1579 - Betuwe joins the Union of Utrecht
1820 - Dutch city of Leeuwarden forbids Jews to go to synagogues on Sundays
1942 - World première of Dmitri Shostakovich' 7th Symphony in Kuybyshev, Russia
1966 - 75 MPH air currents causes BOAC 707 crash into Mount Fuji, 124 die
1969 - Price of gold reaches then record high ($47 per ounce) in Paris
1974 - First performance in 3,000 years of world's oldest known song "Hymn to Nikkal" a 3,400 year old Hurrian hymn to moon god Nikkal from Ugarit in Syria, played at Berkeley University by Anne Kilmer and Richard Crocker
1981 - Michael Stewart's musical "Bring Back Birdie" opens at Martin Beck Theater, NYC for 4 performances
1997 - Tommy Lasorda, Nellie Fox and Willie Wells inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame
OnThisDay.com | Today in History
1814 - Wilhelm von Giesebrecht, German historian, wrote first general history of medieval Germany, born in Berlin, Prussia (d. 1889)
1899 - Patrick Hadley, English composer (La Belle Dame sans merci; The Hills), pedagogue, and conductor, born in Cambridge, England (d. 1973)
1914 - Joan Sterndale-Bennett, British actress (Brighton Rock, Those Fantastic Flying Fools), born in London, England (d. 1996)
1918 - Paul Christman, American College Football Hall of Fame quarterback (University of Missouri; All-Pro 1946, 47; Chicago Cardinals, Green Bay Packers), born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 1970)
1922 - Ebrahim Maka, Indian cricket wicket-keeper (2 Tests, 3 dismissals; Gujarat, Mumbai), born in Daman, India (d. 1994)
1948 - Elaine Paige, British musical theater singer and actress (Evita; Sunset Boulevard), born in Barnet, Hertfordshire, England
1950 - Harvey Jacob Alperin, actor (Cocktail), born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
1956 - Teena Marie [Mary Christine Brockert], American RandB and soul singer-songwriter ("Square Biz"; "Lovergirl"), born in Santa Monica, California (d. 2010)
1971 - Chad Fonville, American MLB baseball infielder, 1995-99 (LA Dodgers and 3 other teams), born in Jacksonville, North Carolina
1972 - Hernan Gumy, tennis star, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina
1611 - Shimazu Yoshihisa, Japanese daimyō (warlord) and 16th Chief of Shimazu clan of Satsuma Province, dies at 78
1788 - Etheldreda Townshend, English society hostess and possible inspiration for Lady Bellaston in "Tom Jones", dies at 79 or 80
1963 - Harold "Hawkshaw" Hawkins, American country singer (Ozark Jubilee; "Lonesome 7-7203"), dies in a plane crash at 41
1965 - John "Pepper" Martin, American baseball utility (MLB All-Star 1933–35, 37; World Series 1931, 34; NL stolen base leader 1933, 34, 36; St. Louis Cardinals), dies of a heart attack at 61
1977 - Jansen Van Vuuren, Dutch volunteer safety marshal at the 1977 South African Grand Prix, dies in a car crash at 19
1984 - Michael Sklar, American comedian (Laugh-In; Sha Na Na), dies at 39
1991 - August de Schryver, Belgian politician/founder (CVP), dies at 92
1995 - (Victor) "Vivian" Stanshall, British singer and comic songwriter (Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band - "I'm The Urban Spaceman"; Magical Mystery Tour), dies in a fire at his home, at 51
2006 - Richard Kuklinski, American mafia hit man, dies at 70
2010 - Peter Woodcock, Canadian serial killer who killed three children, dies in prison at 71
