Saturday, May 21, 2022

May 21

Birthdays:

 

1997 ~ Alex Gunning, Australian mathematician.  In 2014, he earned a perfect score in the International Mathematical Olympiad.

 

1966 ~ Linda Edelstein, American actress and playwright.  She is best known for her role as Dr. Lisa Cuddy on the hospital drama House.  She was born in Boston, Massachusetts.

 

1960 ~ Jeffrey Dahmer (né Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer, d. Nov. 28, 1994), American serial killer.  He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  He was beaten to death in prison at age 34.

 

1960 ~ Jeffrey Toobin (né Jeffrey Ross Toobin), American lawyer and author.  He had been a political analyst on CNN and a writer for The New Yorker, however, he was suspended from these positions after being exposed, literally, on a Zoom call in 2020.  He was born in New York, New York.

 

1957 ~ Judge Reinhold (né Edward Ernest Reinhold, Jr.), American actor.  He was born in Wilmington, Delaware.

 

1951 ~ Al Franken (né Alan Stuart Franken), American actor, comedian and politician.  He was a United States Senator from Minnesota from July 2009 until January 1918.  He resigned following a sex scandal.  He was born in New York, New York.

 

1948 ~ Leo Sayer (né Gerald Hugh Sayer), British-born Australian singer.

 

1937 ~ John Fairfax (d. Feb. 8, 2012), British adventurer who rowed across oceans.  In 1969, he became the first person to row across an ocean when he rowed across the Atlantic.  He was born in Rome, Italy.  He died at age 74 in Henderson, Nevada.

 

1936 ~ Günter Blobel (d. Feb. 18, 2018), German biologist and recipient of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.  He was born in Waltersdorf, Germany.  He died at age 81 in New York, New York.

 

1934 ~ Jack Twyman (né John Kennedy Twyman; d. May 30, 2012), All-Star basketball player who sent on off-court example.  He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  He died 11 days after his 78th birthday in Cincinnati, Ohio.

 

1934 ~ Bengt I. Samuelsson (né Bengt Igemar Samuelsson), Swedish biochemist and recipient of the 1982 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of prostaglandins and related substances.  He was born in Halmstad, Sweden.

 

1929 ~ Charles Wadsworth, American classical pianist.  He was born in Newnan, Georgia.

 

1925 ~ Franklin Kameny (d. Oct. 11, 2011), American astronomer who fought for gay rights.  He was born in New York, New York.  He died at age 86 in Washington, D.C.

 

1924 ~ Peggy Cass (née Mary Margaret Cass; d. Mar. 8, 1999), American comedian and game show panelist.  She was a regular on To Tell the Truth.  She was born in Boston, Massachusetts.  She died of heart failure at age 74 in New York, New York.

 

1923 ~ Armand Borel (d. Aug. 11, 2003), Swiss-born American mathematician.  He died at age 80 in Princeton, New Jersey.

 

1923 ~ Ara Parseghian (né Ara Raoul Parseghian; d. Aug. 2, 2017), American football player and college football coach.  He guided the University of Notre Dame to national championships in 1966 and 1973.  He was born in Akron, Ohio.  He died at age 94 in Granger, Indiana.

 

1921 ~ Andrei Sakharov (d. Dec. 14, 1989), Russian physicist and recipient of the 1975 Nobel Peace Prize.  He was born and died in Moscow, Russia.  He died at age 68.

 

1917 ~ Raymond Burr (né Raymond William Stacy Burr; d. Sept. 12, 1993), Canadian-born American actor best known for his portrayal of Perry Mason and Ironsides.  He was born in New Westminister, British Columbia, Canada.  He died of cancer at age 76 in Healdsburg, California.

 

1904 ~ Fats Waller (né Thomas Wright Waller; d. Dec. 15, 1943), African-American jazz pianist and singer.  He was born in New York, New York.  He died of pneumonia at age 39 in Kansas City, Missouri.

 

1898 ~ Armand Hammer (d. Dec. 10, 1990), American businessman, physician and philanthropist.  He founded Occidental Petroleum.  He died at age 92.

 

1895 ~ Lázaro Cárdenas (d. Oct. 19, 1970), President of Mexico.  He served as President from December 1934 until November 1940.  He died at age 75.

 

1860 ~ Willem Einthoven (d. Sept. 29, 1927), Dutch physician and inventor.  He was the recipient of the 1924 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for inventing the first practical electrocardiogram (ECG).  He died at age 67.

 

1851 ~ Léon Bourgeois (né Léon Victor August Bourgeois, d. Sept. 29, 1925), French politician and recipient of the 1920 Nobel Peace Prize for his work with the United Nations.  He was the Prime Minister of France, serving from November 1895 until April 1896.  He died at age 74

 

1844 ~ Henri Rousseau (né Henri Julien Félix Rousseau, d. Sept. 2, 1910), French painter.  He died following surgery for gangrene in his leg.  He was 66 at the time of his death.

 

1843 ~ Charles Gobat (né Charles Albert Gobat, d. Mar. 16, 1914), Swiss politician and recipient of the 1902 Nobel Peace Prize.  He died at age 70.

 

1843 ~ Louis Renault (d. Feb. 8, 1918), French jurist and recipient of the 1907 Nobel Peace Prize.  He died at age 74.

 

1808 ~ David de Jahacob Lozez Cardozo (d. Apr. 11, 1890), Dutch Talmudist.  He died at age 81.

 

1799 ~ Mary Anning (b. Mar. 9, 1847), British paleontologist.  She was a fossil collector who is known for her important finds in Jurassic marine fossil beds along the English Channel in her home town of Lyme Regis, England.  She was born and died in Lyme Regis.  She died at age 47 of breast cancer.

 

1792 ~ Gaspart-Gustave Coriolis (d. Sept. 19, 1843), French mathematician and engineer.  The term Coriolis Effect was named after him.  His name is inscribed on the Eiffel Tower.  He died at age 51.

 

1755 ~ Alfred Moore (d. Oct. 15, 1810), Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.  He was nominated to the High Court by President John Adams.  He served on the Court from April 1800 until January 1804.  He replaced James Iredell on the Court.  He was succeeded by William Johnson.  He wrote only one opinion while on the Court.  At 4 feet, 5 inches, he remains the shortest Justice to serve on the Court.  He died at age 55.

 

1688 ~ Alexander Pope (d. May 30, 1744), English poet.  He died 9 days after his 56th birthday.

 

1471 ~ Albrecht Dürer (d. Apr. 6, 1528), German artist, engraver and mathematician.  He died at age 56.

 

Events that Changed the World:

 

2017 ~ The Ringling Brothers and the Barnham & Bailey Circus performed its final act.  The show was performed at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.

 

2014 ~ The National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York City opened to the public

 

2003 ~ An earthquake in northern Algeria killed over 2000 people.

 

1979 ~ The City of San Francisco erupted into riots, known as the White Nights Riots, following the manslaughter conviction of Dan White (1946 ~ 1985) for the murders of George Moscone (1929 ~ 1979) and Harvey Milk (1930 ~ 1979).

 

1972 ~ Michelangelo’s Pietà in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City was severely damaged when a deranged man hammered it with a sledge hammer.  The statute is now behind Plexiglas.

 

1956 ~ The United States conducted the first airborne test of a hydrogen bomb over the Bikini Atoll.

 

1942 ~ 1,500 Jews were sent to the gas chambers at Auschwitz.

 

1942 ~ Over 4,300 Jews were deported from Chelm, Poland to a concentration camp at Sobibor in occupied Poland where they were all gassed to death.  Sobibor had 5 gas chambers.  Between 1942 and 1943, about 250,000 Jews were killed.

 

1940 ~ Nazis killed over 1,500 individuals it determined were “unfit” people from mental hospitals in East Prussia.

 

1934 ~ Oskaloosa, Iowa became the first town in the United States to fingerprint all of its citizens.

 

1932 ~ Amelia Earhart (b. 1897 ~ 1937) became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.  She started the flight the day earlier.  Bad weather forced her to land in a pasture in Northern Ireland.

 

1924 ~ University of Chicago students Richard Loeb (1905 ~ 1936) and Nathan Leopold (1904 ~ 1971) kidnapped and murdered 14-year-old Bobby Franks in a Thrill-Killing.  Leopold and Loeb were arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment.

 

1904 ~ The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) was founded in Paris.

 

1881 ~ Clara Barton (1821 ~ 1912) founded the American Red Cross.

 

1863 ~ During the American Civil War, the Union Army succeeded in closing off the final escape route from Port Hudson, Louisiana, hence were in preparation for the upcoming siege.

 

1851 ~ Colombia, South America abolished slavery.

 

1758 ~ Mary Campbell (1748 ~ 1801) was abducted by a band of Lenape, a Native American tribe, from her home in what is now western Pennsylvania during the French and Indian War.  She lived among the tribe for 6 years before being returned to a European settlement when she was 16.

 

996 ~ Otto III (980 ~ 1002) was crowned Holy Roman Emperor.  He was 16 years old at the time of his coronation.

 

Good-Byes:

 

2020 ~ Oliver E. Williamson (né Oliver Eaton Williamson; b. Sept. 27, 1932), American economist and recipient of the 2009 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Science.  He was born in Superior, Wisconsin.  He died at age 87 in Berkeley, California.

 

2018 ~ Glenn Snoddy (b. May 4, 1922), American engineer who accidently invented rock’s “fuzz tone.”  He developed a device that would allow guitarist to go from a clean sound to a “dirty” or fuzzy sound with the tap of the foot.  He died of congestive heart failure 17 days after his 96th birthday.

 

2013 ~ Vernon McGarity (b. Dec. 1, 1921), American World War II hero who won the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of the Bulge.  He died at age 91.

 

2009 ~ Sam Maloof (né Samuel Solomon Maloff; b. Jan. 24, 1916), American woodworker and furniture maker.  His family were Lebanese Jewish immigrants.  He died at age 93.

 

2006 ~ Katherine Dunham (née Katherine Mary Dunham; b. June 22, 1909), African-American dancer and choreographer.  She died a month before her 97th birthday. 

 

2000 ~ Sir John Gielgud (né Arthur John Gielgud; b. Apr. 14, 1904), English actor.  He died at age 96.

 

2000 ~ Dame Barbara Cartland (née Mary Barbara Hamilton Cartland; b. July 9, 1901), American author of romance novels and step-grandmother to Diana, Princess of Wales.  She died at age 98.

 

1995 ~ Les Aspin (né Leslie Aspin, Jr.; b. July 21, 1938), 18th United States Secretary of Defense.  He served under President Bill Clinton from January 1993 until February 1994.  He died of a stroke at age 56.

 

1991 ~ Rajiv Gandhi (né Rajvi Ratna Gandhi; b. Aug. 20, 1944), 6th Prime Minister of India.  He served as Prime Minister from October 1984 until December 1989.  He was the son of Indira Gandhi.  He was assassinated by a female suicide bomber.  He was 46 at the time of his death.

 

1983 ~ Eric Hoffer (b. July 15, 1902), American social and moral philosopher.  Shortly before his death, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  He was born in The Bronx, New York.  He died at age 80 in San Francisco, California.

 

1965 ~ Sir Geoffrey de Havilland (b. July 27, 1882), English aircraft designer and engineer.  He died at age 82 of a cerebral hemorrhage.

 

1964 ~ James Franck (b. Aug. 26, 1882), German physicist and recipient of the 1925 Nobel Prize in Physics.  He died at age 81.

 

1961 ~ John H. Trumbull (né John Harper Trumbull; b. Mar. 4, 1873), 70th Governor of Connecticut.  He served as Governor from January 1925 until January 1931.  He died at age 88.

 

1935 ~ Jane Addams (b. Sept. 6, 1860), American social worker and woman’s suffrage leader.  She was the co-founder of Hull House in Chicago.   In 1931, she became the first woman recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.  She died at age 74.

 

1929 ~ Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery, 1st Earl of Midlothian (b. May 7, 1847), Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.  He served in Office from March 1894 until June 1895 during the reign of Queen Victoria.  He died 2 weeks after his 82nd birthday.

 

1920 ~ Venustiano Carranza (né Venustian Carranza Garza; b. Dec. 29, 1859), 37th President of Mexico.  He was President from May 1917 until his assassination at age 60 in May 1920.

 

1919 ~ Yevgraf Fyodorov (b. Dec. 22, 1853), Russian mathematician.  He died at age 65.

 

1911 ~ Williamina Fleming (née Williamina Paton Stevens Stevens; b. May 15, 1857), Scottish-American astronomer and academic.  She is best known for her discovery of the Horsehead Nebula.  She is also known for discovering the first White Dwarf.  She was born in Dundee, Scotland, but emigrated to Boston, Massachusetts at age 21.  She died 6 days after her 54th birthday.

 

1806 ~ Princess Maria Antonia of Naples and Sicily (b. Dec 14, 1784) Princess of Asturias.  She was the first wife of four wives of Ferdinand, Prince of Asturias.  After her death, he ascended to the throne as Ferdinand, VII, King of Spain.  She was of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.  She was the daughter of Ferdinand IV, King of Naples/Ferdinand III, King of Sicily and Maria Carolina of Austria.  She died of tuberculosis at age 21.

 

1654 ~Elizabeth Poole (b. Aug. 25, 1588), English settler in the New England.  She is the first woman known to have founded a town in the Americas when she founded Taunton, Massachusetts.  She died at age 65.

 

1542 ~ Hernando de Soto (b. Oct. 1495), Spanish explorer and first known European to cross the Mississippi River.  The exact date of his birth is unknown, but he is believed to have been about 46 at the time of his death in what is now known as Ferriday, Louisiana.

 

1481 ~ Christian I of Denmark (b. Feb. 1426).  The exact date of his birth is unknown, but he is believed to have been 55 at the time of his death.

 

1471 ~ Henry VI, King of England (b. Dec. 6, 1421).  His first reign was from September 1422 until March 1461, and his second reign ran from October 1470 until April 1471.  He was married to Margaret of Anjou.  He was of the House of Lancaster.  He was the son of Henry V, King of England and Catherine of Valois.  He died, at what may have been a murder, at age 49 in the Tower of London.

 

987 ~ Louis V of West Franica (b. 967).  He was known as Louis the Do-Nothing.  The date of his birth is unknown, but he is believed to have been about 20 at the time of his death.


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