City's Transport Works Union Local 100 goes on strike, which continues for 11 days. 1981 - The USSR adopts daylight savings time. 1981 - D[ennis] F[eltham] Jones, sci-fi author (Colossus), dies at age 65. 1981 - Birth of Hannah Spearritt; British singer and actress. 1982 - Birth of Sam Huntington; American actor (Jungle 2 Jungle). 1982 - US formally transfers Canal Zone to Panamá. 1982 - Birth of Taran Killam; American actor. 1982 - Anguilla (dependent territory of United Kingdom) adopts constitution. 1983 - Anti-nuke demonstrators link arms in 14-mile human chain in England. 1983 - New York Islanders' Mike Bossy becomes first to score 60 goals in three consecutive seasons. 1983 - Birth of Sean Taylor; American football player (dies 2007). 1984 - Eight men record longest distance (13 miles) rowed in 24 hours. 1984 - American singer Marvin Gaye shot to death by his father Marvin Gaye Sr in Los Angeles, California at age 44 (born 1939). 1984 - 14th Easter Seal Telethon raises US$24,600,000. 1984 - Third NCAA Women's Basketball Championship: Southern California beats Tennessee 72-61. 1985 - Two Japanese government-owned corporations, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation, and Japan Tobacco and Salt Public Corporation, are privatized and changed their names to Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, and Japan Tobacco. 1985 - 47th NCAA Men's Basketball Champion: Villanova beats Georgetown 84-75. 1986 - Delhi beats Haryana by innings and 141 to win Ranji Trophy. 1986 - US submarine Nathaniel Green runs aground in the Irish Sea. 1986 - World oil prices dip below US$10 a barrel. 1988 - Jim Jordan, actor (Fibber McGee), dies from a blod clot at age 91 (born 1896). 1988 - Marius W Holtrop, economist/president (Netherlands Bank), dies at age 85. 1989 - First New York Mets - New York Yankees game in New York City since 1983, New York Yankees win 4-3. 1989 - Former Yale University and National League president Bart Giamatti becomes seventh commissioner of Major League Baseball. 1989 - Henk Gortzak, Dutch Member of Parliament (CPN/PSP), dies at age 57. 1989 - Margaret Thatcher's new local government tax, the Poll tax, is introduced in Scotland. 1989 - In Canada, four people share a Canadian record CDN$15.5 million Lotto 6/49 jackpot. 1990 - The Comedy Channel on cable TV begins transmitting. 1990 - 19th Nabisco Dinah Shore Golf Championship won by Betsy King. 1990 - 9th NCAA Women's Basketball Championship: Stanford beats Auburn 88-81. 1990 - CBS fires sportscaster Brent Mussburger. 1990 - Second Seniors Golf Tradition: Jack Nicklaus wins. 1990 - Wrestlemania VI (67,678 in Toronto); Ultimate Warrior beats Hulk Hogan for championship. 1990 - The largest prison riot in Britain's history begins at Strangeways Prison in Manchester, continuing for three weeks and three days. 1991 - 53rd NCAA Mens Basketball Champion: Duke Bluedevils beats Kansas 72-65. 1991 - Dwight Goodin signs US$5.15 million three year contract with New York Mets. 1991 - Iran releases British hostage Roger Cooper after five years. 1991 - Martha Graham, American dancer and choreographer (Appalachian Spring), dies at age 96 (born 1894). 1991 - Paulo Muwanga, chief of Uganda (1980), dies. 1991 - US Supreme Court rules jurors can't be barred from serving due to race. 1991 - US minimum wage goes from $3.80 to $4.25 per hour. 1991 - The president of the Berlin Treuhandanstalt (the organization responsible for the privatization of East German property), Detlev Karsten Rohwedder is murdered by terrorists. 1991 - In Iowa, USA, riverboat gambling is legalized, as the Diamond Lady is launched. 1992 - Nintendo releases The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past video game for the Super NES in the US. 1992 - Battleship USS Missouri (on which Japan surrendered) decommissioned. 1992 - Juanito, soccer star (Madrid Real 1977-87), dies at age 37 in car crash. 1992 - NFL decides to stay with 17-week schedule instead of expanded 18 games. 1992 - NHL players begin first strike in 75-year history. 1992 - Western Australia beats New South Wales by 44 runs to win the Sheffield Shield Final. 1992 - World's seven wealthiest nations agree on $24 billion aid for former USSR. 1993 - Alan Kulwicki, American stock car racer, dies in plane crash at age 38 (born 1954). 1993 - Ihsan Mohamed Salem [Yunis Awad], Palestinian Al-Fatah leader, killed. 1993 - Juan of Borbon y Battemberg, father of king Juan Carlos I, dies. 1993 - Wayne Mack, sportscaster/actor (Storyville), dies of cancer at age 68. 1993 - Lou Gerstner replaces John Akers as chairman and CEO of IBM. 1994 - Bob Feller Statue on Indians Plaza, dedicated. 1994 - Léon Degrelle, Belgium General, dies (born 1906). 1994 - Robert Doisneau, French photographer (The Kiss), dies at age 81. 1994 - Rosalind Laura Burke, aviatrix, dies at age 86. 1994 - Stuart Sloan, war hero/test pilot, dies at age 72. 1995 - The Blizzard Beach water park opens at Walt Disney World. 1995 - Cheryl Waltz, author/film producer, dies at age 50. 1995 - Johnny Nichols, football player, dies at age 63. 1995 - Lucie Rie, potter, dies at age 93. 1995 - New York Islanders retire Bobby Nystrom's uniform #23. 1995 - Richard Pool, naval Officer, dies at age 75. 1995 - Sampson DeBrier, actor (Inauguration of Pleasure Dome), dies at age 86. 1996 - 58th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Kentucky beats Syracuse 76-67. 1996 - Alfredo Nobre Coast, Prime Minister of Portugal (1978), dies. 1996 - Edwin H "Buddy" Morris, music publisher, dies at age 89. 1996 - John Alwyne Kitching, zoologist, dies at age 87. 1996 - John McSheery dies of heart attack while umpiring a game, at age 51. 1996 - Mario Viegas, actor (The Jew, Divine Comedy), dies at age 47. 1996 - Death of Florence Buchsbaum, theater director and musician (born 1926). 1996 - The Halifax Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia, Canada, is created. 1997 - 69-year-old Gordie Howe begins playing AHL game with Syracuse Crunch. 1997 - Comet Hale-Bopp Perihelion (0.914 AU). 1997 - Jolie Gabor, mother of Zsa Zsa and Eva, dies at age 97. 1997 - Nancy Woodhull, news editor (USA Today), dies of cancer at age 52. 1997 - Cartoonists of popularly syndicated comic strips swap cartoons for the day. 1997 - The German steel companies Krupp and Thyssen merge. 1998 - World Ice Pairs Figure Skating Championship in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Russians Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze win. 1998 - Ukrainian serial killer Anatoly Onoprienko is sentenced to death for 52 murders. 1998 - Death of Rozz Williams, American singer (born 1963). 1999 - Nunavut, an Inuit homeland, is created from the eastern portion of the Northwest Territories to become Canada's third territory. 2000 - Tanker King Fisher hits a reef while approaching the Pertamina port in Cilacapan, at the Southern coast of Central Java, Indonesia, leaking 160 million litres of crude oil, affecting 25km of shoreline. 2000 - Japanese prime minister Keizo Obuchi suffers a stroke and falls into a coma. 2001 - A Chinese fighter jet bumps into a U.S. EP-3E surveillance aircraft which is forced to make an emergency landing in Hainan, China. The U.S. crew is detained for ten days and the F-8 Chinese pilot, Wang Wei, goes missing and is presumed dead. 2001 - The first Major League Baseball game is played in Puerto Rico, as the Toronto Blue Jays defeat the Texas Rangers 8-1. 2001 - Former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia President Slobodan MiloÜevic surrenders to police special forces, to be tried on charges of war crimes. 2001 - In the Netherlands, the Act on the Opening up of Marriage goes into effect. The Act allows same-sex couples to legally marry for the first time in the world since the reign of Nero. 2002 - Maryland defeats Indiana 64-52 to win the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. 2002 - Death of Meryem Altun, Turkish hunger striker. 2003 - Air Canada files for bankruptcy protection. 2003 - Death of Leslie Cheung, Hong Kong singer and actor (born 1956). 2004 - Death of Carrie Snodgress, American actress (born 1946). 2004 - The Faroese Prime Minister's Office announces that from then on the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister's Office will use a new version of the Faroese Coat of Arms. The colours were inspired from the Merkið (flag) and yellow/gold was added. The new Coat of Arms depicts a Ram on a blue shield ready to defend. It can be used by the Government Ministries and by Faroese embassies, but some still use older versions of the Coat of Arms. 2006 - The Chicago White Sox signs Jose Contreras to a $29 million, three-year contract extension. 2007 - Death of Laurie Baker, English architect (born 1917). 2007 - Death of Driss Chraibi, Moroccan writer (born 1926). 2007 - Death of Hans Filbinger, German jurist and politician (born 1913). 2008 - Namibia's Namdeb diamond company discovers a shipwreck off the coast of Namibia. Three bronze cannons are dated to 16th century Spain; other objects recovered are thousands of Spanish and Portuguese gold coins, and several tonnes of elephant tusks. 2008 - UBS, Switzerland's largest bank and world's biggest wealth manager, announces write-downs on American mortgage-backed securities of US$37 billion, resulting in a first quarter loss of 12 billion Swiss francs. Chairman Marcel Ospel announces his resignation. 2008 - Death of Pedro Zaragoza Orts, mayor of Benidorm (1950-67), transformed the town to a tourist resort, at age 85. 2009 - Israel's parliament swears in Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister and approves the new coalition cabinet by 69 votes to 45. 2009 - Albania and Croatia join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). 2010 - German carmaker Daimler pleads guilty to corruption in the US and will pay US$185 million. The company paid tens of millions of dollars in bribes to foreign government officials in at least 22 countries between 1998 and 2008. 2010 - India launches a new census in which every person aged over 15 will be photographed and fingerprinted to create a biometric national database, which will then be used for national identity cards. 2010 - Death of Dr. Edward Roberts, founder of Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems (MITS), "father of the personal computer", inventor of the Altair 8800 computer, at age 68 after a long bout of pneumonia.         Your Ad Here         You can pick a particular day to view that day's events in history. Bookmark this URL:   http://thisdayinhistoryinfo.info/   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 Today in Sports History Today in USA History Today in Disney History Chronology of World War II Chronology of Personal Computers