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Today June 26th 2009 this day in history Read more below to view events, deaths, births, Holidays observances and video clips. Last database updated: Jan 17th, 2009
Events
363 – Roman Emperor Julian is killed during the retreat from the Sassanid Empire. General Jovian is proclaimed Emperor by the troops on the battlefield.
1284 – the legendary Pied Piper leads 130 youths out of Hamelin, Germany
1409 – Western Schism: the Roman Catholic church is led into a double schism as Petros Philargos is crowned Pope Alexander V after the Council of Pisa, joining Pope Gregory XII in Rome and Pope Benedict XII in Avignon.
1483 – Richard III is crowned king of England.
1541 – Francisco Pizarro is assassinated in Lima by the son of his former companion and later antagonist, Diego Almagro the younger. Almagro is later caught and executed.
1718 – Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich of Russia, Peter the Great s son, mysteriously dies after being sentenced to death by his father for plotting against him.
1723 – After a lasting siege and bombardment by cannons, Baku surrenders to the Russians.
1848 – End of the June Days Uprising in Paris.
1857 – The first investiture of the Victoria Cross in Hyde Park, London.
1870 – The Christian holiday of Christmas is declared a federal holiday in the United States.
1917 – the first U.S. troops arrive in France to fight alongside Britain, France, Italy, and Russia against Germany, and Austria-Hungary in World War I.
1918 – World War I, Western Front: Battle for Belleau Wood – Allied Forces under John J. Pershing and James Harbord defeat Imperial German Forces under Wilhelm, German Crown Prince.
1924 – American occupying forces leave the Dominican Republic.
1927 – The Cyclone roller coaster opens on Coney Island
1934 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Federal Credit Union Act, which establishes credit unions.
1936 – Initial flight of the Focke-Wulf Fw 61, the first practical helicopter.
1940 – World War II: under the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, the Soviet Union presents an ultimatum to Romania requiring it to cede Bessarabia and the northern part of Bukovina.
1945 – The United Nations Charter is signed in San Francisco.
1948 – The Western allies begin an airlift to Berlin after the Soviet Union blockades West Berlin.
1948 – William Shockley filed the original patent for the grown junction transistor, the first bipolar junction transistor.
1959 – The Saint Lawrence Seaway opens, opening North America s Great Lakes to ocean-going ships.
1960 – The former British Protectorate of Somaliland British Somaliland gains its independence.
1960 – Madagascar achieved independence from France.
1963 – John F. Kennedy speaks the famous words Ich bin ein Berliner on a visit to West Berlin.
1973 – On Plesetsk Cosmodrome 9 people are killed in an explosion of a Cosmos 3-M rocket.
1974 – The Universal Product Code is scanned for the first time to sell a package of Wrigley s chewing gum at the Marsh Supermarket in Troy, Ohio
1975 – Indira Gandhi establishes emergency rule in India.
1975 – Two FBI agents and a member of the American Indian Movement are killed in a shootout on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota; Leonard Peltier is later convicted of the murders in a controversial trial.
1976 – The CN Tower, the world s tallest free-standing structure on land, is opened to general public.
1977 – The Yorkshire Ripper kills 16 year old shop assistant Jayne MacDonald in Leeds, changing public perception of the killer as she was the first victim who was not a prostitute.
1978 – Air Canada Flight 189 to Toronto overruns the runway and crashes into the Etobicoke Creek ravine. Two of 107 passengers on board perish.
1991 – Ten-Day War- the Yugoslav people s army begins the Ten-Day War in Slovenia.
1993 – The U.S. launches a missile attack targeting Baghdad intelligence headquarters in retaliation for a thwarted assassination attempt against former President George H.W. Bush in April in Kuwait.
1995 – Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani deposes his father Khalifa bin Hamad al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar, in a bloodless coup.
1996 – Irish Journalist Veronica Guerin is shot in her car while in traffic in the outskirts of Dublin
1997 – The U.S. Supreme Court rules that the Communications Decency Act violates the First Amendment
2003 – The U.S. Supreme Court rules in Lawrence v. Texas that gender-based sodomy laws are unconstitutional.
2008 – The U.S. Supreme Court rules in District of Columbia v. Heller that the ban on handguns in the District of Columbia is unconstitutional.
Births
1575 – Anne Catherine of Brandenburg, queen of Denmark and Norway (d. 1612)
1681 – Hedwig Sophia, duchess of Holstein-Gottorp, Swedish writer (d. 1708)
1689 – Edward Holyoke, American academic (d. 1769)
1694 – Georg Brandt, Swedish chemist and mineralogist (d. 1768)
1702 – Philip Doddridge, English religious leader (d. 1751)
1703 – Thomas Clap, American academic (d. 1767)
1730 – Charles Messier, French Astronomer (d. 1817)
1817 – Branwell Bronte, British painter and poet (d. 1848)
1819 – Abner Doubleday, American Major General (d. 1893)
1824 – Lord Kelvin, Irish-born physicist (d. 1907)
1835 – Thomas W. Knox, American author (d. 1896)
1838 – Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Bengali Novelist (d. 1894)
1854 – Robert Laird Borden, Canadian politician (d. 1937)
1865 – Bernard Berenson, American art historian (d. 1959)
1866 – George Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon, English financier of Egyptian excavations (d. 1923)
1869 – Martin Andersen Nexø, Danish writer (d. 1954)
1880 – Natalia, Princess Brassova (d. 1952)
1892 – Pearl S. Buck, American writer, Nobel laureate (d. 1973)
1895 – George Hainsworth, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 1950)
1898 – Willy Messerschmitt, German aircraft designer (d. 1978)
1898 – Chesty Puller, the most decorated Marine in history (d. 1971)
1899 – Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia (d. 1918)
1902 – Hugues Cuénod, Swiss Tenor
1904 – Frank Scott Hogg, Canadian astronomer (d. 1951)
1904 – Peter Lorre, Hungarian-born actor (d. 1964)
1906 – Alberto Rabagliati, Italian singer (d. 1974)
1906 – Viktor Schreckengost, American industrial designer (d. 2008)
1907 – Debs Garms, American baseball player (d. 1984)
1908 – Salvador Allende, Former President of Chile (1970-1973) (d. 1973)
1909 – Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley s manager (d. 1997)
1911 – Babe Didrikson Zaharias, American athlete (d. 1956)
1913 – Aimé Césaire, French Martinican poet and politician (d. 2008)
1914 – Kathryn Johnston, US victim of police shooting (d. 2006)
1914 – Laurie Lee, British writer (d. 1997)
1915 – Paul Castellano, American mafia boss (d. 1985)
1915 – Charlotte Zolotow, American author
1919 – Richard Neustadt, American political historian (d. 2003)
1921 – Violette Szabo, French WWII secret agent (d. 1945)
1922 – Eleanor Parker, American actress
1923 – Barbara Graham, American murderer (d. 1955)
1924 – Costas Axelos, Greek philosopher
1925 – Pavel Belyayev, Soviet cosmonaut (d. 1970)
1928 – Jacob Druckman, American composer (d. 1996)
1928 – Yoshiro Nakamatsu, Japanese inventor
1929 – Milton Glaser, American Designer
1933 – Claudio Abbado, Italian conductor
1933 – Gene Green, American baseball player (d. 1981)
1934 – Jeremy Wolfenden, British journalist (d. 1965)
1934 – Dave Grusin, American jazz pianist
1936 – Robert Maclennan, British politician
1936 – Jean-Claude Cardinal Turcotte, Archbishop of Montreal
1937 – Sombat Metanee, Thai film actor
1937 – Robert Coleman Richardson, American physicist, Nobel laureate
1938 – Gerald North, American climatologist
1940 – Billy Davis, Jr., American singer (The Fifth Dimension)
1941 – Yves Beauchemin, Canadian novelist
1942 – Gilberto Gil, Brazilian singer and Minister of Culture
1942 – James J. Dillon, American professional wrestling manager
1943 – John Beasley, American actor
1943 – Georgie Fame, British singer
1945 – Malachi York, Nuwaubian leader
1951 – Gary Gilmour, Australian cricketer
1953 – Robert Davi, American actor
1954 – Steve Barton, American actor (d. 2001)
1955 – Mick Jones, British guitarist (The Clash, Big Audio Dynamite)
1956 – Chris Isaak, American singer
1957 – Patty Smyth, American singer (Scandal)
1957 – Philippe Couillard, Quebec neurosurgeon and politician
1959 – Mark McKinney, Canadian actor
1960 – Zachary Breaux, American jazz guitarist
1961 – Greg LeMond, American cyclist
1961 – Terri Nunn, American singer (Berlin)
1962 – Preston A. Whitmore II, American screenwriter and film director
1963 – Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, Russian businessman
1963 – Richard Garfield, American game designer
1966 – Minaguchi Yuko, japanese voice actress
1967 – Todd Pletcher, American horse trainer
1968 – Paolo Maldini, Italian footballer
1968 – Shannon Sharpe, American football player
1969 – Colin Greenwood, British musician (Radiohead)
1969 – Ingrid Lempereur, Belgian swimmer
1969 – Mike Myers, American baseball player
1970 – Paul Thomas Anderson, American filmmaker
1970 – Irv Gotti, American record producer
1970 – Sean Hayes, American actor
1970 – Matt Letscher, American actor
1970 – Chris O Donnell, American actor
1970 – Nick Offerman, American actor
1971 – Max Biaggi, Italian motorcycle racer
1972 – Garou, Canadian singer
1972 – Jai Taurima, Australian long jumper
1973 – Gretchen Wilson, American singer
1973 – Pawel Malaszynski, Polish actor
1973 – Jussi Sydänmaa, Finnish musician (Lordi)
1974 – Matt Striker, American professional wrestler
1974 – Derek Jeter, American baseball player
1974 – Jeff Frankenstein, American musician (Newsboys)
1974 – Jason Kendall, American baseball player
1974 – Nicole Saba, Lebanese singer
1975 – Jonah Sorrentino, American hip hop artist
1975 – Terry Skiverton, English football player
1976 – Ed Jovanovski, Canadian ice hockey player
1976 – Chad Pennington, American football player
1976 – Joe Landon, American pornographic actor
1977 – Kubo Tite, Japanese cartoonist
1977 – Mark Jindrak,American Professional Wrestler
1978 – Alexandra, French singer, L5 s singer
1979 – Wálter Herrmann, Argentinian basketball player
1979 – Andy O Brien, English footballer
1979 – Ryo Fukuda, Japanese racing driver
1979 – Ryan Tedder, American Musician
1980 – Jason Schwartzman, American actor
1980 – Michael Vick, American football player
1980 – Chris Shelton, American baseball player
1980 – Sinik, French singer and rapper
1984 – Elijah Dukes, American baseball player
1984 – Raymond Felton, American basketball player
1984 – Deron Williams, American basketball player
1984 – Jose Juan Barea, American basketball player
1984 – Gabrielle Walcott, winner of Miss Trinidad & Tobago World 2008
1985 – Urgyen Trinley Dorje, Tibetan spiritual leader
1986 – Casey Desmond, American singer
1987 – Carlos Iaconelli, Brazilian racing driver
1987 – Samir Nasri, French footballer
1992 – Jennette McCurdy, American actress
2005 – Princess Alexia of the Netherlands
Deaths
363 – Julian the Apostate, Roman Emperor (b. 331)
1291 – Eleanor of Provence, wife of Henry III of England
1541 – Francisco Pizarro, Spanish conqueror of Peru
1688 – Ralph Cudworth, English philosopher (b. 1617)
1784 – Caesar Rodney, American signer of the Declaration of Independence (b. 1728)
1793 – Gilbert White, English ornithologist (b. 1720)
1810 – Joseph Michel Montgolfier, French inventor (b. 1740)
1836 – Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle, French composer (La Marseillaise) (b. 1760)
1878 – Mercedes of Orleans, queen of Spain (b. 1860)
1918 – Peter Rosegger, Austrian poet and Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1843)
1922 – Albert I, Prince of Monaco (b. 1848)
1939 – Ford Madox Ford, English writer (b. 1873)
1943 – Karl Landsteiner, Austrian biologist and physician, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1868)
1945 – Emil Hácha, President of Czechoslovakia (b. 1872)
1946 – Yosuke Matsuoka, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan (b. 1880)
1946 – Max Kögel, SS officer (b. 1895)
1947 – Richard Bedford Bennett, eleventh Prime Minister of Canada (b. 1870)
1948 – Lilian Velez, Filipino actress (b. 1924)
1949 – Kim Gu, President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea (b. 1876)
1956 – Clifford Brown, American jazz trumpeter (b. 1930)
1957 – Alfred Döblin, German writer (b. 1878)
1958 – George Orton, Canadian athlete (b. 1873)
1958 – Andrija Štampar, Croatian physician and United Nations diplomat (b. 1888)
1964 – Leo Dandurand, American-born Canadian sports executive (b. 1889)
1964 – Gerrit Rietveld, Dutch architect (b. 1888)
1967 – Françoise Dorléac, French actress (b. 1942)
1975 – St. Josemaría Escrivá, Spanish Catholic priest (b. 1902)
1990 – Anni Blomqvist, Finnish novelist (b. 1909)
1992 – Herman Rohde, professional wrestler (b. 1921)
1993 – William H. Riker, American political scientist (b. 1920)
1993 – Roy Campanella, American baseball player (b. 1921)
1994 – Jahanara Imam, Bangladeshi writer and activist (b. 1929)
1996 – Veronica Guerin, Irish journalist (b. 1958)
1997 – Israel Kamakawiwo ole, Hawaiian singer (b. 1959)
2001 – Soccer (dog actor) (b. 1988)
2002 – Arnold Brown, the 11th General of The Salvation Army (b. 1913)
2002 – Jay Berwanger, American football player (b. 1914)
2003 – Marc-Vivien Foé, Cameroon footballer (b. 1975)
2003 – Denver Randleman, U.S. Army Seargent (b. 1920)
2003 – Strom Thurmond, U.S. Senator (b. 1902)
2003 – Sir Dennis Thatcher MBE, husband of Margaret Thatcher (b. 1915)
2004 – Yash Johar, Indian film producer (b. 1929)
2004 – Naomi Shemer, Israeli singer and song-writer (b. 1930)
2005 – Richard Whiteley, British television game show host (b. 1943)
2006 – Tommy Wonder, Dutch magician (b. 1953)
2007 – Liz Claiborne, Belgian-born American fashion designer (b. 1929)
2007 – Joey Sadler, All Black rugby player (b. 1914)
2007 – Natasja Saad, Danish Reggae singer (b. 1974)
Holidays and observances
International Day in Support of Torture Victims
International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
Madagascar: Independence Day
Thailand: Sunthorn Phu Day
Romania: Flag Day
Mar Abhai
Anthelm of Belley
Saints John and Paul
Saint Josemaría Escrivá (d. 1975)
St. Vigilius of Trent
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