This Day in History
January 23

Copyright © 2006-2024 Ken Polsson
internet e-mail: ken@kpolsson.com
URL: http://kpolsson.com/thisday/
(this URL will automatically re-direct to the file containing a single day's events)

What happened in history on this day: January 23?

On January 23 in ...

  • 638 - Start of Islamic calendar.
  • 1002 - Death of Otto III, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire at age 21 in Viterbo, Italy (born in Germany in 980). King of the Germans 983+, crowned Holy Roman Emperor 996.
  • 1265 - First English Parliament formally convened (some authorities).
  • 1356 - Margaretha of Bavaria Empress of Germany, dies.
  • 1490 - First printing of Ramban's Sha'ar ha-Gemul.
  • 1492 - "Pentateuch" (Jewish holy book) first printed.
  • 1516 - Ferdinand II king of Aragon/Sicily, dies at age 63.
  • 1548 - Bernardo Pisano composer, dies at age 57.
  • 1552 - Second version of Book of Common Prayer becomes mandatory in England.
  • 1556 - In Shensi Province, China, a magnitude 8.0 earthquake occurs. Worst death toll in history: 830,000 deaths.
  • 1570 - Earl of Moray, regent of Scotland, assassinated; civil war breaks out.
  • 1571 - Queen Elizabeth I opens Royal Exchange in London.
  • 1574 - Birth of Lucas I Franchoys Belgian painter.
  • 1579 - Union of Utrecht signed, forming protestant Dutch Republic.
  • 1637 - Dutch Governor Johan Mauritius lands in Pernambuco Brazil.
  • 1639 - Francisco Maldonado da Silva Solis Peruvian poet, burned at stake.
  • 1643 - Sir Thomas Fairfax takes Leeds for the Parliamentarians.
  • 1647 - Scottish Presbyterians sell captured Charles I to English parliament.
  • 1648 - Francisco de Rojas Zorrilla Spanish poet (Del Rey Abajo), dies at age 40.
  • 1663 - King Louis XIV affirms covenant with Rÿnstaten.
  • 1668 - England, Netherlands and Sweden signs Triple Alliance against French.
  • 1719 - Principality of Liechtenstein created within Holy Roman Empire.
  • 1723 - Georg Friedrich Händel's opera "Ottone" premieres in London.
  • 1730 - Birth of Joseph Hewes US merchant (Declaration of Independence signer).
  • 1761 - Birth of Friedrich von Matthison German poet (Adelaide).
  • 1762 - Birth of Christian A Vulpius Germany, writer (Rinaldo Rinaldini).
  • 1765 - Commodore John Byron takes formal possession of the Falkland Islands for England.
  • 1779 - Charles Messier catalogs M56 (globular cluster in Lyra).
  • 1783 - Birth of Stendahl [Marie Henri Beyle] in France; writer (Le Rouge et Le Noir).
  • 1785 - Birth of Carl A Agardh in Sweden; botanist/bishop of Karlstad.
  • 1789 - Georgetown, first US Catholic college, is founded.
  • 1793 - Humane Society of Philadelphia (first aid society) is organized.
  • 1796 - Armand-Gaston Camus becomes chairman of Council of 500.
  • 1800 - Death of Edward Rutledge at age 50; US attorney (signed Declaration of Independence).
  • 1806 - Death of William Pitt the Younger at age 46; Prime Minister of Great Britain (1783-1806).
  • 1812 - In New Madrid, Missouri, USA, a magnitude 7.0 - 7.8 earthquake occurs, one of the largest earthquakes in the United States.
  • 1813 - Death of George Clymer at age 73; US merchant (signed Declaration of Independence).
  • 1828 - Birth of Calvin Edward Pratt; US Brigadier General (US volunteers) (dies 1896).
  • 1830 - Birth of Gaston AA Marquis de Gallifet; French General, minister of War (1899-1900).
  • 1832 - Birth of Édouard Manet in France; Impressionist painter (Déjeuner sur L'Herbe).
  • 1833 - Birth of John Randolph Chambliss Junior; Brigadier General (Confederate Army) (dies 1864).
  • 1838 - Arnold A Buyskes, Dutch Vice-Admiral/colonial director, dies at age 67.
  • 1840 - Birth of Ernst Abbe in Germany; physicist (Carl Zeiss Optics Company).
  • 1849 - Patent granted for an envelope-making machine.
  • 1855 - In Wellington, New Zealand, a magnitude 8.0 - 8.2 earthquake occurs. Four people die, one in Wellington and three in Wairarapa.
  • 1857 - Birth of Andrija Mohorovicic in Volosko, Croatia; meteorologist and geophysicist, discovered the boundary between the Earth's crust and mantle.
  • 1861 - Agoston Haraszthy, first vintner in Sonoma Valley, imports 100,000 cuttings of 350 grape varieties from Europe.
  • 1865 - Birth of Benjamin Delmonte; theater director/actor (Black Haired Whore).
  • 1869 - Birth of Herbert David Croly; US author (Promise of American Life).
  • 1870 - 173 Blackfoot Indians (140 women and children) are killed in Montana by US Army.
  • 1875 - Charles Kingsley, English vicar/writer (Westward Ho!), dies at age 55.
  • 1878 - King Alfonso of Spain marries cousin Princess Maria de las Mercedes.
  • 1878 - Birth of Oton Zupancic; Slovenian poet (Zimzelen pod Snegom).
  • 1879 - US National Archery Association is formed, in Crawfordsville, Indiana.
  • 1887 - Birth of Miklós Kállay; premier of Hungary (1942-44).
  • 1889 - Birth of Franklin Pangborn in Newark, New Jersey, USA; actor (My Best Gal, Hats Off, Easy Living).
  • 1889 - Birth of Prosper Arents; Flemish bibliographer (Rubens-bibliography).
  • 1891 - Boudouin, prince of Belgium/count of Flanders, dies at age 21.
  • 1893 - Birth of Frank Carlson; American politician (Governor/Republican/Senator-Republican-Kansas).
  • 1893 - José Zorrilla y Moral, Spanish poet (Granada), dies at age 75.
  • 1894 - Birth of Remy Angenot; Flemish actor (Patriot/Idiot).
  • 1894 - G W Bunbury of Dublin sets shorthand record of 250 words per minute for 10 minutes.
  • 1896 - Birth of Charlotte; grand duchess of Luxembourg (1919-64).
  • 1898 - Birth of Randolph Scott; actor (Last of the Mohicans, Western Union) (dies 1987).
  • 1898 - Birth of Sergei Eisenstein in Russia; film maker (Battleship Potemkin).
  • 1899 - Birth of Joseph Nathan Kane; historian (Famous Firsts).
  • 1900 - Birth of Mary Philips in Connecticut, USA; actress (Farewell to Arms, Incendiary Blonde).
  • 1900 - Birth of Ralph Graves in Cleveland, Ohio, USA; actor (Dirigible, Flight, Dream Street).
  • 1902 - Winnipeg Victorias sweep Toronto Wellingtons in two games for the Stanley Cup.
  • 1905 - Birth of David Newell in Missouri, USA; actor (Runaway Bride, White Heat, Dangerous Curves).
  • 1905 - Birth of Konstanty I Galczynski; Polish poet (Zielona Ges).
  • 1906 - Birth of Bob Steele in Pendleton, Oregon, USA; actor (Duffy - F Troop, The Big Sleep).
  • 1907 - Birth of Dan Duryea in White Plains, New York, USA; actor (Pride of the Yankees).
  • 1907 - Birth of Hediki Yukawa in Japan; physicist (Nobel Prize 1949).
  • 1908 - Edward Alexander MacDowell, US composer (Indian Suite), dies at age 47.
  • 1908 - US and Great Britain demand end of abuses in Congo.
  • 1909 - RMS Republic passenger liner collides with off-course freighter SS Florida. 8 deaths, 750 survivors of Republic are transferred to SS Baltic. The Republic sinks 35 hours later, 55 miles southeast of Nantucket Island, possibly holding 3 million American gold eagle coins.
  • 1912 - Birth of Ank van der Moer; actress (Verkade, Dutch Comedy).
  • 1913 - Turkish Prime Minister Nazim Pasha is assassinated.
  • 1915 - Birth of Herma Bauma in Austria; javelin thrower (Olympics-gold-1948).
  • 1915 - Birth of Potter Stewart in Michigan, USA; 94th Supreme Court justice (1958-81).
  • 1916 - Temperature falls from 44 degrees F (7 degrees C) to -56 degrees F (49 degrees C) night of January 23-24, in Browning, Montana, USA.
  • 1918 - Birth of Gertrude Belle Elion in New York City, New York, USA; biochemist/drug researcher (Nobel Prize 1988).
  • 1919 - Birth of Bob Paisley; English soccer player/trainer/manager of FC Liverpool.
  • 1919 - Birth of Ernie Kovacs in Trenton, New Jersey, USA; comedian (Ernie Kovacs' Show).
  • 1919 - Birth of Nina Dumbadze; USSR discus thrower (Olympics-bronze-1952).
  • 1920 - Birth of Erbet Pawel; biographer (Kafka).
  • 1920 - Dutch government refuses to turn over ex-Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany to the allies.
  • 1923 - Birth of Florence Halop in Queens, New York, USA; actress (Florence - Night Court, St. Elsewhere).
  • 1923 - Birth of Horace Ashenfelter; American 3000m steeplechase (Olympics-gold-1952).
  • 1923 - Birth of Walter M[ichael] Miller Junior; American sci-fi author (Hugo, View from Stars).
  • 1924 - Birth of Frank R Lautenberg; American politician (Senator-Democrat-New Jersey, 1983-).
  • 1924 - Ramsey MacDonald forms first Labour government in Britain.
  • 1925 - Birth of Marty Paich in Oakland, California, USA; arranger, pianist, composer (Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Barbra Streisand, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Tormé), orchestra leader (Sonny and Cher, Glenn Campbell).
  • 1926 - Désiré J Mercier, Belgian philosopher/cardinal, dies at age 74.
  • 1928 - Birth of Eugene Monti in Italy; bobsledder (Olympics-2 golds-1968).
  • 1928 - Birth of Jeanne Moreau in Paris, France; actress (Going Places, Jules and Jim).
  • 1928 - Birth of Kees [Cornelis] Broekman; Dutch speed skater (Olympics-silver-1952).
  • 1929 - Birth of Ian Thomson; cricket player (England seam bowler versus South Africa 1964-65).
  • 1929 - Birth of John Polanyi in Berlin, Germany; Canadian chemist (Nobel Prize 1986).
  • 1930 - Birth of Derek Walcott in Saint Lucia; poet/writer (Omeros, Nobel Prize 1992).
  • 1930 - Birth of Ken Errair; singer (Four Freshmen).
  • 1930 - Birth of William Reid Pogue in Okemah, Oklahoma, USA; Colonel US Air Force/astronaut (Skylab 4).
  • 1930 - Clyde Tombaugh photographs planet Pluto.
  • 1930 - George Washington Birthplace National Monument in Virginia is established.
  • 1931 - Anna Pavlova, Russian ballerina (Diaghilew, Dying Swan), dies (born 1881).
  • 1932 - Birth of Bud Shuster; American politician (Representative-Republican-Pennsylvania, 1973-).
  • 1932 - El Salvador army kills 4,000 protesting farmers.
  • 1933 - 20th Amendment changes date of US Presidential inaugurations to January 20.
  • 1933 - Birth of Arlene Golonka in Chicago, Illinois, USA; actress (Millie - Mayberry RFD).
  • 1933 - Birth of Chita Rivera in Washington DC, USA; actress (West Side Story, Sweet Charity).
  • 1934 - Birth of Lou Antonio in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; actor (Barney - Snoop Sisters, Makin' It).
  • 1936 - Birth of Jerry Kramer; football player (Green Bay Packers), author (Instant Replay).
  • 1936 - Catholic People's Party (KVP) of Curaçao forms.
  • 1936 - Dame Clara Butt, alto singer ("Country of Hope and Glory"), dies at age 62.
  • 1937 - Karl Radek and 16 others go on trial in Soviet Union' Josef Stalin's great purge.
  • 1938 - Birth of Anatoly Marchenko in Siberia, Russia; Soviet dissident.
  • 1939 - Birth of Arlene Golonka in Chicago, Illinois, USA; actress (Millie - Mayberry RFD).
  • 1940 - Pianist Ignaz Paderewski becomes premier of Polish government in exile.
  • 1941 - Rule of government in Romania by the Iron Guard ends.
  • 1941 - Ground breaking for NACA (now NASA) Lewis Research Center.
  • 1942 - Birth of Ivan Ivanovich Bachurin; cosmonaut.
  • 1942 - Birth of Laurie Mayne; cricket player (Australian pace bowler in six Tests 1965-70).
  • 1942 - Birth of Willy Bogner Junior in Munich, Germany; film director (On Her Majesty's Secret Service).
  • 1942 - Japanese troops occupy Rabaul, New Britain.
  • 1942 - Tank battle at Adzjedabia, African corps versus British army.
  • 1943 - 66.34cm (26.12 inches) rain at Hoegees Camp, California (state precipitation record).
  • 1943 - American critic Alexander Woolcott suffers a heart attack during a radio show, and dies four hours later.
  • 1943 - Birth of Gil Gerard in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA; actor (Buck Rogers in 25th Century).
  • 1943 - Birth of William E "Bill" Gibb; Scottish fashion designer.
  • 1943 - In North Africa, British 8th Army forces capture Tripoli.
  • 1943 - Detroit Red Wings scores NHL record 8 goals in one period.
  • 1943 - Japanese Mount Austen on Guadalcanal captured.
  • 1944 - Arnold Schoenberg's Ode to Napoleon premieres in New York City, New York.
  • 1944 - Birth of Jerry Lawson; American singer (Persuasions - Under the Boardwalk).
  • 1944 - Birth of Marty Russo; American politician (Representative-Democrat-Illinois, 1975-).
  • 1944 - Birth of Rutger Hauer; Dutch actor (Blade Runner, Ladyhawke, Osterman Weekend).
  • 1944 - Birth of Sergey Belov; USSR basketball player (Olympics-gold-1972).
  • 1944 - Detroit Red Wings score 15 goals against New York Rangers and NHL record 37 points, also most consecutive goals and most lopsided game 15-0.
  • 1944 - Edvard Munch, Norwegian painter (The Scream), dies at age 80.
  • 1945 - Dutch Premier Gerbrandy, exiled in London, offers his resignation.
  • 1945 - Helmuth J Moltke, German politician ("July 20th Plot"), executed at age 37.
  • 1946 - Birth of Asif Masood; cricket player (Pakistani quick with long and erratic run-up).
  • 1946 - In Paris, France, the Court of Justice condemns Jean Luchaire to death for collaborating with Germans for personal gain.
  • 1946 - Rear Admiral Sidney W Souers, US Navy Reserve, becomes first director of US Central Intelligence Agency.
  • 1947 - Birth of Thomas R Carper; American politician (Representative-Democrat-Delaware, 1983-).
  • 1947 - Roy Park, cricket player (prolific Victorian bat and official), dies.
  • 1948 - Birth of Anita Pointer in Oakland, California, USA; rock vocalist (Pointer Sisters - "She's So Shy").
  • 1948 - Donald Bradman scores 201 in 272 minutes versus India, 21 fours 1 six.
  • 1948 - Test debut of Neil Harvey, versus India at Adelaide.
  • 1949 - Birth of Robert D Cabana in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Major US Marine Corp/astronaut (STS 41, 53, 68, 88).
  • 1950 - Associated Press picks "Miracle Braves" of 1914 as greatest sports upset.
  • 1950 - Birth of Danny Federici; keyboardist (E Street Band).
  • 1950 - Birth of Patrick Simmons; guitarist/vocal (Doobie Brothers - "Minute by Minute").
  • 1950 - Birth of Richard Dean Anderson in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; actor (MacGyver, Emerald Point NAS).
  • 1950 - Birth of Richard Gilliland in Fort Worth, Texas, USA; actor (Jonesy - The Waltons, Tom - Heartland).
  • 1950 - Birth of William Cunningham; rock bassist, pianist (The Box Tops - "The Letter").
  • 1950 - Israeli Knesset resolves that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.
  • 1950 - NFL rule changes open way for two-platoon system (offense and defense).
  • 1950 - Rebel army of captain Raymond Westerner occupies Bandung.
  • 1951 - In Los Angeles, California, the 3rd Annual Emmy Awards are presented.
    • Best Actor: Alan Young
    • Best Actress: Gertrude Berg
    • Best Children's Show: Time for Beany
    • Best Dramatic Show: Pulitzer Prize Playhouse
    • Best Games and Audience Participation Show: Truth or Consequences
    • Best Sports Program: Los Angeles Rams Football
    • Best Variety Show: The Alan Young Show
    • Most Outstanding Personality: Groucho Marx.

  • 1951 - Birth of Margaret Johnson Bailes in the Bronx, New York, USA; 4X100 runner (Olympics-gold-1968).
  • 1951 - Birth of Michael Matz; equestrian show jumper (Olympics-silver-1996).
  • 1952 - Birth of Omar Henry; cricket player (first colored player for South Africa 1992).
  • 1952 - Birth of Robin Zander; rocker vocalist, guitarist (Cheap Trick - "The Dream Police").
  • 1953 - Birth of Pat Haden in Westbury, New York, USA; NFL quarterback (Los Angeles Rams).
  • 1953 - Bobby Simpson makes first-class debut for New South Wales at age 16 years 357 days.
  • 1953 - NFL Dallas Texans become Baltimore Colts (later Indianapolis Colts).
  • 1953 - NFL's National and American conferences become Eastern and Western conferences.
  • 1954 - Birth of Edward Ka-spel; English singer/songwriter (Legendary Pink Dots).
  • 1954 - Birth of Franco De Vita in Caracas, Venezuela; Spanish singer (Extranjero).
  • 1954 - Birth of Trevor Hohns; cricket player (Australian leg-spinner 1989).
  • 1954 - Harry van Thorn chosen chairman of Dutch KVP.
  • 1954 - Longest undefeated streak in Toronto Maple Leaf history (18 games).
  • 1955 - Babe Didrikson-Zaharias wins LPGA Tampa Golf Open.
  • 1955 - Birth of Reginald Calloway; trumpet player (Midnight Star - "No Parking").
  • 1956 - Alexander Korda, English movie producer (Henry VIII), dies at age 62.
  • 1957 - Birth of Princess Caroline [Louise Marguerite Grimaldi] of Monaco.
  • 1957 - Toy company Wham-O produces first Frisbees, initially called the "Pluto Platter" (renamed Frisbee in 1958).
  • 1958 - Dictator Marcos Pérez Jiménez flees Venezuela; Larrazábal takes power.
  • 1958 - Hanif Mohammad completes 337 in 970 minutes versus West Indies.
  • 1959 - Birth of Earl Falconer; British reggae bassist (UB40 - "Red Red Wine").
  • 1959 - Birth of Tyrone Power Junior in Los Angeles, California, USA; actor (Shag).
  • 1960 - Birth of Greg Ritchie; cricket player (Queensland and Australian batsman Fat Cat Mahatma Cote).
  • 1960 - Birth of Misha McK in East Orange, New Jersey, USA; actress (Gerri - Me and Mrs C).
  • 1960 - Jacques Piccard and Donald Walsh take Swiss-built US Navy bathyscaph Trieste to a record submersible depth of 10,911 metres underwater in Mariana Trench, Pacific Ocean.
  • 1961 - Birth of Trey Junkin; tight end (Arizona Cardinals).
  • 1961 - US Supreme Court rules cities and states have right to censor films.
  • 1961 - Venezuela adopts constitution.
  • 1962 - Bob Feller and Jackie Robinson elected to Baseball Hall of Fame.
  • 1962 - British spy Kim Philby defects to USSR.
  • 1962 - Libya, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia plan to form United Arab Maghreb.
  • 1963 - Birth of Gail O'Grady in Detroit, Michigan, USA; actress (Hitman, Nobody's Perfect, NYPD Blue).
  • 1963 - Birth of Hakeem Olajuwon; NBA center (Houston Rockets).
  • 1963 - Birth of Rocco Romano; Canadian Football League guard (Calgary Stampeders).
  • 1964 - Birth of Frank Winters; NFL center (Green Bay Packers-Super Bowl XXXI).
  • 1964 - Birth of Mariska Hargitay in Los Angeles, California, USA; actress (Jesse Smith - Downtown).
  • 1965 - ABC TV debuts the musical variety The King Family Show.
  • 1965 - BPAA All-Star Tournament won by Dick Weber.
  • 1965 - Birth of Tim Berrett in Tunbridge Wells, England; Canadian 20k walker (Olympics-14-1992, 1996).
  • 1965 - Boston Celtics' center Bill Russell misses all 14 shots in loss to Philadelphia Warriors led by Wilt Chamberlain.
  • 1966 - Birth of Haywoode Workman; NBA guard (Indiana Pacers).
  • 1966 - Birth of Mike Brim; NFL cornerback (Cincinnati Bengals).
  • 1966 - Birth of Scott Fortune in Newport Beach, California, USA; volleyball player (Olympics-Gold-1988, Bronze-1992, 1996).
  • 1966 - Near Dulce, New Mexico, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake occurs. Affected almost every house in Dulce. Property damage estimated at about US$200,000.
  • 1966 - Jo van Ammers-Küller, Dutch playwright (Opstandigen), dies at age 81.
  • 1967 - Birth of Christine Parris-Washington in Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada; softball (Olympics-1996).
  • 1967 - Birth of Naim Suleymanoglu in Bulgaria; Turkish weight lifter (Olympics-gold-1988).
  • 1967 - Stan Musial is named general manager of Saint Louis Cardinals.
  • 1968 - Birth of Eric Metcalf; NFL receiver/running back (Atlanta Falcons, San Diego Chargers).
  • 1968 - Birth of Lubomir Kolnik in Skalica, Czechoslovakia; hockey forward (Team Slovakia, Espoo).
  • 1968 - Birth of Petr Korda in Prague, Czechoslovakia; tennis star (1993 Doubles-Cincinnati Ohio).
  • 1968 - Birth of Todd Scott; NFL safety (Tampa Bay Buccaneers).
  • 1968 - Joe Medwick elected to Baseball Hall of Fame.
  • 1968 - Spy ship USS Pueblo and 83-man crew seized in Sea of Japan by North Korea.
  • 1969 - Birth of Brendan Shanahan in Mimico, Ontario, Canada; NHL left wing (Hartford Whalers, Detroit Red Wings).
  • 1969 - Birth of Eric Carter; Canadian Football League cornerback (Hamilton Tiger Cats).
  • 1970 - Australia's first amateur radio satellite (Oscar 5) launched (from California).
  • 1970 - Birth of Alan Embree in Vancouver, Washington, USA; pitcher (Cleveland Indians).
  • 1970 - Birth of Jim Schwantz; NFL linebacker (Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers).
  • 1970 - Birth of Mark Wohlers in Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA; pitcher (Atlanta Braves).
  • 1970 - Birth of Marquel Fleetwood; WLAF quarterback (Frankfurt Galaxy).
  • 1970 - Birth of Richard Smehlik in Ostrava, Czechoslovakia; NHL defenseman (Buffalo Sabres, Olympics-Gold-1998).
  • 1970 - Birth of Sherman Obando in Changuinola, Panamá; outfielder (Montreal Expos).
  • 1970 - US launches second generation weather satellite, ITOS 1.
  • 1970 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site.
  • 1971 - Prospect Creek Camp, Alaska, (north of Fairbanks) reaches a US record low temperature of -80 degrees F.
  • 1971 - 4th ABA All-Star Game: East 126 beats West 122 at Carolina.
  • 1971 - Birth of Adam Parore; cricket wicket-keeper (New Zealand, first Maori Test centurion).
  • 1971 - Birth of James Logan; WLAF linebacker (Scotland Claymores).
  • 1971 - Birth of Julie Foudy in San Diego, California, USA; soccer midfielder (Olympics-1996).
  • 1971 - Birth of Kevin Mawae; NFL center/guard (Seattle Seahawks).
  • 1971 - Birth of Mark Grimmette in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; doubles luger (Olympics-1994).
  • 1972 - Ard Schenk becomes European all-round skating champ.
  • 1972 - Birth of Anthony Peterson; NFL linebacker (Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers).
  • 1972 - Birth of Gary Harrell; NFL/WLAF receiver (New York Giants, Frankfurt Galaxy).
  • 1972 - Birth of Kez McCorvey; NFL wide receiver (Detroit Lions).
  • 1972 - Birth of Tanya Harding; Australian softball pitcher (Olympics-bronze-1996).
  • 1972 - Bootlegger sells wood alcohol to wedding party-100 die-New Delhi, India.
  • 1972 - Entire population of Istanbul under 24 hour house arrest.
  • 1972 - Second NFL Pro Bowl: AFC beats NFC 26-13.
  • 1973 - 23rd NBA All-Star Game: East beats West 104-84 at Chicago, Illinois.
  • 1973 - Birth of Mark Kolesar in Minnesota, USA; NHL right wing (Toronto Maple Leafs).
  • 1973 - Helgafell, island of Heimaey Iceland erupts for first time in 7,000 years.
  • 1973 - Jordan Air crash at Kano, Nigeria kills 176 Muslim pilgrims.
  • 1973 - US President Richard Nixon announces an accord has been reach to end the Vietnam War.
  • 1974 - First edition of women's magazine Story.
  • 1974 - Birth of Glen Chapple; cricket player (Lancashire and England A pace bowler).
  • 1974 - Birth of Tiffani-Amber Thiessen in Long Beach, California, USA; actress (Saved by the Bell, Beverly Hills 90210).
  • 1975 - Birth of Nick Harmer; bassist (Death Cab For Cutie).
  • 1975 - ABC-TV premieres comedy Barney Miller, starring Hal Linden and Abe Vagoda.
  • 1975 - Birth of Kevin Alexander; NFL wide receiver (New York Giants).
  • 1975 - Karel Paul van der Mandele, director (Rotterdam Bank), dies at age 94.
  • 1975 - Ralph Kiner elected to baseball's Hall of Fame.
  • 1976 - Aleksey Vasilyevich Sorokin, Russian cosmonaut, dies at age 44.
  • 1976 - Birth of Byron Hanspard; NFL running back (Atlanta Falcons).
  • 1976 - Birth of Phil Boudreault in Copper Cliff, Ontario, Canada; boxer (Olympics-1996).
  • 1976 - Ian Redpath hits his only two sixes in Cricket Tests, versus West Indies Adelaide.
  • 1976 - Washington Capitals end 25-game winless streak (0-22-3) beating New York Rangers 7-5.
  • 1977 - $1.5-million Serge Lepage dress exhibited in Paris, France.
  • 1977 - ABC premieres miniseries Roots.
  • 1978 - 8th NFL Pro Bowl: NFC beats AFC 14-13.
  • 1978 - Belgian industrialist Haron Empain is kidnapped in Paris, France.
  • 1978 - Death of Jack Oakie at age 74; American actor (The Great Dictator, Gang Buster) (born 1903).
  • 1978 - Death of Terry Kath at age 32 of accidental gunshot wound; guitarist (Chicago) (born 1946).
  • 1978 - Death of Vic Ames at age 51 in a car crash; musician (Ames Brothers).
  • 1979 - Willie Mays elected to Baseball Hall of Fame.
  • 1980 - Birth of Theresa Kulikowski in Tacoma, Washington; gymnast (World-bronze-1995, Olympics-1996).
  • 1981 - First Richard Nixon museum opens (San Clemente, California).
  • 1981 - Death of Bobby Sherwood at age 66 of cancer; orchestra leader, musical director, host (The Milton Berle Show (1952-53), The Red Buttons Show, Quick as a Flash, Stars on Parade, Masquerade Party, The Bert Parks Show).
  • 1981 - Mike Bossy becomes first in NHL to score 50 goals in 50 games.
  • 1981 - Boston Red Sox trade Fred Lynn to California Angels for Frank Tanana and Joe Rudi.
  • 1981 - Samuel Barber, US composer (School for Scandal), dies at age 70.
  • 1981 - In Sichuan Province, China, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake occurs. One hundred fifty people killed, 300 injured and extensive damage in the Dawu area.
  • 1982 - World Airways DC-10 skids at Boston Logan Airport killing two.
  • 1982 - Hope Hampton, actress (Star Dust, Lawful Larcency), dies at age 83.
  • 1982 - Urbe Blanca (cow) produces record 110kg of milk, Cuba.
  • 1983 - Cerebral Palsy telethon raises US$14,700,000.
  • 1983 - Houston Rockets is first NBA team to be held scoreless in an overtime Portland Trail Blazers out-score them 17-0 and win 113-96.
  • 1983 - Russian radioactive satellite falls into Indian Ocean.
  • 1983 - Schöne skates ladies world record 5 km (7:40.97).
  • 1983 - Debut of TV show The A-team, with George Peppard as John Hannibal Smith, and Mr. T as Sergeant Bosco B.A. Baracus.
  • 1984 - Greatest unpaced one-hour bicycle distance, F Moser (Italy), 51.15 km.
  • 1984 - Hulk Hogan defeats Iron Sheik to become World Wrestling Federation champ.
  • 1984 - The Peace and Friendship Treaty is signed between Argentina and Chile in Vatican City.
  • 1984 - Buffalo Sabres win NHL record 10th straight road game.
  • 1985 - Birth of Doutzen Kroes; Dutch supermodel.
  • 1985 - Britains' House of Lords debate first televised.
  • 1986 - First induction ceremony for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is held in New York, USA. Inductees are Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley.
  • 1986 - Space shuttle Columbia returns to Kennedy Space Center via Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
  • 1986 - Death of Joseph Beuys, West German avant-garde artist/politician, in Düsseldorf, Germany, at age 64.
  • 1987 - Japan first exceeds military spending cap of one percent of gross national product (US$23 billion).
  • 1988 - 45th Golden Globes: The Last Emperor, Sally Kirkland, Michael Douglas.
  • 1988 - 62nd Australian Women's Tennis: Steffi Graf beats Chris Evert (6-1, 7-6).
  • 1988 - Bob Benoit bowls first 300-point game in a televised title match.
  • 1988 - Experimental airplane Voyager, piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, completes first nonstop, round-the-world flight without refueling.
  • 1989 - Challenge to "who is a Jew" law filed in Israeli Supreme Court.
  • 1989 - NBA New Jersey Nets begin a 32+ game road losing streak.
  • 1989 - Salvador Dalí, Spanish Surrealist painter, dies in Spain at age 84 (born 1904).
  • 1990 - Allen Larkin Collins, guitarist, dies of pneumonia at age 37. Collins was one of the founding members and guitarists of Southern US rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd.
  • 1990 - Dean Jones scores twin Test tons versus Pakistan at Adelaide Oval.
  • 1990 - Mariano Rumor, Italy's Prime Minister (1968-70, 1973-74), dies.
  • 1991 - High-denomination banknotes withdrawn in USSR.
  • 1991 - World's largest oil spill, caused by embattled Iraqi forces in Kuwait.
  • 1991 - King Harald V and Queen Sonja are consecrated as rulers of Norway in Nidaros Cathedral.
  • 1992 - Freddie Bartholomew, Irish child actor (Kidnapped), dies of emphysema at 67 (born 1924).
  • 1992 - Ian Wolfe, actor (Houdini, THX-1138, Homebodies), dies at age 95.
  • 1992 - Simon Brand, South African banker/adviser to President De Klerk, dies.
  • 1993 - 50th Golden Globes: Scent of a Woman wins.
  • 1993 - Graham Gooch scores his 100th 100, on tour at Cuttack.
  • 1993 - Indian Airlines B737 crashes at Aurangabad, 61 die.
  • 1993 - Thomas A Dorsey, jazz pianist ("Take My Hand", "Precious Lord"), dies.
  • 1993 - US female Figure Skating championship won by Nancy Kerrigan.
  • 1994 - Bernie Kosar is second quarterback to throw touchdown passes in AFC and NFC Championship games.
  • 1994 - Nikolai Ogarkov, Russian marshal (Flight KAL 007), dies at age 76.
  • 1994 - Oliver Smith, US stage set designer (Guys and Dolls - seven Tony Awards), dies at age 75.
  • 1994 - Sherry Mathis, actress (Search for Tomorrow), dies of cancer at age 44.
  • 1994 - Suzanne M Blum, French lawyer (Charlie Chaplin), dies at age 95.
  • 1994 - Worldwide Day for peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
  • 1994 - Death of Brian Redhead, British journalist and broadcaster (born 1929).
  • 1996 - Chris Cairns scores 120, 96 balls, 10x4, 9x6 in Test New Zealand versus Zimbabwe.
  • 1996 - The first version of the Java programming language is released.
  • 1997 - David Waller, actor (Lady Jane, Perfect Friday, Hannay), dies at age 76.
  • 1997 - Jeremy Stephen Maas, writer/art dealer, dies at age 68.
  • 1997 - Laura "Dinky" Patterson dies during bungee jump at Super Bowl rehearsal at age 43.
  • 1997 - Randy Greenawalt, convicted killer, executed by injection at age 47.
  • 1997 - Richard Berry, lyricist ("Louie Louie"), dies at age 61.
  • 1997 - Mir Aimal Kasi receives the death sentence for a 1993 assault rifle attack outside US Central Intelligence Agency headquarters that killed two and wounded three others.
  • 1998 - Hilla Limann, President of Ghana in (1979-81), dies.
  • 1998 - Pope John Paul II condemns US embargo against Cuba.
  • 2002 - Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl is kidnapped in Pakistan, accused of being a US Central Intelligence Agency agent by his captors.
  • 2003 - Communication ends between Earth and Pioneer 10.
  • 2003 - Death of Nell Carter at age 54; actress and singer (Gimme a Break, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper).
  • 2004 - Death of Bob Keeshan at age 76; children's entertainer (Clarabelle the Clown - Howdy Doody Show YV show (1948-1952), Captain Kangaroo TV show).
  • 2005 - Viktor Yuschenko is sworn in as president of Ukraine.
  • 2005 - Death of Johnny Carson at age 79 of emphysema; host (Tonight Show TV show for 29 years).
  • 2006 - Stephen Harper wins the federal election in Canada, forming a minority government.
  • 2007 - Death of David Aaron Shayman aka Disco D, American music producer and composer (born 1980).
  • 2008 - At the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, New York, Virgin Galactic unveils the design of its next generation of space vehicles, named White Knight Two, and SpaceShipTwo, intending to take paying passengers into space on a regular basis next year.
  • 2008 - Palestinians blast holes in the metal wall along Gaza-Egypt border. Tens or hundreds of thousands of Palestinians pour through to buy supplies in Egypt.
  • 2008 - Polish Air Force EADS CASA C-295 crashes on approach to the 12th Air Base near Miroslawiec. All 20 personnel on board die.
  • 2009 - German memory chip maker Qimonda files for insolvency.
  • 2009 - South Korea's Samsung Electronics posts its first-ever quarterly loss, at 937 billion won (US$682 million).
  • 2009 - US President Barack Obama orders the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to be closed within a year.
  • 2009 - Japan launches an H-2A rocket carrying eight satellites into space; one satellite is to monitor greenhouse gases over the Earth's surface.
  • 2012 - The European Union adopts an embargo against Iran in protest of that nation's continued effort to enrich uranium.
  • 2019 - In Venezuela, thousands of people protest in favor of disputed interim President Juan Guaidó. Several people are killed, and President Maduro severs diplomatic ties with the United States.
  • 2020 - The People's Republic of China city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the initial COVID-19 outbreak, is quarantined with all scheduled public transport services and intercity flights halted.
  • 2020 - Singapore confirms its first case of Covid-19.
  • 2020 - Death of Frederick Ballantyne, 7th Governor-General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (born 1936).
  • 2020 - Death of Clayton Christensen of leukemia at age 67; author ("The Innovator's Dilemma" (1997)), professor (Harvard Business School).
  • 2022 - Military coup in Burkina Faso, by Patriotic Movement for Safeguarding and Restoration.
  • 2022 - Death of Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile at age 72 in Uganda; head of Bank of Uganda.
  • 2022 - Death of Thierry Mugler of natural causes at age 73 at home in Vincennes, France; fashion designer (Madonna, David Bowie, Beyoncé).

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