This Day in History
February 18

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: February 18?

On February 18 in ...

  • 999 - Gregory V [Bruno] first German Pope, dies.
  • 1129 - Jerusalem taken by Emperor Frederik II.
  • 1217 - Alexander Neckum de Sancto Albano English encyclopedist, dies at age 59.
  • 1397 - Enguerrand VII French master of Coucy/count of Soissons, dies at age 56.
  • 1404 - Birth of Leon B Alberti Italian humanist/architect (Della Pittura).
  • 1455 - Fra Angelico Italian monk/painter, dies.
  • 1478 - Duke of Clarence forced drowning in a wine barrel.
  • 1503 - Henry Tudor created Prince of Wales (later Henry VIII).
  • 1516 - Birth of Mary I Tudor [Bloody Mary] Greenwich, (1553-58), first reigning queen of Great Britain.
  • 1519 - Hernando Cortez of Spain sails from Cuba to conquer Mexico with 11 vessels, 110 seamen, 553 soldiers, 30 musketeers, 32 crossbowmen, 200 local Indians, 14 artillery pieces, and 16 horses, the first in the Americas.
  • 1535 - Agrippa von Nettesheim German royal astrologer, dies at age 48.
  • 1535 - Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim physician/theologian, dies.
  • 1536 - France and Turkey sign military/trade agreement against King Karel.
  • 1546 - Martin Luther biblical scholar/religious reformer, dies at age 62.
  • 1559 - Birth of Isaac Casaubon naturalized English classical scholar, theologian.
  • 1563 - Huguenot Jean Poltrot de Méré shoots General François De Guise.
  • 1564 - Michelangelo Buonarroti Italian sculptor/painter/architect/poet (David), dies at age 88.
  • 1574 - Zeeland falls to Dutch rebels.
  • 1609 - Birth of Edward Hyde Earl of Clarendon, English lord chancellor/Prime Minister (1660-67).
  • 1632 - Birth of Giovanni Battista Vitali composer.
  • 1634 - Ferdinand II orders execution of commander Albrecht von Wallenstein.
  • 1677 - Birth of Jacques Cassini French astronomer (rings of Saturn).
  • 1678 - John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress" is published.
  • 1688 - Quakers conduct first formal protest of slavery in Germantown Pennsylvania.
  • 1700 - Last day of the Julian calendar in Denmark, next day is March 1.
  • 1712 - Duke of Bourgondië French king Louis XIV's grandson, dies.
  • 1713 - French invade under Jacques Cassard on Curaçao.
  • 1735 - First opera performed in America, "Flora", in Charleston South Carolina.
  • 1745 - Birth of Count Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Volta physicist/inventor (battery).
  • 1745 - Bonnie Prince Charlie's troops occupy Inverness Scotland.
  • 1753 - Eleven days (February 18 to March 1) are removed from the Swedish calendar, to bring Sweden in line with the rest of Europe. The Julian lunar calendar is replaced with the Gregorian calendar based on the solar year.
  • 1775 - Birth of Thomas Girtin London, artist/watercolorist.
  • 1787 - Austrian emperor Jozef II bans children under eight from labor.
  • 1804 - First US land-grant college is chartered, Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.
  • 1805 - Birth of Louis Malesherbes Goldsborough; US Rear Admiral (Union Navy).
  • 1815 - Treaty of peace between USA and Great Britain proclaimed.
  • 1817 - Birth of Lewis Addison Armistead; Brigadier General (Confederate Army) (dies 1863).
  • 1817 - Birth of Walter Page Lane; Brigadier General (Confederate Army) (dies 1892).
  • 1817 - Giacomo Quarenghi, master builder (Hermitage Theater), dies at age 72.
  • 1828 - More than 100 vessels are destroyed in a storm, at Gibraltar.
  • 1829 - Birth of Jean Jacques Alfred Mouton; Brigadier General (Confederate Army) (dies 1864).
  • 1830 - Charles G G Earl of Merode, mayor (Brussels), dies at age 67.
  • 1833 - Birth of James Deshler; Brigadier General (Confederate Army) (dies 1863).
  • 1834 - First US labor newspaper, The Man, is published, in New York City, New York.
  • 1836 - Birth of Swami Ramakrishna AKA Gadadhar Chatterji; Indian mystic/Hindu leader.
  • 1844 - Birth of Willem Maris; Dutch painter (Hague School).
  • 1849 - First regular steamboat service to San Francisco, California starts: gold rush prospectors from east coast.
  • 1849 - Birth of Alexander L Kielland; Norwegian writer/politician (Garman og Worse).
  • 1853 - Birth of August Belmont Junior; breeder (Man 'O War)/founder (New York Jockey Club).
  • 1857 - Insurrection of Chinese in Sarawak, Borneo.
  • 1858 - Birth of Louise M A; princess of Belgium.
  • 1859 - Birth of Sholem Aleichem [Solomon Rabinowitz]; author (Fiddler on the Roof).
  • 1860 - Birth of Anders Zorn; Swedish painter/etcher/sculptor (Gustav Vasa).
  • 1861 - King Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia becomes first king of Italy.
  • 1861 - Louis C Luzac, Dutch minister of Internal affairs, dies at age 74.
  • 1861 - Confederate States of America President Jefferson Davis inaugurated at Montgomery, Alabama.
  • 1865 - Battle of Fort Moultrie, South Carolina; occupied by Federals.
  • 1865 - Evacuation of Charleston, South Carolina; USA Army General Tecumseh Sherman's troops burn the city.
  • 1865 - US troops force Confederates to abandon Fort Anderson, North Carolina.
  • 1875 - Birth of Walter Andrae; German archaeologist (Babylon, Assur).
  • 1876 - Direct telegraph link established between Great Britain and New Zealand.
  • 1877 - Birth of Betsy Ranucci-Beckmann [Theodora]; Dutch author/actress (Dead Water).
  • 1878 - Peter D Regout, industrialist (Sphinx, Maastricht), dies at age 76.
  • 1879 - Arabs capture Egyptian premier Nabar Pasha.
  • 1883 - Birth of Tom Walls in Kingsthorpe, England; actor/producer (Undercover).
  • 1884 - Birth of Burt Mustin in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; actor (All in the Family, Andy Griffith Show).
  • 1884 - General Charles Gordon arrives in Khartoum, Sudan.
  • 1885 - Samuel Clement (as "Mark Twain") publishes his novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
  • 1888 - Birth of Gladys Cooper in England, actress (Margaret - The Rogues).
  • 1889 - Birth of Sybold van Ravesteyn; architect (Blijdorp, CS Rotterdam, Utrecht).
  • 1890 - Birth of Adolphe Menjou in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; actor (Front Page, A Star is Born).
  • 1890 - Birth of Edward Arnold in New York City, New York, USA; actor (Mr Smith Goes to Washington).
  • 1890 - Birth of Lauri SA Haarla; Finnish (stage)writer (Juudas, Sukeltaja).
  • 1890 - Julius Andrássy Senior, earl/premier of Hungary (1867-71), dies at age 66.
  • 1891 - Birth of Chester Clute in New Jersey, USA; actor (Niagra Falls).
  • 1891 - Captain Archinard's army fights with Nyamina of Niger in West-Sudan.
  • 1892 - Birth of Wendell Wilkie; US Presidential candidate (Republican-1940)/author (One World).
  • 1895 - Albrecht, arch duke of Austria (Battle at Custozza), dies at age 77.
  • 1895 - Birth of George Gipp AKA The Gipper; Notre Dame football star.
  • 1895 - Birth of Semjon Konstantinovich Timoshenko; Russian marshal/people's commissioner.
  • 1896 - Birth of André Breton in France; surrealist poet/writer (founder of surréalism).
  • 1896 - Cave of Winds at Niagara Falls goes almost dry for first time in 50 years.
  • 1898 - Frances Willard, founder (Woman's Christian Temperance), dies at age 58.
  • 1899 - Birth of Arthur Bryant; English historian (King Charles II).
  • 1899 - Stanley Cup of hockey: Montréal Shamrocks sweep Queens University (Kingston Ontario) in two games.
  • 1900 - Battle at Paardeberg, 1,270 British killed/injured.
  • 1901 - Birth of Reginald Sheffield in London, England; actor (Second Chance).
  • 1901 - H Cecil Booth patents a dust removing suction cleaner.
  • 1903 - Birth of Nikolaj V Podgorny; President of USSR (1965-77).
  • 1903 - Netherlands Prime Minister Abraham Kuyper government launches anti-strike laws.
  • 1905 - Jules de Geyter, Belgian poet (International), dies at age 75.
  • 1907 - Birth of Billy Dewolfe in Wollaston, Massachusetts, USA; actor (Good Morning World).
  • 1907 - Birth of Harm van Riel; Dutch politician (Dutch Liberal Party).
  • 1908 - First US postage stamps in coils are issued.
  • 1909 - Birth of Matti Jarvinen in Finland; javelin thrower (Olympics-gold-1932).
  • 1909 - Birth of Wallace Stegner; novelist/critic (Angle of Repose Pulitzer-1971).
  • 1911 - Bill Murdoch, cricket player, dies while watching Australia versus South Africa Test.
  • 1912 - Birth of Heinz Kühn; German premier (North-Rhine Westphalia).
  • 1913 - Birth of Dane Clark in Brooklyn, New York, USA; actor (Wire Service, Bold Venture, Perry Mason).
  • 1914 - Birth of Pee Wee King in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; country singer ("Pee Wee King Song").
  • 1915 - Birth of David van de Woestijne; Flemish pianist/composer (Les Aéronautes).
  • 1915 - Germany begins a blockade of England.
  • 1916 - Birth of Jean Drapeau; mayor of Montréal, Quebec, Canada (1954-1957, 1960-1986).
  • 1917 - Birth of Phyllis Calvert in London, England; actress (Man in Grey).
  • 1917 - Death of Charles Barber; US Mint Chief Engraver (1879-1917).
  • 1919 - Cy Denneny of NHL Ottawa Senators scores record 52nd goal.
  • 1920 - Birth of Bill Cullen in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; TV game show host (over 20 different games).
  • 1920 - Birth of Volodymyr Palahniuk AKA Jack Palance AKA Jack Brazzo AKA Walter Palance in Lattimer, Pennsylvania, USA; actor (City Slickers).
  • 1921 - British troops occupy Dublin, Ireland.
  • 1922 - Birth of Allan Melvin in Kansas City, Missouri, USA; actor (Phil Silvers Show, Barney - All in the Family).
  • 1922 - Birth of Eric Gairy; premier (Grenada).
  • 1922 - Birth of Helen Gurley Brown in Portland, Maine, USA; author/publisher (Cosmopolitan).
  • 1922 - Kenesaw Mountain Landis resigns his judgeship to work for baseball.
  • 1923 - Borinage-mine workers in Belgium go on strike for higher wages.
  • 1923 - Birth of Allan Melvin in Kansas City, Missouri, USA; actor (The Brady Bunch, Barney - All in Family).
  • 1924 - Birth of Günter Haese; German sculptor/graphic artist (Guggenheim prize 1967).
  • 1924 - US female Figure Skating championship won by Theresa Weld Blanchard.
  • 1924 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Sherwin Badger.
  • 1924 - US Minister of Marine Edwin Denby ends term due to Teapot Dome-scandal.
  • 1925 - Birth of George Kennedy in New York City, New York, USA; actor (Cool Hand Luke, Airport, Blue Knight).
  • 1925 - James Lane Allen, American writer (Choir Invisible), dies at age 75.
  • 1926 - Birth of Harry "Little" Caesar; blues singer/actor (City Heat, Homer and Eddie).
  • 1926 - Birth of Len Ford; NFL end (Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers).
  • 1927 - Birth of Fazal Mahmood; cricket player (Pakistani medium-pace workhorse 1952-62).
  • 1927 - Birth of John W Warner; American politician (Senator-Republican-Virginia, 1979-), married Elizabeth Taylor.
  • 1927 - Birth of Tabe Bas; actor/opera vocalist (Leiser Wolf in Anatevka).
  • 1927 - US and Canada begin diplomatic relations.
  • 1928 - Birth of Jim McElreath; auto racer (1970 Ontario 500).
  • 1929 - Birth of Leonard Cyril Deighton; English author (Ipcress File, Fighter).
  • 1930 - Birth of Theodore C Freeman in Haverford, Pennsylvania, USA; captain US Air Force/astronaut.
  • 1930 - US astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovers planet Pluto.
  • 1931 - Birth of Johnny Hart; American cartoonist (B.C.) (dies 2007).
  • 1931 - Birth of Maxwell Thurman; US General.
  • 1931 - Birth of Swraj Paul; Indian/British industrial/multi-millionaire (Caparo).
  • 1931 - Birth of Toni Morrison in Ohio, USA; American novelist (Tar Baby, Beloved, Song of Solomon), Nobel Prize laureate.
  • 1932 - Birth of Milos Forman in Cáslav, Czechoslovakia; director (One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, Amadeus, Ragtime).
  • 1932 - Frederik Augustus III, King of Saxon (1904-18), dies at age 66.
  • 1932 - Japan declares Manchuria independent.
  • 1932 - Sonja Henie wins her 6th straight World Women's figure skating title.
  • 1933 - Birth of Bobby Robson; British soccer coach (PSV).
  • 1933 - Birth of Mary Ure in England; model/actress (Reflection of Fear, Windom's Way).
  • 1933 - Birth of Yoko Ono in Tokyo, Japan; singer, Mrs John Lennon.
  • 1933 - James Corbett (Gentleman Jim), heavyweight boxing champion (1892-97), dies.
  • 1934 - Birth of Aldo Ceccato in Milan, Italy; conductor (Detroit Symphony Orchestra 1973-77).
  • 1934 - In Seville, Spain, a house is struck by a falling meteorite and burns.
  • 1936 - NHL record 62 points scored in a game, New York Americans (28) and Montréal Maroons (24).
  • 1937 - Birth of Jeff Farrell; American swimmer (Olympics-2 gold-1960).
  • 1938 - Alida J Tartaud-Little, actress (Rotterdam Stage), dies at age 64.
  • 1938 - Birth of Barry Knight; cricket player (England all-rounder mid-60s).
  • 1938 - Birth of Manny Mota; baseball outfielder (Los Angeles Dodgers).
  • 1938 - Edward Anseele, Belgian minister of Rail, dies at age 81.
  • 1938 - Louis de la Vallée-Poussin, author (The Way to Nirvana), dies at age 69.
  • 1939 - Birth of Petronella CM "Carletta" Banning; actress (Potasch and Perlemoer).
  • 1939 - Golden Gate International Exposition opens on Treasure Island, San Francisco, California.
  • 1941 - Birth of David Blue [Cohen] in Providence, Rhode Island, USA; rocker (Cupid's Arrow).
  • 1941 - Birth of Herb Santiago; vocalist (Frankie Lymon and Teenagers - "Why Do Fools Fall").
  • 1941 - Birth of Irma Thomas [Lee]; American vocalist ("It's Raining").
  • 1942 - Japanese troops land on Bali.
  • 1943 - First edition of Dutch resistance newspaper Trouw.
  • 1943 - Henri Polak, Dutch union leader/politician (Social-Democrat), dies at age 74.
  • 1943 - Munich resistance group "White Rose" captured by Germans.
  • 1943 - William D Cox buys Philadelphia Phillies.
  • 1944 - Cincinnati Reds sign youngest baseball player, 15-year-old Joe Nuxhall.
  • 1945 - Birth of Judy Rankin in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA; LPGA golfer (Vare Trophy 1976-77).
  • 1945 - Birth of Michael Nader in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA; actor (Peter - Gidget, Dex Dexter - Dynasty, All My Children).
  • 1947 - 24 die in a train crash in Gallitzin, Pennsylvania.
  • 1947 - Birth of Carlos A Lopes in Portugal; marathon runner (Olympics-gold-1984).
  • 1947 - Birth of Dennis De Young in Chicago, Illinois, USA; vocalist (Styx - "Grand Illusion", "It's Raining Again").
  • 1947 - Birth of Eliot L Engel; American politician (Representative-Democrat-New York).
  • 1948 - Birth of Bruce Francis; cricket player (Australian opener in three Tests 1972).
  • 1948 - Birth of Carolyn B Maloney; American politician (Representative-Democrat-New York).
  • 1948 - Birth of Sinead Cusack in Ireland; actress (Waterland, Revenge).
  • 1949 - Birth of Cybill Shepherd in Memphis, Tennessee, USA; actress (Moonlighting, Last Picture Show).
  • 1949 - Niceto A Zamora y Torres, premier of Spain (1931-36), dies at age 71.
  • 1950 - Birth of John Hughes; director (The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Weird Science).
  • 1950 - Voranc Prezikov [Lovro Kuhar], Slavic author (Jamaica), dies at age 56.
  • 1951 - Three City College of New York basketball players admit to accepting bribes.
  • 1951 - Nepál becomes a constitutional monarchy.
  • 1951 - Piet A W Hopmans, bishop of Breda (Crusade), dies at age 85.
  • 1952 - In Los Angeles, California, the 4th Annual Emmy Awards are presented, hosted by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
    • Best Actor: Sid Caesar
    • Best Actress: Imogene Coca
    • Best Comedian or Comedienne: Red Skelton
    • Best Comedy Show: The Red Skelton Show
    • Best Dramatic Show: Robert Montgomery Presents
    • Best Variety Show: Your Show of Shows
    • Most Outstanding Personality: Bishop Fulton J. Sheen.

  • 1952 - Birth of Juice Newton [Judy Cohen] in Virginia, USA; singer ("Angel of the Morning").
  • 1952 - Birth of Veronica "Randy" Crawford; American vocalist ("One Day I'll Fly Away").
  • 1953 - Birth of Derek Pellicci; rock drummer (Little River Band - "Help Is On It's Way").
  • 1953 - Birth of Nico Arzbach; rock guitarist/singer (Stampei, Dike).
  • 1953 - Birth of Robin Bachman in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; guitarist (Bachman Turner Overdrive - "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet").
  • 1953 - Premiere of first 3-D feature film - Bwana Devil (New York City, New York).
  • 1954 - Birth of John Travolta in Englewood, New Jersey, USA; actor (Welcome Back Kotter, Saturday Night Fever, Grease, Pulp Fiction).
  • 1955 - Baghdad Pact signed, making Turkey and Iraq a defense alliance.
  • 1955 - Birth of Hunt Block in Washington, DC, USA; actor (Peter - Knots Landing, Ben Warren - Guiding Light).
  • 1956 - Gustave Charpentier, French opera composer (Louise), dies at age 95.
  • 1957 - Birth of Marita Koch in German Democratic Republic; 400-metre sprinter (Olympics-gold-1980).
  • 1957 - Birth of Vanna White [Rosich] in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA; TV game show hostess (Wheel of Fortune).
  • 1957 - Henry N Russell, co-author (temperature-luminosity graph), dies.
  • 1958 - Birth of Peter Koech in Kiliburani, Kenya; 3000m steeplechaser (Olympics-silver-1988).
  • 1960 - (to February 28) The VIII Olympic Winter Games are held in Squaw Valley, California, USA.
  • 1960 - Birth of Andy Moog; NHL Goalie (Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins, Olympics-Canada-1988).
  • 1960 - Birth of Greta Scacchi in Milan, Italy; actress (Coca-Cola Kid, White Mischief).
  • 1960 - Birth of Roger Wijesuriya; cricket player (bowling average 294 in four Tests for Sri Lanka).
  • 1960 - Walter O'Malley, Los Angeles Dodgers' owner, purchases Chavez Ravine for US$494,000.
  • 1962 - Birth of Gary Reasons; NFL linebacker (New York Giants).
  • 1962 - Birth of Julie Strain in Concord, California, USA; actress (Witchcraft IV).
  • 1962 - Birth of Simon Fletcher; NFL linebacker (Denver Broncos).
  • 1962 - France and Algerian Muslims negotiate truce to end seven-year war.
  • 1962 - Louise Suggs wins LPGA Saint Petersburg Golf Open.
  • 1963 - Birth of John Gesek; NFL center (Washington Redskins).
  • 1963 - Birth of Rob Andrew; English rugby player.
  • 1963 - Monte Blue, silent film actor (Apache), dies of heart attack at age 73.
  • 1963 - Todd "Hugh" Gaitskell, leader British Labour Party, dies at age 56.
  • 1964 - Birth of Kevin Tapani in Des Moines, Iowa, USA; pitcher (Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twin).
  • 1964 - Birth of Lisa Elaine Comshaw in Akron, Ohio, USA; actress (Scanner Cop, Lukas' Child).
  • 1964 - Birth of Matt Dillon in New Rochelle, New York, USA; actor (Flamingo Kid, Tex, Little Darlings, Kansas).
  • 1964 - Papandreou government takes power in Greece.
  • 1965 - 27 copper miners die in avalanche, Granduc Mountain, British Columbia, Canada.
  • 1965 - Frank Gifford announces his retirement from football for broadcasting.
  • 1965 - Gambia gains independence from Britain.
  • 1966 - Anne Anema, Dutch lawyer/journalist/politician (ARP), dies at age 94.
  • 1966 - Birth of Kris King in Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada; NHL left wing (Winnipeg Jets).
  • 1966 - Birth of Phillip De Freitas; cricket pace bowler (in Dominica England 1986-95).
  • 1966 - Grigori Grigoyevich Nelyubov, Russian cosmonaut, dies at age 31.
  • 1967 - Birth of Colin Jackson in Cardiff, England; 100 metre hurdler (Olympics-silver-1988).
  • 1967 - Birth of John Valentin in Mineola, New York, USA; infielder (Boston Red Sox).
  • 1967 - Birth of Matt Turner; US baseball pitcher (Florida Marlins).
  • 1967 - Bob Seagren sets pole vault record at 17 feet 3 inches.
  • 1967 - Robert J Oppenheimer, creator of atomic bomb, dies at age 62.
  • 1967 - Softball pitcher Eddie Feigner strikes out six straight major league players.
  • 1968 - Birth of Tommy Tallarico; co-creator, executive producer, host of Video Games Live, musician, host of Electric Playground.
  • 1968 - 10,000 demonstrators against US in Vietnam War in West Berlin.
  • 1968 - X Olympic Winter Games close at Grenoble, France.
  • 1968 - Birth of Chris McKendry; ESPN sportscaster.
  • 1968 - Birth of Molly Ringwald in Roseville, California, USA; actress (Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink).
  • 1968 - British adopt year-round daylight savings time.
  • 1968 - David Gilmour joins rock group Pink Floyd.
  • 1968 - Sigurd Erixon, geographer (Atlas över Svensk Folkkultur), dies at age 79.
  • 1969 - Birth of Alexander Mogilny in Khavarovsk, USSR; first soviet hockey star to defect to NHL (Buffalo Sabres).
  • 1969 - Birth of Igor Larionov in Voskresensk, Russia; NHL forward (Team Russia, Detroit Red Wings).
  • 1969 - Doug Walters scores second innings century after 242 in first.
  • 1969 - Dragisa Cvetkovic, Serbian premier of Yugoslavia (1939-), dies at age 76.
  • 1969 - Palestinian Liberation Organization attacks El-Al plane in Zurich, Switzerland.
  • 1970 - Birth of Tyler Green; US baseball pitcher (Philadelphia Phillies).
  • 1970 - Desiderius A Stracke, Flemish Jesuit/literature historian, dies at age 94.
  • 1970 - US President Richard Nixon launches "Nixon-doctrine".
  • 1971 - Birth of George Teague; NFL safety (Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers).
  • 1971 - Birth of Reggie Holt; WLAF safety (London Monarchs).
  • 1972 - Birth of Lubomir Rybovic in Kosice, Czechoslovakia; hockey forward (Team Slovakia).
  • 1972 - Birth of Marc Lillibridge; WLAF linebacker (Amsterdam Admirals).
  • 1972 - Birth of Shani Lynn Nielsen in New Albany, Indiana, USA; Miss Indiana-America (1996-Top 10).
  • 1972 - California Supreme Court abolishes death penalty.
  • 1972 - Giulio Andreotti sworn in as premier of Italy.
  • 1973 - 54-kg octopus measuring 7 metres across captured in Hood Canal, Washington.
  • 1973 - Belgian Emile Puttemans runs 3000 metre indoor record 7:39.2.
  • 1973 - Franc Costello, US gangster, dies at age 82.
  • 1973 - Sandra Palmer wins LPGA Pompano Beach Golf Classic.
  • 1974 - NASA launches Italian satellite San Marcos C-2 (235/843 km).
  • 1974 - US ambassador to India Daniel Moynihan presents US$2,046,700,000 check.
  • 1975 - Birth of Scott Tucker in Birmingham, Alabama, USA; 400 metre/800 metre freestyle relay (Olympics-1996).
  • 1975 - Chivu Stoica, premier of Romania (1955-61), dies at age 66.
  • 1975 - Italy broadens abortion law.
  • 1975 - Raymond Moley, US advisor to President Roosevelt "Brain Trust", dies at age 88.
  • 1975 - Syed Nazir Ali, cricket player (two Tests for India, four wickets), dies.
  • 1976 - Birth of Chanda Rubin in Lafayette, Louisiana; tennis star (1996 Australian Open doubles).
  • 1976 - Birth of Jason Podollan Vernon; NHL center (Florida Panthers).
  • 1976 - Birth of Volker Schenk; WLAF running back (Frankfurt Galaxy).
  • 1976 - Eddie Dowling, composer (Anywhere USA), dies at age 81.
  • 1976 - Joseph Henabery, actor/director (Cobra), dies at age 88.
  • 1977 - Andy Devine AKA Jeremiah Schwartz, actor (Andy's Gang), dies at age 71.
  • 1977 - Maria Realino, teacher (Botany of Curaçao), dies at age 87.
  • 1977 - Ralph Graves, actor (Extra Girl), dies at age 77.
  • 1977 - Test Cricket debuts of Colin Croft and Joel Garner versus Pakistan Bridgetown.
  • 1978 - First Iron Man Triathlon (swim, bike ride, marathon) held, Kona, Hawaii.
  • 1978 - CBS live telecasts the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences presentation of the 20th Annual Grammy Awards.
    • Record of the Year: The Eagles for "Hotel California";
    • Album of the Year: Fleetwood Mac for "Rumours";
    • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female: Barbra Streisand for "Love Theme From A Star Is Born (Evergreen)";
    • Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male: James Taylor for "Handy Man";
    • Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Group: Bee Gees for "How Deep Is Your Love";
    • Best Pop Instrumental Recording: John Williams for "Star Wars";
    • Best Country Vocal Performance, Female: Crystal Gayle for "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue";
    • Best Country Vocal Performance, Male: Kenny Rogers for "Lucille".

  • 1978 - Charlotte Greenwood, actress (Oklahoma, Moon over Miami), dies at age 84.
  • 1978 - Derrick De Marney, actor (Inheritance, Projected Man), dies at age 71.
  • 1978 - Death of Maggie McNamara at age 49, American actress (Three Coins in a Fountain, Cardinal) (born 1928).
  • 1979 - -52 degrees F (-47 degrees C), Old Forge, New York (state record).
  • 1979 - Amy Alcott wins LPGA Elizabeth Arden Golf Classic.
  • 1979 - Birth of Julia Greville, Perth, Australia; swimmer (Olympics-1996).
  • 1979 - Miniseries Roots: The Next Generations premieres on ABC TV.
  • 1979 - NASA launches space vehicle S-202.
  • 1979 - President Zia ur-Rahmans National Party wins elections in Bangladesh.
  • 1979 - The African Sahara Desert experiences snow for 30 minutes.
  • 1980 - Gale Robbins, actress (Fuller Brush Girl, Mr Hex), dies at age 58.
  • 1980 - Pierre Elliott Trudeau's Liberal Party wins Canada's elections.
  • 1980 - Birth of Alison Rachel Fitch in Hamilton, New Zealand; swimmer (Olympics-1996).
  • 1981 - Death of John Knudsen Northrop, American airplane manufacturer (born 1895).
  • 1982 - Tina Carver, actress (Inside Detroit, Uranium Boom), dies at age 58.
  • 1982 - The Republic of Ireland general election gives a boost to Fianna Fáil.
  • 1982 - Edith Ngaio Marsh, New Zealand detective writer/producer, dies at age 82.
  • 1983 - Thirteen people are killed in an attempted robbery in Seattle, Washington.
  • 1984 - Revised concordat between Italy and the Vatican signed.
  • 1986 - San Antonio Spurs' Alvin Robertson scores NBA second quadruple double-20 points, 11 rebounds, ten assists and ten steals against Phoenix Suns.
  • 1988 - Anthony M Kennedy sworn in as US Supreme Court Justice.
  • 1989 - Sherri Turner wins LPGA Orix Hawaiian Ladies Golf Open/Itoki Pro-Am.
  • 1990 - Jane Crafter wins LPGA Phar-Mor at Inverrary Golf Tournament.
  • 1991 - The Provisional Irish Republican Army explodes bombs in the early morning at both Paddington station and Victoria station in London.
  • 1991 - Edmonton Oilers' goalie Grant Fuhr returns to NHL after season-long suspension for substance abuse and shuts out New Jersey Devils 4-0.
  • 1992 - In New Hampshire, U.S. President George H.W. Bush defeats Pat Buchanan in the Republican primary; Paul Tsongas leads the Democratic candidates.
  • 1992 - The Executive Chairman of UNSCOM details Iraq's refusal to abide by United Nations Security Council disarmament resolutions.
  • 1993 - Edward S "Ted" Haworth, US set designer (Sayonara, Marty), dies at age 76.
  • 1993 - Leslie Norman, English director/producer (Dunkirk), dies at age 82.
  • 1993 - Death of Kerry Von Erich, American professional wrestler (suicide) (born 1960).
  • 1994 - Dan Jansen skates world record 1000 metre (1:12.43).
  • 1994 - Peter Caddy, founder of the Findhorn Community, dies at age 76.
  • 1994 - Shreveport Pirates join Canadian Football League as fourth US team.
  • 1995 - Angela Kennedy swims world record 100 metre butterfly.
  • 1995 - Barb Thomas Whitehead wins Cup o' Noodles Hawaiian Ladies Golf Open.
  • 1995 - Calder Willingham, US scriptwriter (End as a Man), dies at age 72.
  • 1995 - Denny Cordel, rock music producer-Laverack, dies at age 51.
  • 1995 - John Rhea "Yank" Lawson, US jazz trumpeteer (Stormy weather), dies at age 83.
  • 1995 - Pamela Anderson (TV show Baywatch) and Tommy Lee (rock group Motley Crüe) wed.
  • 1995 - Disney releases the film The Lion King on videocassette in the US, for US$26.99.
  • 1995 - Warnecke swims world record 50 metre freestyle.
  • 1996 - An Irish Republican Army briefcase bomb in a bus kills the bomber and injures nine in the West End of London.
  • 1996 - Nicholas Beriozoff, ballet master, dies at age 89.
  • 1996 - Tendulkar scores 127 in India's Cricket World Cup win over Kenya.
  • 1997 - Enrique Peralta Azurdia, military President of Guatemala in (1963-66), dies.
  • 1998 - Death of Harry Caray, American television and radio broadcaster (Chicago Cubs), at age 77 (born 1917).
  • 1998 - Mya Than Tint, Myanmarese author, dies of brain hemorrhage at age 69.
  • 1998 - New York Rangers fire head coach Colin Campbell.
  • 1998 - Robert Merrill, songwriter ("Funny Girl"), commits suicide at age 76.
  • 1998 - Two white separatists are arrested in Nevada, accused of plotting biological warfare on New York City subways.
  • 1999 - Death of Noam Pitlik at age 66 from lung cancer; actor (I'm Dickens He's Fenster, Ben Casey, Bob Newhart, Sanford and Son), producer (Barney Miller, 9 to 5).
  • 1999 - Death of Michael Larson, Press Your Luck big money winner (born 1949).
  • 2001 - NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt is killed instantly in a crash on the last lap of the Daytona 500 while his DEI cars driven by his son, Dale Earnhardt Junior, and Michael Waltrip, finish second and first, respectively.
  • 2001 - FBI agent Robert Hanssen is arrested and charged with spying for Russia for 15 years.
  • 2001 - Death of Balthus, French painter (born 1908).
  • 2001 - Death of Eddie Mathews, baseball player (born 1931).
  • 2002 - Death of Harvey Kirck of a heart attack at age 73; news anchor (CTV National News 1966-1984, Canadian Broadcasting Hall of Fame 2000).
  • 2003 - British Airways begins a three-month trial of offering Internet satellite connections on flights between London and New York.
  • 2003 - Arsonist fires on an underground train in the city of Daegu, South Korea, kill more than 190 people.
  • 2004 - A train carrying a convoy of petrol, fertiliser, and sulfur derails and explodes in Iran, killing 320 people.
  • 2008 - Europe's major powers and the United States recognize the independence of Kosovo.
  • 2008 - General elections are held in Pakistan. The Pakistan People's Party is first by votes (88 of 268 seats), with leader Asif Zardari. Second is the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) with 65 seats, and third is the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) with 42 seats.
  • 2008 - Space shuttle Atlantis departs from the International Space Station, after delivering a European laboratory.
  • 2008 - The British government introduces emergency legislation to temporarily nationalize Northern Rock, the fifth largest mortgage bank in the UK, due to the bank's financial crisis.
  • 2008 - Death of Alain Robbe-Grillet, French writer and filmmaker (born 1922).
  • 2009 - Meseret Defar of Ethiopia breaks the world indoor record in the women's 5,000-metres at the GE Gala meet in Stockholm, Sweden, covering the distance in a time of 14:24.37.
  • 2010 - A single-engine Piper Cherokee plane crashes into a seven-storey office building in Austin, Texas, killing pilot Joseph Andrew Stack and one person in the building. The pilot left a long suicide note expressing his anger at federal tax authorities.
  • 2010 - The President of Niger, Tandja Mamadou, is overthrown after a group of soldiers storms the presidential palace and form a ruling junta, the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy headed by chef d'escadron Salou Djibo.
  • 2010 - Death of John Babcock in Canada at age 109, last known Canadian veteran of World War I.
  • 2018 - Iran Aseman Airlines Flight 3704 crashes in the Zagros Mountains, en route from Tehran to Yasuj. All 65 passengers and crew members perish.
  • 2020 - The Boy Scouts of America files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
  • 2021 - NASA's Mars 2020 mission (containing the Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter drone) lands on Mars at Jezero Crater, after seven months of travel.
  • 2022 - Wind gust of 196 km/h recorded on Isle of Wight, highest wind speed ever recorded in England.
  • 2022 - Death of Lindsey Pearlman, found dead at age 43 in Hollywood, California, USA; actor (Empire TV show, General Hospital TV show).
  • 2023 - Death of Barbara Bosson at age 83 in Los Angeles, California, USA; actor (Hill Street Blues TV show).

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