• 1552 - Matteo Ricci, Italian missionary (China)
• 1618 - Miguel Gomez Camargo, composer
• 1706 - Pieter Steyn, Dutch grand pensionary (1749- )
• 1777 - William Russell, composer
• 1806 - Andreas Randel, composer
• 1808 - Frederik VII, 1st constitutional king of Denmark (1848-63)
• 1816 - William Batchelder Bradbury, composer
• 1818 - Joseph Rummel, composer
• 1819 - Willem A Scholten, Dutch potato-flour manufacturer
• 1820 - Jenny Lind, Sweden, soprano/nightingale (Agathe-Freisch�tz)
• 1824 - Henry Chadwick, baseball pioneer, developed 1st rule book
• 1827 - Cark Reidel, composer
• 1831 - J W Richard Dedekind, Ger mathematician (Nature & Meaning of Numbers)
• 1846 - George Westinghouse, responsible for alternating current in US
• 1847 - Adolf von Hildebrand, German sculptor
• 1849 - Basil Zaharoff, arms dealer, "merchant of death"
• 1860 - Oscar L Helfrich, Dutch governor (Cura‡ao)
• 1860 - Reneke de Marees van Swinderen, Dutch foreign minister (1908-13)
• 1862 - Albert Jeremiah Beveridge, US, politician/author (Progressive)
• 1866 - Reginald Aubrey Fessenden, broadcast 1st program of voice & music
• 1873 - Oscar George Theodore Sonneck, composer
• 1880 - Julia Culp, mezzo-soprano
• 1882 - Karol Maciej Szymanowski, Timoshovka Ukraine, composer (Stabatmater)
• 1884 - Lloyd Spooner, US, marksman (Olympic-4 gold/1 silver/2 bronze-1920)
• 1887 - George Brown, cricketer (legendary England batsman/keeper of 20's)
• 1887 - Le Corbusier, Switzerland, architect/city planner/artist (Urbanisme)
• 1887 - Maria Jeritza, [Jedlicka], Austria, singer (Vienna Opera)
• 1887 - Mart¡n Luis Guzm n, Mexico, novelist (Eagle & the Serpent)
• 1888 - Li Ta-chao, co-founder with Mao Tse-tung (Chinese Communist Party)
• 1888 - Max Butting, composer
• 1889 - Maria Dabrowska, Polish writer (Noce I Dnie)
• 1895 - Caroline Gordon, Kentucky, writer (Green Centuries)
• 1896 - Otto Siegl, composer
• 1897 - Jerome Cowan, NYC, actor (Mr Dithers-Blondie, Tab Hunter Show)
• 1902 - Mihovil Logar, composer
• 1904 - Horst Lange, writer
• 1905 - Helen N Willis Moody, tennis pro (8 Wimbledon titles 1927-1938)
• 1906 - Janet Gaynor, Philadelphia, actress (Sunrise, A Star Is Born)
• 1906 - Louis Borell, Amsterdam Neth, actor (Over the Moon, Queer Cargo)
• 1909 - Carol Lombard, Ft Wayne IN, actress (My Man Godfrey, In Name Only)
• 1912 - Anthony Cuthbert Baines, writer/curator
• 1913 - Meret Oppenheim, writer
• 1914 - Thor Heyerdahl, Norway, anthropologist/explorer (Kon Tiki, Aku-Aku)
• 1915 - Edgardo Martin, composer
• 1915 - Harry van Doorn, [Henri W], CRM minister/Dutch politician (KVP/PPR)
• 1916 - Tommy Lawton, footballer
• 1917 - Robert Mitchum, actor (2 for the Seesaw, Ryan's Daughter)
• 1925 - Shana Alexander, NYC, journalist (60 Minutes)
• 1926 - Alan Copeland, LA Calif, orch leader/singer (Your Hit Parade)
• 1926 - Cyril Reuben, violinist
• 1927 - Alice Bauer, LPGA golfer
• 1927 - Paul Badura-Skoda, Vienna Austria, pianist (Mozart Interpretation)
• 1929 - Les Favell, cricketer (stoic Australian batsman late 50's)
• 1930 - Hafez al Assad, president (Syria)
• 1930 - Richie Benaud, cricket capt (great Aussie leg-spinner, commentator)
• 1931 - Fred Graham, newscaster/journalist (CBS News, Court TV)
• 1932 - Gloria Lane, educator/author/founder (Women's International Center)
• 1933 - Horst Bingle, writer
• 1936 - Anna Quayle, actress (Mistress Pamela)
• 1936 - Glenn Hild, race horse trainer
• 1936 - Rob Touber, [Robert J Noordervliet], cabaret director (Capers)
• 1939 - Douglas K Bereuter, (Rep-R-Nebraska, 1979- )
• 1939 - John J LaFalce, (Rep-D-NY, 1975- )
• 1940 - Boris Dmitriyevich Andreyev, Russia, cosmonaut
• 1940 - Ellen Travolta, Englewood NJ, actress (Grease, Charles in Charge)
• 1940 - Wyche Fowler Jr, (Rep-D-GA, 1977-87)
• 1942 - Britt Ekland, Stockholm Sweden, actress (Wicker Man, Asylum)
• 1942 - Fred Travalena, NYC, comedian/impressionist (Buy & Cell)
• 1943 - Cees Veerman, pop guitarist/singer (Cats-Sure He's a Cat)
• 1943 - Michael Durrell, Bkln NY, actor (Shannon, V, Alice, Chiefs)
• 1943 - Udo Zimmermann, composer
• 1944 - Merzak Allouache, director (Salut Cousin, Amour a Paris)
• 1945 - Domonic Barber, attorney (Howard Stern, Jessica Hahn, Joe Buttafucco)
• 1946 - Gary Gentry, baseball player (NY Mets)
• 1946 - Tony Greig, South Africa, cricketer (English all-rounder 1972-77)
• 1947 - Aleksandr Stepanovich Andryushkov, Russian colonel/cosmonaut
• 1947 - Klaus Dibiasi, Italy, platform diver (Olympic-gold-1968, 72, 76)
• 1948 - Dan Hamburg, (Rep-D-California)
• 1949 - Bobby Farrell, Jamaica, rock vocalist
• 1950 - David Brin, US, sci-fi author (Hugo, Nebula, Sundiver, Postman)
• 1950 - Thomas McClary, US soul guitarist (Commodores-Still)
• 1951 - Kevin Cronin, Champaign Ill, rock vocalist (REO Speedwagon)
• 1956 - Stephanie Zimbalist, NYC, actress (Remington Steele, Centennial)
• 1957 - Dom Galluscio, race horse trainer
• 1957 - Shahzad Altaf, cricketer (UAE off-spinner 1996 World Cup)
• 1959 - John Mackin, programmer
• 1959 - Robyn Maher, Australian basketball guard (Olympics-bronze-96)
• 1959 - Walter Ray Williams Jr, bowler (twice Player of the Year)
• 1959 - [Dennis Ray] "Oil Can" Boyd, baseball pitcher (Boston Red Sox)
• 1960 - Albert Lewis, NFL cornerback (Oakland Raiders)
• 1960 - Jeffrey Trachta, Staten Island NY, actor (Thorne-Bold & Beautiful)
• 1960 - Richard Jobson, British TV person/rocker (Skids-Scared to Dance)
• 1960 - Scott Stevens, jockey
• 1961 - Kathrin D”rre, East German marathoner (Olympic-bronze-1988)
• 1961 - Tim Burgess, rocker
• 1964 - Pam Kometani, Honolulu HI, LPGA golfer (1992 Welch's Classic-27th)
• 1964 - Thomas "Tom" Hunter, US 50M FREESTYLE swimmer (world record)
• 1965 - Cynthia Meyer, NY, Canadian trap shooter (Olympics-96)
• 1965 - David Spaulding, Newport Beach Calif, canoe (alt-Olympics-96)
• 1965 - Jim Sharp, US rodeo rider (Las Vegas 1988)
• 1965 - Ruben Sierra, Rio Piedras Puerto Rico, outfielder (NY Yankees)
• 1966 - Archi Cianfrocco, Rome NY, infielder (San Diego Padres)
• 1966 - Jimmie Johnson, NFL tight end (Phila Eagles)
• 1966 - Julianne McNamara, Flushing NY, gymnist (Olympic-gold-1984)
• 1966 - Oscar Caballos, jockey
• 1969 - Byron Black, Zimbabwe, tennis star
• 1969 - Jeff Lay, Ottawa Ontario, rower (Olympics-96)
• 1969 - Martha Richards, Hudson WI, LPGA golfer (1995 Safeco Classic-21st)
• 1969 - Robert Person, St Louis MO, pitcher (NY Mets)
• 1970 - Darren Oliver, Kansas city MO, pitcher (Texas Rangers)
• 1971 - Chris Hudson, NFL strong safety (Jacksonville Jaguars)
• 1972 - J J Stokes, NFL wide receiver (SF 49ers)
• 1973 - Rebecca Lobo, Mass, WNBA center (Olympics-gold-96)/(NY Liberty)
• 1974 - Brian Kelly, Mission Viejo Calif, soccer midfielder (Olympics-gold-96)
• 1974 - Geert Jelle de Vries, Dutch soccer player (SC Heerenveen)
• 1974 - Kenny Jonsson, Angelholm SW, NHL defenseman (Team Sweden, NY Islander)
• 1975 - Ines Sainz, Miss Spain Universe (1997)
• 1975 - Jan Harm Schippers, Dutch soccer player: SC Heerenveen, Veendam
• 1975 - John Harm Skippers, soccer player (SC Heerenveen)

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 0404 - Eudoxia Aelia, empress of Austria, dies
• 0877 - Charles II the Kale, King of France/Roman emperor (875-77), dies at 54
• 1014 - Samuel, ruler of Bulgaria, dies
• 1072 - Sancho II, king of Castili‰ (1065-72), murdered
• 1214 - Alfonso VIII de Edele, king of Castili‰, dies
• 1585 - Luca Cambiaso, Italian painter/sculptor, dies
• 1641 - Matthijs H Quast, fleet guardian (Gold Islands), dies in battle
• 1644 - Isabella van Bourbon, French princess of Henri IV, dies
• 1651 - Heinrich Albert, German composer (Arien oder Melodien), dies at 47
• 1762 - Francesco Onofrio Manfredini, composer, dies at 78
• 1786 - Antonio Maria Gasparo Giaccino Sacchini, composer, dies at 56
• 1819 - Charles Emanuel II, King of Sardinia (1796-1802)/Jesuit, dies
• 1837 - Jean-Fran‡ois Le Sueur, composer, dies at 77
• 1849 - Louis count of Barrthy nyi, premier of Hungary, dies at 43
• 1855 - August L Crelle, inventor/mathematician (Rechentafeln), dies at 75
• 1860 - Stephen Elvey, composer, dies at 55
• 1861 - Elias Canneman, liberal minister of Finance (1813-14), dies at 84
• 1868 - Leon Charles Fran‡ois Kreutzer, composer, dies at 51
• 1874 - Thomas Dyke Acland Tellefsen, composer, dies at 50
• 1880 - Benjamin Pierce, US mathematician/astronomer, dies
• 1891 - Charles S Parnell, English/Irish Home Rule Party leader, dies at 45
• 1892 - Alfred Tennyson, writer, dies at 83
• 1905 - Ferdinand von Richthofen, German geographer/explorer, dies
• 1909 - Dudley Buck, US organist/composer, dies at 70
• 1912 - August Beernaert, Belgian premier (1884-94, Nobel 1909), dies at 83
• 1919 - Ricardo Palma, Peruvian writer/poet: Armon¡as/Rodil, dies at 86
• 1920 - Alberto Nepomuceno, Brazilian composer/conductor (Artemis), dies at 56
• 1924 - Jacques Oppenheim, lawyer, dies at 75
• 1926 - Charles Van de Banks, Flemish writer/poet (Red Horse), dies
• 1933 - Zakhary Petrovich Paliashvili, composer, dies at 62
• 1935 - Frederic Hymen Cowen, composer, dies at 83
• 1935 - Gyula G”mb”s von J kfa, general/dictator of Hungary (1932-35), dies
• 1940 - Ferdinando Liuzzi, composer, dies at 55
• 1942 - Erich Kuttner, German journalist/historian (Vorw„rts), dies
• 1943 - Robert Cooper, father of Card pitcher Mort & catcher Walker, dies
• 1947 - Leevi Antti Madetoya, composer, dies at 60
• 1949 - Robert Lynd [YY], Irish writer/critic (News Chronicle), dies at 70
• 1951 - Henry Gurney, British high commissioner to Malaya, assassinated
• 1953 - Porter Hall, actor (Half-Breed, Double Indenity), dies at 64
• 1954 - Hakon Borresen, composer, dies at 78
• 1956 - Walter Herlihy, announcer (Music at Meadowbrook), dies at 42
• 1960 - Douglas Spencer, actor (The Thing), dies at 50
• 1964 - F T Mann, cricketer (father of F G, 281 runs in 5 Tests 1922-23), dies
• 1964 - Richard Scheibe, German sculptor (Adler mit Hakenkreuz), dies at 85
• 1965 - Georges Vandertongerloo, Flemish sculptor/painter, dies at 78
• 1966 - Sydney Chatton, dies of heart attack at 48
• 1969 - Walter Hagen, PGA golfer (US Open 1914, 19), dies at 76
• 1970 - Julian Przybos, Polish poet (P¢ki my Zyjemy), dies at 69
• 1973 - Arnold Maria Walter, composer, dies at 71
• 1973 - Dennis Price, actor (VIPs, Pulp, Canterbury Tales), dies at 58
• 1973 - Sidney Blackmer, actor (Love Crazy), dies of cancer at 58
• 1975 - Henry Calvin, actor (Sgt Garcia-Zorro), dies at 57
• 1979 - Elizabeth Bishop, poetess (North & South, Pulitzer 1956), dies at 68
• 1980 - Hattie Jacques, actress (Make Mine Mink), dies at 56
• 1980 - Ray Walker, actor (Baby Take a Bow), dies
• 1981 - [Mohammed] Anwar al-Sadat, pres Egypt (1970-81), assassinated at 62
• 1983 - Terence Cooke, cardinal/archbishop of NY, dies at 62
• 1984 - George S Simpson, US paleontologist, dies at 82
• 1989 - Bette [Ruth E] Davis, actress (All About Eve, White Mama), dies at 81
• 1991 - Lincoln Demyan, dies at 66
• 1991 - Wendell Phillips, dies at 83 [or 10/13]
• 1992 - Bill O'Reilly, cricketer (great leggie, 774 wickets at 16 60), dies
• 1992 - Denholm Elliott, English actor (Raiders of Lost Ark), dies at 70
• 1993 - Agnes de Mille, US dancer/choreographer (Oklahoma!), dies at 88
• 1995 - Hugh Charles, songwriter/impressario, dies at 88
• 1995 - Oswald Moxley Gibbs, diplomat, dies at 67
• 1995 - Walter "Crash" Morgan, drummer, dies at 35
• 1996 - Martyn Taylor, teacher/campaigner, dies at 57
• 1996 - Ted Bessell, director/actor (That Girl), dies of an aneurism at 61
• 1997 - Johnny Vander Meer, pitched consecutive no-hitters, dies at 82