USA Mega

Lottery Places

The time is now 10:22 am

You last visited
June 4, 2026, 10:59 pm

All times shown are
Eastern Time (GMT-5:00)

Home › Resources › On This Day in History › December 31

On This Day in History

December 31

December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. It is the last day of the year, with the next day being January 1 of the following year.

Lottery News On This Day

2024
$1 million Powerball lottery prize claimed by Indiana winner five hours before expiration deadline. After a month's worth of attempts from the Hoosier Lottery to locate the missing winner of a $1 million winning Powerball lottery prize, one Indiana couple stepped forward just five hours before it was set to expire to claim it.
2023
Powerball welcomes 2024 with an $810 million New Year's Day jackpot. In the lottery world, 2024 is starting with a loud bang, as the multi-state Powerball game is holding a drawing for a whopping $810 million jackpot on New Year's Day.
2022
VIDEO: Lottery Post's favorite stories of 2022. Lottery Post looks back at some of 2022's most notable moments in the lottery world.
2020
Mega Millions and Powerball roll to combined $785 million jackpot. With many people aching to finally cast aside 2020 and breathe a sigh of relief, the United States' two biggest multi-state lottery games feature jackpots worth nearly $800 million combined that will instantly change the fortunes of whomever is lucky enough to win them.
2015
$334 MILLION: Powerball jackpot rolls into the new year. This Saturday, lottery players will have the chance to buy tickets for the largest Powerball jackpot in nearly a year.
2013
California waiting for Mega Millions winner to emerge. Someone, somewhere, is in possession of a lucky Mega Millions lottery ticket worth $324 million that was purchased at a small San Jose shop on Dec. 17.
2013
Tenn. lottery CEO gets award named after her. The president and CEO of the Tennessee Education Lottery Corp. is being recognized by a leading lottery trade organization with an award named after her.
2013
Pennsylvania will not privatize lottery. Pennsylvania is scrapping a deal with a U.K.-based company to privatize management of the state's lottery system, Governor Tom Corbett said on Monday.
2012
N.C. woman gets surprise lottery gift from brother. A North Carolina woman thought she was finished with her family's Christmas on Wednesday, but a late gift from her brother made her $100,000 richer.
2012
N.C. store clerk charged in lottery scam. Police arrested a convenience store clerk Thursday after she allegedly told a customer his ticket wasn't a winner, then cashed the $50 winning ticket after the man left the store.
2010
Ireland Lottery draws two €1 million raffle winners. The Ireland Lottery conducted its annual Christmas raffle drawing Friday, awarding two grand prizes of €1 million (US$1.3 million) and many smaller cash prizes.
2010
Canada Lotto Max players awaiting huge draw tonight. New Year's Eve might be a lucky night for Lotto Max players across Canada, as a $50 million jackpot and an estimated 18 MaxMillions $1 million bonus prizes are scheduled to be drawn.
2010
Arkansas Lottery may not be able to meet scholarship demands. The legislative committee that oversees the state lottery yesterday considered, but ultimately tabled, a proposal to recommend reducing lottery scholarship amounts by 10 percent for the second class of lottery recipients.
2009
Kansas Lottery raffle drawing is state's first. The Kansas Lottery held its first-ever raffle drawing today, creating one millionaire and several more happy, lucky lottery winners.
2009
Florida Lottery Raffle drawing crowns 9 new millionaires. One million Florida Lottery tickets had a shot at winning $1 million, and nine of those are officially chosen as the big winners.
2009
Idaho Lottery raffle made a millionaire tonight. The Idaho Lottery conducted its $1,000,000 Raffle drawing Wednesday evening, and created one instant millionaire.
2008
Ohio Lottery rings in the New Year with raffle. For four lucky Ohio lottery players, 2009 will begin with a windfall of one million dollars.
2008
Winning numbers chosen in Delaware Lottery's Raffle. The winning numbers for the Delaware Lottery's third annual Raffle game were selected in a special drawing today.
2008
Florida Lottery Raffle drawing crowns 9 new millionaires. One million Florida Lottery tickets had a shot at winning $1 million, and nine of those are officially chosen as the big winners.
2008
Idaho Lottery raffle made a millionaire tonight. The Idaho Lottery conducted its $1,000,000 Raffle drawing Tuesday evening, and created one instant millionaire.
2006
Georgia Lottery's Millionaire Raffle results drawn. The Georgia Lottery selected the winning numbers Sunday for its special "Millionaire Raffle" drawing.
2006
NJ Lottery New Year's raffle results drawn. The New Jersey Lottery selected the winning numbers Sunday for its special "Million Dollar New Year" drawing.
2003
Powerball Fact Sheet. Some interesting facts about tonight's estimated $210 million Powerball jackpot drawing.
2003
$155 million Mega Millions ticket sold in Ohio. The Ohio Lottery finally has a top-prize Mega Millions winner. Now the wait has begun to find out who will claim the biggest lottery prize ever in the state.
2003
New lotto game hurts Powerball. Cobos Supermarket Assistant Manager Elizabeth Torres would like to attribute the slow Powerball-buying traffic in her Sunland Park store to the holidays, but she knows that across the state line a larger reason loomed.
2003
Ticket sales spike for $210 million Powerball. While crowds fill Times Square to watch the ball drop tonight, Bobby Santamauro of West Haven, Connecticut will have his eye on a different ball -- a little red one with someone's lucky number on it.
2003
Dreamers, schemers line up for Powerball jackpot. The two buddies with whom Frank Martin used to play the lottery may have given up hope of ever hitting it big, but the 65-year-old Upper Darby resident says he's not about to throw in the towel anytime soon -- especially with tonight's Powerball drawing at $210 million.
2003
Lottery frenzy makes Rosenberg store a winner. A corner convenience store in Rosenberg, Texas that reigns as the lottery-selling champion in the Houston area was buzzing Tuesday, selling tickets to eager customers hoping to claim the biggest prize in the Mega Millions drawing since Texas joined the multistate lottery.

Top 25 Lottery Jackpots On This Day

1.$842.4 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Jan 1, 2024
2.$785 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Jan 3, 2023
3.$518.7 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Jan 1, 2022
4.$460.9 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Jan 3, 2018
5.$425 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Jan 1, 2019
6.$401 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Jan 1, 2021
7.$384 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Jan 2, 2021
8.€339.07 Million
US$363.55 Million
Draw Date
Dec 31, 2022
9.$361 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Jan 2, 2018
10.$355.8 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Jan 2, 2016
11.$258.8 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Dec 31, 2022
12.$242 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Dec 31, 2010
13.$221 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Dec 31, 2003
13.$221 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Dec 31, 2021
15.$220 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Jan 1, 2020
16.$188 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Jan 2, 2015
17.$181.1 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Jan 1, 2025
18.$157 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Jan 2, 2026
19.€133.91 Million
US$151.32 Million
Draw Date
Jan 3, 2022
20.€128 Million
US$147.05 Million
Multi-Country
Euro Millions
Draw Date
Jan 1, 2019
21.€97 Million
US$133.52 Million
Multi-Country
Euro Millions
Draw Date
Dec 31, 2013
22.$130 Million
Multi-State
Mega Millions
Draw Date
Jan 1, 2016
23.€117.83 Million
US$129.25 Million
Multi-Country
EuroJackpot
Draw Date
Jan 2, 2024
24.$120 Million
Multi-State
Powerball
Draw Date
Dec 31, 2014
25.€99.41 Million
US$116.59 Million
Draw Date
Jan 2, 2026

Lottery Post Member Birthdays On This Day

1988
Saturday, Dec 31, 1988
37 years old
1987
Thursday, Dec 31, 1987
38 years old
1986
Wednesday, Dec 31, 1986
39 years old
1986
Wednesday, Dec 31, 1986
39 years old
1981
Thursday, Dec 31, 1981
44 years old
1976
Friday, Dec 31, 1976
49 years old
1975
Wednesday, Dec 31, 1975
50 years old
1972
Sunday, Dec 31, 1972
53 years old
1972
Sunday, Dec 31, 1972
53 years old
1971
Friday, Dec 31, 1971
54 years old
1970
Thursday, Dec 31, 1970
55 years old
1968
Tuesday, Dec 31, 1968
57 years old
1967
Sunday, Dec 31, 1967
58 years old
1967
Sunday, Dec 31, 1967
58 years old
1965
Friday, Dec 31, 1965
60 years old
1958
Wednesday, Dec 31, 1958
67 years old
(year not provided)
(year not provided)
(year not provided)

Worldwide Events On This Day

2020
The World Health Organization issues its first emergency use validation for a COVID-19 vaccine.
2019
The World Health Organization is informed of cases of pneumonia with an unknown cause, detected in Wuhan. This later turned out to be COVID-19, the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2018
Thirty-nine people are killed after a ten-story building collapses in the industrial city of Magnitogorsk, Russia.
2015
A fire breaks out at the Downtown Address Hotel in Downtown Dubai, United Arab Emirates, located near the Burj Khalifa, two hours before the fireworks display is due to commence. Sixteen injuries were reported; one had a heart attack, another suffered a major injury, and fourteen others with minor injuries.
2014
A New Year's Eve celebration stampede in Shanghai kills at least 36 people and injures 49 others.
2011
NASA succeeds in putting the first of two Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory satellites in orbit around the Moon.
2010
Tornadoes touch down in midwestern and southern United States, including Washington County, Arkansas; Greater St. Louis, Sunset Hills, Missouri, Illinois, and Oklahoma, with a few tornadoes in the early hours. A total of 36 tornadoes touched down, resulting in the deaths of nine people and $113 million in damages.
2009
Both a blue moon and a lunar eclipse occur.
2004
The official opening of Taipei 101, the tallest skyscraper at that time in the world, standing at a height of 509 metres (1,670 ft).
2001
Rwanda adopts a new national flag and anthem.
1999
The first President of Russia, Boris Yeltsin, resigns from office, leaving Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as the acting President and successor.
1999
The U.S. government hands control of the Panama Canal (as well all the adjacent land to the canal known as the Panama Canal Zone) to Panama. This act complied with the signing of the 1977 Torrijos-Carter Treaties.
1999
Indian Airlines Flight 814 hijacking ends after seven days with the release of 190 survivors at Kandahar Airport, Afghanistan.
1998
The European Exchange Rate Mechanism freezes the values of the legacy currencies in the Eurozone, and establishes the value of the euro currency.
1995
The final comic of Calvin and Hobbes is published.
1994
This date is skipped altogether in Kiribati as the Phoenix Islands and Line Islands change time zones from UTC−11:00 to UTC+13:00 and UTC−10:00 to UTC+14:00, respectively.
1994
The First Chechen War: The Russian Ground Forces begin a New Year's storming of Grozny.
1992
Czechoslovakia is peacefully dissolved in what is dubbed by media as the Velvet Divorce, resulting in the creation of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.
1991
All official Soviet Union institutions have ceased operations by this date, five days after the Soviet Union is officially dissolved.
1983
The AT&T Bell System is broken up by the United States Government.
1983
Benjamin Ward is appointed New York City Police Department's first ever African American police commissioner.
1983
In Nigeria, a coup d'état led by Major General Muhammadu Buhari ends the Second Nigerian Republic.
1981
A coup d'état in Ghana removes President Hilla Limann's PNP government and replaces it with the Provisional National Defence Council led by Flight lieutenant Jerry Rawlings.
1968
The first flight of the Tupolev Tu-144, the first civilian supersonic transport in the world.
1968
MacRobertson Miller Airlines Flight 1750 crashes near Port Hedland, Western Australia, killing all 26 people on board.
1965
Jean-Bédel Bokassa, leader of the Central African Republic army, and his military officers begin a coup d'état against the government of President David Dacko.
1963
The Central African Federation officially collapses, subsequently becoming Zambia, Malawi and Rhodesia.
1961
RTÉ, Ireland's state broadcaster, launches its first national television service.
1956
The Romanian Television network begins its first broadcast in Bucharest.
1955
General Motors becomes the first U.S. corporation to make over US$1 billion in a year.
1951
Cold War: The Marshall Plan expires after distributing more than US$13.3 billion in foreign aid to rebuild Western Europe.
1946
President Harry S. Truman officially proclaims the end of hostilities in World War II.
1944
World War II: Operation Nordwind, the last major Wehrmacht offensive on the Western Front, begins.
1942
USS Essex, first aircraft carrier of a 24-ship class, is commissioned.
1942
World War II: The Royal Navy defeats the Kriegsmarine at the Battle of the Barents Sea. This leads to the resignation of Grand Admiral Erich Raeder a month later.
1907
The first ever ball drop in Times Square.
1906
Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar signs the Persian Constitution of 1906.
1879
Thomas Edison demonstrates incandescent lighting to the public for the first time, in Menlo Park, New Jersey.
1878
Karl Benz, working in Mannheim, Germany, files for a patent on his first reliable two-stroke gas engine. He was granted the patent in 1879.
1862
American Civil War: The three-day Battle of Stones River begins near Murfreesboro, Tennessee between the Confederate Army of Tennessee under General Braxton Bragg and the Union Army of the Cumberland under General William S. Rosecrans.
1862
American Civil War: Abraham Lincoln signs an enabling act that would admit West Virginia to the Union, thus dividing Virginia in two.
1857
Queen Victoria chooses Ottawa, then a small logging town, as the capital of the Province of Canada.
1853
A dinner party is held inside a life-size model of an iguanodon created by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins and Sir Richard Owen in south London, England.
1844
The Philippines skipped this date in order to align the country with the rest of Asia, as the trading interest switched to China, Dutch East Indies and neighboring territories after Mexico gained independence from Spain on 27 September 1821. In the islands, Monday, 30 December 1844 was immediately followed by Wednesday, 1 January 1845.
1831
Gramercy Park is deeded to New York City.
1796
The incorporation of Baltimore as a city.
1790
Efimeris, the oldest Greek newspaper of which issues have survived till today, is published for the first time.
1775
American Revolutionary War: Battle of Quebec: British forces under General Guy Carleton repulse an attack by Continental Army General Richard Montgomery in a snowstorm.
1759
Arthur Guinness signs a 9,000-year lease at £45 per annum and starts brewing Guinness.
1757
Empress Elizabeth I of Russia issues her ukase incorporating Königsberg into Russia.
1687
The first Huguenots set sail from France to the Cape of Good Hope.
1670
The expedition of John Narborough leaves Corral Bay, having surveyed the coast and lost four hostages to the Spanish.
1660
James, Duke of York is named Duke of Normandy by Louis XIV of France.
1600
The British East India Company is chartered.
1501
The First Battle of Cannanore commences, seeing the first use of the naval line of battle.
1229
James I the Conqueror, King of Aragon, enters Medina Mayurqa (now known as Palma de Mallorca, Spain), thus consummating the Christian reconquest of the island of Mallorca.
1225
The Lý dynasty of Vietnam ends after 216 years by the enthronement of the boy emperor Trần Thái Tông, husband of the last Lý monarch, Lý Chiêu Hoàng, starting the Trần dynasty.
1105
Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV is forced to abdicate in favor of his son, Henry V, in Ingelheim.
870
Battle of Englefield: The Vikings clash with ealdorman Æthelwulf of Berkshire. The invaders are driven back to Reading (East Anglia); many Danes are killed.
535
Byzantine general Belisarius completes the conquest of Sicily, defeating the Gothic garrison of Palermo (Panormos), and ending his consulship for the year.
406
Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine, beginning an invasion of Gaul.

Births On This Day

2002
Ryan Flamingo, Dutch footballer
2002
Sophia Laforteza, Filipino-American singer
2002
Joe Scally, American soccer player
2001
Katie Volynets, American tennis player
2000
Alycia Parks, American tennis player
1999
Calvin Bassey, Italian-Nigerian footballer
1999
Leif Davis, English footballer
1997
Ludovic Blas, French footballer
1997
Cameron Carter-Vickers, English-American soccer player
1997
Bright Osayi-Samuel, Nigerian footballer
1996
J. J. Arcega-Whiteside, Spanish-American football player
1995
Gabby Douglas, American gymnast
1995
Edmond Sumner, American basketball player
1992
Amy Cure, Australian track cyclist
1992
Karl Kruuda, Estonian racing driver
1991
Dennis Everberg, Swedish ice hockey player
1991
Djené, Togolese footballer
1991
ND Stevenson, American cartoonist
1989
Ryo Aitaka, Japanese kickboxer and professional wrestler
1989
Kelvin Herrera, Dominican baseball player
1988
Michal Řepík, Czech ice hockey player
1987
Javaris Crittenton, American basketball player
1987
Seydou Doumbia, Ivorian footballer
1987
Danny Holla, Dutch footballer
1987
Nemanja Nikolić, Hungarian footballer
1986
Nate Freiman, American baseball player
1986
Kade Snowden, Australian rugby league player
1985
Jonathan Horton, American gymnast
1985
Jan Smit, Dutch singer and television host
1984
Corey Crawford, Canadian ice hockey player
1984
Ben Hannant, Australian rugby league player
1984
Édgar Lugo, Mexican footballer
1984
Calvin Zola, Congolese footballer
1983
Jana Veselá, Czech basketball player
1982
Julio DePaula, Dominican baseball player
1982
Craig Gordon, Scottish footballer
1982
Luke Schenscher, Australian basketball player
1982
The Rocket Summer, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
1981
Jason Campbell, American football player
1981
Francisco García, Dominican basketball player
1981
Matthew Pavlich, Australian footballer
1981
Margaret Simpson, Ghanaian heptathlete
1980
Jesse Carlson, American baseball player
1980
Matt Cross, American wrestler
1980
Richie McCaw, New Zealand rugby player
1980
Carsten Schlangen, German runner
1979
Paul O'Neill, English racing driver
1979
Jeff Waldstreicher, American lawyer and politician
1979
Ricky Whittle, British actor
1977
Psy, South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer
1977
Wardy Alfaro, Costa Rican footballer and coach
1976
Luís Carreira, Portuguese motorcycle racer (died 2012)
1976
Matthew Hoggard, English cricketer
1975
Rami Alanko, Finnish ice hockey player
1975
Toni Kuivasto, Finnish footballer and coach
1975
Rob Penders, Dutch footballer
1975
Sander Schutgens, Dutch runner
1974
Mario Aerts, Belgian cyclist
1974
Tony Kanaan, Brazilian race car driver
1974
Ryan Sakoda, Japanese-American wrestler and trainer
1973
Shandon Anderson, American basketball player
1973
Malcolm Middleton, Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist
1973
Curtis Myden, Canadian swimmer
1972
Grégory Coupet, French footballer
1972
Scott Manley, Scottish YouTube personality
1971
Brent Barry, American basketball player and sportscaster
1971
Esteban Loaiza, Mexican baseball player
1971
Heath Shuler, American football player and politician
1970
Jorjão, Brazilian footballer
1970
Danny McNamara, English singer-songwriter
1970
Carlos Morales Quintana, Spanish-Danish architect and sailor
1970
Bryon Russell, American basketball player
1968
Gerry Dee, Canadian comedian, actor, and screenwriter
1968
Junot Diaz, Dominican-born American novelist, short story writer, and essayist
1967
Paul McGregor, Australian rugby league player and coach
1965
Tony Dorigo, Australian-English footballer and sportscaster
1965
Julie Doucet, Canadian cartoonist and author
1965
Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, Indian cricketer
1964
Winston Benjamin, Antiguan cricketer
1964
Michael McDonald, American comedian, actor, and director
1962
Tyrone Corbin, American basketball player and coach
1962
Chris Hallam, English-Welsh swimmer and wheelchair racer (died 2013)
1962
Jennifer Higdon, American composer
1961
Rick Aguilera, American baseball player and coach
1961
Jeremy Heywood, English economist and civil servant (died 2018)
1961
Nina Li Chi, Hong Kong actress
1961
Fabian Nicieza, Argentine-American comic book writer and editor
1960
Steve Bruce, English footballer and manager
1959
Liveris Andritsos, Greek basketball player
1959
Val Kilmer, American actor (died 2025)
1959
Phill Kline, American lawyer and politician
1959
Baron Waqa, Nauruan composer and politician, 14th President of Nauru
1959
Paul Westerberg, American musician, singer, and songwriter
1958
Geoff Marsh, Australian cricketer and coach
1956
Robert Goodwill, English farmer and politician
1956
Helma Knorscheidt, German shot putter
1956
Steve Rude, American author and illustrator
1955
Pula Nikolao Pula, 9th governor of American Samoa
1954
Alex Salmond, Scottish economist and politician (died 2024)
1954
Hermann Tilke, German racing driver, architect and engineer
1953
Jane Badler, American actress
1952
Vaughan Jones, New Zealand mathematician and academic (died 2020)
1952
Jean-Pierre Rives, French rugby player, painter, and sculptor
1951
Kenny Roberts, American motorcycle racer
1950
Bob Gilder, American golfer
1950
Inge Helten, German sprinter
1950
Cheryl Womack, American businesswoman
1949
Ellen Datlow, American anthologist and author
1949
Flora Gomes, Bissau-Guinean filmmaker
1949
Susan Shwartz, American author
1948
Sandy Jardine, Scottish footballer and manager (died 2014)
1946
Roy Greenslade, English journalist and academic
1946
Bryan Hamilton, Northern Irish footballer and coach
1946
Raphael Kaplinsky, South African international development academic
1946
Pius Ncube, Zimbabwean archbishop
1946
Lyudmila Pakhomova, Russian ice dancer (died 1986)
1946
Cliff Richey, American tennis player
1946
Eric Robson, Scottish journalist and author
1946
Nigel Rudd, English businessman, founder of Williams Holdings
1946
Tim Stevens, English bishop
1945
Connie Willis, American author
1944
Taylor Hackford, American director, producer, and screenwriter
1941
Sir Alex Ferguson, Scottish footballer and manager
1940
Mani Neumeier, German drummer
1939
Willye White, American sprinter and long jumper (died 2007)
1938
Rosalind Cash, American actress (died 1995)
1938
Atje Keulen-Deelstra, Dutch speed skater (died 2013)
1937
Avram Hershko, Hungarian-Israeli biochemist and physician
1937
Barry Hughes, Welsh footballer and manager (died 2019)
1937
Tess Jaray, Austrian-English painter and educator
1934
Ameer Muhammad Akram Awan, Indian author, poet, and scholar (died 2017)
1934
Maria Krushelnytska, Ukrainian pianist (died 2025)
1933
Edward Bunker, American author, screenwriter, and actor (died 2005)
1932
Don James, American football player and coach (died 2013)
1932
Felix Rexhausen, German journalist and author (died 1992)
1931
Bob Shaw, Northern Irish journalist and author (died 1996)
1930
Jaime Escalante, Bolivian-American educator (died 2010)
1930
Odetta, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actress (died 2008)
1929
Mies Bouwman, Dutch television host (died 2018)
1929
Peter May, English cricketer (died 1994)
1928
Ross Barbour, American pop singer (died 2011)
1928
Hugh McElhenny, American football player (died 2022)
1928
Veijo Meri, Finnish author and translator (died 2015)
1928
Tatyana Shmyga, Russian actress and singer (died 2011)
1928
Siné, French cartoonist (died 2016)
1926
Valerie Pearl, English historian and academic (died 2016)
1926
Billy Snedden, Australian lawyer and politician, 17th Attorney-General for Australia (died 1987)
1925
Irina Korschunow, German author and screenwriter (died 2013)
1925
Sri Lal Sukla, Indian author (died 2011)
1925
Daphne Oram, British composer and electronic musician (died 2003)
1924
Taylor Mead, American actor and poet (died 2013)
1923
Giannis Dalianidis, Greek actor, director, and screenwriter (died 2010)
1922
Tomás Balduino, Brazilian bishop (died 2014)
1922
Halina Czerny-Stefańska, Polish pianist and educator (died 2001)
1922
Luis Zuloaga, Venezuelan baseball player (died 2013)
1920
Rex Allen, American actor and singer-songwriter (died 1999)
1919
Tommy Byrne, American baseball player, coach, and politician (died 2007)
1919
Carmen Contreras-Bozak, Puerto Rican-American soldier (died 2017)
1918
Ray Graves, American football player and coach (died 2015)
1917
Evelyn Knight, American singer (died 2007)
1917
Wilfrid Noyce, English mountaineer and author (died 1962)
1915
Sam Ragan, American journalist, author, and poet (died 1996)
1914
Mary Logan Reddick, American neuroembryologist (died 1966)
1912
John Frost, Indian-English general (died 1993)
1911
Dal Stivens, Australian soldier and author (died 1997)
1910
Carl Dudley, American director, producer, and screenwriter (died 1973)
1910
Enrique Maier, Spanish tennis player (died 1981)
1909
Jonah Jones, American trumpet player and saxophonist (died 2000)
1908
Simon Wiesenthal, Ukrainian-Austrian Nazi hunter and author (died 2005)
1905
Helen Dodson Prince, American astronomer and academic (died 2002)
1903
William Heynes, English engineer (died 1989)
1902
Lionel Daunais, Canadian singer-songwriter (died 1982)
1902
Roy Goodall, English footballer (died 1982)
1901
Karl-August Fagerholm, Finnish politician, 20th Prime Minister of Finland (died 1984)
1901
Nikos Ploumpidis, Greek educator and politician (died 1954)
1899
Silvestre Revueltas, Mexican violinist, composer, and conductor (died 1940)
1885
Princess Victoria Adelaide of Schleswig-Holstein (died 1970)
1884
Bobby Byrne, American baseball and soccer player (died 1964)
1884
Mihály Fekete, Hungarian actor, screenwriter, and film director (died 1960)
1881
Max Pechstein, German painter and academic (died 1955)
1880
Fred Beebe, American baseball player and coach (died 1957)
1880
George Marshall, American general and politician, 50th United States Secretary of State (died 1959)
1878
Elizabeth Arden, Canadian businesswoman (died 1966)
1878
Horacio Quiroga, Uruguayan-Argentinian author, poet, and playwright (died 1937)
1877
Lawrence Beesley, English journalist and author (died 1967)
1874
Julius Meier, American businessman and politician, 20th Governor of Oregon (died 1937)
1873
Konstantin Konik, Estonian surgeon and politician, 19th Estonian Minister of Education (died 1936)
1872
Fred Marriott, American race car driver (died 1956)
1869
Henri Matisse, French painter and sculptor (died 1954)
1864
Robert Grant Aitken, American astronomer and academic (died 1951)
1860
Joseph S. Cullinan, American businessman, co-founder of Texaco (died 1937)
1857
King Kelly, American baseball player and manager (died 1894)
1855
Giovanni Pascoli, Italian poet and scholar (died 1912)
1851
Henry Carter Adams, American economist and academic (died 1921)
1842
Giovanni Boldini, Italian painter (died 1931)
1838
Émile Loubet, French lawyer and politician, 7th President of France (died 1929)
1834
Queen Kapiolani of Hawaiʻi (died 1899)
1833
Hugh Nelson Scottish-Australian politician, 11th Premier of Queensland (died 1906)
1830
Isma'il Pasha, Egyptian ruler (died 1895)
1830
Alexander Smith, Scottish poet and critic (died 1867)
1815
George Meade, American general and engineer (died 1872)
1805
Marie d'Agoult, German-French historian and author (died 1876)
1798
Friedrich Robert Faehlmann, Estonian physician, philologist, and academic (died 1850)
1776
Johann Spurzheim, German-American physician and phrenologist (died 1832)
1774
James Bunbury White, American politician (died 1819)
1763
Pierre-Charles Villeneuve, French admiral (died 1806)
1741
Gottfried August Bürger, German poet and academic (died 1794)
1738
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis, English general and politician, 3rd Governor-General of India (died 1805)
1720
Charles Edward Stuart, Scottish claimant to the throne of England (died 1788)
1714
Arima Yoriyuki, Japanese mathematician and educator (died 1783)
1668
Herman Boerhaave, Dutch botanist and physician (died 1738)
1585
Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, Spanish general and politician, 24th Governor of the Duchy of Milan (died 1645)
1572
Emperor Go-Yōzei of Japan, (died 1617)
1552
Simon Forman, English occultist and astrologer (died 1611)
1550
Henry I, Duke of Guise (died 1588)
1539
John Radcliffe, English politician (died 1568)
1514
Andreas Vesalius, Belgian anatomist, physician, and author (died 1564)
1504
Beatrice of Portugal, Duchess of Savoy (died 1538)
1493
Eleonora Gonzaga, Duchess of Urbino (died 1570)
1491
Jacques Cartier, French navigator and explorer (died 1557)
1378
Pope Callixtus III (died 1458)
695
Muhammad ibn al-Qasim, Umayyad general (died 715)

Deaths On This Day

2024
Arnold Rüütel, Estonian politician, 3rd President of Estonia (born 1928)
2024
Johnnie Walker, British radio DJ (born 1945)
2023
Cale Yarborough, American Hall of Fame racing driver and founder of Cale Yarborough Motorsports, NASCAR Cup Series champion (1976, 1977, 1978) (born 1939)
2022
Pope Benedict XVI, German Roman Catholic cardinal and theologian, pope (2005-2013) and archbishop of Munich and Freising (1977-1982) (born 1927)
2022
Barry Lane, English golfer (born 1960)
2021
Betty White, American actress, comedian and producer (born 1922)
2018
Kader Khan, Indian actor (born 1937)
2016
William Christopher, American actor (born 1932)
2015
Natalie Cole, American singer-songwriter and actress (born 1950)
2015
Wayne Rogers, American actor and investor (born 1933)
2014
Edward Herrmann, American actor (born 1943)
2014
Abdullah Hussain, Malaysian author (born 1920)
2014
Norm Phelps, American author and activist (born 1939)
2014
S. Arthur Spiegel, American captain, lawyer, and judge (born 1920)
2014
Valerian Wellesley, 8th Duke of Wellington, British soldier and politician (born 1915)
2013
James Avery, American actor (born 1945)
2013
Roberto Ciotti, Italian guitarist and composer (born 1953)
2013
Bob Grant, American radio host (born 1929)
2013
Irina Korschunow, German author and screenwriter (born 1925)
2012
Tarak Mekki, Tunisian businessman and politician (born 1958)
2012
Jovette Marchessault, Canadian author and playwright (born 1938)
2012
Günter Rössler, German photographer and journalist (born 1926)
2010
Raymond Impanis, Belgian cyclist (born 1925)
2010
Per Oscarsson, Swedish actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1927)
2009
Cahal Daly, Irish cardinal and philosopher, Archbishop of Armagh (born 1917)
2009
Justin Keating, Irish surgeon, journalist, and politician, Minister for Industry and Commerce (born 1930)
2008
Donald E. Westlake, American author and screenwriter (born 1933)
2007
Roy Amara, American scientific researcher (born 1925)
2007
Michael Goldberg, American painter and educator (born 1924)
2007
Bill Idelson, American actor, producer, and screenwriter (born 1919)
2007
Milton L. Klein, Canadian lawyer and politician (born 1910)
2007
Ettore Sottsass, Austrian-Italian architect and designer (born 1917)
2006
Ya'akov Hodorov, Israeli footballer (born 1927)
2006
Seymour Martin Lipset, American sociologist, author, and academic (born 1922)
2006
George Sisler, Jr., American businessman (born 1917)
2005
Enrico Di Giuseppe, American tenor and educator (born 1932)
2005
Phillip Whitehead, English screenwriter, producer, and politician (born 1937)
2004
Gérard Debreu, French economist and mathematician, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1921)
2003
Arthur R. von Hippel German-American physicist and author (born 1898)
2002
Kevin MacMichael, Canadian guitarist, songwriter, and producer (born 1951)
2001
Eileen Heckart, American actress (born 1919)
2000
Alan Cranston, American journalist and politician (born 1914)
2000
José Greco, Italian-American dancer and choreographer (born 1918)
2000
Binyamin Ze'ev Kahane, American-Israeli rabbi and scholar (born 1966)
1999
Elliot Richardson, American lawyer and politician, 69th United States Attorney General (born 1920)
1999
Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi, Indian Muslim scholar and author (born 1914)
1998
Ted Glossop, Australian rugby league player and coach (born 1934)
1997
Floyd Cramer, American singer-songwriter and pianist (born 1933)
1997
Billie Dove, American actress (born 1903)
1996
Wesley Addy, American actor (born 1913)
1994
Woody Strode, American football player, wrestler, and actor (born 1914)
1993
Zviad Gamsakhurdia, Georgian anthropologist and politician, 1st President of Georgia (born 1939)
1993
Brandon Teena, American murder victim (born 1972)
1993
Big Bertha, Irish cattle and twice Guinness World Record holder (oldest cow, cow with most offspring) (born 1945)
1990
George Allen, American football player and coach (born 1918)
1990
Vasily Lazarev, Russian physician, colonel, and astronaut (born 1928)
1990
Giovanni Michelucci, Italian architect and urban planner, designed the Firenze Santa Maria Novella railway station (born 1891)
1988
Nicolas Calas, Greek-American poet and critic (born 1907)
1987
Jerry Turner, American journalist (born 1929)
1985
Ricky Nelson, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor (born 1940)
1983
Sevim Burak, Turkish author and playwright (born 1931)
1980
Marshall McLuhan, Canadian philosopher and theorist (born 1911)
1980
Raoul Walsh, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1887)
1978
Basil Wolverton, American illustrator (born 1909)
1972
Roberto Clemente, Puerto Rican-American baseball player and Marine (born 1934)
1972
Henry Gerber, German-American activist, founded the Society for Human Rights (born 1892)
1970
Cyril Scott, English composer, writer, and poet (born 1879)
1968
George Lewis, American clarinet player and composer (born 1900)
1964
Bobby Byrne, American baseball and soccer player (born 1884)
1964
Ólafur Thors, Icelandic lawyer and politician, 8th Prime Minister of Iceland (born 1892)
1964
Henry Maitland Wilson, English field marshal (born 1881)
1953
Albert Plesman, Dutch businessman, founded KLM (born 1889)
1951
Murtaza Hasan Chandpuri, Indian Muslim scholar (born 1868)
1950
Charles Koechlin, French composer and educator (born 1867)
1949
Rıza Tevfik Bölükbaşı, Turkish philosopher, poet, and politician (born 1869)
1949
Raimond Valgre, Estonian pianist and composer (born 1913)
1948
Malcolm Campbell, English racing driver and journalist (born 1885)
1936
Miguel de Unamuno, Spanish philosopher, author, and poet (born 1864)
1934
Cornelia Clapp, American marine biologist (born 1849)
1921
Boies Penrose, American lawyer and politician (born 1860)
1910
Archibald Hoxsey, American pilot (born 1884)
1910
John Moisant, American pilot and engineer (born 1868)
1909
Spencer Trask, American financier and philanthropist (born 1844)
1894
Thomas Joannes Stieltjes, Dutch mathematician and academic (born 1856)
1891
Samuel Ajayi Crowther, Nigerian bishop and linguist (born 1809)
1890
Pancha Carrasco, Costa Rican soldier (born 1826)
1889
Ion Creangă, Romanian author and educator (born 1837)
1889
George Kerferd, English-Australian politician, 10th Premier of Victoria (born 1831)
1888
Samson Raphael Hirsch, German rabbi and scholar (born 1808)
1877
Gustave Courbet, French-Swiss painter and sculptor (born 1819)
1876
Catherine Labouré, French nun and saint (born 1806)
1872
Aleksis Kivi, Finnish author and playwright (born 1834)
1818
Jean-Pierre Duport, French cellist (born 1741)
1799
Jean-François Marmontel, French historian and author (born 1723)
1775
Richard Montgomery, American general (born 1738)
1742
Charles III Philip, Elector Palatine (born 1661)
1730
Carlo Gimach, Maltese architect, engineer and poet (born 1651)
1719
John Flamsteed, English astronomer and academic (born 1646)
1705
Catherine of Braganza (born 1638)
1691
Robert Boyle, Anglo-Irish chemist and physicist (born 1627)
1691
Dudley North, English merchant and economist (born 1641)
1679
Giovanni Alfonso Borelli, Italian physiologist and physicist (born 1608)
1673
Oliver St John, English judge and politician, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas (born 1598)
1655
Janusz Radziwiłł, Polish-Lithuanian politician (born 1612)
1655
Sir John Wray, 2nd Baronet, English politicians and Roundheads supporter (born 1586)
1650
Dorgon, Chinese emperor (born 1612)
1637
Christian, Count of Waldeck-Wildungen, German count (born 1585)
1610
Ludolph van Ceulen, German-Dutch mathematician and academic (born 1540)
1583
Thomas Erastus, Swiss physician and theologian (born 1524)
1575
Pierino Belli, Italian commander and jurist (born 1502)
1568
Shimazu Tadayoshi, Japanese daimyō (born 1493)
1535
William Skeffington, English-Irish politician, Lord Deputy of Ireland (born 1465)
1510
Bianca Maria Sforza, Holy Roman Empress (born 1472)
1460
Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury, English politician, Lord Chancellor of the United Kingdom (born 1400)
1439
Margaret Holland, English noblewoman (born 1385)
1426
Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter (born 1377)
1386
Johanna of Bavaria, Queen of Bohemia (born c. 1362)
1384
John Wycliffe, English philosopher, theologian, and translator (born 1331)
1302
Frederick III, Duke of Lorraine (born 1238)
1299
Margaret, Countess of Anjou (born 1273)
1298
Humphrey de Bohun, 3rd Earl of Hereford, English politician, Lord High Constable of England (born 1249)
1194
Leopold V, Duke of Austria (born 1157)
1164
Ottokar III of Styria (born 1124)
1032
Ahmad Maymandi, Persian statesman, vizier of the Ghaznavid Empire
914
Ibn Hawshab, founder of the Isma'ili community in Yemen
669
Li Shiji, Chinese general (born 594)
335
Pope Sylvester I
192
Commodus, Roman emperor (born 161)
45 BC
Quintus Fabius Maximus, consul suffectus
Guest