|
February 26th
747BC - Origin of Era of Nabonassar. 1076 - Died this day, Godfried III, with the Hump, duke of Neth-Lutherian, murdered. 1154 - Died this day, Rogier II, King of Sicily. 1266 - Died this day, Manfred, bastard son of Emperor Frederik II, king of Sicily. 1266 - The Battle of Benevento took place. 1324 - Died this day, Dino Compagni, Italian silk seller, poet, chronicler. 1361 - Born this day, Wenceslas of Bohemia, Holy Roman Catholic German emperor (1378-1400). 1401 - The State Council in London decided that the penalty for heresy, was to be death by burning. 1531 - An estimated 20,000 people died in an earthquake in Lisbon, Portugal. 1534 - Pope Paul II affirmed George van Egmont as bishop of Utrecht. 1538 - Died this day, Worp van Thabor, Fries abbott of Thabor (Chronicon Frisiae). 1564 - Born this day, Christopher Marlowe, dramatist (Dr Faustus), baptized. 1577 - Died this day, Erik XIV Wasa, King of Sweden (1560-69), aged 43. 1588 - Born this day, Nicolaus Erich, composer. 1616 - An Inquisition delivered an injunction to Galileo. 1675 - Born this day, Guillaume Delisle, in Paris, France, geographer (Atlas geographique). 1675 - Born this day, Johann Philipp Treiber, composer. 1677 - Born this day, Nicola Fago, composer. 1686 - Died this day, Godefroi L. Count [comte] d'Estrades, French diplomat, in Paris. Was born 1607, Agen, France. Marshal of France and one of Louis XIV's ablest diplomats. Estrades served with distinction in the Low Countries during the Thirty Years' War, conducted a famous defense of Dunkirk (1651–52), and took part in later campaigns in Catalonia (1655), Italy (1657), and Holland (1672). He was mayor perpétuel of Bordeaux (to which the title of count was attached) from 1653 to 1674. 1707 - Born this day, Carlo Goldoni, lawyer, playwright (Belisario). 1717 - Born this day, John Randall, composer. 1726 - Died this day, Maximilian II M. Emanuel, ruler of Bayern. 1732 - The first mass was celebrated in the first American Catholic church, in Philadelphia. 1766 - Died this day, August Bernhard Valentin Herbing, composer, aged 30. 1770 - Born this day, Antoine Reicha, composer. 1770 - Died this day, Francois Hanot, composer, aged 72. 1770 - Died this day, Giuseppe Tartini, Italian composer, violinist, aged 77. 1772 - Born this day, Caspar Furstenau, composer. 1773 - Construction was authorised for the Walnut St jail (Philadelphia) (the 1st solitary). 1797 - The Bank of England issued the first pound note. It existed for 191 years. 1802 - Born this day, Victor Hugo, French novelist and playwright. Author of Les Miserables, Hunchback of Notre Dame. 1808 - Born this day, Honor‚ in Daumier, France, painter, lithographer, caricaturist. 1810 - Died this day, Johann Ernst Rembt, composer, aged 60. 1813 - Died this day, Robert R. Livingston, US diplomat (Declaration of Independence), aged 66. 1815 - Napoleon, with 1,200 others, escaped from exile on the island of Elba with the intention of conquering France. 1823 - Died this day, John P. Kemble, English actor, director (Covent Garden). 1824 - Born this day, Carlos Calvo, Argentinian diplomat, people rights scholar (Calvo Clause). 1825 - Born this day, Hans Balatka, composer. 1827 - Died this day, David Moritz Michael, composer, aged 75. 1831 - Born this day, Filippo Marchetti, composer. 1832 - Born this day, John George Nicolay, US author (Lincoln's biographer). 1832 - The Russian czar declared the realm of Poland-Russia. 1834 - The first US interstate crime compact (between New York and New Jersey) was ratified. 1834 - Born this day, Aleksander Zarzycki, composer. 1835 - Born this day, Richard Andree, German geographist, etnologist (Andree's Handatlas). 1837 - Born this day, Charles Woeste, Belgian count, minister of Justice. 1838 - Born this day, Wendelin Weissheimer, composer. 1839 - The Grand National was run at Aintree for the first time, 10 years after racing began at Aintree. It was won by a horse called Lottery. 1842 - Born this day, Camille Flammarion, Mars researcher and popularizer of astronomy. 1845 - Born this day, Aleksander Rozycki, composer. 1845 - Born this day, Alexander III, in St Petersburg, Russian tsar (1881-94). 1846 - Born this day, William Cody [Buffalo Bill], in Davenport, Iowa, US showman, killed 4000 buffaloes. 1848 - 29 year-old German philosopher Karl Marx and his partner Frederick Engels published The Communist Manifesto. 1852 - British troop ship Birkenhead sank off South Africa, 458 died. 1852 - Born this day, John Harvey Kellogg, surgeon, inspired flaked cereal industry. 1857 - Born this day, Emile Coue, French pharmacist, pioneer of auto-suggestion psychotherapy (recovery by auto suggestion). 1857 - Died this day, Ole Andreas Lindeman, composer, aged 88. 1859 - Died this day, Ferdinand Lukas Schubert, composer, aged 64. 1859 - Paul Morphy's chess match vs Augustus Mongredien began; Morphy won. 1861 - Born this day, Ferdinand I, in Vienna, first tsar of modern Bulgaria (1908-18). 1862 - The Battle of Woodburn, Kentucky took place. 1863 - President Lincoln signed a National Currency Act. 1866 - Born this day, Herbert Henry Dow, pioneer in US chemical industry (Dow Chemical). 1866 - New York Legislature established the New York City Metropolitan Board of Health. 1867 - Born this day, Siegfried Passarge, German geographer (Cameroon, South Africa, America). 1869 - Born this day, Nadezjda K. Krupskaja, Russian revolutionary, wife of Lenin. 1869 - The 15th Amendment, guaranteeing the right to vote, was sent to states. 1870 - The first New York City subway line opened (pneumatic powered). 1870 - Died this day, Wyatt Outlaw, black leader of Union League in North Carolina, lynched. 1871 - Died this day, Charles Niellon, Belgian brigade general, aged 76. 1873 - Born this day, Ewoud van Everdingen, meteorologist. 1874 - Born this day, Carl Vogler, composer. 1875 - Born this day, Emma Dunn, actress (Dr Monica, Dr Kildare's Strange Case, Hideaway). 1875 - Born this day, Richard Wetz, composer. 1876 - Born this day, Agustin P. Justo y Rolon, president of Argentina (1931-38). 1876 - Born this day, Pauline Musters, smallest man (1 foot 11.2 inches or 58.9cm). 1877 - Born this day, Carel S. Adama van Scheltema, poet, writer (socialism). 1877 - Born this day, Russell Alexander, composer. 1879 - Born this day, Frank Bridge, English violinist, composer, conductor, tutor of Benjamin Britten. 1881 - SS Ceylon began the first round-the-world cruise from Liverpool. 1883 - Born this day, Erich R. Jaensch, German psychologist (eidetiek). 1884 - Born this day, Dina Appeldoorn, composer. 1884 - Born this day, Hildo Krop, modernistic sculptor. 1885 - Born this day, Lili Green [Alice Sally Mary], Dutch-English dancer. 1885 - Count Otto von Bismarck presided over the division of Africa by the colonial powers at the Conference of Berlin on this day, while eating pickled herrings with both hands. (Congo to Belgium & Nigeria to England). 1887 - Born this day, Benegal Narsing Rau, in India, president of United Nations (UN) Security Council (1950). 1887 - Born this day, Grover Cleveland Alexander, HOF baseball pitcher (Phillies, Cubs). 1891 - The first buffalo was purchased for Golden Gate Park. 1891 - Born this day, Alan Bridge, actor (North of Arizona, Badmen of the Hills). 1893 - Born this day, Ivor Richards, English critic. 1893 - Born this day, William Frawley, in Iowa, actor (Fred Mertz-I Love Lucy, Bub-My 3 Sons). 1893 - Two Clydesdale horses set a record by pulling 48 tons on a sledge, in Michigan. 1893 - Einar Halvorsen skated a world record 500 metres in 48 seconds. 1895 - Michael Owens of Toledo, Ohio patented a glass-blowing machine. 1896 - Born this day, Eduard Flipse, conductor, composer. 1898 - Born this day, Julien de Valckenaere, Flemish writer. 1900 - Born this day, Jean Negulesco, Spanish director (3 Coins in a Fountain). 1901 - Died this day, Chi-hsui and Hsu-cheng-yu, in Bejiing when they were executed. They were leaders of the failed 'Boxer Revolution'. 1902 - Born this day, Menno ter Brak, writer, essayist (Carnaval of the Citizens). 1902 - Born this day, Rudolf Moralt, German conductor. 1902 - Born this day, Vercors [Jean Bruller], French writer (Le silence de la mer). 1906 - Born this day, Madeleine Carroll, English actress (39 Steps, Secret Agent). 1906 - Died this day, Manuel Fernandez Caballero, composer, aged 70. 1907 - Royal Oil & Shell merged to form British Petroleum (BP). 1911 - Born this day, Josef Smrkovsky, Czechoslovakia parliament chairman. 1912 - Coal miners went on strike in England (it was settled on 1 March). 1913 - Born this day, Jon Hall, in Fresno, California, actor (Ramor of the Jungle). 1913 - Died this day, Felix Draeseke, composer, aged 77. 1913 - J. Rheden discovered asteroid #744 Aguntina. 1914 - The New York Museum of Science & Industry was incorporated. 1914 - Born this day, Robert Alda, in New York City, actor (Dan Lewis-Supertrain, By Popular Demand). 1914 - Born this day, Witold Rowicki, composer. 1915 - Born this day, Elisabeth Eybers, South African-Dutch poetess (That woman & other Verses). 1915 - Flame-throwers were used in battle for the first time when the 3rd Guard German pioneer regiment used them against the French at Malancourt, Argonnen. 1916 - French cruiser Province sank in the Mediterranean Sea, killing 3100. 1916 - Russian troops conquered Kermansjah, Persia. 1916 - Born this day, Mordecai Seter, composer. 1917 - Born this day, Robert Taft Jr, Senator-R-Ohio. 1917 - The first annual fair at Utrecht Harbor in the Netherlands was held. 1918 - Stands at Hong Kong Jockey Club collapsed and burned killing 604. 1918 - Born this day, Edwin Charles 'Preacher' Roe, baseball pitcher (Brooklyn Dodgers). 1918 - Born this day, Otis R. Bowen, US Secretary of Health & Human Services (1985-89). 1918 - Born this day, Theodore [Hamilton] Sturgeon, US sci-fi author (Hugo, It, Caviar). 1919 - Acadia National Park was established, as Lafayette National Park, Maine. 1919 - Born this day, Beppie Nooij, actress, director (Bluejackets-Rooie Sien). 1919 - Born this day, Hendrika Mastenbroek, in the Netherlands, swimmer (Olympics - 3 gold in 1936). 1919 - Born this day, Luc-Andre Marcel, composer. 1919 - Born this day, Mason Adams, in New York City, actor (Charlie Hume-Lou Grant, Deadliest Season). 1919 - US Congress established Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. 1920 - Born this day, Tony Randall [Leonard Rosenberg], in Tulsa, Oklahoma, actor (Felix-Odd Couple). 1920 - Born this day, A.W. [Rie] Kuiper-Mastenbroek, swimmer (Olympics - 3 gold in 1936). 1921 - Born this day, Betty Hutton, in Battle Creek, Michigan, actress (Greatest Show on Earth). 1921 - Died this day, Carl Menger, Austrian economist, aged 81. 1922 - Born this day, Margaret Leighton, in Birmingham, England, actress (Astonished Heart). 1923 - Italian nationalists and fascists merged. 1924 - A trial against Hitler began in Munich. 1924 - Born this day, Mark Bucci, in New York City, composer (1959 Arts & Letters Award). 1924 - Born this day, Noboru Takeshita, Japanese Prime Minister (1987-89). 1925 - Born this day, James Moody, US jazz saxophonist, orchestra leader. 1925 - Reports indicated that the Leaning Tower of Pisa was in danger of collapse. 1926 - Dark Street in the Bronx was renamed Lustre Street. 1926 - Died this day, Frederik Pijper, vicar, church historian (Monasteries), aged 67. 1926 - Died this day, Peter Erasmus Lange-Muller, composer, aged 75. 1926 - Born this day, Arsene Souffriau, composer. 1926 - Born this day, Cynthia Stone, in Peoria, Illinois, actress (That Wonderful Guy, Ad Libbers). 1926 - Born this day, Konstantin P. Feoktistov, in Voronezh, cosmonaut (Voskhod 1). 1927 - Born this day, Donald Gramm, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, bass-baritone. 1927 - Born this day, Tom Kennedy, in Louisville, Kentucky, quiz host (You Don't Say, Name That Tune). 1928 - K. Reinmuth discovered asteroid #1091 Spiraea. 1928 - Born this day, Aldonis Kalnins, composer. 1928 - Born this day, Anatoli Vasilyevich Filipchenko, in Russia, cosmonaut (Soyuz 7, 16). 1928 - Born this day, Fats Domino (born Antoine Domino), US R and B singer, pianist. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. 1957 US No.6 and UK No.6 single Blueberry Hill and 35 other US Top 40 singles. 1930 - Green Pastures opened at Mansfield Theater. 1930 - Born this day, Lazar Berman, in Leningrad, Russia, pianist (Budapest 3rd place-1956). 1930 - Died this day, Raffaele Merry del Val, Spanish Cardinal. 1931 - Died this day, Otto Wallach, German chemist (Nobel 1910). 1931 - Born this day, Francisco Kroepfl, composer. 1931 - Born this day, Robert Novak, in Joliet, Illinois, news reporter (CNN-Evans & Novak). 1932 - Born this day, Johnny Cash, in Kingsland, Arkansas, US country singer, songwriter. Worked as a door-to-door salesman. 1969 US No.2 and UK No.4 single A Boy Named Sue plus 11 other US Top 40 singles. Had a US TV show in late 1960's and early 1970's. Died of respiratory failure on 12 September 2003, aged 71. 1933 - Born this day, Godfrey Cambridge, actor (Cotton comes to Harlem). 1933 - Born this day, James Goldsmith, in Paris, France, financier, corporate raider. 1933 - Golden Gate Bridge ground-breaking ceremony was held at Crissy Field. 1933 - Died this day, Antonio Nicolau, Spanish composer, conductor, aged 75. 1935 - Germany began Luftwaffe operation, under Reichsmarshall H. Goering. 1935 - The New York Yankees released Babe Ruth. 1935 - Robert Watson-Watt gave the first demonstration of his war-winning RADAR - Radio Detection and Ranging Device - in Daventry. 1936 - Adolf Hitler opened the first factory for the manufacture of his 'people's car' - the Volkswagen - at Saxony. Designed by Ferdinand Porsche, the car was intended for mass production and low prices. Its features included an air-cooled rear mounted engine. Hitler wanted the car to put his nation on wheels and do for Germany what Henry Ford did for America. 1936 - A Military coup took place in Japan. 1938 - The first passenger ship was equipped with radar. (Name anyone?) 1938 - Born this day, Jack Knight, in Somerville, Mississippi, actor (Mr Shamley-James at 15). 1938 - G. Kulin discovered asteroid #1452 Hunnia. 1938 - Rie Van Veen swam a world record 200 metres free style in 2 minutes 24.6 seconds. 1938 - Born this day, Tony Selby, actor. 1939 - Died this day, [Enrique] E. Fernandez Arbos, Spanish violinist, conductor, composer, aged 75. 1940 - The US Air Defense Command was established at Mitchel Field, Long Island, New York. 1941 - The Cowboys' Amateur Association of America was organised in California. 1941 - K. Reinmuth discovered asteroid #1632 Siebohme. 1941 - Vichy-France made religious education in school mandatory. 1942 - The German battle cruiser Gneisenau was deactivated by a bomb. 1942 - Radio Orange called for 1 March to be observed as a day of prayer in Dutch Indies. 1942 - WW II Navy flier Don Mason sent a message "Sighted sub sank same". 1942 - Werner Heisenberger informed Nazis about a uranium project 'Wunderwaffen'. 1942 - Born this day, Joop van den Ende, director (Alsmeer Studio). 1943 - Born this day, Bob van Reeth, Flemish architect. 1943 - L. Oterma discovered asteroid #2841 Puijo. 1943 - Born this day, Paul Cotton, guitar, Poco, 1979 US No.17 single Crazy Love. 1944 - The first female US navy captain, Sue Dauser of the Nursing Corps, was appointed. 1945 - Berlin was subjected to very heavy bombing. 1945 - Born this day, Bob 'The Bear' Hite, vocals, harmonica, Canned Heat, 1968 US No.11 single Going Up The Country, 1970 UK No.2 single Let's Work Together. Died 5 April 1981. 1945 - Born this day, Mitch Ryder, rock musician (and the Detroit Wheels-Devil With the Blue Dress). 1946 - Born this day, Bobby 'Bingo' Smith, NBA star (Cleveland Cavaliers). 1946 - Born this day, Phyllis Eisenstein, US sci-fi author (Sorcerer's Son, Born to Exile). 1946 - Two were killed and 10 wounded in a race riot in Columbia, Tennessee. 1947 - Died this day, Ben Webster, actor (Old Curiosity Shop), aged 82. 1947 - Born this day, Sandie Shaw, was born Sandra Goodrich in Dagenham, Essex, UK. She was only 17 years old when her second single There's always something there to remind me topped the charts in 1964. 1965 UK No.3 single Girl Don't Come. A chart regular in the late 1960s, she was Britain's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1967. Winning with Puppet on a string she was Britain's first winner. It made No.1 eventually. 1948 - Born this day, Priscilla Lopez, in the Bronx, New York, actress (In the Beginning, Kay O'Brien). 1948 - Born this day, David Edgar, playwright. 1949 - A USAF plane began the first nonstop around-the-world flight. 1950 - Born this day, Helen Clark, New Zealand Prime Minister. 1950 - Died this day, Sir Harry Lauder, Scottish music hall singer and comedian, composer, aged 79. 1950 - Born this day, Jonathan Cain, keyboards, Journey, 1981 US No.14 single Who's Crying Now. 1951 - From this date, with the passing of the 22nd amendment, US presidents could serve no more than two terms of four years. 1951 - Bread rationing started in Czechoslovakia. 1952 - A Netherlands-Indonesian Unity conference was held. 1952 - Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced that Britain had its own atomic bomb. 1953 - Died this day, Martinus Nijhoff, poet, interpreter, linguistic (spelling). 1954 - Died this day, William R. Inge, English theologist, philosopher, aged 93. 1954 - Born this day, Michael Bolton, singer, 1990 US No.1 and UK No.3 single How Am I Supposed To Live Without You. 1954 - The first typesetting machine (photo engraving) was used, in Quincy, Massachusetts. 1955 - G.F. Smith became the first aviator to bail out at supersonic speed. 1955 - Billboard reported that for the first time since their introduction in 1949, 45rpm singles were outselling the old stanarded 78's. 1956 - Born this day, Michel Houellebecq, novelist. 1956 - Writers Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes met at a party in Cambridge. 1957 - Born this day, Connie Carpenter-Phinney, in Madison, Wisconsin, 79k cyclist (Olympic-gold-1984). 1957 - Born this day, Keena Rothhammer, US 800 meteres freestyle swimmer (Olympic-gold-1972). 1958 - Born this day, Jeff Fithian, actor (Trevor Nash-Please Don't Eat the Daisies). 1958 - Born this day, Joe Fithian, actor (Tracey Nash-Please Don't Eat the Daisies). 1958 - Born this day, Susan J. Helms, in Charlotte, North Carolina, Major USAF, Astronaut (STS 54, sk:64). 1959 - Died this day, Lou Costello, actor, comedian (Abbott & Costello), aged 52. 1960 - Died this day, Aleksandar Belic, Swedish linguist, aged 83. 1960 - Buckingham Palace announced that Princess Margaret would marry commoner Antony Armstrong-Jones at Westminster Abbey. The son of Ronald Armstrong-Jones and Countess of Rosse, the Princess's fiance is a fashionable commercial photographer. 1960 - Born this day, Steve Grant, musician, Tight Fit, 1982 UK No.1 single The Lion Sleeps Tonight. 1960 - Born this day, Jaz Coleman, Killing Joke, 1985 UK No.16 single Love Like Blood. 1960 - Soviet premier Khrushchev voiced support for Indonesia. 1960 - USA's David Jenkins won Olympic Gold for men's figure skating. 1960 - Verne Gagne beat Doctor X in Omaha, to become NWA wrestling champion. 1961 - Born this day, John Jon, Bronski Beat, 1984 UK No.3 single Smalltown Boy. 1961 - Died this day, Karl Albiker, German sculptor (Problem of the Plastic), aged 83. 1961 - Died this day, Mohammed V, ibn Joesoef, sultan, King of Morocco. 1962 - The US Supreme court disallowed race separation on public transportation. 1962 - Wilt Chamberlain of NBA Philadelphia Warriors scored 67 points vs New York. 1962 - The IRA announced a cease-fire in Northern Ireland. 1962 - Died this day, Carl Emil Theodor Ehrenberg, composer, aged 83. 1963 - Died this day, Artturi A. Leinonen, Finnish journalist, politician (Prophet). 1965 - Died this day, Jimmie Lee Jackson, civil rights activist, of injuries. 1965 - Born this day, Josephine Wiggs, Perfect Disaster, The Breeders. 1965 - Born this day, Brittany York, in London, England, playmate for October 1990. 1965 - Guitarist Jimmy Page released a solo single called She Just Satisfies, it didn't chart. 1965 - West Germany ceased military aid to Tanzania. 1966 - KBIM TV channel 10 in Roswell, New Mexico (CBS) began broadcasting. 1966 - Dyan Cannon gave birth to daughter Jennifer Grant. 1966 - Nancy Sinatra went to No.1 on the US singles chart with These Boots Are Made For Walking. It also made it to No.1 in the UK. 1966 - The Beatles Rubber Soul was at No.1 on the US album chart. 1966 - Died this day, Minerva Urecal, actress (Peter Gunn, Adventures of Tugboat Annie), aged 71. 1967 - Died this day, Harry McNaughton, comedian (It Pays to be Ignorant), aged 70. 1967 - Verne Gagne beat Mad Dog Vachon in St Paul, to become NWA champion. 1968 - Clandestine Radio Voice of Iraqi People (Communist) made its final transmission. 1968 - Died this day, Eric Feldary, actor (16 Fathoms Deep), aged 55. 1969 - Died this day, Karl Jaspers, German psychiatrist, philosopher, aged 86. 1969 - Died this day, Levi Esjkol [Sjkolnik], premier of Israel. 1969 - Peter Sarstedt started a four week run at No.1 in the UK with the single Where Do You Go To My Lovely?. 1969 - Born this day, Timothy Brown, bass player, The Boo Radleys, 1995 UK No.9 single Wake Up Boo. 1970 - Died this day, Ethel Leginska, composer, aged 83. 1970 - The Beatles release their Beatles Again aka Hey Jude album. 1970 - Born this day, Katie O'Neill, in Los Angeles, California, actress (Together We Stand). 1970 - Born this day, Meeno Peluce, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, actor (Bad News Bears). 1971 - Born this day, Erykah Badu, US female singer, 1997 UK No.12 single On & On, 2001 UK No.23 single with Macy Gray, Sweet Baby. 1971 - Died this day, Fernandel, [Contandin], French actor (Death of Champion), aged 67. 1971 - Died this day, Joseph Berg, composer, aged 43. 1971 - Died this day, Tullio Carminati, actor (Roman Holiday, Moulin Rouge), aged 76. 1972 - A slag heap dam collapsed above Buffalo Creek in West Virginia killing 125 and leaving 4,000 homeless. 1972 - Died this day, Tom Manders, cabaret artist (Dorus), aged 51. 1973 - Died this day, Mary Finney, actress (Honestly Celeste), aged 68. 1973 - Triple Crown horse Secretariat was bought for a record $5.7 million. 1974 - Gold hit a record $188 an ounce in Paris. 1974 - Born this day, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, footballer, Manchester United striker. 1975 - The first televised kidney transplant was shown on Today Show. 1977 - The Eagles went to No.1 on the US singles chart with New Kid On Town, the groups third US No.1, it made No.20 in the UK. 1977 - Died this day, Sherman Garnes, from Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers, during open heart surgery. 1956 UK No.1 and US No.6 single Why Do Fools Fall In Love. 1977 - Died this day, Maxime Jacob, composer, aged 71. 1977 - The first flight of the Space Shuttle was made atop a Boeing 747. 1979 - During a court case between The Sex Pistols and their manager Malcolm McLaren it was revealed that only £30,000 was left of the £800,000 the band had earned. 1979 - The first night of 12 date UK tour by Magazine at Sussex University. 1979 - The last total eclipse of the Sun in 20th century for continental US was seen. 1980 - After seeing U2 play at Dublin's National Boxing Stadium in front of 2,400 people; Rob Partridge and Nick Stewart from Island Records offered the band a contract. 1980 - Born this day, Georgia Taylor, actress (Toyah Battersby-Coronation Street). 1980 - Egypt and Israel exchanged ambassadors for the first time. 1980 - A military coup under Desi Bouterse, took place in Suriname. 1981 - 84 penalties (406 mins) were assessed for a brawl between NHL Minnesota and Boston. 1981 - French Train - Grande Vitesse - averaged 380 kph on a trial run. 1981 - H. Debehogne discovered asteroid #3268 De Sanctis. 1981 - Died this day, F.C. Terborgh [Reijnier Flaes], lawyer, writer (Turkish War), aged 79. 1981 - Died this day, Howard Hanson, US composer, conductor (Nordic), aged 84. 1981 - Died this day, Munabi, assistant to Oegandees president Obote, murdered. 1981 - British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher met US president Ronald Reagan for the first time. 1982 - Died this day, Gabor Szabo, Hungarian jazz pianist (Perfect Circle), aged 45. 1983 - Michael Jackson's Thriller album went to No.1 on the US album chart. It went on to become the most successful album of all time with sales over 40 million. It stayed No.1 for 37 weeks. 1983 - Shortwave pirate Radio USA, in Wellsville, New York, began transmission. 1984 - N. Chernykh discovered asteroids #3575 and #3576. 1984 - The Reverend Jesse Jackson acknowledged that he called New York City, Hymietown. 1984 - Robert Penn Warren, Pulitzer Prize winner, was named the first US poet laureate. (Another source suggests 1986). 1984 - Frankie Goes To Hollywood were enjoying their fourth week at the top of the UK singles chart No.1 with Relax. 1986 - Evert van Benthem won the 14th Friese 11-city skating race in 6 hours 55 minutes 16 seconds. 1986 - Former Philippines President Ferdinand E. Marcos fled in defeat. 1987 - Beatles compact discs were realeased for the first time. 1987 - NASA launched GEOS-H. 1987 - NBA's Michael Jordan's 58 points was a Chicago Bull record. 1987 - The USSR resumed underground nuclear testing. 1987 - Washington blocked 20 Indiana shots tying the NBA regulation game record. 1988 - ? Luding skated a world record 1000 metres in 1 minute 17.65 seconds. 1989 - The lowest rated pressure in Netherlands was recorded at 955 hpa. 1989 - The New York Yankees announced that Tom Seaver was their new TV sportscaster. 1989 - Burke's Peerage reported that King Arthur's Round Table had been found near Stirling, Scotland. 1990 - Sinead O'Connor was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with Nothing Compares 2 U. 1990 - Died this day, Cornell Gunther, US musician (Coasters, Poison Ivy), aged 53. 1990 - Died this day, Maurine Stuart, Zen teacher (head of Cambridge Buddhist Association) 1990 - Died this day, Scott Jarvis. 1990 - Moscow began pulling 73,000 troops out of Czechoslovakia. 1991 - Died this day, US songwriter Doc Pomus. Wrote many early 60’s hits including, Sweets For My Sweet, Teenager In Love, and Save The Last Dance For Me. 1991 - Kuwaiti resistance leaders declared that they had control of their capital. 1991 - New York-New Jersey Knights (WLAF) players first came together. 1992 - Died this day, Gerrit Schulte, [Le fou pedalant], 6 days bicyclist. 1992 - Died this day, Jean R. Yawkey, owner (Boston Red Sox), aged 83 of a stroke. 1992 - Died this day, S.I. Hayakawa, (Senator-R-California), aged 85 of a stroke. 1992 - The Irish Supreme Court ruled that a 14-year-old rape victim could get an abortion. 1993 - Died this day, Constance Ford, US actress (Another World, Burden Hunt), aged 64. 1993 - Died this day, Fletcher Knebel, author (7 Days in May), committed suicide aged 81. 1993 - Died this day, Mark Kolthoff, painter, photographer, aged 92. 1993 - A bomb exploded at the World Trade Centre in New York. The second tallest building in world, 7 people died. 1994 - Died this day, Avery Fisher, US audio manufacturer (first hi-fi), aged 87. 1994 - Died this day, Leopold 'Hans' Kohr, Austrian social philosopher, aged 84. 1994 - Appearing at The Free Trade Hall, Manchester, were M People. 1994 - Toni Braxton went to No.1 on the US album chart with Toni Braxton. 1996 - Liz Taylor played 'Herself' on four US network TV shows. 1997 - Died this day, US songwriter Ben Raleigh, after setting fire to his bath robe while cooking. Co-wrote Scooby Doo Where Are You. 1998 - There was a total solar eclipse in Venezuela-Pacific Ocean of 4 minutes 9 seconds duration. (What caused it?) 2000 - Republican demonstrators were back on the streets of Northern Ireland, venting anger at the suspension of the province's power-sharing devolved government. 2000 - Lonestar started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with Amazed. 2001 - Winners at the Brit Awards included Coldplay, Best British group, Robbie Williams, Best British Male artist and Best single for Rock DJ, Sonique, Best British Female artist, Best Dance act, Fat Boy Slim and U2 won Outstanding contribution. 2001 - Died this day, cricket legend Don Bradman, aged 92 in Australia. Sir Donald, widely regarded as the greatest batsman of all time, died at his home in Adlelaide. 2001 - The trial of Barry George - accused of the murder of Jill Dando in 1999 - commenced this day. 2001 - Winners at the Brit Awards included Coldplay, Best British group and Best British album for Parachutes, Robbie Williams, Best British Male artist and Best single for Rock DJ, Sonique, Best British Female artist, Best Dance act went to Fat Boy Slim, A1 won Best British Newcomer, Westlife won Best Pop act, Eminem won Best International Male solo artist and U2 won Outstanding contribution to music. 2002 - Motorists would be charged £5 per day to drive into London on weekdays, Mayor Ken Livingstone confirmed. 2003 - British pensioner Derek Bond spoke of his relief after he was released from jail in South Africa after the FBI mistook him for a dangerous fugitive. |
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.