Today In History
Historical Events
1637 – Puritan reformist preacher Anne Hutchinson is tried in Massachusetts Bay Colony as a heretic, found guilty and banished
1914 – First issue of The New Republic magazine is published
1943 – Last scoreless tie in the NFL, Detroit Lions 0, NY Giants 0
1978 – Boston Red Sox Jim Rice wins AL MVP
2020 – Rudy Giuliani holds infamous Trump Campaign press conference at Four Seasons Total Landscaping in Philadelphia to contest the US election results
Famous Birthdays
1866 – Paul Lincke, German composer and theater conductor considered the “father” of the Berlin operetta (Frau Luna, Lysistrata), born in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia (d. 1946)
1903 – Albert Helman [Lou Lichtveld], Suriname politician and novelist, born in Paramaribo, Suriname (d. 1996)
1907 – Maurits Mok, Dutch author and poet (Cheese and Bread Game; The Railroad Strike), born in Haarlem, Netherlands (d. 1989)
1972 – Jimmy Gary Jr., American NFL running back (Seattle Seahawks), born in Stuart, Florida
1986 – Andy Hull, American singer-songwriter, and guitarist (Manchester Orchestra – “The Gold”), born in Atlanta, Georgia
Famous Deaths
1857 – Charles Zeuner, German-American composer and organist, dies at 62
1957 – Roy Worters, Canadian Hockey HOF goaltender (Hart Memorial Trophy 1929; Vezina Trophy 1931; NY Americans), dies at 57
1975 – John Carmel Heenan, British clergyman, Catholic Cardinal (Archbishop of Westminster, 1963-75), dies of a heart attack at 70
2006 – Bryan Pata, American football defensive tackle (University of Miami) (murdered) (b. 1981)
2017 – Roy Halladay, American Baseball HOF pitcher (8 x MLB All-Star, Cy Young Award 2003, 10; perfect game 2010; postseason no-hitter 2010; Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies), died when piloting a plane under influence of painkillers, sleeping pills at 40
Historical Events
1742 – Empress Elizabeth of Russia proclaims her nephew Peter of Holstein-Gottorp (later Peter III) her heir
1909 – Knights of St Peter Claver founded in Mobile, Alabama; Ladies Auxiliary formed in 1922
1914 – German Chinese concession of Kiaochow Bay and its center at Tsingtao are captured by Japanese forces
1916 – Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolayevich warns Tsar of uprising
1921 – Ed Wynn’s musical revue “The Perfect Fool” premieres in NYC
1997 – “Bean” film directed by Mel Smith and starring Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean opens in the US
2012 – 48 people are killed by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake in Guatemala
2018 – He world’s oldest figurative painting of a beast at least 40,000 years old is discovered in Lubang Jeriji Saléh cave in Indonesian Borneo
Famous Birthdays
1598 – Francisco Zurbarán, Spanish painter, born in Fuente de Cantos, Spain (d. 1664)
1728 – James Cook, British explorer, navigator and cartographer who was the first European to explore much of Australia, the Pacific Islands and New Zealand, born in Marton, Yorkshire, England (d. 1779)
1846 – Ignaz Brull, Moravain-born composer, born in Prostějov, Moravia (d. 1907)
1847 – (Charlotte) “Lotta” Crabtree, American stage actress, comedian (Little Nell and the Marchioness), and philanthropist, born in New York City (d. 1924)
1876 – Ted Arnold, English cricketer (England all-rounder in 10 Tests 1903-05), born in Withycombe Raleigh, Devon (d. 1942)
1933 – Ernie Michie, Scottish rugby union lock (15 caps; 2 caps British and Irish Lions; Barbarians FC; London Scottish RUFC, Leicester Tigers RUFC), born in Aberdeen, Scotland (d. 2021)
1942 – Jean Shrimpton, British model and actress (Privilege; Beaton by Bailey; Something Nice to Eat), and the world’s first supermodel, born in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England
1964 – Gill Holland, Norwegian-American producer (Hurricane Streets), born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
1966 – Murphy Su’a, New Zealand cricket pace bowler (NZ left-arm of Samoan parents), born in Whanganui, New Zealand
1980 – Gervasio Deferr, Spanish gymnast (Olympic gold 2000, 2004), born in Premià de Mar, Barcelona
Famous Deaths
1859 – Carl Gottlieb Reissiger, German kappelmeister and composer, dies at 61
1958 – Florence Walrath, American adoption agency founder (The Cradle), dies at 81
1975 – John Carmel Heenan, British clergyman, Catholic Cardinal (Archbishop of Westminster, 1963-75), dies of a heart attack at 70
1978 – Gene Tunney, American boxer (world heavyweight champion 1926-28), dies at 80
1984 – George Mathews, American stage and screen character actor (The Eve of St. Mark; Glynis – “Chick”), dies of heart disease at 73
2000 – Ingrid, Queen Mother of Denmark, Wife of King Frederik IX, ruler of Denmark (1947-72), dies at 90
2004 – [Harold] Howard Keel, American actor, singer (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers; Kiss Me Kate), and president of the Screen Actors Guild (1958-59), dies of cancer at 87
2006 – Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber, French journalist (b. 1924)
2007 – Earl Dodge, American politician (Prohibition Party) (b. 1932)
2023 – Federico Sacchi, Argentine soccer central defender (15 caps; Newell’s Old Boys, Racing Club, Boca Juniors), dies at 87