Today in History for 16th August 2017:
Historical Events
1904 – NYC begins building Grand Central Station
1927 – 1st HR hit out of Comiskey Park Chicago (NY Yankee Babe Ruth)
1947 – Ralph Kiner becomes 1st Pirate to hit 3 consecutive HRs
1962 – Ringo Starr replaces Pete Best as Beatles’ drummer
1972 – Philip Potter appointed sect-gen of World council of Churches
1993 – South Africa relinquishes sovereignty over Walvis Bay
Famous Birthdays
1896 – (or the 17th) Tina Modotti, Udine Italy, Italian artist and activist
1897 – Robert Ringling, circus master
1906 – Franz Josef II, prince of Liechtenstein (1938-89)
1946 – Dick Murdoch, American professional wrestler (d. 1996)
1972 – Zach Wiegert, tackle (St Louis Rams)
1980 – Robert “Bob” Hardy, English musician (Franz Ferdinand), born in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
Famous Deaths
1855 – Henry Colburn, British publisher ( Pepys’s Diary) (b. 1784)
1894 – Herman van der Tuuk, Dutch linguist (Toba Batak grammar), dies at 70
1940 – Henri Desgrange, French cyclist/founder (Tour de France), dies at 75
1973 – Veda Ann Borg, actress (Kid Galahad), dies at 54
1989 – Amanda Blake [Beverly Louise Neill], American actress (Gunsmoke), dies at 60
1995 – John Cameron Swayze, news anchor (NBC), dies at 89