February 29 — On This Day
211 entries
Events
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1504
Christopher Columbus uses his knowledge of a lunar eclipse that night to convince Native Americans to provide him with supplies.
Christopher Columbus · March 1504 lunar eclipse · Native Americans (Americas)
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1644
Abel Tasman's second Pacific voyage began.
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1704
Queen Anne's War: French forces and Native Americans stage a raid on Deerfield, Massachusetts Bay Colony, killing 56 villagers and taking more than 100 captive.
Queen Anne's War · Native American (U.S.) · Raid on Deerfield
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1712
February 29 is followed by February 30 in Sweden, in a move to abolish the Swedish calendar for a return to the Julian calendar.
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1720
Ulrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden abdicates in favour of her husband, who becomes King Frederick I on 24 March.
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1752
King Alaungpaya founds Konbaung Dynasty, the last dynasty of Burmese monarchy.
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1768
Polish nobles formed Bar Confederation.
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1796
The Jay Treaty between the United States and Great Britain comes into force, facilitating ten years of peaceful trade between the two nations.
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1864
American Civil War: Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid fails: Plans to free 15,000 Union soldiers being held near Richmond, Virginia are thwarted.
American Civil War · Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid · United States · Richmond, Virginia
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1892
St. Petersburg, Florida is incorporated.
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1912
The Piedra Movediza (Moving Stone) of Tandil falls and breaks.
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1916
Tokelau is annexed by the United Kingdom.
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1916
Child labor: In South Carolina, the minimum working age for factory, mill, and mine workers is raised from twelve to fourteen years old.
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1920
Czechoslovak National assembly adopted the Constitution.
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1936
February 26 Incident in Tokyo ends.
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1940
For her performance as "Mammy" in Gone with the Wind, Hattie McDaniel becomes the first African American to win an Academy Award.
Gone with the Wind (film) · Hattie McDaniel · African American · Academy Award
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1940
Finland initiates Winter War peace negotiations.
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1940
In a ceremony held in Berkeley, California, because of the war, physicist Ernest Lawrence receives the 1939 Nobel Prize in Physics from Sweden's Consul General in San Francisco.
Berkeley, California · World War II · Ernest Lawrence · Nobel Prize in Physics · Consul General
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1944
World War II: The Admiralty Islands are invaded in Operation Brewer led by American General Douglas MacArthur.
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1952
The island of Heligoland is restored to West German authority.
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1960
The 5.7 Mw Agadir earthquake shakes coastal Morocco with a maximum perceived intensity of X (Extreme), destroying Agadir, and leaving 12,000 dead and another 12,000 injured.
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1964
In Sydney, Australian swimmer Dawn Fraser sets a new world record in the 100-meter freestyle swimming competition (58.9 seconds).
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1972
Vietnam War: Vietnamization: South Korea withdraws 11,000 of its 48,000 troops from Vietnam.
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1980
Gordie Howe of the then Hartford Whalers makes NHL history as he scores his 800th goal.
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1988
South African archbishop Desmond Tutu is arrested along with 100 clergymen during a five-day anti-apartheid demonstration in Cape Town.
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1988
Svend Robinson becomes the first member of the Canadian House of Commons to come out as gay.
Svend Robinson · Canadian House of Commons · Coming out · Gay
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1992
First day of Bosnia and Herzegovina independence referendum.
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1996
Faucett Flight 251 crashes in the Andes, all 123 passengers and crew died.
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1996
Siege of Sarajevo officially ends.
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2000
Second Chechen War: Eighty-four Russian paratroopers are killed in a rebel attack on a guard post near Ulus Kert.
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2004
Jean-Bertrand Aristide is removed as President of Haiti following a coup.
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2008
The United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence decides to withdraw Prince Harry from a tour of Afghanistan "immediately" after a leak led to his deployment being reported by foreign media.
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) · Prince Harry · Operation Herrick
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2008
Misha Defonseca admits to fabricating her memoir, Misha: A Mémoire of the Holocaust Years, in which she claimed to have lived with a pack of wolves in the woods during the Holocaust.
Misha Defonseca · Misha: A Mémoire of the Holocaust Years · The Holocaust
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2012
Tokyo Skytree construction completed. It is, as of 2017, the tallest tower in the world, 634 meters high, and second tallest (man-made) structure on Earth, next to Burj Khalifa.
Tokyo Skytree · List of tallest towers in the world · Burj Khalifa
Famous Births
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1468
Pope Paul III (d. 1549)
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1528
Albert V, Duke of Bavaria (d. 1579)
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1528
Domingo Báñez, Spanish theologian (d. 1604)
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1572
Edward Cecil, 1st Viscount Wimbledon (d. 1638)
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1576
Antonio Neri, Florentine priest and glassmaker (d. 1614)
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1640
Benjamin Keach, Particular Baptist preacher and author whose name was given to Keach's Catechism (d. 1704)
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1692
John Byrom, English poet and educator (d. 1763)
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1724
Eva Marie Veigel, Austrian-English dancer (d. 1822)
- 1736
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1792
Gioachino Rossini, Italian pianist and composer (d. 1868)
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1812
James Milne Wilson, Scottish-Australian soldier and politician, 8th Premier of Tasmania (d. 1880)
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1828
Emmeline B. Wells, American journalist, poet, and activist (d. 1921)
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1836
Dickey Pearce, American baseball player and manager (d. 1908)
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1852
Frank Gavan Duffy, Irish-Australian lawyer and judge, 4th Chief Justice of Australia (d. 1936)
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1860
Herman Hollerith, American statistician and businessman, co-founded the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (d. 1929)
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1884
Richard S. Aldrich, American lawyer and politician (d. 1941)
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1892
Augusta Savage, American sculptor (d. 1962)
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1896
Morarji Desai, Indian civil servant and politician, 4th Prime Minister of India (d. 1995)
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1896
William A. Wellman, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1975)
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1904
Rukmini Devi Arundale, Indian dancer and choreographer (d. 1986)
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1904
Jimmy Dorsey, American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader (d. 1957)
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1904
Pepper Martin, American baseball player and manager (d. 1965)
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1908
Balthus, French-Swiss painter and illustrator (d. 2001)
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1908
Dee Brown, American historian and author (d. 2002)
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1908
Alf Gover, English cricketer and coach (d. 2001)
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1908
Louie Myfanwy Thomas, Welsh writer (d. 1968)
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1916
Dinah Shore, American singer and actress (d. 1994)
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1916
James B. Donovan, American lawyer (d. 1970)
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1916
Leonard Shoen, founder of U-Haul Corp. (d. 1999)
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1920
Fyodor Abramov, Russian author and critic (d. 1983)
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1920
Arthur Franz, American actor (d. 2006)
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1920
James Mitchell, American actor and dancer (d. 2010)
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1920
Michèle Morgan, French-American actress and singer (d. 2016)
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1920
Howard Nemerov, American poet and academic (d. 1991)
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1920
Rolland W. Redlin, American lawyer and politician (d. 2011)
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1924
David Beattie, New Zealand judge and politician, 14th Governor-General of New Zealand (d. 2001)
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1924
Carlos Humberto Romero, Salvadoran politician, President of El Salvador (d. 2017)
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1924
Al Rosen, American baseball player and manager (d. 2015)
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1928
Joss Ackland, English actor
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1928
Vance Haynes, American archaeologist, geologist, and author
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1928
Seymour Papert, South African mathematician and computer scientist, co-created the Logo programming language (d. 2016)
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1932
Gene H. Golub, American mathematician and academic (d. 2007)
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1932
Masten Gregory, American race car driver (d. 1985)
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1932
Reri Grist, American soprano and actress
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1932
Jaguar, Brazilian cartoonist
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1932
Gavin Stevens, Australian cricketer
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1936
Jack R. Lousma, American colonel, astronaut, and politician
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1936
Henri Richard, Canadian ice hockey player
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1936
Alex Rocco, American actor (d. 2015)
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1940
Bartholomew I of Constantinople
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1940
William H. Turner, Jr. American horse trainer
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1944
Ene Ergma, Estonian physicist and politician
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1944
Dennis Farina, American police officer and actor (d. 2013)
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1944
Nicholas Frayling, English priest and academic
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1944
Phyllis Frelich, American actress (d. 2014)
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1944
Steve Mingori, American baseball player (d. 2008)
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1944
Paolo Eleuteri Serpieri, Italian author and illustrator
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1948
Hermione Lee, English author, critic, and academic
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1948
Patricia A. McKillip, American author
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1948
Henry Small, American-born Canadian singer
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1952
Sharon Dahlonega Raiford Bush, American journalist and producer
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1952
Tim Powers, American author and educator
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1952
Raisa Smetanina, Russian cross-country skier
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1952
Bart Stupak, American police officer and politician
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1956
Jonathan Coleman, English-Australian radio and television host
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1956
Bob Speller, Canadian businessman and politician, 30th Canadian Minister of Agriculture
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1956
Aileen Wuornos, American serial killer (d. 2002)
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1960
Lucian Grainge, English businessman
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1960
Khaled, Algerian singer-songwriter
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1960
Richard Ramirez, American serial killer (d. 2013)
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1960
Tony Robbins, American motivational speaker and author
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1964
Dave Brailsford, English cyclist and coach
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1964
Lyndon Byers, Canadian ice hockey player and radio host
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1964
Mervyn Warren, American tenor, composer, and producer
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1968
Suanne Braun, South African-English actress
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1968
Chucky Brown, American basketball player and coach
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1968
Pete Fenson, American curler and sportscaster
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1968
Naoko Iijima, Japanese actress and model
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1968
Bryce Paup, American football player and coach
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1968
Howard Tayler, American author and illustrator
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1968
Eugene Volokh, Ukrainian-American lawyer and educator
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1968
Frank Woodley, Australian actor, producer, and screenwriter
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1972
Mike Pollitt, English footballer and coach
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1972
Antonio Sabàto, Jr., Italian-American model and actor
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1972
Pedro Sánchez, Spanish politician
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1972
Dave Williams, American singer (d. 2002)
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1972
Saul Williams, American singer-songwriter
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1972
Pedro Zamora, Cuban-American activist and educator (d. 1994)
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1976
Zoë Baker, English-New Zealand swimmer and coach
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1976
Terrence Long, American baseball player
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1976
Ja Rule, American rapper and actor
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1980
Çağdaş Atan, Turkish footballer
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1980
Chris Conley, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
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1980
Patrick Côté, Canadian mixed martial artist
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1980
Simon Gagné, Canadian ice hockey player
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1980
Rubén Plaza, Spanish cyclist
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1980
Clinton Toopi, New Zealand rugby league player
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1980
Taylor Twellman, American soccer player and sportscaster
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1984
Darren Ambrose, English footballer
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1984
Megan Bernard, Australian audio artist
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1984
Mark Foster, American musician (Foster the People)
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1984
Rica Imai, Japanese model and actress
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1984
Cullen Jones, American swimmer
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1984
Nuria Martínez, Spanish basketball player
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1984
Adam Sinclair, Indian field hockey player
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1984
Rakhee Thakrar, English actress
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1984
Dennis Walger, German rugby player
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1984
Cam Ward, Canadian ice hockey player
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1988
Lena Gercke, German model and television host
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1988
Scott Golbourne, English footballer
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1988
Benedikt Höwedes, German footballer
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1988
Brent Macaffer, Australian Rules footballer
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1988
Bobby Sanguinetti, American ice hockey player
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1992
Sean Abbott, Australian cricketer
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1992
Ben Hampton, Australian rugby league player
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1992
Perry Kitchen, American soccer player
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1992
Caitlin EJ Meyer, American actress
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1992
Saphir Taïder, French-Algerian footballer
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1996
Nelson Asofa-Solomona, New Zealand rugby league player
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1996
Claudia Williams, New Zealand tennis player
Famous Deaths
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468
Pope Hilarius
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992
Oswald of Worcester, French archbishop and saint (b. 925)
- 1212
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1460
Albert III, Duke of Bavaria-Munich (b. 1401)
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1528
Patrick Hamilton, Scottish Protestant reformer and martyr (b. 1504)
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1592
Alessandro Striggio, Italian composer and diplomat (b. 1540)
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1600
Caspar Hennenberger, German pastor, historian and cartographer (b. 1529)
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1604
John Whitgift, English archbishop and academic (b. 1530)
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1740
Pietro Ottoboni, Italian cardinal (b. 1667)
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1744
John Theophilus Desaguliers, French-English physicist and philosopher (b. 1683)
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1792
Johann Andreas Stein, German piano builder (b. 1728)
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1820
Johann Joachim Eschenburg, German historian and critic (b. 1743)
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1848
Louis-François Lejeune, French general, painter and lithographer (b. 1775)
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1852
Matsudaira Katataka, Japanese daimyo (b. 1806)
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1868
Ludwig I of Bavaria (b. 1786)
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1880
James Milne Wilson, Scottish-Australian soldier and politician, 8th Premier of Tasmania (b. 1812)
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1908
Pat Garrett, American sheriff (b. 1850)
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1908
John Hope, 1st Marquess of Linlithgow, Scottish-Australian politician, 1st Governor-General of Australia (b. 1860)
John Hope, 1st Marquess of Linlithgow · Governor-General of Australia
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1920
Ernie Courtney, American baseball player (b. 1875)
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1928
Adolphe Appia, Swiss architect and theorist (b. 1862)
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1928
Ina Coolbrith, American poet and librarian (b. 1841)
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1940
E. F. Benson, English archaeologist and author (b. 1867)
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1944
Pehr Evind Svinhufvud, Finnish lawyer, judge and politician, 3rd President of Finland (b. 1861)
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1948
Robert Barrington-Ward, English lawyer and journalist (b. 1891)
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1948
Rebel Oakes, American baseball player and manager (b. 1883)
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1952
Quo Tai-chi, Chinese politician and diplomat, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations (b. 1888)
Quo Tai-chi · Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations
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1956
Elpidio Quirino, Filipino lawyer and politician, 6th President of the Philippines (b. 1890)
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1960
Melvin Purvis, American police officer and FBI agent (b. 1903)
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1960
Walter Yust, American journalist and author (b. 1894)
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1964
Frank Albertson, American actor and singer (b. 1909)
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1968
Lena Blackburne, American baseball player, coach and manager (b. 1886)
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1968
Tore Ørjasæter, Norwegian poet and educator (b. 1886)
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1972
Tom Davies, American football player and coach (b. 1896)
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1976
Florence P. Dwyer, American politician (b. 1902)
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1980
Yigal Allon, Israeli general and politician, Prime Minister of Israel (b. 1918)
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1980
Gil Elvgren, American painter and illustrator (b. 1914)
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1984
Ludwik Starski, Polish screenwriter and songwriter (b. 1903)
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1988
Sidney Harmon, American screenwriter and producer (b. 1907)
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1992
Ruth Pitter, English poet and author (b. 1897)
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1996
Wes Farrell, American singer-songwriter and producer (b. 1939)
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1996
Ralph Rowe, American baseball player, coach and manager (b. 1924)
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2000
Dennis Danell, American guitarist (b. 1961)
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2004
Kagamisato Kiyoji, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 42nd Yokozuna (b. 1923)
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2004
Jerome Lawrence, American playwright and author (b. 1915)
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2004
Harold Bernard St. John, Barbadian lawyer and politician, 3rd Prime Minister of Barbados (b. 1931)
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2004
Lorrie Wilmot, South African cricketer (b. 1943)
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2008
Janet Kagan, American author (b. 1946)
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2008
Erik Ortvad, Danish painter and illustrator (b. 1917)
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2008
Akira Yamada, Japanese scholar and philosopher (b. 1922)
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2012
Roland Bautista, American guitarist (b. 1951)
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2012
Davy Jones, English singer, guitarist and actor (b. 1945)
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2012
Sheldon Moldoff, American illustrator (b. 1920)
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2012
P. K. Narayana Panicker, Indian social leader (b. 1930)
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2016
Wenn V. Deramas, Filipino director and screenwriter (b. 1968)
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2016
Gil Hill, American police officer, actor and politician (b. 1931)
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2016
Josefin Nilsson, Swedish singer (b. 1969)
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2016
Louise Rennison, English author (b. 1951)