Today in History

Prince Hisahito of Akishino, third in line to become Emperor of Japan.

Funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales: over 1 million people line London’s streets to honor her and 2.5 billion watched the event on TV.

Baltimore Orioles’ Cal Ripken Jr. plays in his 2,131st consecutive game, breaking a 56-year MLB record held by Lou Gehrig; in 2007 fans voted this achievement the most memorable moment in MLB history.

Leningrad, second-largest city in the USSR, is changed to Saint Petersburg, which had been the city’s name prior to 1924.

Lee Roy Young becomes the first African-American Texas Ranger in the force’s 165-year history.

Lieutenant Viktor Belenko, a Soviet air force pilot defects, flying a MiG-25 jet fighter to Japan and requesting political asylum in US.

The world learns an earlier announcement that all Israeli athletes taken hostage at the Munich Olympics had been rescued was erroneous; all had been killed by their captors from the Black September terrorist group; all but 3 terrorists also died in shootout around midnight.

Christopher Nolan, Irish poet and author; received Whitbread Book Award (1988), Honorary Doctorate of Letters (UK), Medal of Excellence (United Nations Society of Writers) and was named Person of the Year in Ireland (1988).

Rosa Maria “Rosie” Perez, actress (Fearless), director, choreographer, Puerto Rican rights activist.

Chris Christie, 55th governor of New Jersey.

Jeff Foxworthy, comedian, actor; best known for his comedy routine, “You might be a redneck if . . . “.

The last American and Korean prisoners are exchanged in Operation Big Switch, the last official act of the Korean War.

Swoosie Kurtz, Tony and Emmy award–winning actress (Fifth of July, And the Band Played On).

Sir Richard J. Roberts, English scientist; shared Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1993) for discovery of split genes.

Germany announces that all Jews living in the country will have to begin wearing a Star of David.

Susumu Tonegawa, Japanese scientist; won Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1987) for discovery of genetic mechanism that produces antibody diversity.

Sergio Aragones, illustrator and writer; best known for his contributions to Mad Magazine and for creating the Groo the Wanderer comic book series.

Aviator Beryl Markham flies the first east-to-west solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean.

Charles Foley, game designer; co-creator of Twister game.

Robert Pirzig, author of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

The German Army begins a general retreat across the Aisne, with British troops in pursuit.

The luxury liner Lusitania leaves London for New York on her maiden voyage.

President William McKinley is shot while attending a reception at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, by 28-year-old anarchist Leon Czolgosz. McKinley dies eight days later, the third American president assassinated.

Billy Rose, songwriter famous for “It’s Only a Paper Moon,” and “Me and My Shadow”.

The last British troops to serve in Austria are withdrawn.

Union General Ulysses S. Grant‘s forces capture Paducah, Kentucky from Confederate forces.

Jane Adams, known for her work as a social reformer, pacifist, and founder of Hull House in Chicago in 1889, first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize (1931).

Henry David Thoreau leaves Walden Pond and moves back into town, to Concord, Massachusetts.

Catherine Esther Beecher, educator who promoted higher education for women.

French General Jean Houchard and his 40,000 men begin a three-day battle against an Anglo-Hanoveraian army at Hondschoote, southwest Belgium, in the wars of the French Revolution.

John Dalton, English scientist who developed the atomic theory of matter.

Marie Joseph du Motier, Marquis de LaFayette, French soldier and statesman who aided George Washington during the American Revolution.

Imperial troops defeat the Turks and take Belgrade, Serbia.

One of the five ships that set out in Ferdinand Magellan’s trip around the world makes it back to Spain. Only 15 of the original 265 men that set out survived. Magellan was killed by natives in the Philippines.

Sultan Murat II ends a vain siege of Constantinople.

Theodosius becomes sole ruler of Italy after defeating Eugenius at the Battle of the River Frigidus.