Today in History for 1st February 2018:
Historical Events
1862 – Julia Howe publishes “Battle Hymn of Republic”
1951 – -50°F (-46°C), Gavilan, New Mexico (state record)
1957 – Felix Wankel’s first working prototype DKM 54 of the rotary Wankel engine was running at the NSU research and development department Versuchsabteilung TX in Germany
1959 – Wiffi Smith wins LPGA Havana Golf Tournament
1960 – 48th Women’s Australian Championships: Margaret Court beats Jan Lehane (7-5, 6-2)
1968 – Saigon police chief Nguy?n Ng?c Loan executes Viet Cong officer Nguy?n V?n Lém with a pistol shot to head. The execution is captured by photographer Eddie Adams and becomes an anti-war icon.
Famous Birthdays
1916 – Gordon Hobday, Lord Lieutenant (Nottinghamshire)
1939 – Claude François, French singer (d. 1978)
1958 – Luther Blissett, English footballer
1962 – José Luis Cuciuffo, Argentinian footballer (d. 2004)
1971 – Derek Byrd, NFL cornerback (New Orleans Saints)
1973 – Elena Makarova, tennis star (1993 Futures-Val), born in Moscow, Russia
Famous Deaths
1838 – Abraham de Veer, Dutch gov-gen of Suriname (1822-28), dies at 71
1873 – Matthew Maury, hydrographer, dies
1968 – Lawson Little, amateur golfer (US/British Opens 1934,35), dies at 57
1980 – Gastone Nencini, Italian cyclist (b. 1930)
1980 – Romolo Valli, actor (Boom, La Viaccia), dies at 54
1981 – Donald W Douglas, US aviation pionieer/builder, dies at 88