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February 11th
660BC - Traditional founding of Japan by Emperor Jimmu Tenno. 0641 - Died this day, Heraclius, emperor of Byzantium. 0731 - St Gregory II, Greek-Syrian Pope, ended his reign as Catholic Pope. 0821 - Died this day, Benedict van Aniane, saint. 0824 - St Paschal I ended his reign as Catholic Pope, Italian Pope (817-24). 0867 - Died this day, Theodora, the saint, Emperoress of Byzantine. 1141 - Died this day, Hugo van St-Victor, philosopher, theologist, mystic. 1380 - Born this day, Gianfrancesco Poggio Bracciolini, in Italy, humanist. 1506 - Born this day, Juliana van Stolberg, countess of Nassau. 1531 - Henry VIII was recognised as supreme head of the Church in England. 1535 - Born this day, Gregory XIV, [Nicolo Sfondrati], Roman Catholic pope (1590-91). 1554 - Died this day, Lady Jane Grey, deposed Queen of England, beheaded after 9 day rule. 1568 - Born this day, Honore d'Urfe, French writer (L'Astree). 1573 - English explorer Francis Drake first saw the Pacific Ocean. 1575 - King Frederick of Denmark offered the island of Hveen to Tycho Brahe. 1622 - Died this day, Alfonso Fontanelli, composer, aged 64. 1638 - Dutch countess Louise van Solms married earl John van Brederode. 1650 - Died this day, Rene Descartes, philosopher, 'I think therefore I am'. 1657 - Born this day, Bernard le Bovier sieur de Fontenelle, in France, scientist, writer, French philosopher (Plurality of Worlds). 1685 - Died this day, David Teniers III, Flemish painter, aged 46. 1720 - Sweden and Prussia signed a peace treaty (2nd Treaty of Stockholm). 1732 - Born this day, George Washington, future 1st president of the USA, in Pope's Creek, Wakefield, Westmoreland County, Virginia. Married Martha Dandridge, daughter of Jonn Dandridge and Frances Jones, on 6 January 1759 in St Peters Church, New Kent County, Virginia. Martha Dandridge was born on 21 Jun 1731 in New Kent County, Virginia and died on 22 May 1802 in Mount Vernon, Fairfax County, Virginia. 1752 - Through the efforts of Benjamin Franklin, the Pennsylvania Hospital opened. It was the very first hospital in America. 1755 - Severndroog and other key towns on the coast of India were taken by the British. 1755 - Born this day, Albert Christoph Dies, composer. 1762 - Died this day, Johann Tobias Krebs, composer, aged 71. 1764 - Born this day, Marie-Joseph de Chenier, French poet (Cajus Graechus). 1765 - Wig makers petitioned George III for financial relief as the male fashion of wearing wigs came to and end. 1783 - Born this day, Jarena Lee, famous African. 1790 - Born this day, Ignaz Assmayer, composer. 1793 - England declared war on France (1793-1802). 1793 - Prussian troops occupied Venlo. 1794 - The first session of the US Senate was opened to the public. 1797 - Died this day, Antoine Dauvergne, composer, aged 83. 1800 - Born this day, William Henry Fox Talbot, English physicist, chemist, a developer of photography. 1802 - Born this day, Lydia Maria Child, US author, abolitionist (Juvenile Miscellany). Died in 1880. 1806 - Died this day, Vicente Martin y Soler, composer, aged 51. 1808 - Judge Jesse Fell experimented by burning anthracite coal to keep his house warm on this winter day in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He successfully showed how clean the coal burned and how cheaply it could be used as a heating fuel. As a result, that area of northeast Pennsylvania became an important coal mining area for generations. Those who settled in the area to work the coal mines were referred to as 'coal crackers'. 1809 - Robert Fulton patented the steamboat. 1810 - Born this day, Loisa Puget, composer. 1812 - Born this day, Alexander Hamilton Stephens, Vice President (Confederacy). Died in 1883. 1812 - Born this day, Benjamin Franklin Sands, Commander (Union Navy). Died in 1883. 1812 - Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry signed a law changing the state's electoral boundaries to ensure a Republican majority. The move gave rise to the term gerrymandering. 1814 - Norway's independence was proclaimed. 1819 - Born this day, Samuel Parkman Tuckerman, composer. 1829 - Born this day, William Anderson Pile, Bvt Major General (Union volunteers). Died in 1889. 1830 - Born this day, Peter Arnold Heise, composer. 1833 - Born this day, Melville Weston Fuller, 8th US Chief Justice. Died in 1910. 1837 - The American Physiological Society was organised in Boston, Massachusetts. 1839 - Born this day, Josiah Willard Gibbs, theoretical physicist, chemist, Yale professor. Died in 1903. 1840 - Opera La Fille du Regiment was produced, in Paris. 1840 - Born this day, Samuel Dana Greene, Lieutenant Commander (Union Navy). Died in 1884. 1841 - Died this day, J.H. Ferdinand Olivier, German painter. 1843 - Opera I Lombardi was produced, in Milan. 1847 - Born this day, Thomas Alva Edison, in Ohio, inventor. Died in 1931. 1852 - The first public toilets for men opened in London's Fleet Street in early 1852. Toilets for women opened nearby on this day in the same year, but only 82 people used them during the next 12 months. 1854 - Major streets were lit by coal gas for the first time. 1858 - Saint Bernadette of Lourdes, originally Marie-Bernarde Soubirous, first saw a vision of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes, France, leading to the foundation of the shrine of Lourdes. 1861 - President-elect Abraham Lincoln and his wife left Springfield, Illinois by train for Washington, DC. 1861 - The US House unanimously passed a resolution guaranteeing non-interference with slavery in any state. 1867 - Born this day, August W. Messer, German philosopher, educator, psychologist. 1868 - Died this day, Jean B.L. Foucault, French physicist (sway proof), discovered first physical proof of Earth's rotation. 1869 - Born this day, Helene E.L.J. Kroller-Muller, founder (Kroller-Muller Museum). 1870 - Died this day, Jacob M. de Kempenaer, Dutch min of Internal Aff (1848-49), aged 76. 1870 - Died this day, Leopold Eugen Mechura, composer, aged 66. 1873 - Amadeo, king of Spain, abdicated, leading to the proclamation of the first Spanish republic. 1873 - Born this day, Feodor Chaliapine, Russian author, novelist (Pages from My Life). 1874 - Born this day, Elsa Beskow [Maartman], Swedish children's book and fairy tales author. 1874 - Born this day, Fritz Bennicke Hart, composer. 1875 - Born this day, Sara Wennerberg-Reuter, composer. 1878 - The first US bicycle club, Boston Bicycle Club, was formed. 1878 - The met office published its first weekly weather report. 1879 - Born this day, Jean Gilbert, composer. 1879 - Died this day, Willem J. Van Zeggelen, author, novelist, writer, aged 67. 1882 - Died this day, Gustav Schmidt, composer, aged 65. 1882 - Born this day, Gheorghe Cucu, composer. 1883 - Born this day, Paul August von Klenau, composer. 1887 - Born this day, John van Melle, South African writer (Dawid Booysen). 1888 - Lobengula, King of the Matabeleland in southern Africa, entered into an agreement with the British government on mineral rights. 1889 - The Japanese constitution was granted, with a two-chamber parliament, but the Emperor retained extensive powers. The Meiji constitution of Japan adopted; the first Diet convened in 1890. 1889 - Born this day, John Mills, musician, guitarist, bassist, singer, dancer (Mills Brothers). Died in 1967. 1889 - Born this day, Vladimir Mikhaylovich Deshevov, composer. 1890 - Born this day, John P.M.L. de Vries, fairy tale writer. 1892 - Died this day, Erik Anthon Valdemar Siboni, composer, aged 63. 1893 - Born this day, Johan C.P. Alberts, literary (Festival). 1893 - A. Charlois discovered asteroid #357 Ninina. 1894 - F. Courty discovered asteroid #384 Burdigala. 1894 - Died this day, Pasqual Juan Emilio Arrieta y Corera, composer, aged 70. 1894 - Born this day, Alfonso Leng, composer. 1895 - Born this day, Viktor Nikolayevich Trambitsky, composer. 1895 - A temperature of -17 degrees F (-27.2 degrees C) was recorded in Braemar, Grampian (A UK record). 1897 - Born this day, Yves de La Casiniere, composer. 1898 - Owen Smith of North Carolina, an AME Zion minister, was named as minister to Liberia. 1898 - Born this day, Leo Szilard, in Hungary, physicist, A-bomb worker, peace activist. 1899 - A temperature of -15 degrees F (-26 degrees C), was recorded in Washington, DC (A district record). 1899 - A temperature of -61 degrees F, was recorded in Montana. 1900 - Born this day, Thomas Hitchcock Jr, polo player (Westchester Cup 1924, 1927, 1930, 1939). 1901 - Died this day, Milan I, king of Serbia, aged 56. 1902 - There was a demonstration for human rights in Brussels. 1903 - Died this day, Henryk Szulc, composer, aged 67. 1903 - Born this day, Hans Redlich, composer. 1903 - Born this day, Rex Lease, actor (Fast Bullets, Sunny Skies, Custer's Last Stand). 1904 - Born this day, Henry R. LaBouisse, headed UNICEF (1965-79). 1904 - Born this day, Keith Holyoake, New Zealand Prime Minister (1960-72). 1905 - James Blackstone of Seattle, bowled 299 - the last pin broke but stayed standing. 1905 - Born this day, [Elizabeth] Beb Vuyk, Netherlands-Indonesian writer (Camp diary). 1907 - Died this day, Peter J. Savelberg, Limburgs monastery founder, aged 80. 1907 - A. Kopff discovered asteroids #625 Xenia and #626 Notburga. 1907 - De Master's Dutch goverment resigned. 1907 - The passenger ship Larchmont sank by Block Island, 322 died. 1908 - Heemskerk's goverment began in Holland. 1908 - Born this day, Philip Dunne, director. Died in 1992. 1908 - Born this day, Josh White, singer, guitarist. Died in 1969. 1908 - Led by Thomas A. Edison, the major film-producing companies in the US reached a patent rights agreement that they said would keep competitors out of the business permanently. The agreement ended a long series of suits and countersuits arising from Edison's claims that other companies were infringing the patent for the motion picture camera, which he was awarded in 1891. 1908 - Born this day, Sutan Takdir Alishahbana, Indonesian linguistic, author, novelist. 1908 - Born this day, [Ernest] Vivian Fuchs, British geologist. 1909 - Born this day, [Maximillian Adalbert] Max Baer, in Omaha, Nebraska, boxer, heavyweight boxing champion (1934-35). Died in 1959. 1909 - Born this day, Joseph Mankiewicz, Academy Award-winning playwright, , film writer, director (Sleuth). Died in 1993. 1911 - Died this day, Albert von Rothschild, baron, Austrian banker. 1912 - Born this day, Roy Fuller, in England, poet, novelist (Lost Season). 1912 - Born this day, Rudolf Firkusny, in Napajedla, Czechoslovakia, pianist (Julliard). 1912 - A. Massinger discovered asteroid #727 Nipponia. 1913 - Born this day, Lucio Diestro, in San Pedro, composer. 1914 - Born this day, French Duynstee, states rights leader. 1914 - Born this day, Matt Dennis, in Seattle, Washington, pianist, singer (Matt Dennis Show). 1914 - Born this day, Menelaos Pallantios, composer. 1914 - Born this day, Winand J. Borgerhoff Mulder, court judge of Amsterdam. 1915 - Born this day, Haakon Stotijn, oboist. 1916 - The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra presented its first concert. The symphony was the first by a municipal orchestra to be supported by taxes. 1916 - Emma Goldman was arrested for lecturing on birth control. 1917 - Born this day, Sidney Sheldon, novelist (1947 Academy Award, 1959 Tony, Bloodline). 1919 - Born this day, Eddie Robinson, football coach. 1919 - Friedrich Ebert was elected first president of the German republic. He helped bring about the Weimar constitution that tried to unite Germany after World War I (WWI). 1919 - Born this day, Gretchen Fraser, in Tacoma, Washington, slalom skier (Olympic-gold-1948). 1920 - Born this day, Billy Halop, in New York City, actor (Bert Munson-All in the Family). 1920 - Born this day, [Francis] Daniel Galouye, US sci-fi author (Dark Universe, Last Leap). 1920 - Born this day, Faroek I [King Farouk], last King of Egypt (1936-52). 1921 - Born this day, Eva Gabor, in Budapest, Hungary, actress (Lisa-Green Acres, Gigi). Died in 1995. 1921 - Born this day, Lloyd Bentsen, (Senator-D-Texas, 1971- ), 1989 Democratic Vice President nominee. 1921 - M. Wolf discovered asteroid #946 Poesia. 1922 - The US intervention army left Honduras. 1922 - Born this day, Tudor Jarda, composer. 1922 - Died this day, Gerardus J.P.J. Bolland, philospher (Bolland Society), aged 67. 1922 - Honduras was declared an independent republic. 1925 - Born this day, Kim Stanley [Patricia Reid], in New Mexico, Emmy Award-winning actress (Frances, Right Stuff).. 1925 - Born this day, Virginia E. Johnson, psychologist, doctor, sexologist (Masters & Johnson). 1926 - Born this day, Paul Bocuse, in France, chef (Legion of Honor). 1926 - Born this day, Leslie Neilson, in Regina, Saskatchewan, US actor (Forbidden Planet, Airplane, Naked Gun, Naked Gun 2-1/2). (Frank Drebbin). (Or 1922). 1926 - Tokelau (Union) islands in the South Pacific transfered to New Zealand. 1927 - B. Jekhovsky discovered asteroid #1181 Lilith. 1927 - K. Reinmuth discovered asteroid #1111 Reinmuthia. 1928 - Born this day, Conrad Janis, New York City, actor, musician (Mork & Mindy, Quark, Bonino). 1928 - The second Winter Olympic games opened in St Moritz, Switzerland. 1929 - The Lateran Treaty, signed by Pietro Cardinal Gasparri and Benito Mussolini, guaranteed the independence of the State of Vatican City and recognised the sovereignty of the Holy See over it. 1929 - Born this day, Leonard Gregory Kastle, composer. 1930 - Born this day, Alevtina Koltschina, in USSR, cross country relay skier (Olympic-gold-1960). 1931 - Born this day, Larry Merchant, author, sportscaster. 1931 - Died this day, Charles Algernon Parsons, British inventor (steam turbine). 1931 - L. Volta discovered asteroid #1191 Alfaterna. 1932 - K. Reinmuth discovered asteroid #1220 Crocus. 1932 - Born this day, Jerome Lowenthal, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pianist, professor (Jerusalem Academy of Music). 1934 - Born this day, Tina Louise [Blacker], in New York City, actress. Played Ginger on Gilligan's Island and Julie in Dallas. 1934 - Born this day, Mary Quant, designer, in Kent, England. Working from her small boutique on London's King's Row, she will used bold makeup and short, shorter and shortest skirts to create a fashion revolution that still has not fully subsided. Among the 1960s movies that showcased her fashions are The Haunting (1963) and Georgy Girl (1966). (Chelsea Look, Mod Look). 1934 - Born this day, Mel Carnahan, Governor of Missouri. 1934 - Born this day, Francesco Pennisi, composer. 1935 - Born this day, Gene Vincent (Eugene Craddock), Rock 'n' Roll singer, in Norfolk, Virginia. Died 12 October 1971, in Hollywood, 1956 US No.7 and UK No.16 single Be Bop A Lula. 1935 - Born this day, Bent Lorentzen, composer. 1935 - A temperature of -11 degrees F (-24 degrees C), was recorded at Ifrane, Morocco (An African record low). 1935 - The first US airplane flight with a car slung beneath the fuselage, was made in New York. 1936 - Pumping began to build Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay. 1936 - Born this day, Burt Reynolds, in Waycross, Georgia, Emmy Award-winning actor, future husband of Judy Carne. His football career ended with a knee injury, so he began acting. After roles in unknown movies like Shark! and Sam Whiskey, he became a top star in the 1970s. Some of his money went into opening a dinner theatre in Florida where he directs and acts. His honours include an Emmy for his sitcom and a Golden Globe for his role as a porn director in Boogie Nights. (Dan August, Gunsmoke, End). 1937 - Born this day, Louis Boer, playwright. 1937 - A 44-day sit-down strike at General Motors in Flint, Michigan came to an end. 1938 - Born this day, Boris Majorov, in USSR, ice hockey (Olympic-gold-1964). 1938 - Born this day, Manuel Antonio Noriega, Panamanian general, dictator (-1990). 1938 - Steve Casey beat Lou Thesz in Boston, to become wrestling champion. 1938 - Born this day, Willy Correa de Oliveira, composer. 1938 - Born this day, Yevgeniy Majorov, in USSR, ice hockey (Olympic-gold-1964). 1938 - Larry Clinton and his orchestra recorded Martha on Victor Records. Bea Wain was heard warbling the vocals on the tune. 1939 - Born this day, Gerry Goffin, in Queens, New York, lyricist, songwriter of over 20 US hits with Carol King, including The Shirelles - Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, The Drifters - Up On The Roof, The Chiffons - One Fine Day, and Herman’s Hermits - I’m Into Something Good. 1939 - Died this day, Franz Schmidt, composer, aged 64. 1939 - Born this day, Jane Yolen [Hyatt], US sci-fi author (Spider Jane, Heart's Blood). 1940 - Born this day, Calvin Fowler, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, basketball player (Olympic-gold-1968). 1940 - Born this day, Bobby Boris Pickett, singer, 1962 US No.1 and 1973 UK No.3 single The Monster Mash. 1940 - NBC radio presented The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street for the first time. The famous Blue network series included several distinguished alumni - among them, Dinah Shore and Zero Mostel. The chairman, or host, of the Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street was Milton Cross. He would say things like, "A Bostonian looks like he's smelling something. A New Yorker looks like he's found it." The show combined satire, blues and jazz and was built around what were called the three Bs of music: Barrelhouse, Boogie Woogie and Blues. 1941 - Died this day, Rudolf Hilferding, German economist, Minister of Finance (SPD), committed suicide. 1941 - Lieutenant-General Erwin Garbage arrived in Tripoli. 1941 - Sicherheitsdienst complained about anti-German/NSB in the Dutch population. 1942 - L. Oterma discovered asteroid #2827 Vellamo. 1942 - Born this day, Archie, comic book character. 1942 - Born this day, Otis Clay, US gospel, R&B-singer (That's how it is). 1942 - Born this day, Sergio Mendes, Brazilian singer, musician, jazz-pop musician, 1983 US No.4 and UK No.45 single Never Gonna Let You Go. (Brazil '66/'77/'88). 1942 - Born this day, Leon Haywood, US singer, keyboardist (It's Got to be Mellow, I Wanna Do Something Freaky To You). 1943 - General Dwight David Eisenhower was selected to command the allied armies in Europe. The General's efforts in World War II (WWII) made him so popular that he was elected President of the United States less than a decade later. 1944 - Died this day, Ivan Sollertinski, friend of Russian composer D Sjostakovitsj. 1944 - Born this day, Michael G. Oxley, (Representative-R-Ohio, 1981-). 1945 - The first gas turbine propeller-driven airplane was flight tested, at Downey, California. 1945 - Died this day, J.S.H. Lokerman, resistance fighter (in Neuengamme). 1945 - The Yalta Agreement was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. 1946 - Born this day, Ray Lake, The Real Thing, 1976 UK No.1 single You To Me Are Everything. 1948 - John Costello followed Eamon Da Valera as premier of Ireland. 1949 - Willie Pep recaptured the world featherweight boxing title (126lb), by defeating Sany Sadler in New York City. 1949 - Born this day, Charlie Hargett, rocker (Blackfoot). 1950 - Born this day, Earnest Jim Istook, (Representative-R-Oklahoma). 1950 - Born this day, Rochelle Fleming, US soul singer (First Choice, Smarty Pants). 1950 - Born this day, Clarence Ellis, football. 1950 - L. Boyer discovered asteroid #1598 Paloque. 1951 - Kwame Nkrumah won the first parliamentary election on the Gold Coast (Ghana). 1951 - Born this day, Mike Leavitt, Governor of Utah. 1953 - Kid Gavilan retained his world welterwight boxing title in Chicago with a 10th-round total knock out of previously undefeated Chuck Davey. 1953 - Born this day, Jeb Bush, Governor of Florida. 1953 - Born this day, Alan Rubin, The Blues Brothers, 1990 UK No.12 single Everybody Needs Somebody To Love. 1953 - Born this day, Neil Henderson, Middle Of The Road, 1971 UK No.1 single Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep. 1953 - President Eisenhower refused a clemency appeal for the Rosenbergs. 1953 - Born this day, Philip Anglim, in San Francisco, California, actor (Dane-Thorn Birds). 1953 - Born this day, Stephen D. Thorne, in Frankfurt-on-Main, German Federal Rrepulic, Lieutenant Commander USN, astronaut. 1954 - Born this day, Catherine Hickland, actress (Capitol, Star Trek IV). 1956 - Elvis Presley appeared on American TV's Stage Show and performed Heartbreak Hotel, and Blue Suede Shoes. 1956 - Born this day, Kathleen Beller, in Queens, New York, actress (Ft Apache the Bronx). 1957 - The NHL Players Association was formed in New York City, Red Wings' Ted Lindsay was elected president. 1957 - KUMV TV channel 8 in Williston, North Dakota (NBC) began broadcasting. 1958 - Marshal Tsjen Ji succeeded Tsjoe En-lai as Minister of Foreign affairs. 1958 - WTVC TV channel 9 in Chattanooga, Tennessee (ABC) began broadcasting. 1958 - Ruth Carol Taylor was the first black woman to become a stewardess (now, flight attendant) by making her initial flight on Mohawk Airlines from Ithaca, New York to New York City. 1960 - Talk-show host Jack Paar walked off his late-night television show in protest of censorship. The censors had repressed one of his jokes from the previous night's airing. Following a meeting with network officials, Paar agreed to return on 7 March. 1961 - Robert Weaver was sworn in with the then highest federal post by a black. (Post anyone?) 1961 - Died this day, Eduard R. Verkade, actor, director, aged 82. 1961 - Died this day, Patrice Lumumba, first premier of the Congo, murdered. 1961 - The trial of Adolf Eichmann began in Jerusalem. 1961 - Born this day, Becky LeBeau, in Los Angeles, California, singer (Mischief). 1961 - Born this day, Carey Lowell, in New York City, actress (Me & Him, Guardian, Dangerously Close). 1961 - Born this day, Mary Docter, US 3000 metres speed skater (Olympics-1980, 1984, 1988, 1992). 1962 - The Beatles recorded Please, Please Me. 1962 - Born this day, Scott Kolden, in Torrance, California, actor (Scott-Me & the Champ). 1962 - An Essex schoolboy set a world record by dancing the twist non-stop for 33 hours. 1963 - Born this day, Sheryl Crow, singer, musician, songwriter, 1994 US No.2 and UK No.4 single All I Wanna Do, 1993 album Saturday Night Music Club. Worked as a backing singer on the Michael Jackson Bad tour. 1963 - Died this day, Sylvia Plath, poet, novelist (Ariel), killed herself, in London aged 30. 1963 - The Beatles had their first LP recording sessions at Abbey Road studios. They recorded 10 new songs for their first album plus four other's which would be the next 2 singles, in less than 10 hours. Lennons vocal on The Isley Brothers Twist & Shout was recorded in one take to complete the album. 1963 - The CIA Domestic Operations Division was created. 1963 - Died this day, though she was only thirty years old, Sylvia Path committed suicide by putting her head in a gas oven. Ariel, her most famous book of poems, was published two years later. 1964 - The Beatles performed their first live concert in the United States at the Coliseum in Washington, DC. Also on the same bill were Tommy Roe, The Chiffons and The Caravelles. 1964 - Greeks and Turks began fighting in Limassol, Cyprus. 1964 - Taiwan dropped diplomatic relations with France. 1965 - Beatles member Ringo Starr married his pregnant Liverpool sweetheart Maureen Cox, a former hairdresser, at Caxton Hall, a London Registry office. John Lennon, George Harrison, and Brian Epstein attended the wedding. She gave birth to son Zak the following September. After the wedding, the newlyweds went to Brighton for three days to celebrate. 1965 - US and South Vietnamese planes made the first bombing raids on North Vietnam. 1966 - Cher recorded Bang Bang. 1966 - Willie Mays became the highest-paid baseball player in either league as he signed a two-year contract with the San Francisco Giants, for a salary of about $130,000 a year. 1968 - The new 20,000 seat Madison Square Garden officially opened in New York. It was the fourth arena to be named Madison Square Garden. The showplace for sports and entertainment opened with a gala show hosted by Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. 1968 - Died this day, Howard Lindsay, US playwright (State of the Union), aged 78. 1968 - Israeli-Jordan border fight started. 1968 - Jeffrey Kramer survived a 76 metre jump off the Washington Bridge, into the Hudson River, New York. 1968 - Peggy Fleming won an Olympic figure skating gold medal, in Grenoble, France. 1969 - Diana Crump became the first US woman jockey to ride against men, Hialelah. 1969 - Dorey Funk Jr beat Gene Kiniski in Tampa, to become NWA champion. 1969 - Died this day, James Lanphier, actor (Flight of Lost Balloon), aged 48. 1969 - Born today, Jennifer Aniston, US actress, (Friends). 1969 - Born this day, Andrew Lovell, percussion, M People, 1993 UK No.2 single Moving On Up, plus over 15 other UK top 40 singles. 1969 - The Monkees set a new record when their second album, More Of The Monkees, jumped from No.122 to the top of the US chart. Staying in pole position for eighteen weeks. 1969 - Born this day, Shannon Long, in Gladstone, Australia, playmate for October 1988. 1970 - Died this day, Emil Abranyi, composer, aged 87. 1970 - On this date in 1970, from the Kagoshima Space Center on the east coast of Japan's Ohsumi Peninsula, Ohsumi, Japan's first satellite, was successfully launched into an orbit around Earth. The achievement made Japan the world's fourth space power, after the Soviet Union in 1957, the United States in 1958, and France in 1965. Two months after Japan's launching of Ohsumi, China became the world's fifth space power when it successfully launched Mao 1 into space. The satellite, named after Mao Zedong, the leader of communist China, orbited Earth broadcasting the Chinese patriotic song The East Is Red once a minute. 1970 - 26.37 cm (10.38 inches) of rainfall, fell on Mt Washington, New Hampshire (A state 24 hour record). 1970 - John Lennon paid £1,344 fines for 96 protesting South African rugby team players in Scotland. 1971 - Montreal Canadien John Believau scored his 500th NHL goal. 1971 - 40 nations signed a treaty banning atomic weapons from the sea bed. 1971 - Died this day, Whitney Young Jr, National Urban League director, drowned in Nigeria. 1972 - Died this day, John Wils, architect (Olympian Stadium, Amsterdam), aged 80. 1972 - Born this day, Steve McManaman, footballer. 1973 - Died this day, Hans D. Jensen, German physicist (Nobel prize 1963), aged 65. 1973 - The first sub 17-minute 1,500 metres female free style swim was completed by Shane Gould in 16 minutes 56.9 seconds. 1973 - The Philadelphia 76ers lost their 20th NBA game in a row. 1974 - A Titan-Centaur test launch failed. 1974 - Died this day, Anna Q. Nilsson, actress (Toll Gate, Sorrell & Son), aged 85. 1974 - Born this day, Nick Barmby, footballer. 1975 - Margaret Thatcher became the first woman leader of a UK political party, after she defeated Edward Heath for Conservative leadership. (Conservatives - Tory). They were in opposition at the time. She was aged 49. 1975 - In the Malagasy Republic, President Richard Ratsimandrava was assassinated after only six days in office. 1976 - Born this day, Brice Beckham, in Long Beach, California, actor (Wesley-Mr Belvedare). 1976 - Britain and the Organisation of African Unity recognised the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola. 1976 - Died this day, Alice Allyn. 1976 - Died this day, Charlie Naughton, actor (Frozen Limits), aged 89. 1976 - Died this day, Lee J. Cobb, actor (12 Angry Men, On the Waterfront), aged 64. 1977 - Born this day, Mike Shinoda, guitar, vocals, Linkin Park, 2002 US No.2 and UK No.4 single In The End, 2002 US No.2 and 2001 UK No.4 album Hybrid Theory. 1977 - Died this day, Louis J.M. Beel, Dutch premier (1945-47), aged 74. 1977 - A 20.2 kg lobster was caught off Nova Scotia (the heaviest known crustacean). 1977 - Clifford Alexander Jr was confirmed as the first Black Secretary of State for the US Army. 1977 - Felix Aguilar Observatory discovered asteroid #3578. 1978 - 16 Unification church couples got married in New York City. 1978 - Denis Potvin scored the 25th hat trick in Islander history. 1978 - EOKA organisation disbanded in Cyprus. 1978 - Died this day, James B. Conant, headmaster (Harvard University), aged 84. 1978 - China announced the ending of a 10-year ban on 70 renowned classical and modern international writers. Among those who had been banned, but would be read again in China, were Aristotle, Plato, Shakespeare, Honoré de Balzac, Jonathan Swift, Victor Hugo, Charles Dickens, and Mark Twain". 1978 - The Brotherhood Of Man had their third UK No.1 single with Figaro. 1979 - Iranian Prime Minister Dr. Shahpur Bakhtiar resigned after two days of fighting in the streets of Tehran. 1979 - Born this day, Brandy [Norwood], singer, actress, 1998 US No.1 and UK No.2 single with Monica, The Boy Is Mine. 1979 - The TV movie Elvis, with Kurt Russell in the title role, aired on ABC. An estimated 43 million watched. 1979 - They are Playing our Song opened on Broadway. 1980 - Born this day, Matthew Lawrence, in Montgomery, Pennsylvania, actor (Matthew-Gimme a Break). 1980 - Born this day, Natasha Bobo, in Watsonville, California, actress (Sally-Together We Stand). 1980 - E Bowell discovers asteroid #2542 Calpurnia. 1981 - Polish premier Jozef Pinkowski was replaced by Wojciech Jaruzelski. 1981 - Born this day, Kelly Rowland, Destiny's Child, 2000 US No.1 and UK No.3 single Say My Name, 2001 US and UK No.1 single and album Survivor. 1982 - U2 kicked off a 32 date US tour in New Orleans. 1982 - Died this day, Eleanor Powell, tap dancer, wife of Glenn Ford, aged 69 of cancer. 1982 - Died this day, Takashi Shimura, Japans actor (Rashomon, 7 Samurais). 1982 - Died this day, Victor Jory, Alaskan actor (Kings Row, Manhunt), aged 79. 1982 - ABC-TV's presentation of The Winds of War concluded. The 18-hour mini-series cost $40 million to produce and was the most-watched television program in history at the time, topping another ABC presentation, Alex Haley's Roots. An audience estimated at 140 million people watched one or more nights of the program. 1983 - New York City saw the fourth largest snowfall in NYC history (18 inches or 46 cm). 1983 - E. Bowell discovered asteroids 2875 Lagerkvist, #3116 Goodricke and #3594 Scotti. 1983 - N.G. Thomas discovered asteroid #3117 Niepce. 1983 - T. Seki discovered asteroid #3150 Tosa. 1984 - The 10th space shuttle mission (41-B)-Challenger 4 - returned to Earth. 1984 - Wayne Gretzky set an NHL short handed season scoring record at 11. 1985 - Jordan king Hussein and PLO leader Arafat signed an accord. 1985 - Kent Hrbek became the first player in the history of the Minnesota Twins to sign a contract for $1 million. The first baseman signed a five-year, $6-million pact at the same time that the Twins celebrated their 24th year as an American League franchise. 1985 - The Police won the outstanding contribution to British music at the fourth annual Brit Awards held in London, Prince won best solo artist. 1985 - Died this day, Heinz Eric Roemheld, composer, of pneumonia aged 83. 1985 - Died this day, Henry Hathaway, actor, director (Nob Hill), of a heart attack aged 86. 1985 - Died this day, Ulysses Sipmson Kay, composer, aged 68. 1986 - Died this day, [Patrick] Frank Herbert, sci-fi author (Dune), aged 65. 1986 - In an East-West exchange of prisoners in Berlin, Anatoly Shcharansky was released from the Soviet side. 1986 - Iran began an offensive against Iraq. 1987 - North Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith got his 600th career coaching win as the Tar Heels defeated Wake Forest 94-85. At the time, Smith had 600 wins and 173 losses in his 26-year coaching career. 1987 - The Smiths were at No.1 in the UK indie charts with Shoplifters Of The World Unite. 1987 - Corazon Aquino was sworn in for a six-year presidential term under the new Philippine constitution. 1988 - Anthony M. Kennedy appointed to the Supreme Court. 1989 - New Order scored their first UK No.1 album with Technique. 1989 - Paula Abdul started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with Straight Up, the first of three No.1's in 1989. It was also a No.3 hit in the UK. 1989 - Singer Sade married music video producer Carlos Scola. 1989 - Reverend Barbara Lementine Harris, the first woman episcopalian bishop, was consecrated. 1989 - Died this day, George O'Hanlon, actor/director (Bop Girl, Zamba), aged 71. 1989 - A-Ha singer Morten Harket married Swedish actress Camilla Malmquist. 1990 - South Africa's black nationalist leader Nelson Mandela was freed from prison after more than 27 1/2 years. 1990 - In the 40th NBA All-Star Game in Miami, East beat West 130-113. 1990 - James 'Buster' Douglas Knocked Out Mike Tyson to win the heavyweight boxing crown. 1991 - UNPO, Unrepresented Nations & People Organisation was formed in the Hague, Netherlands. 1991 - Died this day, Oscar Nitzchke, German architect (Alcoa building). 1992 - Died this day, Ray Danton, US actor, director (Psychic Killer), aged 60. 1992 - Motley Crue fired their singer Vince Neil when he turned up for rehearsals, claiming that his passion for the music had been overtaken by his involvement with racing cars. 1992 - One police officer was killed and four persons injured in a terrorist attack on the US ambassador's residence in Lima, Peru. 1992 - A study said drinking three cups of coffee a day does not raise the risk of heart disease. 1992 - An F-16 jet crashed in a residential district of Hengelo, Netherlands (No deaths). 1993 - Howard Stern's radio show began transmitting to Rochester, New York (WRQI). 1993 - Irina Privalova ran a world record 60 metres indoor in 6.92 seconds. 1993 - President Clinton nominated Florida prosecutor Janet Reno to the post of US attorney general. 1993 - A 20-year-old Ethiopian student hijacked a Lufthansa airliner en route from Frankfurt, Germany, to Cairo. He forced the pilot to fly to New York City, where he surrendered peacefully. 1993 - British Prime Minister John Majors said Queen Elizabeth II will pay income tax on all her personal income, as well as being subject to capital and inheritance levies. 1993 - Former prime minister Bettino Craxi resigned as leader of Italy's Socialists over a corruption scandal that had rocked the government. 1993 - Died this day, Joy Garrett, actress. 1993 - Died this day, Oksana Kostina, Russian gymnast, in a car accident. 1994 - Died this day, Antonio Martin, Spanish cyclist, in a cycling accident aged 23. 1994 - Died this day, Sorrell Booke, US actor (Gone are the Days), aged 64. 1994 - Died this day, William Conrad, actor (Cannon, Jake and the Fatman), aged 73 of a heart attack. 1994 - The United Nations (UN) commander in Sarajevo accused renegade troops of trying to sabotage a ceasefire in the city but warring Muslims and Serbs began to turn in some of their heavy weapons. 1994 - Five astronauts and a cosmonaut returned to Earth aboard the Space Shutttle Discovery after the first joint US-Russian space shuttle mission. 1994 - President Clinton announced that US-Japanese trade talks had failed to reach an agreement. 1994 - The trial of Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, began and ended abruptly with her acquittal of charges she misused state funds and employees for political purposes. 1996 - A crowd of up to one million turned out for Pope John Paul II's last mass of his Latin American tour. 1998 - Olympic officials took away the gold medal of Canadian snowboarder Ross Rebagliati after he tested positive for a minute amount of marijuana. He blamed second-hand smoke. An arbitration panel would restore his medal two days later. 1998 - A federal judge ruled that pro golfer Casey Martin, who suffered from a circulatory disorder that made it hard for him to walk, was covered by the American with Disabilities Act and should be allowed to use a golf cart to compete in PGA tournaments. 2000 - Four people are shot, one fatally, at an Isley Brothers concert in Los Angeles. 2000 - Died this day, 72-year-old director Roger Vadim, of cancer in Paris, France. 2000 - The case of GP serial killer Harold Shipman was being heard by the General Medical Council. 2000 - Geri Halliwell appeared in court to give evidence over the dispute with Aprilla Motorcycles. The company was suing the Spice Girls for £1.6m. over lost advertising as sponsors for the 1998 Spiceworld World tour. 2000 - Diana Ross was granted a divorce from her Norwegian husband of 14 years. 2001 - Dido started a five week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with No Angel. 2001 - Outkast went to No.1 on the US singles chart with Mrs Jackson, a No.2 hit in the UK. 2001 - Shaggy started a four week run at No.1 on the US album chart with Hotspot. 2002 - Died this day, Barry Foster, UK actor (Vandervalk). He was aged 70. 2002 - A gang held up a security van at Heathrow airport and escaped with millions of pounds in cash. 2002 - The Russian figure skating pair won the gold medal in the Winter Olympics over the overwhelming crowd favourite Canadian team but a judging controversy that grew into an international scandal prompted the International Skating Union to award a gold medal to Canada also. 2003 - The British Phonographic Industry reported its biggest sales decline in decades, with the biggest slump in a single year since the birth of the CD market in the early 1980s. Piracy, illegal duplication and distribution by international criminals of CD’s was blamed for the decrease. |
Trivia
Trivia - petty details or considerations, matters or things that are very unimportant, inconsequential, or nonessential; trifles; trivialities.
Trivial - of very little importance or value; insignificant: "Don't bother me with trivial matters." Trivially - unimportant, nugatory, slight, immaterial, inconsequential, frivolous, trifling.