Today in history....
May 22nd
* 334 BC – The Greek army of Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of the Granicus.
* 1176 – The Hashshashin (Assassins) attempt to murder Saladin near Aleppo.
* 1377 – Pope Gregory XI issues five papal bulls to denounce the doctrines of English theologian John Wycliffe.
* 1455 – Wars of the Roses: at the First Battle of St Albans, Richard, Duke of York, defeats and captures King Henry VI of England.
* 1762 – Sweden and Prussia sign the Treaty of Hamburg.
* 1807 – A grand jury indicts former Vice President of the United States Aaron Burr on a charge of treason.
* 1807 – Most of the English town of Chudleigh is destroyed by fire
* 1809 – On the second and last day of the Battle of Aspern-Essling (near Vienna), Napoleon is repelled by an enemy army for the first time.
* 1819 – The SS Savannah leaves port at Savannah, Georgia, United States, on a voyage to become the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean. The ship arrived at Liverpool, England on June 20.
* 1826 – HMS Beagle departs on its first voyage, carrying Charles Darwin.
* 1840 – The transporting of British convicts to the New South Wales colony is abolished.
* 1842 – Farmers Lester Howe and Henry Wetsel discover Howe Caverns when they stumble upon a large hole in the ground.
* 1843 – Thousands of people and their cattle head west via wagon train from Independence, Missouri to what would later become the Oregon Territory. It is part of the Great Migration. They follow what is now known as the Oregon Trail.
* 1844 – Persian Prophet The Báb announces his revelation, founding Bábism. He announces to the world the coming of "He whom GERD shall make manifest". He is considered the forerunner of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith.
* 1848 – Slavery is abolished in Martinique.
* 1856 – Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina beats Senator Charles Sumner with a cane in the hall of the United States Senate for a speech Sumner had made attacking Southerners who sympathized with the pro-slavery violence in Kansas ("Bleeding Kansas").
* 1871 – The U.S. Army issued an order for abandonment of Fort Kearny in Nebraska.
* 1872 – Reconstruction: U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant signs the Amnesty Act of 1872 into law restoring full civil rights to all but about 500 Confederate sympathizers.
* 1897 – The Blackwall Tunnel under the River Thames was officially opened
* 1903 – Launch of the White Star Liner, SS Ionic.
* 1906 – The 1906 Summer Olympics, not now recognized as part of the official Olympic Games, open in Athens.
* 1906 – The Wright brothers are granted U.S. patent number 821,393 for their "Flying-Machine".
* 1915 – Lassen Peak erupts with a powerful force, and is the only mountain, other than Mount St. Helens, to erupt in the continental US during the 20th century.
* 1915 – Five trains collide in the Quintinshill rail crash near Gretna Green, Scotland, killing 227 people and injuring 246; the accident is found to be the result of non-standard operating practices during a shift change at a busy junction.
* 1936 – Aer Lingus (Aer Loingeas) is founded by the Irish government as the national airline of the Republic of Ireland.
* 1939 – World War II: Germany and Italy sign the Pact of Steel.
* 1942 – Mexico enters World War II on the side of the Allies.
* 1942 – The Steel Workers Organizing Committee disbands, and a new trade union, the United Steelworkers, is formed.
* 1942 – World War II: Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox enlists in the United States Marine Corps as a flight instructor.
* 1947 – Cold War: in an effort to fight the spread of Communism, U.S. President Harry S. Truman signs an act into law that will later be called the Truman Doctrine. The act grants $400 million in military and economic aid to Turkey and Greece, each battling an internal Communist movement.
* 1958 – Start of Sri Lankan riots of 1958, this riot was a watershed event in the race relationship of the various ethnic communities of Sri Lanka. The total number of deaths is estimated to be 300, mostly Sri Lankan Tamils.
* 1960 – An earthquake measuring 9.5 on the moment magnitude scale, now known as the Great Chilean Earthquake, hits southern Chile. It is the most powerful earthquake ever recorded.
* 1962 – Continental Airlines Flight 11 crashes after bombs explode on board.
* 1963 – Assassination attempt of Greek left-wing politician Gregoris Lambrakis, who will die five days afterwards.
* 1964 – U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson announces the goals of his Great Society social reforms to bring an "end to poverty and racial injustice" in America.
* 1967 – The L'Innovation department store in the centre of Brussels, Belgium, burns down. It is the most devastating fire in Belgian history, resulting in 323 dead and missing and 150 injured.
* 1968 – The nuclear-powered submarine the USS Scorpion sinks with 99 men aboard 400 miles southwest of the Azores.
* 1969 – Apollo 10's lunar module flies within 8.4 nautical miles (16 km) of the moon's surface.
* 1972 – Ceylon adopts a new constitution, thus becoming a Republic, changes its name to Sri Lanka, and joins the Commonwealth of Nations.
* 1980 – Namco releases the highly influential video game Pacman.
* 1990 – North and South Yemen are unified to create the Republic of Yemen.
* 1990 – Microsoft releases the Windows 3.0 operating system.
* 1992 – After 30 years, 66-year-old Johnny Carson hosts The Tonight Show for the last time.
Tornado striking Kansas during the late-May 2008 tornado outbreak sequence.
* 1997 – Kelly Flinn, US Air Force's first female bomber pilot certified for combat, accepts a general discharge in order to avoid a court martial.
* 1998 – Lewinsky scandal: a federal judge rules that United States Secret Service agents can be compelled to testify before a grand jury concerning the scandal, involving President Bill Clinton.
* 2002 – In Washington, D.C., the remains of the missing Chandra Levy are found in Rock Creek Park.
* 2002 – American civil rights movement: a jury in Birmingham, Alabama, convicts former Ku Klux Klan member Bobby Frank Cherry of the 1963 murders of four girls in the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church.
* 2003 – In Fort Worth, Texas, Annika Sörenstam becomes the first woman to play the PGA Tour in 58 years.
* 2004 – The U.S. town of Hallam, Nebraska, is wiped out by a powerful F4 tornado (part of the May 2004 tornado outbreak sequence) that broke a width record at an astounding 2.5 miles (4.0 km) wide, which kills one resident.
* 2008 – The Late-May 2008 tornado outbreak sequence unleashes 235 tornadoes, including an EF4 and an EF5 tornado, between 22 May and 31 May 2008. The tornadoes struck 19 states and one Canadian province.
Birthdays today...
* 1381 – Saint Rita of Cascia, Italian Saint (d. 1457)
* 1622 – Louis de Buade de Frontenac, Governor of New France (d. 1698)
* 1715 – François-Joachim de Pierre de Bernis, French cardinal and statesman (d. 1794)
* 1724 – Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne, French explorer (d. 1772)
* 1770 – Princess Elizabeth of the United Kingdom (d. 1840)
* 1772 – Ram Mohan Roy, Hindu reformer (d. 1833)
* 1783 – William Sturgeon, English physicist and inventor (d. 1850)
* 1808 – Gérard de Nerval, French writer (d. 1855)
* 1813 – Richard Wagner, German composer (d. 1883)
* 1823 – Solomon Bundy, American politician (d. 1889)
* 1823 – Isabella Glyn Dallas, British Shakepearean actress (d. 1889)
* 1841 – Catulle Mendès, French poet (d. 1909)
* 1844 – Mary Cassatt, American artist (d. 1926)
* 1849 – Louis Perrier, Swiss politician (d. 1913)
* 1859 – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, British physician and writer (d. 1930)
* 1874 – Daniel François Malan, Prime Minister of South Africa (d. 1959)
* 1879 – Warwick Armstrong, Australian cricketer (d. 1947)
* 1879 – Alla Nazimova, Ukrainian-born actress, scriptwriter, and producer (d. 1945)
* 1885 – Giacomo Matteotti, Italian politician (d. 1924)
* 1885 – Toyoda Soemu, Japanese admiral (d. 1957)
* 1891 – Eddie Edwards, American jazz trombonist (d. 1963)
* 1900 – Yvonne de Gaulle, wife of Charles de Gaulle (d. 1979)
* 1901 – Maurice J. Tobin, 56th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1953)
* 1902 – Al Simmons, American baseball player (d. 1956)
* 1903 – Yves Rocard, French physicist (d. 1992)
* 1904 – Paul Viiding, Estonian poet (d. 1962)
* 1907 – Hergé, Belgian comic-book creator (d. 1983)
* 1907 – Laurence Olivier, English stage and screen actor (d. 1989)
* 1908 – Rattana Pestonji, Thai filmmaker (d. 1970)
* 1908 – Horton Smith. American golfer (d. 1963)
* 1910 – Johnny Olson, American game-show announcer (d. 1985)
* 1911 – Anatol Rapoport, Russian-born mathematical psychologist and pianist (d. 2007)
* 1912 – Herbert C. Brown, English-born chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2004)
* 1914 – Vance Packard, American author (d. 1996)
* 1914 – Sun Ra, American musician (d. 1993)
* 1914 – Edward Arthur Thompson, British historian (d. 1994)
* 1917 – Georg Tintner, Austrian-born conductor (d. 1999)
* 1917 – Nathan Davis, American actor (d. 2008)
* 1917 – Daniel Nagrin, American modern dancer and choreographer (d. 2008)
* 1920 – Thomas Gold, Austrian astrophysicist (d. 2004)
* 1922 – Quinn Martin, American television producer (d. 1987)
* 1924 – Charles Aznavour, Armenian-French singer, actor, and composer
* 1925 – James King, American tenor (d. 2005)
* 1925 – Jean Tinguely, Swiss artist (d. 1991)
* 1927 – George Andrew Olah, Hungarian-born chemist, Nobel laureate
* 1927 – Michael Constantine, American actor
* 1927 – Phil Tucker, American director
* 1928 – T. Boone Pickens, Jr., American businessman
* 1930 – John Barth, American writer
* 1930 – Harvey Milk, American politician and civil rights activist (d. 1978)
* 1930 – Kenny Ball, British musician.
* 1934 – Peter Nero, American musician
* 1934 – Arne Harris, American television sports director (d. 2001)
* 1935 – Ron Piché, Quebec baseball player
* 1936 – M. Scott Peck, American psychiatrist and writer (d. 2005)
* 1938 – Richard Benjamin, American actor
* 1938 – Susan Strasberg, American actress (d. 1999)
* 1940 – Bernard Shaw, American television journalist
* 1940 – Michael Sarrazin, Canadian actor
* 1941 – Paul Winfield, American actor (d. 2004)
* 1941 – Sir Menzies Campbell, British politician
* 1941 – Martha Langbein, German athlete
* 1942 – Theodore Kaczynski, American terrorist
* 1942 – Calvin Simon, American musician (P Funk)
* 1942 – Barbara Parkins, Canadian actress
* 1943 – Tommy John, American baseball player
* 1943 – Betty Williams, Northern Irish political activist, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize
* 1943 – Gesine Schwan, German politician and science professor
* 1946 – Howard Kendall, English footballer and football manager
* 1946 – George Best, Northern Irish footballer (d. 2005)
* 1948 – Richard Baker, American politician
* 1950 – Alekos Alavanos, Greek politician
* 1950 – Bernie Taupin, English songwriter
* 1952 – Bernhard Brinkmann, German politician
* 1953 – Doris Barnett, German politician
* 1953 – Cha Bum-Kun, Korean footballer
* 1955 – Jimmy Lyon, American guitarist (Eddie Money)
* 1955 – Dale Winton, British radio DJ and television presenter
* 1955 – Jerry Dammers, English musician (The Specials)
* 1955 – Chalmers "Spanky" Alford, American jazz guitarist (d. 2008)
* 1956 – Al Corley, American actor and producer
* 1956 – Natasha Shneider, Russian-born musician
* 1957 – Lisa Murkowski, American politician
* 1957 – Gary Sweet, Australian actor
* 1958 – Denise Welch, English actress and presenter
* 1959 – Steven Morrissey, English singer
* 1960 – Hideaki Anno, Japanese director
* 1961 – Ann Cusack, American actress
* 1962 – Brian Pillman, American professional wrestler (d. 1997)
* 1964 – Ashley Renee, American fetish model
* 1966 – Kenny Hickey, American guitarist (Type O Negative)
* 1966 – Jose Mesa, Dominican baseball player
* 1967 – Brooke Smith, American actress
* 1967 – John Vanderslice, American musician
* 1968 – Kevin Carolan, American actor and comedian
* 1970 – Naomi Campbell, English model and actress
* 1970 – Pedro Diniz, Brazilian Formula One driver
* 1971 – Manuel Ortiz, Mexican professional wrestler
* 1972 – Anna Belknap, American actress
* 1972 – Annabel Chong, Singapore actress
* 1972 – Alison Eastwood, American actress and model
* 1973 – Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Danish actor
* 1973 – Julián Tavárez, Dominican baseball player
* 1973 – Danny Tiatto, Australian footballer
* 1974 – John Bale, American baseball player
* 1974 – Sean Gunn, American actor
* 1974 – A. J. Langer, American actress
* 1975 – Janne Niinimaa, Finnish ice-hockey player
* 1975 – Tracy Brookshaw, American professional wrestler and valet
* 1975 – Salva Ballesta, Spanish footballer.
* 1977 – Alastair Ralphs, Canadian professional wrestler
* 1977 – Seán Óg Ó hAilpín, Irish hurler
* 1977 – Dre Bly, American football player
* 1977 – Vinnie Potestivo, American TV Producer
* 1978 – Ginnifer Goodwin, American actress
* 1978 – Katie Price, British model
* 1979 – Nadia Khan, TV Presenter
* 1979 – Maggie Q, American actress
* 1980 – Rhett Fisher, actor/musician
* 1980 – Steven Baker, Australian rules footballer
* 1980 – Chad Tracy, American baseball player
* 1981 – Bryan Danielson, American professional wrestler
* 1981 – Jürgen Melzer, Austrian tennis player
* 1982 – Apolo Anton Ohno, American short track speed skater
* 1982 – John Bobek, American actor
* 1983 – John Hopkins, Anglo-American motorcycling racer
* 1984 – Joe Lauzon, American martial artist
* 1985 – Tranquillo Barnetta, Swiss footballer
* 1985 – CariDee English, American model
* 1985 – Marc-Antoine Pouliot, Canadian ice-hockey player
* 1985 – Graham Harrell, American football player
* 1987 – Novak Djokovic, Serbian tennis player
Famous deaths...
* 337 – Constantine the Great, Roman Emperor (b. 272)
* 748 – Empress Genshō of Japan (b. 680)
* 1068 – Emperor Go-Reizei of Japan (b. 1025)
* 1455 – Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland, English politician (killed in battle)
* 1455 – Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset, English commander (killed in battle) (b. 1406)
* 1457 – Saint Rita of Cascia, Italian saint (b. 1381)
* 1538 – John Forrest, English Franciscan friar (martyred) (b. 1471)
* 1540 – Francesco Guicciardini, Italian historian (b. 1483)
* 1666 – Gaspar Schott, German scientist (b. 1608)
* 1667 – Pope Alexander VII (b. 1599)
* 1745 – François-Marie, 1st duc de Broglie, French military leader (b. 1671)
* 1746 – Thomas Southerne, Irish dramatist (b. 1660)
* 1760 – Israel ben Eliezer, Polish-born mystical rabbi (b. 1700)
* 1772 – Durastante Natalucci, Italian historian (b. 1687)
* 1795 – Ewald Friedrich, Count von Hertzberg, Prussian statesman (b. 1725)
* 1851 – Mordecai Manuel Noah, American writer, journalist (b. 1755)
* 1859 – King Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies (b. 1810)
* 1868 – Julius Plücker, German mathematician and physicist (b. 1801)
* 1885 – Victor Hugo, French author (b. 1802)
* 1901 – Gaetano Bresci, Italian-American anarchist (b. 1869)
* 1910 – Jules Renard, French author (b. 1864)
* 1932 – Lady Gregory, Irish playwright (b. 1852)
* 1939 – Ernst Toller, German author (b. 1893)
* 1939 – Jiri Mahen, Czech author (b. 1882)
* 1965 – Christopher Stone, first disc jockey in the United Kingdom (b. 1882)
* 1966 – Tom Goddard, English cricketer (b. 1900)
* 1967 – Langston Hughes, American writer (b. 1902)
* 1972 – Cecil Day-Lewis, Irish poet and writer (b. 1904)
* 1972 – Margaret Rutherford, English actress (b. 1892)
* 1975 – Lefty Grove, American Baseball Player (b. 1900)
* 1983 – Albert Claude, Belgian biologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1899)
* 1988 – Giorgio Almirante, Italian politician (b. 1914)
* 1989 – Steven DeGroote, South African classical pianist (b. 1953)
* 1990 – Rocky Graziano, American boxer (b. 1922)
* 1992 – Zellig Harris, American linguist (b. 1909)
* 1997 – Alfred Hershey, American biochemist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1908)
* 1997 – Renzo Montagnani, Italian actor (b. 1930)
* 1998 – José Enrique Moyal, mathematical physicist (b. 1910)
* 2003 – Ousmane Zongo, Burkinabé shooting victim
* 2004 – Richard Biggs, American actor (b. 1960)
* 2004 – Mikhail Voronin, Russian gymnast (b. 1945)
* 2005 – Charilaos Florakis, Greek politician, long-time General Secretary of the Communist Party of Greece (b. 1914)
* 2005 – Julia Randall, American poet (b. 1924)
* 2005 – Thurl Ravenscroft, American voice actor and singer (b. 1914)
* 2006 – Lee Jong-wook, Korean Director-General of the World Health Organisation (b. 1945)
* 2006 – Heather Crowe, Canadian activist (b. 1945)
* 2008 – Robert Asprin, American author (b. 1946)
Holidays and observances...
* International Day for Biological Diversity
* Haiti: National Sovereignty Day
* Israel: Yom Yerushalayim
* Martinique: Abolition Day, celebrating the abolition of slavery
* Sri Lanka: Republic Day
* United States: National Maritime Day
* Yemen: Unity Day/National Day
Have a great Friday.
~Brian
