This Day in History
April 9

What happened in history on this day: April 9? On April 9 in ... 715 - Constantine I, Greek/Syrian Pope (708-15), dies. 1024 - Benedict VIII [Theophylactus van Tusculum] Pope (1012-24), dies. 1241 - Battle of Liegnitz - Mongol armies under Kaidu Khan defeat Poles and Germans. Almost the entire European army perishes. Duke Henry II of Silesia is decapitated. 1388 - Battle of Näfels; Glarius Swiss defeat Habsburg (Austrian) army. 1454 - Milan/Venice signs peace of Lodi. 1474 - Breisach land guardian Peter von Hagenbach throws out Walloon/Italians. 1483 - Edward I (12) succeeds Edward IV as king of England. 1483 - Edward IV King of England (1461-70, 71-83) dies at age 38. 1486 - The Habsburg, Maximilian I is crowned German king at Aachen. 1492 - Lorenzo de' Medici Florentine statesman, dies. 1538 - Danish king Christian III enters Schmalkaldische Union. 1553 - François Rabelais French author (Gargantua/Pantagruel), dies at age 49. 1555 - Marcello Cervini elected Pope Marcellus II. 1557 - Michael Agricola Finnish theologist/church reformer/bishop, dies. 1598 - Birth of Johann Crüger German organist/composer/music theorist. 1609 - Spain and Netherlands sign 12 Year Resistant Pact. 1611 - Birth of Giacomo Maria Predieri composer. 1621 - Spain and Netherlands 12 Year Resistant Pact ends. 1626 - Francis Bacon Viscount Saint Albans, statesman, dies. 1627 - Birth of Johann Kaspar Kerll composer. 1634 - Birth of Albertine Agnes princess of Orange-Nassau. 1649 - Birth of James Scott Duke of Monmouth, bastard son of English king Charles II. 1667 - (to April 23) First public art exhibition, held by Académie de Peinture et de Sculpture at Palais-Royale in Paris, France. 1681 - Alfonso Marsh composer, dies at age 54. 1682 - Robert La Salle claims lower Mississippi (Louisiana) for France. 1691 - French troops occupy Mons. 1716 - Birth of Johann Georg Zechner composer. 1717 - Birth of Georg Matthias Monn composer. 1747 - Simon Fraser (Lord Lovat) 12th baron Lovat Jacobite, last man beheaded in England. 1754 - Birth of Antonio Frantisek Becvarovsky composer. 1754 - Birth of Pieter Paulus Dutch lawyer/CEO (National Convention). 1754 - Christian von Wolff German philosopher, dies at age 75. 1757 - Birth of Wojciech Boguslawski composer. 1761 - William Law theologian, dies. 1765 - Maria Louise van Hessen-Kassel princess of Orange-Nassau, dies at age 77. 1770 - Captain James Cook discovers Botany Bay (Australia). 1783 - Tippu Sahib drives out English from Bednore India. 1785 - Birth of Sibrand Acker Stratingh Dutch physician/chemist (electric car 1835). 1793 - Ernestus Weinrauch composer, dies at age 62. 1794 - Birth of Theobald Böhm flautist/composer. 1798 - Birth of Giuditta Pasta [Negri] soprano. 1802 - Birth of Elias Lönrot folklorist. 1804 - Jacques Necker financier/statesman, dies. 1806 - Birth of Isambard Kingdom Brunel designer of first transatlantic steamer. 1806 - Birth of Louis count of Barrthyányi premier of Hungary. 1806 - Willem V Batavus prince of Orange-Nassau, dies at age 58. 1807 - John Opie England, painter/illustrator; Shakespeare gallery, dies at age 45. 1808 - Mayor Wolters offers French king Louis Napoleon townhall as a palace. 1812 - Birth of Randolph Barnes Marcy Brevet Major General (Union Army), died in 1887. 1814 - Elias Canneman (Liberal) resigns as minister of Finance. 1816 - African Methodist Episcopal Church organizes (Philadelphia PA). 1821 - Birth of Charles-Pierre Baudelaire France, symbolist poet (Flowers of Evil). 1821 - Felix Maximo Lopez composer, dies at age 78. 1826 - Birth of Thomas Hewson Neill Brevet Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1885. 1829 - Danzig (Gdansk) dike break flood kills 1,200. 1830 - Birth of Eadweard Muybridge England, pioneered study of motion, photography. 1831 - Robert Jenkins loses an ear, starts war between Britain and Spain. 1833 - First tax-supported public library (Peterborough New Hampshire). 1835 - Birth of Leopold II King of Belgians (1865-1909). 1838 - National Galley opens in London. 1847 - Birth of Francis William Davenport composer. 1847 - Birth of Sir Francesco Paolo Tosti composer. 1848 - Birth of F A MacKinnon cricketer (later the 35th Mackinnon of Mackinnon). 1848 - Birth of Helena Lange German feminist. 1850 - Birth of Herman Zumpe composer. 1850 - William Prout physician/chemist, dies. 1851 - Antoine-Charles Glachant composer, dies at age 80. 1851 - Birth of C E Arthur Wichmann German/Dutch geologist (Netherlands Indies). 1852 - John Howard Payne actor/playwright (Fair Warning), dies. 1854 - Birth of Seaborn M Denson composer. 1855 - Birth of Gyula Reviczky Hungarian author/poet. 1860 - In Paris, France, inventor Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville makes the first (known) audio recording, ten seconds long, of a person singing a folk song. The recording is made on a phonautograph that scratches sound waves onto a sheet of paper blackened by the smoke of an oil lamp. 1861 - Birth of Charles Holroyd painter/etcher. 1862 - George W Johnson US planter/Confederate (Governor-Kentucky), dies at about age 50. 1864 - Battle of Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, 2870 casualities. 1865 - Birth of Charles Proteus Steinmetz Germany, experiment with AC electricity. 1865 - Birth of Erich Ludendorff General (Germany). 1865 - Thomas Alfred Smyth, Irish/US Union General-Major, dies at age 32. 1865 - Federals capture Fort Blakely, Alabama. 1865 - Robert E Lee and 26,765 troops, surrender to US Grant at Appomattox. 1866 - Civil Rights Bill passes over President Andrew Johnson's veto. 1869 - Hudson Bay Company cedes its territory to Canada. 1870 - American Anti-Slavery Society dissolves. 1871 - Birth of Arthur Fickenscher composer. 1872 - Birth of Léon Blum French premier (People's front government). 1872 - Birth of Léon Blum statesman. 1872 - Samuel R Percy patents dried milk. 1874 - Birth of Julius Bittner Austrian composer (Little Violet). 1878 - First Lady Lucy Hayes begins egg rolling contest on White House lawn. 1879 - Birth of Gerald Festus Kelly artist. 1879 - Ernst Friedrich Richter composer, dies at age 70. 1882 - Dante Gabriel Rossetti poet/pre-Raphaelite painter, dies at age 53. 1882 - Jules Quicherat French historian/archaeologist (Mélanges), dies at age 66. 1883 - Birth of Renzo Bossi composer. 1884 - Birth of Franco Vittadini composer. 1886 - Joseph V von Scheffel German writer (Ekkehard), dies at age 60. 1888 - Birth of Florence Smith Price US composer (Wanamaker Prize 1932). 1888 - Birth of Sol Hurok theatrical impresario. 1889 - Birth of Efrem Zimbalist Rostov-on-Don Russia, composer/concert violinist. 1891 - Birth of John Gobau Flemish/Dutch actor (Electricity, Hostage Rights). 1893 - Disma Fumagalli composer, dies at age 66. 1894 - First performance of Anton Bruckner's 5th Symphony in B in Graz. 1894 - Birth of Ernest Kanitz composer. 1895 - Birth of Mance Lipscomb Navasota Texas, blues musician (Texas Sharecropper). 1895 - Birth of Michel Simon [Francois], Geneva Switzerland. 1895 - Birth of Rudolf Kattnigg composer. 1898 - Birth of Earl (Curly) Lambeau NFL coach (Green Bay Packers). 1898 - Birth of Julius Patzak Austrian tenor singer. 1898 - Birth of Paul Robeson Philadelphia Pennsylvania, singer (Old Man River)/actor/football player. 1900 - Birth of Allen Jenkins Staten Island New York; actor (Hey Jeannie, Top Cop, Girl Habit). 1902 - Birth of Frantisek Suchy composer [or April 21, 1891]. 1903 - Birth of Ward Bond Benkelman Nebraska; actor (Quiet Man, Fort Apache, Seth-Wagon Train). 1903 - Birth of Willem Pée Belgian linguist. 1904 - Birth of Lyle Latell Elma Iowa; actor (Not of the Earth, Sky Dragon). 1904 - Isabella II Queen of Spain (1833-68), dies at age 73. 1905 - Birth of J William Fulbright (Senator-Democrat-Arkansas). 1906 - Birth of Antal Dorati Budapest Hungary, conductor (Dresden Opera 1928-29). 1906 - Birth of Todd Naylor "Hugh" Gaitskell Member of Parliament (Labour Party). 1906 - Intercalated Games opens in Athens - special Olympic gathering that helped get the Olympic movement back on track. 1908 - Birth of Fred Lohse composer. 1908 - Birth of Victor Vasarely Hungarian/French painter/author (Op Art). 1909 - Birth of Domenico Enrici Apostolic Nuncio. 1909 - Birth of Ivan Ivonovich Dzerzhinsky composer. 1909 - Birth of Robert Helpmann Mount Gambier Australia; actor (Second Time Lucky). 1909 - Birth of Robert Murray Halpmann dancer. 1909 - Charles Conder artist, dies. 1910 - Birth of Abraham A Ribicoff (Senator-Democrat-Connecticut). 1910 - Birth of Sharon Lynn Weatherford Texas, actress (Way Out West, Big Broadcast). 1911 - Birth of Albert Remy Sevres France; actor (Grand Prix, Gigot, Train). 1911 - Birth of Lord Deramore architect. 1912 - First exhibition baseball game at Fenway Park (Boston Red Sox vs Harvard). 1912 - Titanic leaves Queenstown Ireland for New York. 1913 - Brooklyn Dodgers' Ebbets Field opens, Philadelphia Phillies win 1-0. 1914 - First full color film shown "The World, The Flesh and the Devil" (London). 1914 - Birth of Richard Young CEO (Boosey and Hawkes). 1914 - Tampico incident - US ship crew arrested in México. 1916 - Vicente Goicoechea Errasti composer, dies at age 62. 1917 - Battle of Arras begins. 1917 - Birth of Johannes Bobrowski writer. 1917 - Birth of Vincent O'Brien racehorse trainer. 1917 - Edward Thomas poet, killed in WWI. 1917 - Vimy Ridge France stormed by Canadian troops. 1918 - Birth of Jörn Utzon Danish architect (Sydney Opera House). 1918 - Latvia proclaims independence from Russia. 1919 - Birth of John Presper Eckert co-inventor (first electronic computer-ENIAC). 1920 - Birth of Alexander Moulton English bicycle designer (folding bicycle). 1920 - Birth of Art Van Damme Norway Michigan, jazz accordionist (Chicago Jazz). 1920 - Birth of David Walker Professor of Law (Glasgow University). 1920 - Birth of F Don Miller Racine Wisconsin, Boxing coach (Olympics-1956). 1921 - Birth of Frankie Thomas New York City, New York; actor (Tom Corbett Space Cadet). 1922 - Birth of Carl Amery writer. 1922 - Birth of Gerald Moverley Roman Catholic bishop (Hallam). 1922 - Birth of Michael Palliser head of British diplomatic service. 1923 - Birth of Bruno Kiefer composer. 1923 - Mauritius H Binger director/producer (Living Ladder), dies. 1923 - Sean O'Casey's "Shadow of a Gunman", premieres in Dublin. 1924 - Birth of Harald Heilmann composer. 1925 - Babe Ruth rushed to hospital. 1925 - Birth of Michael Richardson vice CEO (N M Rotschild). 1925 - Birth of Tom Jackson British union leader (Post Office). 1926 - Birth of Graham Hills principal (Strathclyde University, England). 1926 - Birth of Harris Wofford (Senator-Republican-Pennsylvania). 1926 - Birth of Hugh [Marston] Hefner Chicago Illinois, magazine publisher (Playboy). 1926 - Birth of Lord Fitt Member of Parliament (Belfast Ireland). 1926 - Birth of Michael Ogden QC. 1927 - Italy and US anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti given death sentences. 1928 - Birth of Brian Cubbon British senior civil servant. 1928 - Birth of Floyd D Spence (Representative-Republican-South Carolina, 1971-). 1928 - Birth of Tom Lehrer parody/folk singer (That Was The Week That Was). 1928 - Eugene O'Neill's "Lazarus Laughed", premieres in Pasadena. 1928 - Mae West's New York City debut in a daring new play "Diamond Lil". 1928 - Top-Oss soccer team forms in Oss. 1928 - Turkey passes separation of church and state. 1929 - Birth of Harvey Lichtenstein president (Brooklyn Academy of Music). 1931 - Birth of Bill Gilbert Washington DC, sports author (They Also Served, The Big E). 1931 - Birth of Martin Rogers director (Farmington Institute for Christian Studies). 1931 - Chicago's Cy Wentworth beats Montreal Canadiens at 13:50 of the 6th period. 1931 - Paul Antonin Vidal composer, dies at age 67. 1932 - Birth of Carl Perkins Jackson Tennessee, singer/songwriter (Blue Suede Shoes). 1932 - Birth of Jim Fowler Albany Georgia, naturalist (Wild Kingdom). 1932 - Birth of Paul Krassner comic strip cartoonist (MAD Magazine)/founder (Yippies). 1932 - Birth of Peter Moores director (Littlewoods). 1932 - Birth of Vladimir Aleksandrovich Degtyaryov cosmonaut. 1932 - Stanley Cup: Toronto Maple Leafs sweep New York Rangers in three games. 1933 - Birth of Gian Maria Volontè [John Welles] Milan Italy; actor (Fistful of Dollars). 1933 - Birth of Jacques Molicard translator/navigator. 1933 - Birth of Jean-Paul Belmondo Paris France; actor (Casino Royale, Magnifique). 1933 - Birth of Richard Rose Professor of Public Policy (Strathclyde University). 1933 - Sigfrid Karg-Elert composer, dies at age 55. 1935 - Birth of Aulis Sallinen composer. 1935 - Birth of Avery Schreiber Chicago Illinois, comedian (My Mother the Car). 1935 - Stanley Cup: Montréal Maroons sweep Toronto Maple Leafs in three games. 1936 - Birth of Jerzy Maksymiuk composer. 1936 - Birth of Michael Somare British foreign affairs minister (Paupa and New Guinea). 1937 - Birth of Barrington J[ohn] Bayley United Kingdom, sci-fi author (Collision Course). 1937 - Birth of Valerie Singleton British broadcaster. 1939 - Birth of Michael Learned Washington DC, actress (Olivia-The Waltons, Nurse). 1939 - Emilio Serrano y Ruiz composer, dies at age 89. 1939 - Marian Anderson sings before 75,000 at Lincoln Memorial. 1940 - Birth of Vasily Dmiotriyevich Shcheglov Russian cosmonaut. 1940 - German cruiser Blücher torpedoed/capsizes in Oslofjord, 1,000 die. 1940 - (0410 hours) Germany launches Operation Weserubung, invading Denmark. Motorized troops cross the border into Denmark, as amphibious landings are made on Danish islands and on the waterfront of Copenhagen. The German envoy informs the Danish government that Denmark would be protected for the duration of the war, and no interference by German military authorities would be made in the country's internal affairs. Prime Minister Thorvald Stauning orders cessation of hostilities, twelve hours after the start. 1940 - German forces land on Norway with six different forces at widely separated points on the coast. The German government claim the invasion is made to forestall a British invasion. 1940 - (0620 hours) Danish King Christian X broadcasts to the nation that the government has surrendered to Germany. 1940 - (0630 hours) In Norway, Vidkun Quisling speaks on Oslo Radio, urging Norwegians to cease further resistance. He deposes the legal government, and appoints himself Prime Minister. 1940 - In Norway, German forces control Narvik, Trondheim, Bergen, and Stavanger. 1940 - Mrs Patrick Campbell English actress (Outcast Lady, Riptide), dies. 1941 - Birth of Hannah Gordon actress (Oh Alfie). 1941 - PGA establishes Golf Hall of Fame. 1942 - American General Jonathan Wainwright's American and Filipino forces on Bataan, Philippines, surrender to the Japanese. 1942 - Birth of Brandon De Wilde Brooklyn New York; actor (Jamie, Wild in the Sky). 1942 - Birth of Earl F Hillard (Representative-Democrat-Alabama). 1942 - Birth of Galina A Kulakova USSR, nordic skier (Olympics-3 golds-1972, holds 9 world titles). 1943 - Birth of Terry Knight rock vocalist (Gloria, Terry Knight and the Pack). 1944 - Birth of Gene Parsons Los Angeles California, rock drummer (Byrds, Gene Clark Group). 1944 - Boleslaw Wallek-Walewski composer, dies at age 59. 1944 - Pope Pius XII publishes encyclical Orientals Ecclesiae. 1945 - Battleship Admiral Scheer sinks British aircraft carrier. 1945 - Birth of Gus Hardin [Carol Ann Blankenship], Tulsa Oklahoma, country singer. 1945 - Dietrich Bonhoeffer German theologist/antifascist, hanged. 1945 - Hans Oster German Major-General/spy, "July 20th plot", hanged. 1945 - Hans von Dohnanyi "July 20th plotter", hanged. 1945 - Liberty ship at Bari Italy carrying aerial bombs explodes, kills 360. 1945 - NFL requires players to wear long stockings. 1945 - Theodor Haecker German cultural philosopher (Mensch?), dies at age 65. 1945 - Wilhelm Canaris Admiral/headed Germany Abwehr, hanged. 1946 - Birth of Alan [Philip Eric] Knott Belvedere Kent England, great English cricket wicketkeeper (1967-81). 1946 - Birth of Les Gray vocalist (Mud-The Cat Crept In). 1946 - Birth of Philip Wright rocker (Paper Lace). 1946 - Stanley Cup: Montreal Canadiens beat Boston Bruins, 4 games to 1. 1947 - Atomic Energy Commission is formed. 1947 - Baseball suspends Brooklyn Dodger Leo Durocher for one year. 1947 - Konrad Friedrich Noetel composer, dies at age 43. 1947 - Tornadoes striking West Texas and Oklahoma kill 169, injuring 1,300. 1948 - Birth of Chico Ryan Arlington Massachusetts, rock vocalist (Sha Na Na). 1948 - Jorge Elecier Gaitán Colombian politician, murdered. 1949 - Birth of Steve Gadd jazz drummer (Triplet Hop, Complex Jazz). 1949 - United Nations International Court of Justice held Albania responsible for incidents in Corfu Channel and awards Britain damages. 1950 - 14th Golf Masters Championship: Jimmy Demaret wins, shooting a 283. 1950 - 4th Tony Awards: Cocktail Party and South Pacific win. 1950 - Birth of Ehtesham-ud-din cricketer (Pakistani pace bowler in five Tests 1980-82). 1950 - Birth of Kenneth D Cockrell Austin Texas, astronaut (STS 56, 69, 80). 1950 - Birth of Nathan Cook Philadelphia Pennsylvania; actor (Milton-White Shadow, Billy-Hotel). 1950 - Bob Hope's first TV appearance. 1951 - Sadiq Hidajat Persian writer (Hadji Aga), dies. 1951 - Vilhelm F K Bjerknes Norwegian/US physicist/meteorology, dies at age 89. 1952 - Birth of Magnar Am composer. 1952 - Popular uprising in Bolivia. 1953 - "TV Guide" publishes first issue. 1953 - Birth of Hal Ketchum Greenwich New York, country singer (Small Town Saturday Night). 1953 - Jomo Kenyatta sentenced to 7 years in Kenya. 1954 - Birth of Dennis Quaid Houston Texas; actor (Big Easy, Dreamscape, Right Stuff). 1954 - Philip Greeley Clapp composer, dies at age 65. 1955 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site. 1957 - Birth of Ednita Nazario in Ponce, Puerto Rico; Spanish singer. 1957 - Birth of Sevériano Ballesteros in Spain; golfer (British Open 1979, 1984, 1988). 1957 - Suez Canal cleared for all shipping. 1958 - Birth of Tony Sibson; boxer. 1959 - 13th NBA Championship: Boston Celtics sweep Minnesota Lakers in four games; this is Celtics' 8th consecutive title. 1959 - Baltimore Orioles pull their second triple play (3-6-3 vs Washington Senators). 1959 - Bill Sharman hits an NBA record 56 consecutive foul shots. 1959 - Birth of Dave Innis in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, USA; country singer (Restless Heart - "Wheels"). 1959 - Frank Lloyd Wright, US architect (Guggenheim Museum, New York), dies at age 89. 1959 - NASA names first seven astronauts for Project Mercury. 1960 - 14th NBA Championship: Boston Celtics beat Saint Louis Hawks, 4 games to 3; this is Celtics' 9th consecutive title. 1960 - South African premier Verwoerd wounded in battle. 1961 - Birth of Kirk McCaskill in Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada; pitcher (Chicago White Sox). 1961 - Birth of Mark Kelly in Dublin, Ireland; rock keyboardist (Marillion - "Real to Reel"). 1961 - Zog I [Ahmed Zogu], King of Albania (1925-39), dies at age 65. 1962 - 26th Golf Masters Championship: Arnold Palmer wins, shooting a 280. 1962 - 34th Academy Awards - West Side Story, Sophia Loren and Max Schell win. 1962 - Arnold Palmer wins his third Masters golf tournament. 1962 - Birth of Freddie Joe Nunn; NFL defensive end (Indianapolis Colts). 1962 - Birth of Jeff Turner; NBA forward (Vancouver Grizzlies). 1962 - US President John Kennedy throws out first ball at Washington DC's new Stadium. 1962 - Juan Belmonte, famed bullfighter, dies at age 70. 1963 - Sir Winston Churchill is proclaimed an honorary U.S. citizen, in White House ceremony. 1964 - Birth of Shane Robinson in Adelaide, South Australia; Australasia golfer. 1965 - First baseball game at Houston Astrodome, Houston Astros beat New York Yankees 2-1 in exhibition as Mickey Mantle hits first indoor homerun. 1965 - The Beatles' song "Ticket to Ride" is released in United Kingdom. 1965 - Birth of Hal Morris in Fort Rucker, Alabama, USA; infielder (Cincinnati Reds). 1965 - Birth of Helen Alfredsson in Goteborg, Sweden; LPGA golfer (1993 Dinah Shore). 1965 - Birth of Paolo Cane in Italy; tennis star. 1965 - Birth of Paulina Porizkova in Prostejov, Czechoslovakia; model/Sports Illustrated swimsuit covergirl. 1965 - India and Pakistan engage in border fight. 1966 - Anaheim Stadium for the California Angels opens. 1966 - Birth of Cynthia Nixon in New York City, New York, USA; actress (Addams Family Values, The Pelican Brief). 1966 - Birth of Oliver Barnett; NFL defensive end (San Francisco 49ers). 1966 - Sophia Loren marries married Carlo Ponti in Paris, France. 1966 - Sutan Sjahrir, premier of Indonesia (1945-47), dies at age 57. 1967 - First Boeing 737 rolls out. 1967 - 31st Golf Masters Championship: Gay Brewer Jr wins, shooting a 280. 1967 - Birth of Graeme Lloyd in Australia; pitcher (New York Yankees, Milwaukee Brewers). 1967 - Shortwave broadcaster Radio New York Worldwide's transmitter burns down. 1968 - Birth of Janne Ojanen in Tampere, Finland; hockey forward (Team Finland). 1968 - Birth of Terry Brands in Omaha, Nebraska, USA; 125.5 pounds/57 kg freestyle wrestler/identical twin of Tom (Olympics-1996). 1968 - Birth of Tom Brands in Omaha, Nebraska, USA; 136.5 pounds/62 kg freestyle wrestler/identical twin of Terry (Olympics-gold-1996). 1968 - German Democratic Republic adopts constitution. 1968 - Martin Luther King Jr buried in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. 1968 - Minnesota North Stars' Wayne Connelly is first to score on a Stanley Cup penalty shot. 1969 - First flight of Concorde 002 (Filton-Bristol). 1969 - Birth of Amy Feng in Tianjin, China; US table tennis player (Olympics-1996). 1969 - Birth of Karl Krikken; cricketer (Derbyshire 1989-, wicketkeeper). 1969 - Birth of Timothy Young in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; rower (Olympics-silver-1996). 1969 - Chicago Cubs' Billy Williams hits four consecutive doubles, beat Philadelphis Phillies 11-3. 1970 - Birth of Chuck Bradley; Canadian Football League/WLAF tackle (British Columbia Lions, Barcelona Dragons). 1970 - Birth of Neal Caloia in Torrance, California, USA; free pistol (Olympics-1996). 1970 - Birth of Olaf Kolzig in Johannesburg, South Africa; NHL goalie (Team Germany, Washington Capitals). 1970 - Paul McCartney announces official split of the Beatles. 1971 - Birth of Anthony Redmon; NFL guard (Arizona Cardinals). 1971 - Birth of Austin Peck in Hawaii, USA; actor (Austin Reed - Days of Our Lives). 1971 - Birth of Derwin Gray; NFL center (Indianapolis Colts). 1971 - Birth of James Hundon; wide receiver (Cincinnati Bengals). 1971 - Birth of Mujaahid Maynard in Brooklyn, New York, USA; 105.5 pounds/48 kg greco-roman wrestler (Olympics-1996). 1971 - Birth of Wang Yang; youngest Olympic record breaker at age 17 (Olympics-1988). 1972 - Sugar opens at Majestic Theater in New York City for 506 performances. 1972 - 36th Golf Masters Championship: Jack Nicklaus wins, shooting a 286. 1972 - Birth of Brian DeMarco; NFL tackle (Jacksonville Jaguars). 1972 - Birth of Craig Jones; Australian rower (Olympics-1996). 1972 - Birth of Jeff Wilkins; kicker (Saint Louis Rams). 1972 - Birth of Jeffrey van As; soccer player (MVV). 1972 - Birth of Karen Clark in Calgary, Alberta, Canada; synchronized swimmer (Olympics-silver-1996). 1972 - Glenn Turner (259) and Terry Jarvis make 387 opening cricket stand vs West Indies. 1972 - USSR and Iraq sign friendship treaty. 1973 - 37th Golf Masters Championship: Tommy Aaron wins, shooting a 283. 1973 - Netherlands recognizes North Vietnam. 1973 - Otto Kerner, former Governor of Illinois, convicted for his role in an illegal racetrack scheme. 1974 - Birth of Ben Bordelon; tackle (San Diego Chargers). 1974 - Birth of Kevin Mathis; cornerback (Dallas Cowboys). 1974 - Birth of Sharon Pelletier in Madawaska, Maine, USA; Miss Maine-America (1996). 1974 - San Diego Padres' owner Ray Kroc addresses fans "Ladies and gentlemen, I suffer with you. I've never seen such stupid baseball playing in my life". 1976 - Akio Yashiro, composer, dies at age 46. 1976 - Phil Ochs, singer/producer (Draft Dodger Rag, Joe Hill), commits suicide at age 35. 1976 - US and Russia agree on the size of nuclear tests for peaceful use. 1977 - Communist party legally allowed in Spain after 40 years. 1978 - 42nd Golf Masters Championship: Gary Player wins, shooting a 277. 1978 - Milwaukee Brewers sweep Baltimore Orioles 11-3, 16-3, and 13-5 (each with a grand slam). 1978 - Denver Nuggets' David Thompson scores 73 points and San Antonio Spurs' George Gervin scores 63 points in seperate NBA games (33 in one quarter). 1979 - 51st Academy Awards - The Deer Hunter, Jon Voight and Jane Fonda win. Walter Lantz is given an honorary Oscar for his animated motion pictures. 1979 - Birth of Keshia Knight Pulliam in Newark, New Jersey; actress (Rudy - Crosby). 1979 - Longest doubles ping-pong match of 101 hours begins. 1979 - Staats Cotsworth dies at age 71. 1980 - Los Angeles Kings tie NHL record with two shorthanded playoff goals in a period vs New York Islanders. 1980 - Soyuz 35 carries two cosmonauts to Salyut 6. 1980 - Belgium's Marten's government resigns. 1980 - Birth of Kristin Lee in Bethesda, Maryland; rhythmic gymnast (US team-1996). 1981 - Birth of Eric Harris; American murderer (dies 1999). 1981 - Los Angeles Dodgers' Fernando Valenzuela's first start, beats Houston Astros 2-0. 1981 - US submarine George Washington rams Japanese freighter Nisso Maru. 1981 - Birth of Ireneusz Jelen; Polish footballer. 1981 - Birth of Milan Bartovic; Slovak hockey player. 1982 - Los Angeles Lakers block 21 Denver Nuggets' shots setting NBA regulation game record. 1982 - Robert H G Havemann, German chemist/dissident, dies. 1982 - Wilfrid Pelletier, symphony conductor (Voice of Firestone), dies at age 85. 1983 - 6th Space Shuttle Mission-Challenger 1 returns to Earth. 1983 - Birth of Clint Dempsey; American soccer player. 1984 - Birth of Adam Loewen, Canadian pitcher. 1984 - Basil Henry Blackwell, British publisher, dies. 1985 - Birth of Tomohisa Yamashita; Japanese singer. 1985 - Chicago White Sox pitcher Tom Seaver starts a record 15th opening day game. 1986 - Dallas TV show announces it will revive the killed Bobby Ewing character. 1986 - Birth of Leighton Meester; American actress. 1986 - Jean Mogin, Belgian poet, dies at age 64. 1987 - Birth of Jesse McCartney; American singer and actor. 1987 - For third time, Wayne Gretzky scores 7 goals in a Stanley Cup game. 1987 - Wayne Gretzky passes Jean Beliveau as all time playoff scoring champion. 1988 - Les Miserables opens at Umeda-Koma Theatre, Osaka, Japan. 1988 - Brook Benton, singer (Just a Matter of Time), dies of meningitis at age 56. 1988 - New Jersey Devils 3-0 over New York Islanders-Devils lead 2-1 in first round. 1988 - US imposes economic sanctions on Panamá. 1989 - 53rd Golf Masters Championship: Nick Faldo wins, shooting a 283. 1989 - Patti Rizzo wins LPGA Red Robin Kyocera Inamori Golf Classic. 1989 - Rickey Henderson steals his 800th career base in New York Yankees' 4-3 loss to Cleveland Indians. 1989 - Scott Hoch chokes on 18-inch putt and loses Masters golf tournament. 1989 - Washington DC march supporting 1973 Roe vs Wade decision (allowing abortions). 1989 - Georgian demonstrators are massacred by Red Army soldiers in Tbilisi's central square during a peaceful rally; 20 citizens are killed, many injured. 1990 - Capital News starring Lloyd Bridges premieres on ABC-TV. 1990 - Birth of Marston Glenn Hefner son of Hugh Hefner and Kimberley Conrad. 1990 - Don Mattingly signs a US$19.7 million 5-year contract with the New York Yankees. 1990 - New York Islanders beat New York Rangers 4-3 in double overtime-Rangers lead 2-1. 1990 - World's largest bunny hop at Radio City Music Hall (New York City). 1990 - Birth of Kristen Stewart, American actress. 1990 - Houston Astros' Glen Davis is hit by a pitch three times, tying a major league record, in a 8-4 Opening Day loss to the Cincinnati Reds. 1991 - The Supreme Council of the Republic of Georgia declares independence. 1991 - Maurice Binder, title designer (James Bond Movies), dies at age 73. 1991 - Release of Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0. 1992 - "Redwood Curtain" opens at Nederlander theater on Broadway. 1992 - Gale McGee, senator (Wyoming, 1959-77), dies at age 77. 1992 - John Major, (Conservative Party) elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. 1992 - A Miami, Florida jury convicts former Panamanian ruler Manuel Noriega on 8 of 10 drug and racketeering charges. 1992 - Record 18 golfers shoot in the 60s in Masters round one (old record 12). 1992 - Ruth Hammond dies in her sleep at age 96. 1992 - William O Studeman becomes deputy director of US Central Intelligence Agency. 1993 - Colorado Rockies first home game and first victory, 11-4 over Montreal Expos. 1993 - Wouter Perquin, journalist/Dutch Member of Parliament (KVP), dies at age 74. 1994 - BPAA US Open won by Justin Hromek. 1994 - Cornelis N "Cor" van Dis Jr, Dutch Member of Parliament (1971-94), dies at age 71. 1994 - Keith Watson, British comic strip artist (Dan Dare), dies at age 59. 1994 - Marcel Ichac, French alpinist/director (Karakoram), dies at age 87. 1994 - Raouf Khayrat, Egyptian General-Major, murdered. 1994 - STS-59 (Endeavour) launches into orbit. 1994 - Singer Wayne Newton (52) weds attorney Kathleen McCrone (30). 1995 - "Translations" closes at Plymouth Theater in New York City after 25 performances. 1995 - 59th Golf Masters Championship: Ben Crenshaw wins, shooting a 274. 1995 - James Bullock, colliery manager, dies at age 92. 1996 - James William Rouse, US builder (shopping malls), dies at age 81. 1996 - Maisie Fitter, editor/conservationist, dies at age 83. 1996 - Richard Thomas Condon, author, dies at age 81. 1996 - Sandy Becker, New York City Kiddie TV Show host (Sandy Becker Show), dies at age 74. 1997 - Helene Hanff, author (84 Charing Cross Road), dies at age 80. 1997 - Major League Soccer announces Miami and Chicago expansion. 1997 - NFL announces it will give $3 million to Canadian Football League and possible "World Classic Bowl". 1997 - Soundgarden announces the band's break-up. 1998 - Birth of Elle Fanning, American actress. 1999 - Ibrahim Baré Maînassara, president of Niger, is assassinated. 2001 - The Cincinnati Reds defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-2 in the first game at PNC Park, the first two-deck stadium built in the U.S. since Milwaukee County Stadium opened in 1953. 2001 - Death of Willie Stargell, from kidney failure at age 61 (born 1940); American baseball (Pittsburgh Pirates) player. 2002 - Death of Leopold Vietoris, Austrian mathematician (born 1891). 2002 - The funeral of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother takes place in Westminster Abbey, London. 2003 - U.S. forces seize control of Baghdad, ending the regime of Saddam Hussein. 2005 - Tens of thousands of demonstrators, many of them supporters of Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr, march through Baghdad denouncing the U.S. occupation of Iraq, two years after the fall of Saddam Hussein, and rally in the square where Hussein's statue was toppled in 2003. 2005 - The marriage of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles takes place, after being briefly postponed after the Pope's death. Camilla assumes the titles Her Royal Highness and The Duchess of Cornwall. 2006 - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is removed from office after four months in a coma. 2006 - Hungarian parliamentary election. 2007 - Death of AJ Carothers, American writer (born 1931). 2008 - Kosovo's parliament adopts a new constitution, which is to come into force on June 15. 2008 - The Venezuelan government announces it will re-nationalize the Sidor steel complex. 2008 - General elections in South Korea: Lee Myung-bak's Grand National Party wins 153 of 299 seats in the National Assembly. 2008 - US intelligences sources report the death of Abu Obaidah al-Masri, the militant chief of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, within the last two months. 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