This Day in History
May 22

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: May 22?

On May 22 in ...

  • 337 - Death of Constantine the Great; emperor of the Roman Empire (306-337).
  • 760 - Fourteenth recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet.
  • 987 - Louis V le Faineant the Lazy, king of France (986-87), poisoned at age 20.
  • 1176 - Murder attempt by "Assassins" on Saladin near Aleppo.
  • 1200 - Peace of Goulet.
  • 1370 - Jews are expelled/massacred from Brussels Belgium.
  • 1455 - Richard of York takes Saint Albans, kidnapping King Henry VI.
  • 1501 - Robert Gaguin French writer/diplomat (Arte Metrificandi), dies at age 66.
  • 1526 - Pope Clemens VII, France, Genoa, Venice, Florence and Milan form Anti-French League of Cognac.
  • 1540 - Francesco Guicciardini Italian historian/President of Romagna, dies at age 57.
  • 1594 - Earl Mauritius and Willem Louis begins siege of Groningen.
  • 1659 - France, England and Netherlands sign "Hedges Concerto" treaty.
  • 1667 - Alexander VII [Fabio Chigi] Italian Pope (1655-67), dies at age 68.
  • 1671 - Birth of Abraham Patras Governor-General of East-Indies (1735-37).
  • 1712 - Emperor Karel VI crowned king of Hungary.
  • 1746 - Russia and Austria sign treaty of cooperation against Prussia.
  • 1755 - Birth of Tench Coxe; American political economist and US Commissioner of Revenue.
  • 1761 - First life insurance policy in US, issued in Philadelphia.
  • 1762 - Sweden and Prussia sign peace treaty.
  • 1762 - Pope Clement XIII officially opens the Trevi Fountain in Rome.
  • 1784 - Ceylonese student leader Pieter Quint Ondaatje demands democracy.
  • 1803 - First US public library opens (Connecticut).
  • 1804 - Birth of John William (Turk) Livingston; US Commander (Union Navy) (dies 1885).
  • 1807 - Former US Vice President Aaron Burr is tried for treason in Richmond, Virginia (acquitted).
  • 1807 - Townsend Speakman first sells fruit-flavored carbonated drinks (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA).
  • 1813 - Birth of Richard Wagner in Leipzig, Germany; composer (Ring, Flying Dutchman).
  • 1819 - The SS Savannah leaves port at Savannah, Georgia to become the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean.
  • 1819 - John H van Kinsbergen, US Lieutenant-Admiral/founder (Corps Marines), dies at age 84.
  • 1821 - Birth of Alfred Sully; US Brevet Major General (Union volunteers) (dies 1879).
  • 1826 - The HMS Beagle departs on its first voyage, carrying Charles Darwin.
  • 1826 - Birth of George Parr; cricket player (legendary Notts batsman, first England touring captain).
  • 1828 - Birth of Albrecht Gräfe; pioneer eye surgeon, founded modern ophthalmology.
  • 1843 - A massive wagon train of 1,000 settlers and 1,000 head of cattle sets off down the Oregon Trail from Independence, Missouri, USA.
  • 1844 - Birth of Mary Cassatt; US impressionist painter (Woman Bathing).
  • 1856 - Prepresentative Preston Brooks of South Carolina enters the Senate chambers in Washington, D.C., and brutally beats Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts.
  • 1858 - Confederación Granadina is established by federal constitution of states of Antioquia, Bolívar, Boyacá, Cauca, Cundinamarca, Magdalena, Panamá, and Santander.
  • 1859 - Birth of Arthur Conan Doyle in United Kingdom; author (Sherlock Holmes) (dies 1930).
  • 1859 - Ferdinand II [Re Bomba], Dutch King of Sicily, dies at age 49.
  • 1863 - US War Department establishes Bureau of Colored Troops.
  • 1864 - Battle of North Anna River, Virginia (Totopotamy River, Haw's Shop, Hanovertown).
  • 1868 - Great Train Robbery; seven men (Reno Brothers) make off with $98,000 in cash.
  • 1868 - Julius Plücker, German mathematician/physicist (formula of P), dies.
  • 1872 - Amnesty Act restores civil rights to Southerners (except for 500).
  • 1874 - Birth of Daniel F Malan; premier of South Africa (1948-54).
  • 1877 - Third Kentucky Derby: Billy Walker aboard Baden-Baden wins in 2:38.
  • 1879 - Birth of Hendrik Heyman; Belgian minister of Nÿverheid/mayor.
  • 1879 - Birth of Warwick Armstrong; cricket player (Big Ship Great Aussie skipper 1920-21).
  • 1885 - 13th Preakness: Jim McLaughlin aboard Tecumseh wins in 2:49.
  • 1885 - Victor-Marie Hugo, French writer (Les Misérables), dies at age 83.
  • 1888 - Leroy Buffington patents a system to build skyscrapers.
  • 1891 - In New Jersey, USA, Thomas Edison makes the first public display of his Kinetoscope projection of a film to the US National Federation of Women's Clubs, with an audience of 147,
  • 1891 - Birth of Robert Gordon Sproul; educator/college president (University of California).
  • 1892 - Birth of Louis van Tulder; Dutch tenor (From Office Stool to High C).
  • 1892 - Dr Washington Sheffield invents toothpaste tube.
  • 1893 - Montréal Athletic Association beats Ottawa Generals 2-1, in first Stanley Cup hockey game.
  • 1897 - Birth of Robert Neumann; Austrian/British author (Waters of Babylon).
  • 1898 - Birth of René de Vos; Dutch actor/composer (Jij Bent Mijn Leven).
  • 1900 - Associated Press organizes in New York City as non-profit news cooperative.
  • 1900 - Edwin S Votey patents pneumatic piano player.
  • 1902 - 36th Belmont Stakes: John Bullman aboard Mastermam wins in 2:22.6.
  • 1902 - Birth of Al Simmons in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; outfielder (Philadelphia Athletics), lifetime batting average of .334.
  • 1904 - Birth of Anne de Vries; writer (Bartje).
  • 1905 - Royal Academy in Delft Holland becomes Technical High School.
  • 1906 - 10th anniversary of modern Olympics celebration is held in Athens, Greece.
  • 1906 - 31st Preakness: Walter Miller aboard Whimsical wins in 1:45.
  • 1906 - Birth of Harry Ritz; US comic (Ritz Brothers - Silent Movie).
  • 1906 - The Wright brothers are granted U.S. patent number 821,393 for their "Flying-Machine."
  • 1907 - Birth of Hergé [Georges Rémi]; Belgian cartoonist (Kuifje).
  • 1907 - Birth of Laurence Olivier in England; actor (Rebecca, Hamlet, Jazz Singer) (dies 1989).
  • 1910 - Birth of Johnny Olson; TV announcer (The Price is Right).
  • 1910 - Jules Renard, French writer (Le plaisir the rompre), dies at age 46.
  • 1911 - Birth of Anatol Rapoport; Russian/US mathematician/biologist (game theory).
  • 1912 - Birth of Hendrik Koekoek; Dutch Member of Parliament (Farmers Party).
  • 1913 - Birth of Andrea C Bensddorp; Dutch/South African actress (Commensaal).
  • 1913 - Birth of Carlyle Blackwell Junior in California, USA; actor (Docks of New York).
  • 1914 - Birth of Vance Packard in Granville Summit, Pennsylvania, USA; author (Hidden Persuaders).
  • 1915 - Local train collides with troop train killing 226 (Gretna Scotland).
  • 1916 - French troops occupy parts of Fort Douaumont, Verdun, France.
  • 1919 - Birth of Paul Vanden Boeynants; premier of Belgium (1966-68, 1978-79).
  • 1920 - Birth of Hugh Armstrong Clegg; industrial relations academic.
  • 1920 - Birth of Thomas Gold; astronomer (proposed steady-state theory of universe).
  • 1922 - Birth of Judith Crist in New York City, New York, USA; movie critic (TV Guide).
  • 1923 - Stanley Baldwin succeeds Andrew Bonar Law as British premier.
  • 1924 - Birth of Charles Aznavour [Chahnour Varinag Aznavourian] in Paris, France; French-Armenian singer ("Monsieur Carnavel", "Tin Drum").
  • 1924 - Birth of Helen Wedemeyer in Hilo, Hawaii; actress (Hawaii Five-O).
  • 1925 - Birth of Jean Tinguely; Swiss sculptor artist (movement objects).
  • 1925 - John [Denton Pinkstone] French, British field marshall (WWI), dies at age 72.
  • 1926 - Chiang Kai-shek replaces communists in Guomindang, China.
  • 1927 - 8.3 earthquake strikes Nan-Shan China, 200,000 killed.
  • 1927 - Birth of Eric Petrie; cricket player (New Zealand wicketkeeper of the late 1950s).
  • 1927 - Birth of Michael Constantine in Reading, Pennsylvania, USA; actor (Room 222, Don't Drink the Water).
  • 1928 - Birth of T Boone Pickens; CEO (Shamrock, Mesa Petroleum Co).
  • 1928 - US Congress accepts Jones-White Merchant Naval Act.
  • 1928 - William Gairdner, English missionary (Nile Mission Press), dies at age 54.
  • 1930 - Birth of Dieuwke Y W de Graaff-Nauta; Dutch undersecretary of the Interior.
  • 1930 - New York Yankees "Bronx Bombers" hit 14 homeruns in a game. Babe Ruth hits three consecutive homeruns (8th-10th of 60 in 1930).
  • 1931 - Canned rattlesnake meat first goes on sale in Florida.
  • 1932 - Lady Augusta [Isabella Gregory], playwright (Gold Apple), dies at age 80.
  • 1933 - Birth of John Browning in Denver, Colorado, USA; pianist (Leventritt Award-1956).
  • 1933 - US Congress declares all currency in circulation legal tender dollar for dollar as if it were gold.
  • 1933 - Loch Ness Monster is first reportedly sighted by John Mackay.
  • 1933 - World Trade Day/National Maritime Day first celebrated.
  • 1934 - Birth of Peter Nero in New York City, New York, USA; conductor/pianist ("A Sunday in New York").
  • 1938 - Birth of Frank Converse; actor (It's About Time, Dr Cook's Garden, Movin' On).
  • 1938 - Birth of Richard Benjamin in New York City, New York, USA; director/actor (Goodbye Columbus, He and She).
  • 1938 - Birth of Susan Strasberg in New York City, New York, USA; actress (In Praise of Older Women, Manitou).
  • 1939 - At the Reich Chancellory in Berlin, Italian Foreign Minister Count Ciano and German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop sign a ten-year political and military alliance, dubbed the Pact of Steel.
  • 1939 - Willem de Mérode, poet (Precious Blood), dies at age 51.
  • 1940 - Birth of Bernard Shaw; news correspondant (CBS, CNN).
  • 1940 - Birth of Erapalli Prasanna; cricket player (one of India's big four spinners).
  • 1940 - Birth of Michael Sarrazin; actor (Seduction, They Shoot Horses Don't They).
  • 1940 - Dutch Premier De Geer begins working with Germans.
  • 1941 - Birth of Paul Winfield in Los Angeles, California, USA; actor (Star Trek II, Huckleberry Finn, Mars Attacks).
  • 1941 - British troops attack Baghdad, Iraq.
  • 1942 - Birth of Barbara Parkins in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; actress (Betty - Peyton Place, Asylum).
  • 1942 - Birth of Calvin Simon; American rock vocalist (Funkadelic - "One Nation Under a Groove").
  • 1942 - Birth of Pallo Jordan; South African African National Congress member/heads (Radio Freedom).
  • 1942 - México declares war on Germany and Japan.
  • 1943 - First jet fighter is tested.
  • 1943 - Birth of Tommy John; pitcher (New York Yankees, Brooklyn Dodgers).
  • 1943 - RAF scatters first copies of "The Flying Hollander".
  • 1943 - Stalin disbands Komintern.
  • 1943 - Death of US first lady Helen Taft.
  • 1945 - US 6th Marine division reaches suburbs of Naha, Okinawa, Japan.
  • 1945 - Birth of Victoria Wyndham in Chicago, Illinois, USA; actress (Rachel Cory - Another World).
  • 1945 - NSB-Führer Rost van Tonningen attempts and fails at suicide.
  • 1946 - New York Yankees turn triple-play and defeat Detroit Tigers' 5-3.
  • 1946 - Karl Hermann Frank, last Protector of Bohemia, is publicly hanged in Prague.
  • 1947 - "Truman Doctrine" goes into effect, aiding Turkey and Greece.
  • 1947 - First US ballistic missile fired.
  • 1948 - Birth of Richard Baker; American politician (Representative-Republican-Louisiana).
  • 1948 - Claude McKaye, Jamaican/American poet/author (Banjo, Home to Harlem), dies in Chicago, Illinois at age 57.
  • 1949 - Hans Erich Pfitzner, Russian/German composer, dies at age 80.
  • 1949 - Klaus H T Mann, German/US writer (Turning Point), dies at age 42.
  • 1950 - Birth of Bernie Taupin; lyricist, writes with Elton John.
  • 1950 - Celal Bayar elected president of Turkey.
  • 1952 - Birth of Jan Todd; woman power lifter, once lifted 248kg in a squat.
  • 1952 - Birth of R W Eaks in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA; Nike golfer (1990 Quicksilver Open).
  • 1953 - Birth of John Edward Stevens in New York City, New York, USA; bank robber (FBI Most Wanted List).
  • 1953 - US President Dwight Eisenhower signs Offshore Oil Bill.
  • 1953 - New York Yankees' player Irv Noren hits into a triple-play, New York Yankees beat Washington Senators 12-4.
  • 1954 - 80th Preakness: Johnny Adams aboard Hasty Road wins in 1:57.4.
  • 1954 - Birth of Jerry Dammers; keyboardist (Specials - "The Special").
  • 1955 - Birth of Iva Davies; rock guitarist/vocalist (Icehouse).
  • 1955 - Birth of Sam Coppersmith; American politician (Representative-Democrat-Arizona).
  • 1956 - Bob Hope Show last airs on NBC-TV.
  • 1956 - Birth of Douglas Heyes Junior in Los Angeles, California, USA; actor (Captains and the Kings, Aspen).
  • 1957 - Boston Red Sox set American League record by smashing four homeruns in 6th inning in 11-0 win.
  • 1957 - South Africa Government approves race separation in universities.
  • 1958 - Magdalene Székely-Lulofs, author (Our Italian Employees), dies at age 58.
  • 1959 - Birth of Ed Fry; actor (Larry - As the World Turns, Adam Cory - Another World).
  • 1959 - Birth of [Steven Patrick] Morrissey in Manchester, England; rocker (The Smiths - "Hand in Glove", and solo artist - "November Spawned a Monster").
  • 1960 - A 9.5-magnitude earthquake occurs off the coast of Chile, killing about 1700 and leaving 2 million homeless. The resulting tsunami kills people in Hawaii, Japan, and the Philippines. This is the largest earthquake recorded to date.
  • 1961 - First revolving restaurant (top of the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington) opens.
  • 1961 - Birth of Dana Williams in Dayton, Ohio, USA; singer (Diamond Rio - "Meet in the Middle").
  • 1962 - In Los Angeles, California, the 14th Annual Emmy Awards are presented, hosted by Bob Newhart, Johnny Carson, and David Brinkley.
    • Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography for Television: John S. Priestley for Naked City
    • Outstanding Achievement in Film Editing for Television: Hugh Chaloupka, Aaron Nibley, and Charles L. Freeman for Naked City
    • Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composed for Television: Richard Rodgers for Winston Churchill: The Valiant Years
    • Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Series (Lead): E.G. Marshall for The Defenders
    • Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Series (Lead): Shirley Booth for Hazel
    • Outstanding Daytime Program: Purex Summer Specials
    • Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy: Nat Hiken for Car 54, Where Are You?
    • Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Drama: Franklin J. Schaffner for The Defenders
    • Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role by an Actor: Don Knotts for The Andy Griffith Show
    • Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role by an Actress: Pamela Brown for Victoria Regina
    • Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Musical Program or Series: Carol Burnett for The Garry Moore Show
    • Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of Drama: The Defenders
    • Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of Educational and Public Affairs Programming: David Brinkley's Journal
    • Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of Humor: The Bob Newhart Show
    • Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of News: The Huntley-Brinkley Report
    • Outstanding Program Achievements in the Fields of Variety and Music - Variety: The Garry Moore Show
    • Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: Peter Falk in the episode "The Price of Tomatoes" of The Dick Powell Show
    • Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: Julie Harris for Victoria Regina
    • Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy: Carl Reiner for The Dick Van Dyke Show
    • Outstanding Writing Achievement in Drama: Reginald Rose for The Defenders
    • The Program of the Year: Victoria Regina

  • 1962 - Birth of Andrew Donald Magee in Paris, France; PGA golfer (1988 Pensacola Open).
  • 1962 - Netherlands telephone net becomes completely automated.
  • 1962 - New York Yankees' Roger Maris walks five times (record four intentionally) in a 9-inning game.
  • 1963 - A C Milan wins 8th Europe Cup 1 at London, England.
  • 1963 - Mickey Mantle hits a ball off Yankee Stadium's facade.
  • 1964 - Birth of David Lidberg; jockey.
  • 1964 - US President Lyndon Johnson presents "Great Society".
  • 1965 - The Beatles' "Ticket to Ride" single goes #1.
  • 1965 - Bobby Watson, comedian (Hitler Gang, Boys Town), dies at age 77.
  • 1965 - Heinrich Barth, Swiss philosopher (Das Sein in der Zeit), dies.
  • 1966 - In Los Angeles, California, the 18th Annual Emmy Awards are presented, hosted by Danny Kaye and Bill Cosby.
    • Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Series: Bill Cosby for I Spy
    • Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Drama: Cliff Robertson for "The Game" of Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
    • Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series: Dick Van Dyke for The Dick Van Dyke Show
    • Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Series: Barbara Stanwyck for The Big Valley
    • Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Drama: Simone Signoret for episode "A Small Rebellion" of Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
    • Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series: Mary Tyler Moore for The Dick Van Dyke Show
    • Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Drama: James Daly for "Eagle in a Cage" of Hallmark Hall of Fame
    • Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Comedy: Don Knotts for episode "The Return of Barney Fife" of Andy Griffith Show
    • Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Drama: Lee Grant for Peyton Place
    • Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Comedy: Alice Pearce for Bewitched
    • Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy: William Asher for Bewitched
    • Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety or Music: Alan Handley for The Julie Andrews Show
    • Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Drama: Sydney Pollack for The Game of Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
    • Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy: Bill Persky and Sam Denoff for episode "Coast To Coast Big Mouth" of The Dick Van Dyke Show
    • Outstanding Writing Achievement in Variety: Hal Goldman, Al Gordon, and Sheldon Keller for An Evening with Carol Channing
    • Outstanding Writing Achievement in Drama: Millard Lampell for "Eagle in a Cage" of Hallmark Hall of Fame
    • Individual Achievements in Film Editing: Marvin Coil, Everett Douglas, and Ellsworth Hoagland for Bonanza
    • Individual Achievements in Music - Composition: Laurence Rosenthal for "Michelangelo: The Last Giant"
    • Outstanding Musical Program: Dwight Hemion for Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music
    • Outstanding Dramatic Series: Alan A. Armer for The Fugitive
    • Special Classification of Individual Achievements: Art Carney for episode "The Adoption" of The Jackie Gleason Show, and Burr Tillstrom for the "Berlin Wall" of That Was the Week That Was
    • Outstanding Children's Program: Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez for A Charlie Brown Christmas
    • Outstanding Dramatic Program: David Susskind and Daniel Melnick for The Ages of Man
    • Outstanding Variety Special: Bob Hope for the "Christmas Special" of Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
    • Achievements in Daytime Programming - Programs: Dan Gallagher for Camera Three and Don Meier for Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom
    • Outstanding Comedy Series: Carl Reiner for The Dick Van Dyke Show
    • Outstanding Variety Series: Bob Finkel for The Andy Williams Show
    • Achievements in Educational Television - Individuals: Julia Child for The French Chef
    • Trustees Award: Edward R. Murrow.

  • 1966 - Birth of Donald Royal; NBA forward (Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic).
  • 1966 - Birth of Jose Mesa in Azua, Dominican Republic; pitcher (Cleveland Indians).
  • 1966 - Shirley Englehorn wins LPGA Babe Didrikson-Zaharias Golf Open.
  • 1966 - Tom Goddard, cricket player (22 wickets in 8 Tests for England 1930-39), dies.
  • 1967 - Mister Rogers' Neighborhood debuts on NET (now PBS).
  • 1967 - Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser closes Straits of Tiran to Israel.
  • 1967 - Fire at L'Innovation department store kills 322 (Brussels, Belgium).
  • 1967 - Henry C Rümke, psychiatrist (Light of Man), dies at age 74.
  • 1968 - Birth of Alan Levine in Park Ridge, Illinois, USA; pitcher (Chicago White Sox).
  • 1968 - Birth of Brent Geiberger in Santa Barbara, California, USA; Nike golfer (1994 Queen Mary-second).
  • 1968 - Birth of Carmie Vairo in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; softball infielder (Olympics-1996).
  • 1968 - Birth of Mike Harbold in Oakland, California, USA; sprint kayak (Olympics-1996).
  • 1968 - Birth of Randy Brown; NBA guard (Chicago Bulls).
  • 1968 - Pittsburgh Pirates' player Willie Stargell hits three homeruns, a double and a single.
  • 1969 - Birth of Tim Wiley in Lexington, Massachusetts, USA; kayak (alternate-Olympics-1996).
  • 1969 - Birth of Vaughn Eshelman in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; pitcher (Boston Red Sox).
  • 1969 - Stafford and Cernan pilot Apollo 10 LEM 9.4 miles (15km) above lunar surface.
  • 1970 - Arab terrorists kill nine children and three adults on a school bus.
  • 1970 - Birth of Clyde Johnson; cornerback (Kansas City Chiefs).
  • 1970 - Birth of Eric Wunderlich; American 200 metre breaststroke (Olympics-1996).
  • 1970 - Birth of Marcus Dowdell; NFL wide receiver/kick returner (Arizona Cardinals).
  • 1970 - Birth of Naomi Campbell in London, England; model/actress (Cool as Ice, Unzipped).
  • 1970 - France performs nuclear test at Muruora Island.
  • 1970 - Joseph W Krutch, American writer (Measure of Man), dies at age 76.
  • 1970 - Mel Stottlemyre sets record by walking 11, but wins 2-0.
  • 1971 - Birth of Corey Croom; NFL running back (New England Patriots).
  • 1971 - Birth of Troy Barnhart in Hanford, California, USA; water polo two metre offense (Olympics-1996).
  • 1971 - In Eastern Turkey, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake occurs, 410 miles southeast of Ankara. The city of Bingol is nearly destroyed. 1000 people killed, 90 percent of Bingol's structures destroyed, and 15,000 of its inhabitants are made homeless.
  • 1972 - Birth of Alison Eastwood, daughter of actor Clint Eastwood; actress (Tightrope).
  • 1972 - Birth of Mike Hollis; NFL kicker (Jacksonville Jaguars).
  • 1972 - Birth of Rich Owens; NFL defensive end (Washington Redskins).
  • 1972 - Ceylon becomes Republic of Sri Lanka as its constitution is ratified.
  • 1972 - Margaret Rutherford, English actress (Murder Ahoy, VIP's), dies at age 80.
  • 1972 - Ton Sijbrands becomes world checker champion.
  • 1972 - US President Richard Nixon begins visit to Moscow, Russia.
  • 1973 - Birth of Aaron Graham; corner (Arizona Cardinals).
  • 1973 - Birth of Daniel Tiatto; Australian soccer midfielder (Olyroos, Olympics-1996).
  • 1973 - Birth of Julian Tavarez in Santiago, Dominican Republic; pitcher (Cleveland Indians).
  • 1973 - Birth of Leslie Ratliffe; WLAF offensive tackle (Rhein Fire).
  • 1973 - US President Richard Nixon confesses his role in Watergate cover-up.
  • 1973 - At Xerox PARC, Bob Metcalfe invents the Ethernet computer connectivity system, describing in a memo how the technology would work. The name "Ethernet" refers to medium-independent transmission of data packets, and is based on a discredited physical theory of an existing "ether" in space allowing transmission of light rays from the sun to the Earth.
  • 1974 - Birth of Greg Jones; linebacker (Washington Redskins).
  • 1974 - Ruffian begins her racing career as a filly and dies 14 months later.
  • 1974 - Soccer team Veendam forms.
  • 1974 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site.
  • 1975 - 8th ABA Championship: Kentucky Colonels beat Indiana Pacers, 4 games to 1.
  • 1975 - Birth of Cole Hauser in Santa Barbara, California; actor (Randy - High Incident).
  • 1975 - The first legal numbers game in the USA is New Jersey State Lottery's "Pick-it", in which players choose their own 3-digit number in a daily drawing.
  • 1975 - Birth of Janne Niinimaa in Raahe, Finland; NHL defenseman (Finland Olympics-bronze-1998, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers).
  • 1975 - Torben Meyer, actor (Viking, Roberta, Sunny), dies at age 90.
  • 1976 - Birth of Christian Vande Velde in Chicago, Illinois; cyclist (Olympics-1996).
  • 1976 - NASA launches space vehicle S-179.
  • 1976 - Saint Louis Cardinals' Reggie Smith hits three homeruns.
  • 1977 - Final European scheduled run of the Orient Express (94 years).
  • 1977 - Gijsbert van Hall, banker/mayor of Amsterdam (1957-67), dies at age 73.
  • 1977 - Kathy Whitworth wins LPGA Coca-Cola Golf Classic.
  • 1977 - Marius Monnikendam, Dutch choir composer, dies at age 80.
  • 1977 - Boston Red Sox (6) and Milwaukee Brewers (5) tie single game homerun record of 11.
  • 1978 - Death of Joe Colombo, American gangster (born 1914).
  • 1978 - Exiled leaders Ahmed Abdallah and Mohammed Ahmed return to the Comoros.
  • 1979 - Canadians elect conservatives, Joseph Clark replaces Pierre Trudeau.
  • 1979 - Commencement of first ICC Trophy (PNG versus East Africa and Singapore versus Argentina).
  • 1980 - Namco releases the video game Pacman.
  • 1981 - Soyuz 40 returns to Earth.
  • 1981 - Birth of Melissa Gregory; American figure skater.
  • 1981 - Peter Sutcliffe is found guilty of being the Yorkshire Ripper. He is sentenced to life imprisonment on 13 counts of murder and seven of attempted murder.
  • 1983 - Pat Bradley wins LPGA Chrysler-Plymouth Charity Golf Tournament.
  • 1983 - Toronto Blue Jays' Cliff Johnson hits record 18th pinch hit homerun.
  • 1984 - John Marley, actor (Cat Ballou), dies following heart surgery at age 77.
  • 1984 - The final episode of US TV show Hart to Hart airs.
  • 1985 - Pete Rose 2,108th run passes Hank Aaron as National League run scoring leader.
  • 1985 - Real Madrid wins 14th UEFA Cup at Madrid, Spain.
  • 1985 - US sailor Michael L Walker arrested for spying for USSR.
  • 1985 - TriStar releases the film Rambo: First Blood Part II to theaters.
  • 1986 - Martin Gabel, actor (Thief, Marnie), dies at age 63.
  • 1987 - 30 killed in a Texas tornado.
  • 1988 - 34th LPGA Championship won by Sherri Turner.
  • 1988 - Dennis Day, tenor/comedian (Jack Benny Show, Danny Boy), dies at age 71.
  • 1988 - Giorgio Almirante, Italian fascist (member of parliament), dies at age 73.
  • 1988 - Károly Grósz succeeds party leader János Kádár in Hungary.
  • 1989 - In Russia, the Nordland Days in Leningrad region (Leningrad oblast) opens.
  • 1990 - Max Wall, actor (Jabberwocky), dies.
  • 1990 - At the Center City at Columbus Circle in New York, Microsoft introduces and ships Microsoft Windows 3.0. This version allows addressing memory above 640 kB. Microsoft spends US$3 million for opening-day marketing, as part of a US$10 million promotional campaign.
  • 1990 - The leaders of the Yemen Arab Republic and the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen announce the unification of their countries as the Republic of Yemen.
  • 1990 - In a 16-inning game against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field, Chicago Cubs' right fielder Andre Dawson is walked five times intentionally, establishing a major league record.
  • 1991 - Inter Milan wins 20th UEFA Cup at Rome.
  • 1991 - Lino Brocka, director (Macho Dancer, Jaguar), dies in car crash at age 51.
  • 1991 - NFL Owners agree to add two teams in 1994.
  • 1991 - Roh Jai Bong resigns as premier of South Korea.
  • 1991 - Death of Derrick Henry Lehmer, American mathematician (born 1905).
  • 1992 - California Angels are involved in a bus crash in New Jersey.
  • 1992 - India launches its Agni rocket.
  • 1992 - Johnny Carson's final appearance as host of The Tonight Show.
  • 1992 - Tony "Big Tuna" Accardo, American mobster (Saint Valentines Day), dies at age 86 (born 1906).
  • 1993 - Mieczyslaw Horszowski, Polish/US pianist (Carnegie Hall), dies at age 100.
  • 1993 - Riddick Bowe scores a technical knock-out on Jesse Ferguson in two rounds for heavyweight boxing title.
  • 1994 - Elaine Crosby wins LPGA Lady Keystone Golf Open.
  • 1994 - Frederick Hemming McClintock, criminologist, dies at age 68.
  • 1994 - Mitacq [Michel Tacq], Belgian comic strip artist (Beaver Patrol), dies.
  • 1994 - Toronto NBA franchise unveils name "Raptors" and logo.
  • 1995 - Laverne and Shirley 20th anniversary reunion special is televised.
  • 1995 - Robert Flemyng, actor (Kafka, Rebecca, Funny Face), dies at age 83.
  • 1996 - Paramount releases the film Mission: Impossible to theaters.
  • 1997 - In India, a magnitude 5.8 earthquake occurs. At least 38 people killed, more than 1,000 injured, thousands homeless and extensive damage.
  • 1997 - Kelly Flinn, the U.S. Air Force's first female bomber pilot certified for combat, accepts a general discharge in order to avoid a court martial.
  • 1997 - Death of Alfred Hershey, American biochemist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (born 1908).
  • 1998 - Tomorrowland at Disneyland in California re-opens after extensive remodelling.
  • 1998 - The Rocket Rods attraction opens in Tomorrowland at Disneyland, California. It occupies the old PeopleMover track.
  • 1998 - DisneyQuest opens at Downtown Disney West Side in Walt Disney World in Florida. It provides five stories of high-tech attractions, including Explore Zone, Create Zone, and Replay Zone.
  • 1998 - A federal judge rules that United States Secret Service agents can be compelled to testify before a grand jury concerning the Lewinsky-Clinton scandal.
  • 1998 - Murray Gleeson is appointed Chief Justice of Australia, succeeding Sir Gerard Brennan.
  • 1998 - Death of José Enrique Moyal, mathematical physicist (born 1910).
  • 1998 - In Central Bolivia, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake occurs. At least 105 people killed and 150 injured. Eighty percent of the buildings at Aiquile and seventy percent at Totora destroyed.
  • 1999 - The television show Mortal Kombat: Conquest last airs in the US. 22 shows aired during the season.
  • 2001 - Death of Whitman Mayo at age 70 after a heart attack; actor (Grady TV show, Sanford and Son, The Van Dyke Show, Hell Town, The Cape, The Best of Times).
  • 2001 - A large trans-Neptunian object (28978 Ixion) is found during the Deep Ecliptic Survey.
  • 2001 - (to May 23) The Bahá'í Terraces officially open on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel (site of the Shrine of the Báb and the Bahá'í World Centre).
  • 2001 - NBC airs the final episode of TV show 3rd Rock from the Sun.
  • 2002 - In Washington, DC, Chandra Levy's remains are found in Rock Creek Park.
  • 2002 - A jury in Birmingham, Alabama convicts former Ku Klux Klan member Bobby Frank Cherry of the 1963 murders of four girls.
  • 2002 - Rosie O'Donnell hosts the last of her syndicated saytime talk shows, after a six-year run.
  • 2003 - The Sheffield Winter Gardens are officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II.
  • 2003 - Arturo Moreno purchases the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim from the Walt Disney Company for US$184 million.
  • 2005 - Death of Thurl Ravenscroft of cancer in the USA; distinctive voice in movies, TV commercials, Disneyland attractions over decades, Johnny Mann Singers ("You're a Mean One, Mister Grinch"), Tony the Tiger ("they're grrrrreat!"), named Disney Legend 1995.
  • 2006 - Death of Lee Jong-wook, Korean Director-General of the World Health Organisation (born 1945).
  • 2009 - India's new government, with Manmohan Singh as prime minister, takes the oath of office in Delhi.
  • 2009 - Malawi's President Bingu wa Mutharika is sworn in for a second five-year term.
  • 2012 - Tokyo Skytree, the tallest self-supporting tower in the world at 634 metres high, is opened to public.
  • 2014 - The Royal Thai Army overthrows the caretaker government of Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan after a failure to resolve the political unrest in Thailand.
  • 2016 - Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogon replaces Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu with Binali Yildirim.
  • 2017 - A terrorist bombing attack at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England kills 22 people and injures over 500.
  • 2019 - British Steel goes bankrupt.
  • 2020 - Flight PK8303, a Pakistan International Airlines passenger aircraft, crashes in a residential area near Karachi, in Pakistan, killing 97 of the 99 total people on board and injuring dozens on the ground.
  • 2021 - Twenty-one professional runners die from hypothermia due to extreme weather in an ultramarathon held in Jingtai County, Gansu, China.
  • 2022 - Golfer Justin Thomas wins the 2022 PGA Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA.
  • 2022 - Death of Dervla Murphy at age 90; Irish travel writer (Full Tilt book, A Place Apart book, Tales from Two Cities book).
  • 2023 - American basketball player Carmelo Anthony announces his retirement from the NBA, at age 38, after 19 seasons. Anthony was a ten-time NBA All-Star player, and played for the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers.

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