History of Today 13 August: Important Events, Births and Deaths

Welcome to History of Today 13 August. On this page, you can read important historical events, famous births, notable deaths and general knowledge facts related to 13 August. This information is useful for UPSC, SSC, Banking, Railway, State PSC and other competitive exams.

Last updated on 13 August 2026, 01:02 AM

Important Events on 13 August in History

13 Aug 2020: Israel–United Arab Emirates relations are formally established. Read more
13 Aug 2015: At least 76 people are killed and 212 others are wounded in a truck bombing in Baghdad, Iraq. Read more
13 Aug 2014: A Cessna Citation Excel crashes in Santos, São Paulo, Brazil killing all seven people aboard, including Brazilian Socialist Party presidential candidate Eduardo Campos. Read more
13 Aug 2008: Russo-Georgian War: Russian units occupy the Georgian city of Gori. Read more
13 Aug 2004: One hundred fifty-six Congolese Tutsi refugees are massacred at the Gatumba refugee camp in Burundi. Read more
13 Aug 1990: A mainland Chinese fishing boat Min Ping Yu No. 5202 is hit by a Taiwanese naval vessel and sinks in a repatriation operation of mainland Chinese immigrants, resulting in 21 deaths. This is the second tragedy less than a month after Min Ping Yu No. 5540 incident. Read more
13 Aug 1978: One hundred fifty Palestinians in Beirut are killed in a terrorist attack during the second phase of the Lebanese Civil War. Read more
13 Aug 1977: Members of the British National Front (NF) clash with anti-NF demonstrators in Lewisham, London, resulting in 214 arrests and at least 111 injuries. Read more
13 Aug 1973: Aviaco Flight 118 crashes on approach to A Coruña Airport in A Coruña, Spain, killing all 85 people on the plane and one other one the ground. Read more
13 Aug 1969: The Apollo 11 astronauts enjoy a ticker-tape parade in New York City. That evening, at a state dinner in Los Angeles, they are awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. President Richard Nixon. Read more
13 Aug 1968: Alexandros Panagoulis attempts to assassinate the Greek dictator Colonel Georgios Papadopoulos in Varkiza, Athens. Read more
13 Aug 1967: Two young women became the first fatal victims of grizzly bear attacks in the 57-year history of Montana's Glacier National Park in separate incidents. Read more
13 Aug 1964: Peter Allen and Gwynne Evans are hanged for the murder of John Alan West becoming the last people executed in the United Kingdom. Read more
13 Aug 1961: Cold War: East Germany closes the border between the eastern and western sectors of Berlin to thwart its inhabitants' attempts to escape to the West, and construction of the Berlin Wall is started. The day is known as Barbed Wire Sunday. Read more
13 Aug 1960: The Central African Republic declares independence from France. Read more
13 Aug 1954: Radio Pakistan broadcasts the "Qaumī Tarāna", the national anthem of Pakistan for the first time. Read more
13 Aug 1944: World War II: German troops begin the pillage and razing of Anogeia in Crete that would continue until September 5. Read more
13 Aug 1942: Major General Eugene Reybold of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers authorizes the construction of facilities that would house the "Development of Substitute Materials" project, better known as the Manhattan Project. Read more
13 Aug 1940: World War II: The German Luftwaffe launches an air operation, codenamed Adlertag, during the Battle of Britain in an attempt to destroy the British Royal Air Force. Read more
13 Aug 1937: Second Sino-Japanese War: The Battle of Shanghai begins. Read more
13 Aug 1920: Polish–Soviet War: The Battle of Warsaw begins and will last till August 25. The Red Army is defeated. Read more
13 Aug 1918: Women enlist in the United States Marine Corps for the first time. Opha May Johnson is the first woman to enlist. Read more
13 Aug 1918: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) is established as a public company in Germany. Read more
13 Aug 1913: First production in the UK of stainless steel by Harry Brearley. Read more
13 Aug 1906: The all black infantrymen of the U.S. Army's 25th Infantry Regiment are accused of killing a white bartender and wounding a white police officer in Brownsville, Texas, despite exculpatory evidence; all are later dishonorably discharged. (Their records were later restored to reflect honorable discharges but there were no financial settlements.) Read more
13 Aug 1905: Norwegians vote to end the union with Sweden. Read more
13 Aug 1900: The steamer Deutschland of Hamburg America Lines sets a new record for the eastward passage when it docks in Plymouth, England, five days, 11 hours and 45 minutes after sailing from New York, breaking by three hours, six minutes its previous mark in its maiden voyage in July. Read more
13 Aug 1898: Spanish–American War: Spanish and American forces engage in a mock battle for Manila, after which the Spanish commander surrendered in order to keep the city out of Filipino rebel hands. Read more
13 Aug 1898: Carl Gustav Witt discovers 433 Eros, the first near-Earth asteroid to be found. Read more
13 Aug 1889: William Gray of Hartford, Connecticut is granted United States Patent Number 408,709 for "Coin-controlled apparatus for telephones." Read more
13 Aug 1876: A performance of Wagner's Das Rheingold opens the first Ring cycle at the first Bayreuth Festival. Read more
13 Aug 1868: The 8.5–9.0 Mw Arica earthquake strikes southern Peru with a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (Extreme), causing 25,000+ deaths and a destructive basin-wide tsunami that affected Hawaii and New Zealand. Read more
13 Aug 1814: The Convention of London, a treaty between the United Kingdom and the United Netherlands, is signed in London, England. Read more
13 Aug 1806: Battle of Mišar during the Serbian Revolution begins. The battle ends two days later with a Serbian victory over the Ottomans. Read more

Famous Births on 13 August

13 Aug 2000: Na Jaemin, South Korean rapper, singer, dancer and actor Na Jae-min, known mononymously as Jaemin, is a South Korean rapper. After training for three years, Jaemin debuted in August 2016 as a member of South Korean boy group NCT through the sub-units NCT Dream and NCT JNJM, which has gone on to become one of the best-selling groups in South Korea. Read more
13 Aug 1999: Lennon Stella, Canadian singer and actress Lennon Ray Louise Stella is a Canadian singer and actress. She portrayed Maddie Conrad on the musical-drama series Nashville (2012–2018). Before going solo in 2018, Stella performed with her sister as the duo Lennon & Maisy. Stella released her debut EP, Love, Me, in 2018. She released her debut studio album in 2020. Read more
13 Aug 1998: Dalma Gálfi, Hungarian tennis player Dalma Rebeka Gálfi is a Hungarian professional tennis player.
On 12 September 2022, she reached a career-high singles ranking of world No. 79. On 19 September 2022, she peaked at No. 126 in the WTA doubles rankings. Gálfi has won two singles titles on the WTA Challenger Tour as well as nine singles and ten doubles titles on the ITF Women's Circuit. Read more
13 Aug 1996: Antonia Lottner, German tennis player Antonia Lottner is a German former tennis player. Read more
13 Aug 1994: Filip Forsberg, Swedish ice hockey player Carl Filip Anton Forsberg is a Swedish professional ice hockey player who is a left winger and alternate captain for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL). Forsberg was selected by the Washington Capitals in the first round, 11th overall, of the 2012 NHL entry draft but was traded to the Predators before ever playing for the team. Read more
13 Aug 1993: Johnny Gaudreau, American ice hockey player (died 2024) John Michael Gaudreau was an American professional ice hockey player. A left winger, he played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played college ice hockey for the Boston College Eagles in NCAA Division I for three seasons beginning in 2011 and was selected in the fourth round, 104th overall, by the Calgary Flames in the 2011 NHL entry draft. Nicknamed "Johnny Hockey", he was named the 2014 recipient of the Hobey Baker Award as the best player in the NCAA and, during his first full NHL season in 2014–15, was selected to play in the 2015 NHL All-Star Game, as well as being named to the annual NHL All-Rookie team. Gaudreau was a Calder Memorial Trophy finalist for the NHL's best rookie and won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy as the league's most gentlemanly player for the 2016–17 season. In 2022, Gaudreau signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he spent his last two seasons. Gaudreau was noted as helping to grow opportunities for smaller hockey players; despite measuring in at 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m), he was a seven-time NHL All-Star and finished fourth in Hart Memorial Trophy voting twice. Read more
13 Aug 1993: Moses Mbye, Australian rugby league player Moses Mbye is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays for Ipswich Jets in the Queensland Cup. Read more
13 Aug 1992: Katrina Gorry, Australian football player Katrina-Lee Gorry, also known by her nickname Mini, is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for the Australia national team. Gorry was the 2014 Asia's Footballer of the Year. In October 2023, she was nominated for "Hässleholmer of the Year" in the Swedish municipality of Hässleholm where she lived and played, following her World Cup performance. Read more
13 Aug 1992: Lucas Moura, Brazilian footballer Lucas Rodrigues Moura da Silva, known as Lucas Moura, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a winger or attacking midfielder for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club São Paulo and the Brazil national team. Read more
13 Aug 1992: Alicja Tchórz, Polish swimmer Alicja Tchórz is a Polish swimmer. She competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the Women's 100 metre backstroke, finishing in 25th place in the heats, failing to qualify for the semifinals. She competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in the Women's 100 metre backstroke. Read more
13 Aug 1992: Taijuan Walker, American baseball player Taijuan Emmanuel Walker is an American professional baseball pitcher
who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, and Philadelphia Phillies. Walker made his MLB debut in 2013 and was an All-Star in 2021. He has played for the Mexican national baseball team. Read more
13 Aug 1991: Dave Days, American singer-songwriter and guitarist David Joseph Colditz, commonly known as Dave Days, is an American musician and internet personality. He is best known for his YouTube channel featuring pop-punk covers, parodies of popular songs, and original songs. As of September 2021, Days' YouTube channel has over 1.5 million subscribers, and has had more than 370 million views. Read more
13 Aug 1991: Lesley Doig, Scottish lawn bowler Lesley Jayne Doig is a Scottish international lawn and indoor bowler. Read more
13 Aug 1990: DeMarcus Cousins, American basketball player DeMarcus Amir Cousins is an American professional basketball player for the Selenge Bodons of the Mongolian Basketball League. Nicknamed "Boogie", he played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats, earning consensus second-team All-American honors in 2010. He left Kentucky after his freshman season, and was selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings. In his first season with the Kings, Cousins was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, and from 2015 to 2018, he was named an NBA All-Star four times. He is also a two-time gold medal winner as a member of the United States national team, winning his first in 2014 at the FIBA Basketball World Cup and his second in 2016 at the Rio Olympics. Read more
13 Aug 1990: Benjamin Stambouli, French footballer Benjamin Fernand Lucien François Stambouli is a French professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or centre-back. Read more
13 Aug 1989: Greg Draper, New Zealand footballer Gregory Alexander Draper is an English-born New Zealand footballer. He is also a coach with The New Saints under-21s. Read more
13 Aug 1989: Justin Greene, American basketball player Justin Pierre Greene is an American former basketball player and current coach. He played college basketball for the NCAA Division I Kent State Golden Flashes. On May 20, 2008, Greene committed to attend Kent State University. In his freshman season, Greene saw limited playing time, averaging 8.8 minutes per game and 2.2 points per game. His minutes per game increased to 28.1 in his sophomore season and his points per game also went up to 13.6 to go along 6.9 rebounds per game. In Greene's junior season, he averaged 15.4 points per game, 8.3 rebounds per game and 1.6 assists per game, which was good enough for him to be recognized as the Mid-American Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year. Read more
13 Aug 1989: Israel Jiménez, Mexican footballer Israel Sabdi Jiménez Nañez is a former Mexican professional footballer who last played as a defender for the Monterrey Flash of the Major Arena Soccer League. In traditional outdoor soccer, Jiménez primarily operated as a right-back. He is an Olympic gold medalist. Read more
13 Aug 1988: Keith Benson, American basketball player Keith Anderson Benson Jr. is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for Oakland University. A 6-foot-11 center, Benson was a second-round pick in the 2011 NBA draft, selected by the Atlanta Hawks. He has since played in Italy, Philippines, Belarus, China, Lithuania, Estonia and the NBA Development League. Read more
13 Aug 1988: Jerry Hughes, American football player Jerry Ray Hughes Jr. is an American professional football defensive end. He played college football for the TCU Horned Frogs, where he was twice recognized as a consensus All-American before being selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. Hughes has also played for the Buffalo Bills, with whom he has played the majority of his pro career, and the Houston Texans. Read more
13 Aug 1988: Brandon Workman, American baseball player Brandon Carlin Workman is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2013 and played in MLB for the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, and Chicago Cubs. He throws and bats right-handed, and is listed at 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) and 235 pounds (107 kg). Read more
13 Aug 1987: Jose Lorenzo Diokno, Filipino director, producer, and screenwriter Jose Lorenzo "Pepe" Aromin Diokno III is a Filipino film director, producer, and screenwriter. He received the Lion of the Future Award for Best Debut Film and the Orizzonti Prize at the 2009 Venice Film Festival, and was awarded Best Director at the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival. Read more
13 Aug 1987: Devin McCourty, American football player Devin McCourty is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons with the New England Patriots. He played college football for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and was selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. Missing only five games during his Patriots career, McCourty received two Pro Bowl selections and was also a member of three Super Bowl-winning teams. McCourty also has the most postseason starts for a defensive player. His twin brother, Jason McCourty, also played in the NFL. Since leaving the NFL in 2022, he has served as a commentator for NBC's Football Night in America. Read more
13 Aug 1987: Jason McCourty, American football player Jason McCourty is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL draft. McCourty also played in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns, the New England Patriots, and ended his playing career with the Miami Dolphins. He primarily played cornerback throughout his first 11 NFL seasons, but moved to free safety while playing for the Miami Dolphins in 2021. His twin brother, Devin, also played in the NFL. In 2022, McCourty was hired by NFL Network to serve as an analyst on Good Morning Football, and by Westwood One to help call select Thursday Night Football radio broadcasts. In late 2023, he was providing color commentary for college football telecasts on CBS. Read more
13 Aug 1987: Jamie Reed, Welsh footballer Jamie Lee Reed is a football player and coach who plays as a striker for Holywell Town. Born in England, he has represented Wales at semi-professional level. Read more
13 Aug 1986: Demetrious Johnson, American mixed martial artist Demetrious Khrisna Johnson is an American former professional mixed martial artist. He competed in the Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he was the inaugural and former UFC Flyweight Champion with a record of 11 consecutive title defenses. Johnson most recently competed in ONE Championship, where he is the former ONE Flyweight Champion, and was the 2019 ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Champion. He holds the record for most consecutive wins in UFC flyweight history with 13. Johnson is widely regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time. Read more
13 Aug 1985: Gerrit van Look, German rugby player and coach Gerrit van Look is a retired German international rugby union player, having last played for the Berliner RC in the Rugby-Bundesliga and the German national rugby union team. He was also, together with Colin Grzanna, for a time the coach of the Berliner RC. Read more
13 Aug 1984: Alona Bondarenko, Ukrainian tennis player Alona Volodymyrivna Bondarenko Dyachok is a Ukrainian former tennis player. Her sisters Valeria and Kateryna Bondarenko are also tennis players. Read more
13 Aug 1984: Niko Kranjčar, Croatian footballer Niko Kranjčar is a Croatian former professional footballer. He primarily played as an attacking midfielder, but could also operate as a winger or second striker. As of 5 May 2021, he works as an assistant to Josip Šimunić at the Croatia national under-19 team. Read more
13 Aug 1984: Boone Logan, American baseball player Boone Logan is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Colorado Rockies, Cleveland Indians, and Milwaukee Brewers from 2006 to 2018. Read more
13 Aug 1984: James Morrison, English singer-songwriter and guitarist James Morrison Catchpole is an English singer. He rose to recognition for his 2006 debut single "You Give Me Something", which peaked within the top five on the UK Singles Chart, received platinum certification by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), and became a hit song in several European regions. Following its success, he signed with Polydor Records to release his debut studio album Undiscovered (2006), which peaked atop the UK Albums Chart. At the Brit Awards 2007, Morrison won the Brit Award for Best British Male from three total nominations, namely British Breakthrough Act and Song of the Year for the aforementioned. Read more
13 Aug 1983: Dallas Braden, American baseball player Dallas Lee Braden is an American former professional baseball player and television sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher from 2007 to 2011 as a member of the Oakland Athletics. Braden pitched the 19th perfect game in Major League Baseball history, on May 9, 2010. The following season, shoulder problems were the first in a series of injuries that forced him to ultimately retire in 2014 after not throwing a pitch for two and a half seasons. After his playing career, Braden became a television baseball analyst. Read more
13 Aug 1983: Aleš Hemský, Czech ice hockey player Aleš Hemský is a Czech former professional ice hockey player. He was selected 13th overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2001 NHL entry draft. In the National Hockey League (NHL) he played for the Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators, Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadiens. He represented the Czech Republic at two Winter Olympics. Read more
13 Aug 1983: Ľubomír Michalík, Slovak footballer Ľubomír Michalík is a former Slovak professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for a semi-professional side OFK Matúškovo. Read more
13 Aug 1983: Christian Müller, German footballer Christian Müller is a German former footballer who played as a defender. Read more
13 Aug 1982: Christopher Raeburn, English fashion designer Christopher Raeburn, is a British fashion designer who reworks surplus fabrics and garments to create menswear, womenswear and accessories. Read more
13 Aug 1982: Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Governor of Arkansas, American political consultant and press secretary Sarah Elizabeth Huckabee Sanders is an American politician serving as the 47th governor of Arkansas since 2023. Sanders is the daughter of Ambassador Mike Huckabee, who served from 1996 to 2007 as Arkansas's 44th governor. A member of the Republican Party, she was the 31st White House press secretary, serving under President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2019. Sanders was the third woman to be White House press secretary. She also served as a senior advisor on Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Sanders became the Republican nominee in the 2022 Arkansas gubernatorial election and won, defeating Democratic nominee Chris Jones. She is running for reelection in 2026. Read more
13 Aug 1982: Sebastian Stan, Romanian-American actor Sebastian Stan is a Romanian and American actor. He has built a prolific screen career spanning blockbusters and independent films since the 2000s, with a global box-office gross exceeding $7 billion. His accolades include a Golden Globe Award and a Silver Bear, as well as nominations for an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, two Critics' Choice Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award. Read more
13 Aug 1979: Román Colón, Dominican baseball player Román Benedicto Colón is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers, and Kansas City Royals. He also played in the KBO League for the Kia Tigers and in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) for the Chinatrust Brothers. He is 6 feet 6 inches (198 cm) tall and weighs 245 pounds (111 kg), and bats and throws right-handed. Read more
13 Aug 1979: Corey Patterson, American baseball player Donald Corey Patterson is an American former professional baseball center fielder. He debuted with the Chicago Cubs in Major League Baseball in 2000 after being a first-round draft pick in 1998 and top prospect. After playing with the Cubs through 2005, Patterson played for six other MLB teams, playing multiple seasons for only the Baltimore Orioles. He was the head coach for the Brookhaven Bucks in the collegiate Sunbelt Baseball League from 2015 to 2026, winning the league championship in 2018 and 2019. Read more
13 Aug 1979: Taizō Sugimura, Japanese politician Taizō Sugimura is a Japanese politician and a member of the Diet of Japan, representing the Liberal Democratic Party until 2009. He ran in House of Councillors election in 2010 as a proportional candidate of the Sunrise Party of Japan. Read more
13 Aug 1978: Dwight Smith, American football player Dwight L. Smith is an American former professional football player who was a safety for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Akron Zips, earning consensus All-American honors. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 2001 NFL draft, and he also played in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions. Smith earned a Super Bowl ring with the Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII. Read more
13 Aug 1977: Michael Klim, Polish-Australian swimmer Michael George Klim, OAM is an Australian swimmer, Olympic gold medalist, world champion, and former world record-holder of the 1990s and 2000s. He is known as the creator of straight-arm freestyle. Read more
13 Aug 1977: Kenyan Weaks, American basketball player and coach Kenyan Weaks is a retired American professional basketball player. He is 6 ft 6 in (1.98m) shooting guard–small forward. He played for the University of Florida. Read more
13 Aug 1976: Geno Carlisle, American basketball player Geno Marcellus Carlisle is an American former professional basketball player. The 6' 3", 200-lb. point guard born in Grand Rapids, Michigan played in several leagues throughout the world. Read more
13 Aug 1976: Nicolás Lapentti, Ecuadorian tennis player Nicolás Alexander Lapentti Gómez is an Ecuadorian former professional tennis player. Lapentti was ranked world No. 6 in singles by the ATP in April 2000. Read more
13 Aug 1975: Shoaib Akhtar, Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar is a Pakistani former international cricketer and commentator. Nicknamed the "Rawalpindi Express", he is the fastest bowler in cricketing history. Akhtar made his Test match debut in November 1997 as an opening fast bowler and played his first One Day International three months later. Post-retirement, he began a YouTube career by starting his own channel, where he gives reviews on International and league matches and Pakistani cricket. Read more
13 Aug 1975: Marty Turco, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster Marty Vincent Turco is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played nine seasons with the Dallas Stars and one each with the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins. Due to his puck-handling prowess, Canadian hockey personality Don Cherry named Turco "the smartest goalie in the NHL". Turco currently serves as an in-studio analyst at NHL Network. Read more
13 Aug 1974: Scott MacRae, American baseball player and coach Scott Patrick MacRae is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds. He was active in the Cincinnati Reds organization from June 1, 1995, to October 15, 2004, and was active with the Houston Astros March 2, 2005 to October 15, 2005. Read more
13 Aug 1974: Joe Perry, English snooker player Joe Perry is an English retired professional snooker player and a current commentator and pundit. Nicknamed "The Gentleman", he turned professional in 1992. On his Crucible debut at the 1999 World Snooker Championship, he defeated six-time World Champion Steve Davis 10–9 in the first round, winning the match on the last black ball. At the 2001 European Open, he reached his first ranking final, losing 2–9 to Stephen Hendry. He produced his career-best performances at the UK Championship when he reached back-to-back semi-finals in 2004 and 2005, losing respectively to David Gray and Ding Junhui. His best performance at the World Snooker Championship came when he reached the semi-finals in 2008, losing 15–17 to Ali Carter. Read more
13 Aug 1974: Niklas Sundin, Swedish musician and artist Niklas Sundin is a Swedish musician, best known as a founding member and former lead guitarist of the melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity from 1989–2020. In 2019, he founded his own band called Mitochondrial Sun, which has released three full-length studio albums to date. He is also a member of Time and the Hunter, a project founded in collaboration with Italian musician Enrico Longhin. He was a guitarist in the metal band Laethora from 2005–2010. Read more
13 Aug 1974: Jarrod Washburn, American baseball player and coach Jarrod Michael Washburn is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Seattle Mariners, and Detroit Tigers over the course of a 12–year Major League Baseball (MLB) career. Read more
13 Aug 1973: Molly Henneberg, American journalist Mary Janne "Molly" Henneberg is an American former news reporter for the Fox News Channel. She had joined the network in 2001 and was based at the network's Washington, D.C. bureau. Henneberg left Fox News in December 2014. On October 3, 2015, she reported again on Fox News. Read more
13 Aug 1973: Eric Medlen, American race car driver (died 2007) Eric John Medlen was an American NHRA Fuel Funny Car driver. Medlen drove for John Force Racing in 2004, 2005, and 2006, campaigning in the Castrol Syntec Ford Mustang Fuel Funny Car, and in 2007, campaigning in the Auto Club/Pleasant Holiday Ford Mustang Fuel Funny Car. He had a total of six career wins. His first win came during his Rookie season in 2004 at Brainerd International Raceway. Read more
13 Aug 1972: Kevin Plank, American businessman, founded Under Armour Kevin Audette Plank is an American billionaire businessman and philanthropist. Plank is the founder and executive chairman of Under Armour, a manufacturer of sportswear, footwear and accessories, based in Baltimore, Maryland. He was CEO from its founding until 2020 and returned as CEO in April 2024. As of April 2026, his net worth was estimated at US$1.1 billion. Read more
13 Aug 1971: Patrick Carpentier, Canadian race car driver Patrick Carpentier is a Canadian former professional auto racing driver. In the Champ Car World Series and the IndyCar Series, he achieved five wins and 24 podiums, as well as two third place championship finishes in 2002 and 2004. The long-time Champ Car driver switched to the IndyCar Series in 2005, and moved on to Grand-Am Road Racing in 2007. After a few NASCAR races in 2007, he moved full-time into the series in 2008. Since 2009, he has only had part-time drives, so became a contractor and renovator in Montreal, trading in real estate in Las Vegas, as well as being a color commentator for television coverage of various racing series. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, driving the No. 32 Ford Fusion for Go Fas Racing. Carpentier is now the president of a home construction firm in Quebec. Read more
13 Aug 1971: Adam Housley, American baseball player and journalist Arthur Adam Housley is an Emmy Award-winning American journalist, winemaker, and former professional baseball player. He worked for Fox News from 2001 until 2018. Read more
13 Aug 1971: Moritz Bleibtreu, German actor Moritz Johann Bleibtreu (German: [ˈmoːʁɪts ˈblaɪptʁɔʏ] is a German film actor, voice actor, and film director. After coming to prominence with his role in the 1997 gangster film Knockin' on Heaven's Door, he went on to appear in films such as Run Lola Run, Das Experiment, The Baader Meinhof Complex, and Elementary Particles. Read more
13 Aug 1970: Will Clarke, American author Will Clarke is an American novelist who is the author of Lord Vishnu's Love Handles: A Spy Novel , The Worthy: A Ghost's Story,The Neon Palm of Madame Melançon and Marigold: The Secret to Manifestation. A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Clarke originally self-published his first two books via the Internet and independent books stores like Book Soup in Los Angeles, BookPeople in Austin, and Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle. Clarke's books eventually became underground hits in the early part of the 2000s. He later republished the books in hardback with Simon & Schuster and sold the movie rights to Hollywood. Both Lord Vishnu's Love Handles: A Spy Novel and The Worthy: A Ghost's Story were selected as The New York Times Editors' Choice while Clarke was named the "Hot Pop Prophet" by Rolling Stone magazine in 2006. The Neon Palm of Madame Melançon was listed as one of Kirkus Review's Best Books of 2017. Read more
13 Aug 1970: Elvis Grbac, American football player and coach Elvis M. Grbac is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, most notably with the Kansas City Chiefs. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines, winning the Sammy Baugh Trophy in 1992. Grbac was selected in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers, where he spent his first four seasons as a backup. Grbac played his next four seasons as the Chiefs' starter. Read more
13 Aug 1970: Seana Kofoed, American actress Seana Kofoed is an American television and stage actress. Read more
13 Aug 1970: Alan Shearer, English footballer and manager Alan Shearer is an English football pundit and former professional player who played as a striker. Widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers of all time and one of the greatest players in Premier League history, he is the league's record goalscorer with 260 goals. He was named Football Writers' Association Player of the Year in 1994 and won the PFA Player of the Year award in 1995. In 1996, he came third in both Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards. In 2004, he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players. Shearer was one of the first two players inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2021. Read more
13 Aug 1969: Midori Ito, Japanese figure skater Midori Ito is a Japanese retired figure skater. She is the 1989 World champion and the 1992 Olympic silver medalist. She is the first woman to land a triple Axel in competition. At the 1988 Calgary Olympics, she became the first woman to land seven triple jumps in an Olympic free skating competition. She is widely recognised as one of the best figure skaters of all time. Read more
13 Aug 1968: Tal Bachman, Canadian singer-songwriter Talmage Charles Robert Bachman is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his 1999 hit "She's So High", a pop rock song from his self-titled 1999 album for which he won a BMI award in 2000. Along with his father, Randy Bachman, he is currently a member of Bachman–Turner Overdrive. Read more
13 Aug 1968: Todd Hendricks, American football player and coach Todd Hendricks is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver, running back, and return specialist. Hendricks played professionally for several seasons in the top level of the Austrian Football League (AFL) and European Football League.
He later played in Switzerland's Nationalliga A. Hendricks played college football at the University of Mary and Minnesota State Community & Technical College. Read more
13 Aug 1968: Tony Jarrett, English sprinter and hurdler Anthony Alexander Jarrett is a male former sprint and hurdling athlete from England. He competed at four Olympic Games. Read more
13 Aug 1967: Quinn Cummings, American actress, author, and entrepreneur Quinn L. Cummings is an American entrepreneur, author, humorist, inventor and former actress. Read more
13 Aug 1967: Dave Jamerson, American basketball player John David Jamerson is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Miami Heat in the first round of the 1990 NBA draft. Jamerson played for the Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz and New Jersey Nets in three National Basketball Association (NBA) seasons as well as four Continental Basketball Association (CBA) teams. Read more
13 Aug 1967: Digna Ketelaar, Dutch tennis player Digna Ketelaar is a former Dutch tennis player. She won one International Tennis Federation doubles title during her career and on 2 March 1987 reached a singles ranking high of world number 258. On 21 December 1986, Ketelaar reached a doubles ranking high of world number 174. Read more
13 Aug 1966: Scooter Barry, American basketball player Richard Francis "Scooter" Barry IV is an American former professional basketball player. Read more
13 Aug 1966: Shayne Corson, Canadian ice hockey player Shayne Paul Corson is a Canadian former professional hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Dallas Stars. During his NHL career, Corson battled both ulcerative colitis and, as detailed in the October 22, 2001, issue of Sports Illustrated, panic attacks. He last played in the 2003–04 season. Read more
13 Aug 1965: Mark Lemke, American baseball player, coach, and radio host Mark Alan Lemke is an American former Major League Baseball player and current broadcaster. Nicknamed "the Lemmer", he was a popular second baseman for the Atlanta Braves from 1988 to 1997. He won the 1995 World Series with the Braves over the Cleveland Indians. Read more
13 Aug 1965: Hayato Matsuo, Japanese composer and conductor Hayato Matsuo is a Japanese music composer and orchestrator who primarily does work in video games and anime. He has worked on games such as Front Mission 3, Final Fantasy XII, the Shenmue series, Magic Knight Rayearth, and Hellsing Ultimate. He graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts in 1991 and began working with composer Koichi Sugiyama as an assistant. Read more
13 Aug 1964: Jay Buhner, American baseball player and sportscaster Jay Campbell Buhner, nicknamed "Bone", is an American former professional baseball right fielder. He played for the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball from 1987 to 2001. Noted for his shaved head, thick goatee, and patch of pine tar on the right hip of his uniform, he is regarded as one of the most popular players in Mariners' history. Read more
13 Aug 1964: Debi Mazar, American actress Debi Mazar Corcos is an American actress and television personality. She began her career with supporting roles in Goodfellas (1990), Little Man Tate (1991), Singles (1992), and Batman Forever (1995), followed by lead roles on the legal drama series Civil Wars (1991–1993) and L.A. Law (1993–1994). She portrayed press agent Shauna Roberts on the HBO series Entourage. She starred as Maggie Amato on TV Land's Younger, and alongside her husband Gabriele Corcos in the Cooking Channel series Extra Virgin. Read more
13 Aug 1964: Tom Prince, American baseball player and manager Thomas Albert Prince is an American former professional baseball player, and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1987 to 2003. Although Prince didn't produce impressive offensive statistics, he excelled defensively as a catcher which enabled him to sustain a seventeen-year playing career with several major league teams. Read more
13 Aug 1963: Steve Higgins, American talk show co-host and announcer, writer, producer, comedian and impressionist Steve Earl Higgins is an American writer, producer, announcer, actor, and comedian. He has served as the announcer and sidekick of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon since 2014, and as a writer and producer of Saturday Night Live since 1995. Prior to The Tonight Show, he was the announcer for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon from 2009 to 2014. Early in his career, he was part of the sketch comedy trio The Higgins Boys and Gruber, who had their own eponymous sketch series on Comedy Central from 1989 to 1991. Read more
13 Aug 1963: Valerie Plame, American CIA agent and author Valerie Elise Plame is an American writer, spy, novelist, and former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer. As the subject of the 2003 Plame affair, also known as the CIA leak scandal, Plame's identity as a CIA officer was leaked to and subsequently published by Robert Novak of The Washington Post. She described this period and the media firestorm that ensued as "mortifying, and I think I was in shock for a couple years". Read more
13 Aug 1963: Sridevi, Indian actress (died 2018) Sridevi Kapoor, known mononymously as Sridevi, was an Indian actress who worked in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada language films. Cited as the "first female superstar" of Indian cinema, she was the recipient of various accolades, including a National Film Award, Seven Filmfare Awards, Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, a Kerala State Film Award, and a Nandi Award. Sridevi's career spanned over 50 years in a wide range of genres. She was known for her reticent and introverted off-screen personality, but headstrong and outspoken on-screen persona, often playing strong-willed women. In 2013, Sridevi was honoured with the Padma Shri, the country's fourth highest civilian honour. Read more
13 Aug 1962: John Slattery, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter John M. Slattery Jr. is an American actor and director. He is known for his role as Roger Sterling in the AMC drama series Mad Men (2007–15), for which he was nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, along with winning two Critics' Choice Television Awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Read more
13 Aug 1961: Koji Kondo, Japanese composer and sound director Koji Kondo is a Japanese composer and senior executive at the video game company Nintendo. He is best known for his contributions for the Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda series, with his Super Mario Bros. theme being the first piece of music from a video game included in the American National Recording Registry. Kondo was hired by Nintendo in 1984 as its first dedicated composer and is currently a Senior Officer at its Entertainment Planning & Development division. Read more
13 Aug 1961: Dawnn Lewis, American actress Dawnn Jewel Lewis is an American actress. She is known for her role as Jaleesa Vinson–Taylor on the NBC television sitcom A Different World from the series beginning in 1987 until the end of its fifth season in 1992, as well as her many roles in other TV series and in film. Read more
13 Aug 1961: Neil Mallender, English cricketer and umpire Neil Alan Mallender is a former English cricketer. Born in Kirk Sandall, Yorkshire, Mallender was a right-arm fast-medium bowler and a right-hand lower order batsman who improved as his career progressed. He played first-class cricket in England for Northamptonshire and for Somerset (1987–1994). He also played for Otago, captaining the side in 1990–91 and 1991–92. Read more
13 Aug 1961: Tom Perrotta, American novelist and screenwriter Thomas R. Perrotta is an American novelist and screenwriter best known for his novels Election (1998) and Little Children (2004), both of which were made into Academy Award-nominated films. Perrotta co-wrote the screenplay for the 2006 film version of Little Children with Todd Field, for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. He is also known for his novel The Leftovers (2011), which was adapted into the critically acclaimed TV series on HBO, co-created by Perrotta and Damon Lindelof. Read more
13 Aug 1960: Ivar Stukolkin, Estonian swimmer Ivar Stukolkin is a retired Estonian swimmer. He is an Olympic champion in swimming. Read more
13 Aug 1959: Danny Bonaduce, American actor and wrestler Dante Daniel Bonaduce is an American retired radio personality, actor, television personality and professional wrestler. Bonaduce is the son of veteran TV writer and producer Joseph Bonaduce. Read more
13 Aug 1959: Bruce French, English cricketer and coach Bruce Nicholas French is a former English cricketer, who played in sixteen Test matches and 13 One Day Internationals for the England cricket team from 1985 to 1988. A wicket-keeper/batsman, French played his first Test against India at Headingley, Leeds in 1986, and his last Test against New Zealand in Wellington in March 1988. Read more
13 Aug 1959: Tom Niedenfuer, American baseball player Thomas Edward Niedenfuer is an American former professional baseball right-handed pitcher. Exclusively a reliever during his ten-year career, he played his first six-plus seasons for the Los Angeles Dodgers, then finished out with the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, and St. Louis Cardinals. Read more
13 Aug 1958: David Feherty, Northern Irish golfer and sportscaster David William Feherty is a Northern Irish-born former professional golfer and current golf broadcaster. As a touring professional he won five European Tour events, made the top 10 of the Open Championship twice, and played on Europe's 1991 Ryder Cup team. Late in his career he joined the PGA Tour. Since retiring, he has worked as a television personality; from 1997 through 2015 Feherty served as an on-course reporter for the PGA Tour on CBS. In 2011, he introduced a self-titled interview series on the Golf Channel and subsequently joined NBC Sports full-time in 2016. In July 2022, it was announced that Feherty would depart NBC and become an analyst for LIV Golf. Read more
13 Aug 1958: Feargal Sharkey, Northern Irish singer-songwriter Seán Feargal Sharkey is a singer and environmentalist from Derry, Northern Ireland. He was the lead vocalist of the punk band the Undertones in the 1970s and 1980s, and became a solo artist in the 1980s and 1990s. His 1985 solo single "A Good Heart" was a number-one hit in the United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands. After becoming less musically active in the early 1990s, he has performed various roles supporting the UK's commercial music industry, winning several awards and honours for his work in that area. Read more
13 Aug 1958: Randy Shughart, American sergeant, Medal of Honor recipient (died 1993) Randall David Shughart was a United States Army Delta Force operator who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Mogadishu, during Operation Gothic Serpent in October 1993. Read more
13 Aug 1956: Rohinton Fali Nariman, Judge of the Supreme Court of India Rohinton Fali Nariman is a former judge of the Supreme Court of India. Before being elevated as a judge, he practised as a senior counsel at the Supreme Court. He was appointed the Solicitor General of India on 23 July 2011. He also served as a member of the Bar Council of India. He was designated as a Senior Counsel by Chief Justice Manepalli Narayana Rao Venkatachaliah in 1993 at the early age of 37. Read more
13 Aug 1955: Keith Ahlers, English race car driver Keith Norman Ahlers is a British race car driver. He was born in Cambridge, England, and was educated at the Perse School for Boys, Cambridge. Read more
13 Aug 1955: Hideo Fukuyama, Japanese race car driver Hideo Fukuyama is a Japanese former racing driver. A former competitor at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, he attempted to compete in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series in the early 2000s, but only qualified for four races before leaving the series. He was the first Japanese driver to compete in NASCAR's top series. Fukuyama won the JGTC/Super GT title on three occasions, in 1992, 1997 and 2000, as well as the 2000 24 Hours of Le Mans in the GT3 class alongside Atsushi Yogo and Bruno Lambert. Read more
13 Aug 1955: Paul Greengrass, English director and screenwriter Paul Greengrass is an English film director, producer, screenwriter and former journalist. Read more
13 Aug 1954: Nico Assumpção, Brazilian bass player (died 2001) Nico Assumpção, was a Brazilian bass player. Read more
13 Aug 1953: Tom Cohen, American philosopher, theorist, and academic Tom Dana Cohen is an American media and cultural theorist, currently a professor at the University at Albany, State University of New York. He has published books on film studies, comparative literature, theory, cultural studies, Alfred Hitchcock, and Paul de Man. Cohen has also published broadly on American authors and ideology, including Edgar Allan Poe, Walt Whitman, Mikhail Bakhtin, William Faulkner and pragmatism, as well as on Alfred Hitchcock, Greek philosophy and continental philosophy. Read more
13 Aug 1953: Ron Hilditch, Australian rugby league player and coach Ron Hilditch is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative forward, he played club football for the Parramatta Eels with whom he won the 1981 NSWRFL Premiership. Read more
13 Aug 1953: Thomas Pogge, German philosopher and academic Thomas Winfried Menko Pogge is a German philosopher and is the Director of the Global Justice Program and Leitner Professor of Philosophy and International Affairs at Yale University, United States. In addition to his Yale appointment, he is the Research Director of the Centre for the Study of the Mind in Nature at the University of Oslo, Norway, a Professorial Research Fellow at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics at Charles Sturt University, Australia, and Professor of Political Philosophy at the University of Central Lancashire's Centre for Professional Ethics, England. Pogge is also a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. Read more
13 Aug 1953: Peter Wright, English historian and author Peter Wright is a British newspaper editor. Read more
13 Aug 1952: Dave Carter, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2002) Dave Carter was an American folk music singer-songwriter who described his style as "post-modern mythic American folk music". He was one half of the duo Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer, who were heralded as the new "voice of modern folk music" in the months before Carter's unexpected death in July 2002. They were ranked as number one on the year-end list for "Top Artists" on the Folk Music Radio Airplay Chart for 2001 and 2002, and their popularity has endured in the years following Carter's death. Joan Baez, who went on tour with the duo in 2002, spoke of Carter's songs in the same terms that she once used to promote a young Bob Dylan:"There is a special gift for writing songs that are available to other people, and Dave's songs are very available to me. It's a kind of genius, you know, and Dylan has the biggest case of it. But I hear it in Dave's songs, too. Read more
13 Aug 1952: Gary Gibbs, American football player and coach Gary Gibbs is an American football coach and former player who previously served as the head football coach at the University of Oklahoma for six years, compiling a record of 44–23–2. Read more
13 Aug 1952: Suzanne Muldowney, American performance artist Suzanne Muldowney, nicknamed Underdog Lady or simply Underdog, is a performance artist known for her appearances in parades in various cities throughout the year in her elaborate homemade costumes. She often dresses as the cartoon character Underdog. She came to national attention through her appearances on and calls to The Howard Stern Show to discuss and perform her dance interpretation of Underdog. There she was given the nickname "Underdog Lady", though she personally rejects this name and prefers to be referred to as simply "Underdog" when wearing the costume. Read more
13 Aug 1952: Herb Ritts, American photographer and director (died 2002) Herbert Ritts Jr. was an American fashion photographer and music video director known for his photographs of celebrities, models, and other cultural figures throughout the 1980s and 1990s. His work concentrated on black and white photography and portraits, often in the style of classical Greek sculpture, which emphasized the human shape. Read more
13 Aug 1952: Hughie Thomasson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2007) Hugh Edward "Hughie" Thomasson Jr. was an American guitarist and singer, best known as a founding member of Outlaws. The band found success in the late 1970s and early 1980s with a string of hits. He was also a replacement guitarist for Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Hughie Thomasson was inducted into the Fender Hall of Fame for his work as the founding guitarist and singer of the southern rock band The Outlaws. His distinctive guitar playing earned him the nickname "The Flame". Read more
13 Aug 1952: Eugenio Lopez III, Filipino businessperson, CEO and chairman of ABS-CBN Corporation Eugenio Gabriel "Gabby" Lopez III is a Filipino-American businessman who was the CEO (1993–2013), chairman (1997–2018) and chairman emeritus (2018–2020) of the Filipino media company ABS-CBN Corporation. Read more
13 Aug 1951: Dan Fogelberg, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2007) Daniel Grayling Fogelberg was an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist widely known for his 1970s and 1980s soft rock hits, including "Longer" (1979), "Same Old Lang Syne" (1980), "Leader of the Band" (1981) and "Run for the Roses" (1982). Read more
13 Aug 1950: Jane Carr, English actress Jane Carr is an English actress. She is well known for her first film role as Mary McGregor in drama The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) and the voice role of "Pud'n" on the animated Grim & Evil and The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy. She also played a character called "Pudding" in the Jilly Cooper-penned BBC sitcom It's Awfully Bad for Your Eyes, Darling. Read more
13 Aug 1950: Rusty Gerhardt, American baseball player, coach, and manager Allen Russell Gerhardt is an American former professional baseball player. He was a left-handed pitcher who appeared in 23 games, 22 in relief, for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball in 1974. Read more
13 Aug 1949: Jim Brunzell, American wrestler James Brunzell, best known under the ring name "Jumping" Jim Brunzell, is an American retired professional wrestler known for his successful tag teams, Brunzell performed for various wrestling promotions during his 21-year career. Read more
13 Aug 1949: Bobby Clarke, Canadian ice hockey player and manager Robert Earle Clarke is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played his entire 15-year National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Philadelphia Flyers and is currently an executive with the team. Clarke is acknowledged by some as being one of the greatest hockey players and captains of all time. He was captain of the Flyers from 1973 to 1979, winning the Stanley Cup with them in both 1974 and 1975. He was again captain of the Flyers from 1982 to 1984 before retiring. Clarke had three 100-point seasons, twice leading the league in assists, and was selected to play in nine NHL All-Star Games. He also won the Frank J. Selke Trophy in 1983, as the league's best defensive forward. A three-time Hart Trophy winner and 1987 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, Clarke was rated number 24 on The Hockey News' list of The Top 100 NHL Players of All-Time in 1998. In 2017, Clarke was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history. Read more
13 Aug 1949: Philippe Petit, French tightrope walker Philippe Petit is a French highwire artist who gained fame for his unauthorized highwire walks between the towers of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris in 1971 and of Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1973, as well as between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City on August 7, 1974. Read more
13 Aug 1949: Willy Rey, Dutch-Canadian model (died 1973) Willy Rey was a Dutch-Canadian model. She was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month for its February 1971 issue. Her centerfold was photographed by Mario Casilli. Read more
13 Aug 1948: Kathleen Battle, American operatic soprano Kathleen Deanna Battle is an American operatic soprano known for her distinctive vocal range and tone. Born in Portsmouth, Ohio, Battle initially became known for her work within the concert repertoire through performances with major orchestras during the early and mid-1970s. She made her opera debut in 1975. Battle expanded her repertoire into lyric soprano and coloratura soprano roles during the 1980s and early 1990s, until her eventual dismissal from the Metropolitan Opera in 1994. She later focused on recording and the concert stage. After a 22-year absence from the Met, Battle performed a concert of spirituals at the Metropolitan Opera House in November 2016, and again in May 2024. Read more
13 Aug 1947: Fred Stanley, American baseball player and manager Frederick Blair Stanley is an American former professional baseball shortstop, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1969 to 1982 for the Seattle Pilots / Milwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Indians, San Diego Padres, New York Yankees, and Oakland Athletics. While with the Yankees, he won two World Series championships, back to back in 1977 and 1978, both over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Stanley currently serves as the director of player development for the San Francisco Giants. Read more
13 Aug 1947: John Stocker, Canadian voice actor and director John Stocker is a Canadian voice actor. His career in voice acting began in the 1970s. Read more
13 Aug 1947: Margareta Winberg, Swedish politician, Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden Gun Margareta Winberg is a Swedish Social Democratic politician. Winberg held various ministerial posts in the Third cabinet of Ingvar Carlsson and the Cabinet of Göran Persson from 1994 to 2003, and was Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden from 2002 to 2003. She was minister for agriculture, food and fisheries from 1994 to 1996, and again from 1998 to 2002, minister for employment from 1996 to 1998, and, in addition, held the position of minister for gender equality from 1998 to 2003. Read more
13 Aug 1946: Janet Yellen, American economist, 78th United States secretary of the treasury Janet Louise Yellen is an American economist who served as the 78th United States secretary of the treasury from 2021 to 2025 and as chair of the Federal Reserve from 2014 to 2018. She was the first woman to hold either position, and has also led the White House Council of Economic Advisers. Yellen is the Eugene E. and Catherine M. Trefethen Professor of Business Administration and Economics at the University of California, Berkeley. Read more
13 Aug 1945: Lars Engqvist, Swedish politician, Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden Lars Engqvist is a Swedish politician. He served as chairman of the youth organization of the Swedish Social Democrats from 1972 to 1978, and then worked as a journalist. He was the editor-in-chief of Arbetet, a Malmö-based newspaper. In the early 1990s, he was the mayor of Malmö, and then president of the Swedish Film Institute before receiving his first government appointment in 1998. Read more
13 Aug 1945: Gary Gregor, American basketball player Gary W. Gregor is an American former professional basketball player. Read more
13 Aug 1945: Robin Jackman, Indian-English cricketer and sportscaster (died 2020) Robin David Jackman was an English cricketer, who played in four Test matches and 15 One Day Internationals for the England cricket team between 1974 and 1983. He was a seam bowler and useful tail-end batsman. During a first-class career lasting from 1966 to 1982, he took 1,402 wickets. He was a member of the Surrey side that won the County Championship in 1971, and also played for Western Province in South Africa in 1971–72, and for Rhodesia between 1972–73 and 1979–80. Read more
13 Aug 1945: Howard Marks, Welsh cannabis smuggler, writer, and legalisation campaigner (died 2016) Dennis Howard Marks was a Welsh drug smuggler and author who achieved notoriety as an international cannabis smuggler through high-profile court cases. Read more
13 Aug 1944: Kevin Tighe, American actor Kevin Tighe is an American actor who has worked in television, film, and theater since the late 1960s. He is best known for portraying firefighter-paramedic Roy DeSoto, on the 1972–1977 NBC series Emergency! Read more
13 Aug 1943: Fred Hill, American football player Frederick Gordon Hill is an American former professional football player in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the USC Trojans. Read more
13 Aug 1943: Ertha Pascal-Trouillot, President of Haiti Ertha Pascal-Trouillot is a Haitian politician who served as the provisional President of Haiti for 11 months in 1990 and 1991. She was the first woman in Haitian history to hold that office and the first female president of African descent in the Americas. Read more
13 Aug 1943: Michael Willetts, English sergeant; George Cross recipient (died 1971) Michael Willetts, GC was one of the first British soldiers to be killed during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, and the recipient of a posthumous George Cross for his heroism in saving lives during the Provisional Irish Republican Army bombing which claimed his own. The Harvey Andrews song "Soldier" commemorates Willetts. Read more
13 Aug 1942: Hissène Habré, Chadian politician and war criminal, 5th president of Chad (died 2021) Hissène Habré, also spelled Hissen Habré, was a Chadian politician and convicted war criminal who served as the fifth president of Chad from 1982 until he was deposed in 1990. Read more
13 Aug 1940: Bill Musselman, American basketball player and coach (died 2000) William Clifford Musselman was an American basketball coach in the NCAA, the ABA, the WBA, the CBA, and the NBA. Read more
13 Aug 1938: Dave "Baby" Cortez, American R&B pianist, organist, and composer (died 2022) David Cortez Clowney, known by the stage name Dave "Baby" Cortez, was an American pop and R&B organist and pianist, best known for his 1959 hit, "The Happy Organ". Read more
13 Aug 1938: Bill Masterton, Canadian ice hockey player (died 1968) William John Masterton was a Canadian–American professional ice hockey player who was a centre in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Minnesota North Stars in 1967–68. He is the only player in NHL history to die as a direct result of injuries suffered during a game. He died following a hit during a January 13, 1968, contest against the Oakland Seals. Years later, an analysis by The Toronto Star found his brain was already severely damaged from an earlier untreated concussion, and that the January 1968 hit triggered massive head trauma that ultimately killed him. Read more
13 Aug 1935: Alex de Renzy, American director and producer (died 2001) Alexander de Renzy was an American director and producer of pornographic movies. Read more
13 Aug 1935: Mudcat Grant, American baseball player and sportscaster (died 2021) James Timothy "Mudcat" Grant Jr. was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Cleveland Indians, Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland Athletics, and Pittsburgh Pirates from 1958 to 1971. He was a two-time All-Star. Read more
13 Aug 1933: Joycelyn Elders, American admiral and physician, 15th Surgeon General of the United States Minnie Joycelyn Elders is an American pediatrician and public health administrator who served as Surgeon General of the United States from 1993 to 1994. A vice admiral in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, she was the second woman, second person of color, and first African American to serve as Surgeon General. Read more
13 Aug 1930: Wilfried Hilker, German footballer and referee Wilfried Hilker is a former football referee from Germany. Read more
13 Aug 1930: Don Ho, American singer and ukulele player (died 2007) Donald Tai Loy Ho was an American traditional pop musician, singer, and entertainer. He is best known for the song "Tiny Bubbles" from the 1966 album of the same name. Read more
13 Aug 1930: Bernard Manning, English comedian (died 2007) Bernard John Manning was an English comedian and nightclub owner. He gained a high profile on British television during the 1970s, appearing on shows such as The Comedians and The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club. His act became controversial as attitudes changed, with the result that Manning was rarely seen on television in the last few decades of his career. However, he continued to perform at live venues until his death. Read more
13 Aug 1930: Wilmer Mizell, American baseball player and politician (died 1999) Wilmer David "Vinegar Bend" Mizell Sr. was an American baseball player and politician. From 1952 to 1962, he was a left-handed pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets of Major League Baseball. Six years after retiring, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives from North Carolina's 5th congressional district. He served three terms as a Republican from 1969 to 1975. Read more
13 Aug 1930: Bob Wiesler, American baseball player (died 2014) Robert George Wiesler was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees and Washington Senators in parts of five seasons spanning 1951–1958. Listed at 6' 3", 188 lb., he was a switch-hitter and threw left-handed. Read more
13 Aug 1929: Pat Harrington, Jr., American actor (died 2016) Daniel Patrick Harrington Jr. was an American Emmy Award–winning stage and television actor, best known for his role as building superintendent Dwayne Schneider on the sitcom One Day at a Time (1975–1984). His father Pat Harrington Sr. was also an actor. Read more
13 Aug 1928: John Tidmarsh, English journalist and radio host (died 2019) John Alan Tidmarsh was a British broadcaster and journalist who spent ten years with domestic radio and television and more than thirty years with the BBC World Service magazine programme Outlook. Read more
13 Aug 1926: Fidel Castro, Cuban lawyer and politician, ex-President of Cuba (died 2016) Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz was a Cuban communist revolutionary and politician who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2011. He served as prime minister from 1959 to 1976, president from 1976 to 2008, and first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from 1965 until 2011. Ideologically a Marxist–Leninist and Cuban nationalist, under his administration Cuba became a one-party communist state; industry and business were nationalized, and socialist reforms were implemented throughout society. Read more
13 Aug 1925: Benny Bailey, American trumpet player, songwriter, and producer (died 2005) Ernest Harold "Benny" Bailey was an American jazz trumpeter. Read more
13 Aug 1925: José Alfredo Martínez de Hoz, Argentine executive and policy maker (died 2013) José Alfredo Martínez de Hoz was an Argentine lawyer, businessman, and economist. He was the Minister of Economy of Argentina during the country's last military dictatorship (1976—1983), and shaped the economic policy of the dictatorship until its end. Read more
13 Aug 1922: Chuck Gilmur, American basketball player, coach, and educator (died 2011) Charles Edward Gilmur Jr. was an American basketball player, enthusiast, and high school teacher. Read more
13 Aug 1921: Louis Frémaux, French conductor (died 2017) Louis Joseph Félix Frémaux was a French conductor. Read more
13 Aug 1921: Jimmy McCracklin, American blues/R&B singer-songwriter and pianist (died 2012) James David Walker Jr., better known by his stage name Jimmy McCracklin, was an American pianist, singer, and songwriter. His style contained West Coast blues, Jump blues, and R&B. Over a career that spanned seven decades, he said he had written almost a thousand songs and had recorded hundreds of them. McCracklin recorded over 30 albums, and earned four gold records. Tom Mazzolini of the San Francisco Blues Festival said of him, "He was probably the most important musician to come out of the Bay Area in the post-World War II years." Read more
13 Aug 1921: Mary Lee, Scottish singer (died 2022) Mary Lee was a Scottish singer, variety performer and broadcaster whose career spanned the 1930s to the 1990s. She achieved early recognition whilst still a teenager as a vocalist with Roy Fox's dance band, which was one of Britain's most popular in the interwar period. At the time of her death, Lee was the last surviving singer who had been active with the British dance bands in the 1930s, the heyday of their popularity. She later became known in Scottish variety through performing with her husband, comedian Jack Milroy, and presented an award-winning programme on Radio Clyde in the 1990s. Read more
13 Aug 1920: Neville Brand, American actor (died 1992) Lawrence Neville Brand was an American soldier and actor. He was known for playing villainous or antagonistic character roles in Westerns, crime dramas and films noir, and was nominated for a BAFTA Award for his performance in Riot in Cell Block 11 (1954). Read more
13 Aug 1919: Rex Humbard, American evangelist and television host (died 2007) Alpha Rex Emmanuel Humbard was an American television evangelist whose Cathedral of Tomorrow show was aired on over 600 stations at the peak of its popularity. Read more
13 Aug 1919: George Shearing, English jazz pianist and bandleader (died 2011) Sir George Albert Shearing was a British jazz pianist and composer who for many years led a popular jazz group that recorded for Discovery Records, MGM Records and Capitol Records. Shearing was the composer of over 300 songs, including the jazz standards "Lullaby of Birdland" and "Conception", and had multiple albums on the Billboard charts during the 1950s, 1960s, 1980s and 1990s. Read more
13 Aug 1918: Noor Hassanali, Trinidadian lawyer and politician, 2nd President of Trinidad and Tobago (died 2006) Noor Mohamed Hassanali TC was a Trinidadian lawyer, judge and politician who served as the second president of Trinidad and Tobago from 1987 to 1997. A retired high-court judge, he was the first person of Indian descent and first Muslim president of Trinidad and Tobago, and the first Muslim head of state in the Americas. Read more
13 Aug 1918: Frederick Sanger, English biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 2013) Frederick Sanger was a British biochemist who received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry twice. Read more
13 Aug 1917: Sid Gordon, American baseball player (died 1975) Sidney Gordon was an American right-handed Major League Baseball two-time All-Star outfielder, third baseman, and first baseman. Read more
13 Aug 1914: Grace Bates, American mathematician and academic (died 1996) Grace Elizabeth Bates was an American mathematician and one of few women in the United States to be granted a Ph.D. in mathematics in the 1940s. She became an emeritus professor at Mount Holyoke College. Bates specialized in algebra and probability theory, and she co-authored two textbooks: The Real Number System and Modern Algebra, Second Course. Throughout her own education, Bates overcame obstructions to her pursuit of knowledge, opening the way for future women learners. Read more
13 Aug 1913: Makarios III, Greek archbishop and politician, 1st President of Cyprus (died 1977) Makarios III was a Greek Cypriot prelate and politician who served as Archbishop of the Church of Cyprus from 1950 to 1977 and as the first president of Cyprus between 1960 and July 1974, with a second term between December 1974 and 1977. He is widely regarded as the founding father or "Ethnarch" of the Republic of Cyprus, leading its transition from British colonial rule. Read more
13 Aug 1913: Fred Davis, English snooker player (died 1998) Fred Davis was an English professional player of snooker and English billiards. He was an eight-times World Snooker Championship winner from 1948 to 1956, and a twice winner of the World Billiards Championship. He was the younger brother of 15-time world snooker champion Joe Davis; the pair were the only two players to win both snooker and English billiards world championships, and Fred is second on the list of those holding most world snooker championship titles, behind Joe. Read more
13 Aug 1912: Claire Cribbs, American basketball player and coach (died 1985) Claire Linton Cribbs was an American basketball player and high school coach. He was a two-time All-American at the University of Pittsburgh and won over 400 games as a high school coach in the state of Ohio. Read more
13 Aug 1912: Ben Hogan, American golfer and sportscaster (died 1997) William Ben Hogan was an American professional golfer who is considered to be one of the greatest players in the history of the game. He profoundly influenced golf swing theory, and was noted for his ballstriking skill and assiduous practice. Hogan won nine major championships and is one of six men to complete the modern career grand slam. Read more
13 Aug 1912: Salvador Luria, Italian-American microbiologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1991) Salvador Edward Luria was an Italian microbiologist, later a naturalized U.S. citizen. He won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1969, with Max Delbrück and Alfred Hershey, for their discoveries on the replication mechanism and the genetic structure of viruses. Salvador Luria also showed that bacterial resistance to viruses (phages) is genetically inherited. Read more
13 Aug 1911: William Bernbach, American advertiser, co-founded DDB Worldwide (died 1982) William Bernbach was an American advertising creative director. He was one of the three founders in 1949 of the international advertising agency Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB). He directed many of the firm's breakthrough ad campaigns and had a lasting impact on the creative team structures now commonly used by ad agencies. Read more
13 Aug 1909: Brian Lawrance, Australian bandleader (died 1983) Brian Vinrace Lawrance was an Australian singer and violinist who led his own British dance band in the 1930s. Known for regular broadcasts with Fred Hartley and his Quintet, Lawrance was considered one of the leading dance band vocalists, and drew a large radio audience. Lawrance arrived in Britain in 1927, and returned to Australia in 1940, where he continued his career. Read more
13 Aug 1908: Gene Raymond, American actor and pilot (died 1998) Gene Raymond was an American film, television, and stage actor of the 1930s and 1940s. In addition to acting, Raymond was also a singer, composer, screenwriter, director, producer, and decorated military pilot. Read more
13 Aug 1907: Basil Spence, Scottish architect, designed Coventry Cathedral (died 1976) Sir Basil Urwin Spence, was a Scottish architect, most notably associated with Coventry Cathedral in England and the Beehive in New Zealand, but also responsible for numerous other buildings in the Modernist/Brutalist style. Read more
13 Aug 1906: Chuck Carroll, American football player and lawyer (died 2003) Charles Oliver Carroll was an American football player and attorney in the state of Washington. He was the King County Prosecuting Attorney between 1949 and 1971. Read more
13 Aug 1906: Art Shires, American baseball player and boxer (died 1967) Charles Arthur Shires was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman for the Chicago White Sox, Washington Senators and Boston Braves. In a four-year major league career, Shires played in 290 games, accumulating 287 hits in 986 at bats for a .291 career batting average along with 11 home runs, 119 runs batted in, an on-base percentage of .347, and a .988 fielding percentage. Shires was a colorful personality with a penchant for self-praise, earning himself the nickname, Arthur The Great Shires. Read more
13 Aug 1904: Buddy Rogers, American actor and musician (died 1999) Charles Edward "Buddy" Rogers was an American film actor and musician. During the peak of his popularity in the late 1920s and early 1930s, he was publicized as "America's Boyfriend". Read more
13 Aug 1904: Margaret Tafoya, Native American Pueblo potter (died 2001) Maria Margarita "Margaret" Tafoya was the matriarch of Santa Clara Pueblo potters. She was a recipient of a 1984 National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts, which is the United States government's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. Read more
13 Aug 1902: Felix Wankel, German engineer (died 1988) Felix Heinrich Wankel was a German mechanical engineer and inventor after whom the Wankel engine was named. Wankel joined various radical antisemitic organizations after World War I and was a prominent member of the Nazi Party. Read more
13 Aug 1899: Alfred Hitchcock, English-American director and producer (died 1980) Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 feature films, many of which are still widely watched and studied today. Known as the "Master of Suspense", Hitchcock became as well known as any of his actors thanks to his many interviews, his cameo appearances in most of his films, and his hosting and producing the television anthology Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–65). Among other accolades, his films garnered 46 Academy Award nominations, including six wins, although he never won the award for Best Director, despite five nominations. Read more
13 Aug 1899: José Ramón Guizado, Panamanian politician, 17th President of Panama (died 1964) José Ramón Guizado Valdés was the 17th President of Panama. He belonged to the National Patriotic Coalition (CNP). Read more
13 Aug 1898: Jean Borotra, French tennis player (died 1994) Jean Laurent Robert Borotra was a French tennis champion. He was one of the "Four Musketeers" from his country who dominated tennis in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Borotra was imprisoned in Itter Castle during the latter years of World War II and subsequently fought in the Battle for Castle Itter. Read more
13 Aug 1898: Regis Toomey, American actor (died 1991) John Francis Regis Toomey was an American film and television actor. Read more
13 Aug 1895: István Barta, Hungarian water polo player (died 1948) István Barta was a Hungarian water polo player who competed in the 1924 Summer Olympics, in the 1928 Summer Olympics, and in the 1932 Summer Olympics. Read more
13 Aug 1895: Bert Lahr, American actor (died 1967) Irving Lahrheim, known professionally as Bert Lahr, was an American actor and comedian. He was best known for his role as the Cowardly Lion, as well as his counterpart Kansas farmworker "Zeke", in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer adaptation of The Wizard of Oz (1939). He was well known for his quick-witted humor and his work in burlesque and vaudeville and on Broadway. Read more
13 Aug 1889: Camillien Houde, Canadian lawyer and politician, 34th Mayor of Montreal (died 1958) Camillien Houde was a Quebec politician, a Member of Parliament, and a four-time mayor of Montreal. He is of the few Canadian politicians to have served at all three levels of government. During World War II, Houde was interned under the War Measures Act for campaigning against conscription. Read more
13 Aug 1888: John Logie Baird, Scottish engineer, invented the television (died 1946) John Logie Baird was a Scottish inventor, electrical engineer and innovator who demonstrated the world's first mechanical television system on 26 January 1926. He went on to invent the first publicly demonstrated colour television system and the first viable purely electronic colour television picture tube. Read more
13 Aug 1888: Gleb W. Derujinsky, Russian-American sculptor (died 1975) Gleb W. Derujinsky was a Russian-American sculptor. Read more
13 Aug 1884: Harry Dean, English cricketer and coach (died 1957) Harry Dean was an English cricketer who played for Lancashire and England. Read more
13 Aug 1879: John Ireland, English composer and educator (died 1962) John Nicholson Ireland was an English composer and teacher of music. The majority of his output consists of piano miniatures and of songs with piano. His best-known works include the short instrumental or orchestral work "The Holy Boy", a setting of the poem "Sea-Fever" by John Masefield, a formerly much-played Piano Concerto, the hymn tune Love Unknown and the choral motet "Greater Love Hath No Man". Read more
13 Aug 1872: Richard Willstätter, German-Swiss chemist and academic, Nobel Prize Laureate (died 1942) Richard Martin Willstätter FRS(For) HFRSE was a German organic chemist whose study of the structure of plant pigments, chlorophyll included, won him the 1915 Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Read more
13 Aug 1871: Karl Liebknecht, German politician, co-founded Communist Party of Germany (died 1919) Karl Paul August Friedrich Liebknecht was a German socialist politician and revolutionary. A leader of the far-left wing of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), Liebknecht was a co-founder of both the Spartacus League and Communist Party of Germany (KPD) along with Rosa Luxemburg. Read more
13 Aug 1867: George Luks, American painter and illustrator (died 1933) George Benjamin Luks was an American artist, identified with the aggressively realistic Ashcan School of American painting. Read more
13 Aug 1866: Giovanni Agnelli, Italian businessman, founded Fiat S.p.A. (died 1945) Giovanni Agnelli was an Italian industrialist and principal founder of Fiat S.p.A., established in 1899. Under his leadership, Fiat became a cornerstone of Italy's automotive industry, significantly contributing to the country's industrialization during the early 20th century. Agnelli also served as a Senator from 1923 to 1944. Read more
13 Aug 1860: Annie Oakley, American target shooter (died 1926) Annie Oakley was an American exhibition/trick shooter and folk heroine who starred in Buffalo Bill's Wild West. Read more
13 Aug 1851: Felix Adler, German-American religious leader and educator (died 1933) Felix Adler was a German-American professor of political and social ethics, rationalist, influential lecturer on euthanasia, religious leader and social reformer who founded the Ethical Culture movement. Read more
13 Aug 1849: Leonora Barry, Irish-born American social activist (died 1930) Leonora M. Kearney Barry was an Irish-American labor activist. As the only woman to hold national office within the Knights of Labor, she brought attention to the conditions of working women through her involvement in the labor reform movement. She also furthered the progress of women's rights during the period following the American Civil War and Reconstruction. Read more
13 Aug 1842: Charles Wells, English brewer, founded Charles Wells Ltd (died 1914) Captain Charles Wells was the British founder of Charles Wells Ltd, which became the largest privately owned brewery in the United Kingdom, and the progenitor of the Wells Baronets of Felmersham. Read more
13 Aug 1841: Johnny Mullagh, Australian cricketer (died 1891) Johnny Mullagh was an Australian cricketer from Victoria who was the leading player on the famous 1868 Aboriginal cricket tour of England. He was a skilful all-rounder, being a right-arm bowler and right-handed batsman. In December 2020, Mullagh was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. Read more
13 Aug 1831: Salomon Jadassohn, German pianist and composer (died 1902) Salomon Jadassohn was a German pianist, composer, and teacher at the Leipzig Conservatory. Read more
13 Aug 1824: John J. Robison, American politician in Michigan (died 1897) John J. Robison (1824–1897) was a 19th-century Michigan politician who was the mayor of Ann Arbor from 1886 to 1887. He also served as a state senator and county clerk. Read more
13 Aug 1823: Goldwin Smith, English-Canadian historian and journalist (died 1910) Goldwin Smith was a British-born academic and historian who was active in both Great Britain and North America. From 1856 to 1866, he was a professor of modern history at the University of Oxford. Smith taught at Cornell University from 1868 to 1872, and was instrumental in establishing the university's international reputation, but left when it began admitting female students. He is the namesake of Goldwin Smith Hall at Cornell University, and was outspoken regarding his often controversial political views. Smith was a supporter of the Union during the American Civil War and a critic of imperialism. He was also opposed to the Irish Home Rule movement and women's suffrage, along with holding Anglo-Saxonist and antisemitic views. Read more
13 Aug 1820: George Grove, English musicologist and historian (died 1900) Sir George Grove was an English engineer and writer on music, known as the founding editor of Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Read more
13 Aug 1819: Sir George Stokes, 1st Baronet, Anglo-Irish mathematician and physicist (died 1903) Sir George Gabriel Stokes, 1st Baronet, was an Irish mathematician and physicist. Born in County Sligo, Ireland, Stokes spent his entire career at the University of Cambridge, where he served as Lucasian Professor of Mathematics for 54 years—from 1849 until his death in 1903—the longest tenure held by any Lucasian Professor. Read more
13 Aug 1818: Lucy Stone, American abolitionist and suffragist (died 1893) Lucy Stone was an American orator, abolitionist and suffragist who was a vocal advocate for and organizer of promoting rights for women. In 1847, Stone became the first woman from Massachusetts to earn a college degree. She spoke out for women's rights and campaigned against slavery. Stone was known for using her birth name, after marriage, contrary to the custom of women taking their husband's surname. Read more
13 Aug 1814: Anders Jonas Ångström, Swedish physicist and astronomer (died 1874) Anders Jonas Ångström was a Swedish physicist and one of the founders of the science of spectroscopy. Read more
13 Aug 1803: Vladimir Odoyevsky, Russian philosopher and critic (died 1869) Prince Vladimir Fyodorovich Odoyevsky was a Russian philosopher, writer, music critic, philanthropist, and pedagogue. He became known as the 'Russian Hoffmann' and even the 'Russian Faust' on account of his keen interest in phantasmagoric tales and musical criticism. Read more

Notable Deaths on 13 August

13 Aug 2024: Richard Alatorre, American politician (born 1943) Richard Alatorre was an American politician who was a member of the California State Assembly from 1973 to 1985 and the Los Angeles City Council from 1985 to 1999, the second Latino to serve on the council in the 20th century. While working as a lobbyist, he had been called "one of the most influential Latino politicians in the state". Read more
13 Aug 2024: Wally Amos, American entrepreneur, founder of Famous Amos (born 1936) Wallace Amos Jr. was an American writer and businessman. He was the founder of the Famous Amos chocolate chip cookie, the Cookie Kahuna, and Aunt Della's Cookies gourmet cookie brands, and was the host of the adult reading program Learn to Read. Read more
13 Aug 2024: Sergio Donati, Italian screenwriter (born 1933) Sergio Donati was an Italian screenwriter. He wrote for more than 70 films beginning in 1952. He was born in Rome, Italy. He started as a writer and had some of his books optioned for film. He is well known for his collaboration with Italian director Sergio Leone, who encouraged him to take up screenwriting as a full-time career, and with Italian producer Dino de Laurentis.What is film? In the first act, you hang a man up in a tree. In the second act, you throw stones at him. In the third act, he falls down. If he is alive, it is a comedy. If he is dead, it is a drama. Read more
13 Aug 2024: Greg Kihn, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1949) Gregory Stanley Kihn was an American rock musician, radio personality, and novelist. He founded and led the Greg Kihn Band and he wrote several popular horror novels. He is best known for the hits "The Breakup Song " in 1981 and "Jeopardy" in 1983. Read more
13 Aug 2024: Frank Selvy, American basketball player and coach (born 1932) Franklin Delano Selvy was an American National Basketball Association (NBA) player who was best known for holding the record for the most points (100) in a Division I college basketball game. Born in Corbin, Kentucky, Selvy was an All-State basketball player at Corbin High School and was a teammate of College Football Hall of Fame inductee Roy Kidd. Selvy was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1954 NBA draft and was a two-time NBA All-Star, playing nine seasons. Read more
13 Aug 2021: Nanci Griffith, American singer-songwriter (born 1953) Nanci Caroline Griffith was an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. She often appeared on the PBS music program Austin City Limits, starting in 1985 during season 10. Griffith's career spanned a variety of musical genres, predominantly country, folk, and what she termed "folkabilly." She won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album in 1994 for her 1993 recording, Other Voices, Other Rooms. The album features Griffith covering the songs of artists who were her major influences. One of her better-known songs is "From a Distance," which was written and composed by Julie Gold. Read more
13 Aug 2018: Jim Neidhart, American wrestler (born 1955) James Henry Neidhart was an American professional wrestler known for his appearances in the 1980s and 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation as Jim "the Anvil" Neidhart, where he was a two-time WWF Tag Team Champion with his real-life brother-in-law Bret Hart in the Hart Foundation. He also won titles in Stampede Wrestling, Championship Wrestling from Florida, Mid-South Wrestling, Memphis Championship Wrestling and the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation. He was part of the Hart wrestling family through marriage to his wife Ellie Hart, teaming with various members throughout his career, and appearing with his daughter Natalya Neidhart on the reality television show Total Divas. Read more
13 Aug 2016: Kenny Baker, English actor and musician (born 1934) Kenneth George "Kenny" Baker was a British actor, comedian and musician. He portrayed the character R2-D2 in the Star Wars franchise and also appeared in The Elephant Man, Time Bandits, Willow, Flash Gordon, Amadeus and Labyrinth. Read more
13 Aug 2016: Pramukh Swami Maharaj, Indian Hindu leader (born 1921) Pramukh Swami Maharaj was the guru and Pramukh, or president, of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a major branch of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya, a Hindu denomination. BAPS regards him as the fifth spiritual successor of Swaminarayan, following Gunatitanand Swami, Bhagatji Maharaj, Shastriji Maharaj, and Yogiji Maharaj. He was believed by his followers to be in constant communion with Swaminarayan, and ontologically, the manifestation of Akshar, the eternal abode of Swaminarayan. Read more
13 Aug 2015: Watban Ibrahim al-Tikriti, Iraqi politician, Iraqi Minister of Interior (born 1952) Watban Ibrahim al-Nasiri was an Iraqi politician and former interior minister of Iraq. He was the half-brother of Saddam Hussein and the brother of Barzan al-Tikriti. He was taken into coalition custody on April 13, 2003, following his capture as he tried fleeing to Syria. He died in prison of natural causes in 2015. Read more
13 Aug 2015: Bob Fillion, Canadian ice hockey player and manager (born 1920) Joseph Louis Robert Edgar Fillion was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played seven seasons for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1943 and 1950. He was a member of two Stanley Cup-winning teams during his career with Montreal; in 1944 and 1946. He also spent time with the Buffalo Bisons of the AHL and the Sherbrooke Saints of the Quebec Senior Hockey League (QSHL). He died on August 13, 2015. At the time of his death, Fillion was the last surviving member of the Canadiens' 1944 Stanley Cup team. Read more
13 Aug 2015: Om Prakash Munjal, Indian businessman and philanthropist, co-founded Hero Cycles (born 1928) Om Prakash Munjal was an Indian businessman, poet and philanthropist. He was the founder and chairman of Hero Cycles, the world's largest integrated bicycle manufacturing company by volume and Hero Motors, an Indian two-wheeler components manufacturer, and ventured into newer business fields including luxury hotels and four-wheeler components. He is also known for philanthropic activities of running various schools and hospitals. He died on 13 August 2015 at DMC Hero Heart Centre, Ludhiana. Read more
13 Aug 2014: Frans Brüggen, Dutch flute player and conductor (born 1934) Franciscus ("Frans") Jozef Brüggen was a Dutch conductor, recorder player and baroque flautist. Read more
13 Aug 2014: Eduardo Campos, Brazilian politician, 14th Brazilian Minister of Science and Technology (born 1965) Eduardo Henrique Accioly Campos was a Brazilian congressman and governor. Born and raised in Recife, in the Northeast Brazil, he graduated in Economics from the Recife's Federal University of Pernambuco. Campos' maternal grandfather, the governor of the Brazilian state, Pernambuco, made him his Financial Secretary. Campos became a federal congressman in Brazil and got Pernambuco federal money for a shipyard, railways and an oil refinery. Later, as Brazil's Minister for Science and Technology, he supported stem-cell research. He served two terms as governor of his home state, Pernambuco. He helped hospitals, secondary schools, wind power, farms, poor people and anti-crime data-mining. In his 2014 campaign for president of Brazil he criticized the incumbent and her Workers' Party and positioned himself as the business-friendly leader of the Brazilian Socialist Party. For outdoor rallies and local radio interviews, he criss-crossed the country by rented jet. He died on 13 August 2014, three days after his 49th birthday, when his plane crashed in poor weather in the city of Santos. Read more
13 Aug 2014: Martino Finotto, Italian race car driver (born 1933) Martino Finotto was an Italian racing driver, mainly known for his success in touring car and sports car racing. Read more
13 Aug 2014: Süleyman Seba, Turkish footballer and manager (born 1926) Süleyman Seba was a Turkish football player of Abkhazian origin and was the longest presiding chairman of the Istanbul-based multisports club Beşiktaş. He was also an intelligence officer for National Intelligence Organization (Turkey) in the mission of countering communism. Read more
13 Aug 2013: Lothar Bisky, German politician (born 1941) Lothar Bisky was a German politician. He was the chairman of the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS), the successor of East Germany's Socialist Unity Party (SED). In June 2007, he became co-chairman of The Left party, formed by a merger of the PDS and the much smaller Labour and Social Justice – The Electoral Alternative. From 2007 until 2010, he was the President of the Party of the European Left. Also, he was the Publisher of the socialist newspaper Neues Deutschland. Read more
13 Aug 2013: Aaron Selber, Jr., American businessman and philanthropist (born 1927) Aaron Rosenbaum Selber Jr. was an American businessman, the last president of the former Selber Bros. department store chain, and a philanthropist from Shreveport, the largest city in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Louisiana. Read more
13 Aug 2013: Jean Vincent, French footballer and manager (born 1930) Jean Vincent was a French international footballer and manager who played as a left winger. Read more
13 Aug 2012: Hugo Adam Bedau, American philosopher and academic (born 1926) Hugo Adam Bedau was the Austin B. Fletcher Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, at Tufts University. He is best known for his work on capital punishment. Read more
13 Aug 2012: Helen Gurley Brown, American journalist and author (born 1922) Helen Gurley Brown was an American author, publisher, and businesswoman. She was the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine for 32 years. Read more
13 Aug 2012: Ray Jordon, Australian cricketer and coach (born 1937) Raymond Clarence "Slug" Jordon was an Australian first-class cricketer who represented Victoria in the Sheffield Shield and toured with the Australian national cricket team. He was also a successful Australian rules football coach and acted as both reserves and under-19s coach at various clubs in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Read more
13 Aug 2012: Johnny Pesky, American baseball player and manager (born 1919) John Michael Pesky, nicknamed "the Needle" and "Mr. Red Sox", was an American professional baseball player, manager and coach in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was a shortstop and third baseman during a ten-year major league playing career, appearing in 1,270 games played in 1942 and from 1946 to 1954 for three teams. He missed the 1943–45 seasons while serving in World War II. Pesky was associated with the Boston Red Sox for 61 of his 73 years in baseball—from 1940 through June 3, 1952, 1961 through 1964, and from 1969 until his death. Pesky also managed the Red Sox from 1963 to 1964, and in September 1980. Read more
13 Aug 2012: Joan Roberts, American actress and singer (born 1917) Joan Roberts was an American actress, most famous for creating the role of Laurey in the original Broadway production of Oklahoma! in 1943. Read more
13 Aug 2011: Tareque Masud, Bangladeshi director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1957) Tareque Masud was a Bangladeshi independent film director, film producer, screenwriter and lyricist. He first found success with the films Muktir Gaan (1995) and Matir Moina (2002), for which he won three international awards, including the International Critics' FIPRESCI Prize, in the Directors' Fortnight at 2002 Cannes Film Festival. The film became Bangladesh's first film to compete for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Read more
13 Aug 2011: Mishuk Munier, Bangladeshi journalist and cinematographer (born 1959) Ashfaque Munier was a Bangladeshi media specialist and broadcast journalist. He was known for his photography direction and for being the cofounder of the global news channel The Real News Network. He was one of three sons of Munier Chowdhury. Mishuk served as the chief executive officer and chief editor of satellite TV channel ATN News. He died in a road accident, along with Tareque Masud, on August 13, 2011. He was awarded Ekushey Padak for his contribution to journalism in 2012 by the Bangladeshi government. Read more
13 Aug 2010: Panagiotis Bachramis, Greek footballer (born 1976) Panagiotis Bachramis was a Greek professional footballer who played as midfielder. On 13 August 2010, he was killed when a speedboat struck him while he was snorkeling near the beach in Kyparissia. Read more
13 Aug 2010: Lance Cade, American wrestler (born 1981) Lance Kurtis McNaught was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where he performed under the ring name Lance Cade. Read more
13 Aug 2010: Edwin Newman, American journalist and author (born 1919) Edwin Harold Newman was an American newscaster, journalist, and author. After beginning his career with the wire services and serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Newman worked in radio for CBS News. He is known for a 23-year career with NBC News, from 1961 to 1984. Read more
13 Aug 2009: Lavelle Felton, American basketball player (born 1980) Lavelle R Felton was an American professional basketball player. In 2009, he was killed in an unsolved shooting. Read more
13 Aug 2008: Henri Cartan, French mathematician and academic (born 1904) Henri Paul Cartan was a French mathematician who made substantial contributions to algebraic topology. Read more
13 Aug 2008: Bill Gwatney, American politician (born 1959) William Alan "Bill" Gwatney was an American politician who served as the State Chair of the Democratic Party of Arkansas. He had previously served as a State Senator for ten years and as the financial chair of Mike Beebe's campaign for Governor of Arkansas in 2006. Gwatney was selected as a superdelegate at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, but was assassinated before the convention. Read more
13 Aug 2008: Jack Weil, American businessman (born 1901) Jack Arnold Weil was the founder and CEO of the Denver-based Western clothing manufacturer Rockmount Ranch Wear and was believed to be the oldest working CEO in the United States. Read more
13 Aug 2007: Brian Adams, American wrestler (born 1964) Brian Keith Adams was an American professional wrestler. Adams is known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), under the name Crush, and for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) under his real name Brian Adams. Trained in Japan by Antonio Inoki, he was a two-time WCW World Tag Team Champion, a one-time WWF Tag Team Champion and a one-time AJPW World Tag Team Champion, among other accomplishments. He was a challenger for various singles titles in the WWF and WCW, including the WWF Championship. In 2002, he briefly tried a career in boxing until retiring due to back and shoulder injuries. Read more
13 Aug 2007: Brooke Astor, American philanthropist and socialite (born 1902) Roberta Brooke Astor was an American philanthropist, socialite, and writer. She served as the chairwoman of the Vincent Astor Foundation, established by her third husband, Vincent Astor, who was a member of the Astor family. Brooke Astor was the author of two novels and two volumes of personal memoirs. Read more
13 Aug 2007: Phil Rizzuto, American baseball player and sportscaster (born 1917) Philip Francis Rizzuto, nicknamed "the Scooter", was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) shortstop. He spent his entire 13-year baseball career with the New York Yankees (1941–1956), and was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994. Read more
13 Aug 2006: Tony Jay, English actor and singer (born 1933) Tony Jay was a British actor. A former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, he was known for his voice work in radio, animation, film, and video games. Jay was particularly noted for his distinctive raspy baritone voice, which often led to him being cast in villainous or authoritative roles. His voice acting roles included Judge Claude Frollo in Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), Megabyte in ReBoot (1994–2001), Shere Khan in The Jungle Book 2, as well as the TV series TaleSpin, the Elder God in the Legacy of Kain series of video games and Dr. Lipschitz in Rugrats. Read more
13 Aug 2006: Jon Nödtveidt, Swedish musician (born 1975) Jon Andreas Nödtveidt was a Swedish musician best known as the founder, vocalist and lead guitarist of the melodic black/death metal band Dissection. With the band, he released the seminal and influential extreme metal albums The Somberlain (1993) and Storm of the Light's Bane (1995). In addition to Dissection, Nödtveidt performed with several other projects, including Ophthalamia, The Black, De Infernali and Nifelheim, and also worked as a journalist for Metal Zone, where he covered the growing black metal scene. Read more
13 Aug 2006: Kermit L. Hall, American legal historian and university president (born 1944) Kermit Lance Hall was a noted legal historian and university president. He served from 1994 to 1998 on the Assassination Records Review Board to review and release to the public documents related to the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. Read more
13 Aug 2005: Miguel Arraes, Brazilian lawyer and politician (born 1916) Miguel Arraes de Alencar was a Brazilian lawyer and politician. He was mayor of Recife, State Deputy, Federal Deputy and three times Governor of Pernambuco. Read more
13 Aug 2005: David Lange, New Zealand lawyer and politician, 32nd Prime Minister of New Zealand (born 1942) David Russell Lange was a New Zealand politician who served as the 32nd prime minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. A member of the New Zealand Labour Party, Lange was also the minister of Education and the minister of Foreign Affairs alongside his term as prime minister. He was also the attorney-general of New Zealand from 1989 to 1990. Read more
13 Aug 2004: Julia Child, American chef, author, and television host (born 1912) Julia Carolyn Child was an American chef, author, and television personality. She is recognized for having brought French cuisine to the American public with her debut cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and her subsequent television programs, the most notable of which was The French Chef, which premiered in 1963. Read more
13 Aug 2004: Akku Yadav, Indian gangster and serial rapist (born 1971 or 1972) Bharat Kalicharan Yadav, also known as Akku Yadav, was an Indian gangster, robber, home invader, kidnapper, serial rapist, serial killer, and extortionist. Akku grew up in the Kasturba Nagar slum, which is located in the Indian central city of Nagpur, Maharashtra. He lived and did business in the slum which housed a number of criminals and two rival gangs. Read more
13 Aug 2003: Ed Townsend, American singer-songwriter and producer (born 1929) Edward Benjamin Townsend was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He performed and composed "For Your Love", a rhythm and blues doo-wop classic, and co-wrote "Let's Get It On" with Marvin Gaye. Read more
13 Aug 2001: Otto Stuppacher, Austrian race car driver (born 1947) Otto Leopold Stuppacher was a racing driver from Vienna, Austria. He competed in hill-climbs and sports car racing before entering 3 Formula One Grands Prix with the ÖASC Racing Team in 1976, with a Tyrrell 007. He was refused entry to the 1976 Austrian Grand Prix, along with teammate Karl Oppitzhauser, despite trying to raise a petition from the other teams. Read more
13 Aug 2001: Jim Hughes, American baseball player and manager (born 1923) James Robert Hughes was an American professional baseball player. The right-handed pitcher appeared in all or part of six seasons (1952–1957) in Major League Baseball with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox and worked in 172 games, all but one as a relief pitcher. In 1954, he led the National League in saves with 24 and tied for the league leadership in games pitched with 60. Hughes was a native of Chicago who was listed as 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and 200 pounds (91 kg). His baseball career began in 1946, after he had served in the United States Marine Corps in the Pacific theatre of World War II. Read more
13 Aug 2001: Betty Cavanna, American author (born 1909) Betty Cavanna was the author of popular teen romance novels, mysteries, and children's books for 45 years. She also wrote under the names Elizabeth Headley and Betsy Allen. She was nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Juvenile in 1970 and 1972. Read more
13 Aug 2000: Nazia Hassan, Pakistani singer-songwriter (born 1965) Nazia Hassan was a Pakistani-English singer, songwriter, and philanthropist. Regarded as the "Queen of South Asian Pop,” she is considered one of the most influential musical figures in Pakistan history who completely overturned the music industry in the late 70s and 80s, and is the subcontinent's early pop star after Ahmed Rushdi. Starting in the 1980s, as part of the duo Nazia and Zoheb, she and her brother Zoheb Hassan, have sold over 65 million records worldwide. Read more
13 Aug 1999: Ignatz Bubis, German Jewish religious leader (born 1927) Ignatz Bubis, German Jewish leader, was the influential chairman of the Central Council of Jews in Germany from 1992 to 1999. In this capacity he led a public campaign against German antisemitism. Bubis's high-profile both in Frankfurt and nationwide involved him in a number of public controversies. Read more
13 Aug 1999: Jaime Garzón, Colombian journalist and lawyer (born 1960) Jaime Hernando Garzón Forero was a Colombian comedian, journalist, politician, and peace activist. He was popular on Colombian television during the 1990s for his unique political satire. In addition to his work on television, he also had roles as a peace negotiator during the Colombian conflict, working for the release of FARC guerrillas' hostages. Read more
13 Aug 1998: Nino Ferrer, Italian-French singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1934) Nino Agostino Arturo Maria Ferrari, known as Nino Ferrer, was an Italian-born French singer-songwriter and author. Read more
13 Aug 1998: Edward Ginzton, Ukrainian-American physicist and academic (born 1915) Edward Leonard Ginzton was a Ukrainian-American engineer. Read more
13 Aug 1998: Julien Green, American author (born 1900) Julien Green, often Julian Green, was an American writer who lived most of his life in France and wrote primarily in French, although he also wrote some works in English. Over a long and prolific career, he authored novels and essays, several plays, and a biography of Francis of Assisi, produced a four-volume autobiography, and for decades maintained a daily journal that he edited and published in nineteen volumes. The posthumous publication of the unexpurgated journals revealed aspects of his personality and sexuality that had been omitted from the published editions, revealed details about many of his prominent contemporaries, and documented the gay subculture of 20th-century France. Read more
13 Aug 1998: Rafael Robles, Dominican-American baseball player (born 1947) Rafael Orlando Robles Natera was a Dominican shortstop in Major League Baseball. He was born in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic. He was signed by the San Francisco Giants as an amateur free agent before the 1967 season, and later drafted by the San Diego Padres from the San Francisco Giants as the 51st pick in the 1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft. He played for the San Diego Padres from 1969 to 1970, and again in 1972. Read more
13 Aug 1996: António de Spínola, Portuguese general and politician, 14th President of Portugal (born 1910) António Sebastião Ribeiro de Spínola was a Portuguese military officer, author and conservative politician. During the Estado Novo regime he became one of Portugal's most senior military commanders, leading military operations against independence movements. After the Carnation Revolution, partially organised by under-ranked military captains, he was invited to be the president of Portugal. His role in Portugal's transition to democracy remains highly controversial, particularly regarding his role in leading the 11 March 1975 attempted coup as well as the anticommunist terrorist organisation Movimento Democrático de Libertação de Portugal. He was noted for wearing a monocle on his right eye. Read more
13 Aug 1995: Alison Hargreaves, English mountaineer (born 1963) Alison Jane Hargreaves was a British mountaineer and alpinist. Her accomplishments included scaling Mount Everest in 1995 solo and without supplementary oxygen or support from a Sherpa team. She solo climbed all of the great north faces of the Alps in a single season—a first for any climber. This feat included climbing the north face of the Eiger in the Alps. Hargreaves also climbed 6,812-metre (22,349 ft) Ama Dablam in Nepal. Read more
13 Aug 1995: Jan Křesadlo, Czech-English psychologist and author (born 1926) Václav Jaroslav Karel Pinkava, better known by his pen name Jan Křesadlo, was a Czech psychologist who was also a prizewinning novelist and poet. Read more
13 Aug 1995: Mickey Mantle, American baseball player and sportscaster (born 1931) Mickey Charles Mantle, nicknamed "the Mick" and "the Commerce Comet", was an American professional baseball player who played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career (1951–1968) with the New York Yankees, primarily as a center fielder. Mantle is regarded by many as one of the best players and sluggers of all time. He was an American League (AL) Most Valuable Player three times and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. Read more
13 Aug 1991: James Roosevelt, American general and politician (born 1907) James Roosevelt II was an American businessman, Marine officer, activist, and Democratic Party politician. The eldest son of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt, he served as an official Secretary to the President for his father and was later elected to the United States House of Representatives representing California, serving five terms from 1955 to 1965. Roosevelt received the Navy Cross while serving as a Marine Corps officer during World War II. Read more
13 Aug 1989: Tim Richmond, American race car driver (born 1955) Timothy Lee Richmond was an American race car driver from Ashland, Ohio. He competed in IndyCar racing before transferring to NASCAR's Winston Cup Series. Richmond was one of the first drivers to change from open wheel racing to NASCAR stock cars full-time, which later became an industry trend. He won the 1980 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year award and had 13 victories during eight NASCAR seasons. Read more
13 Aug 1989: Larkin I. Smith, American police officer and politician (born 1944) Larkin Irvin Smith was an American congressman from Mississippi serving for seven months until he was killed in a plane crash in Perry County, Mississippi in 1989. Read more
13 Aug 1986: Helen Mack, American actress (born 1913) Helen Mack was an American actress. She started her career as a child actress in silent films, moving to Broadway plays and touring one of the vaudeville circuits. Her greater success as an actress was as a leading lady in the 1930s. She made the transition to performing on radio and then into writing, directing, and producing shows during the Golden Age of Radio. She later wrote for Broadway, stage and television. Her career spanned the infancy of the motion picture industry, the beginnings of Broadway, the final days of vaudeville, the transition to sound movies, the Golden Age of Radio, and the rise of television. Read more
13 Aug 1984: Tigran Petrosian, Georgian-Armenian chess player (born 1929) Tigran Vardani Petrosian was a Soviet-Armenian chess grandmaster. The ninth World Chess Champion from 1963 to 1969, he was nicknamed "Iron Tigran" due to his almost-impenetrable defensive playing style, which emphasized safety above all else. Petrosian is often credited with popularizing chess in Armenia. Read more
13 Aug 1979: Andrew Dasburg, American painter and sculptor (born 1887) Andrew Michael Dasburg was an American modernist painter and "one of America's leading early exponents of cubism". Born in Paris and raised in New York City, he trained at the Art Students League of New York before traveling to Paris, where he encountered the work of Paul Cézanne and became deeply influenced by Cubism. He became an ardent promoter of the Cubist style and exhibited at the landmark 1913 Armory Show, where his three Cubist-oriented oils were considered "daringly experimental". Read more
13 Aug 1978: Lonnie Mayne, American wrestler (born 1944) Ronald Doyle "Lonnie" Mayne was an American professional wrestler in the 1960s and 1970s who frequently went by the name Moondog Mayne. He wrestled in various National Wrestling Alliance territories, as well as the World Wide Wrestling Federation in 1973. Read more
13 Aug 1975: Murilo Mendes, Brazilian poet and telegrapher (born 1901) Murilo Monteiro Mendes was a Brazilian Modernist poet, considered to be one of the forerunners of the Surrealist movement in Brazil. Read more
13 Aug 1974: Ida McNeil, American broadcaster and designer of the flag of South Dakota (born 1888) Ida McNeil was an American broadcaster and the designer of the first state flag of South Dakota. She and her husband, Dana McNeil, founded KGFX, in Pierre, South Dakota, one of the first radio stations in South Dakota, in 1927. She continued to run the station after his death in 1936 until her retirement in 1962. She has been nicknamed "Mrs. Pierre" for her work in broadcasting and "the Betsy Ross of South Dakota" for her state flag design. Read more
13 Aug 1971: W. O. Bentley, English race car driver and engineer, founded Bentley Motors Limited (born 1888) Walter Owen Bentley, was an English engineer who founded Bentley in London. He was a motorcycle and car racer as a young man. After making a name for himself as a designer of aircraft and automobile engines, Bentley established his own firm in 1919. He built the firm into one of the world's premier luxury and performance auto manufacturers, and led the marque to multiple victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. After selling his namesake company to Rolls-Royce in 1931, he was employed as a designer for Lagonda, Aston Martin and Armstrong Siddeley. Read more
13 Aug 1965: Hayato Ikeda, Japanese lawyer and politician, 58th Prime Minister of Japan (born 1899) Hayato Ikeda was a Japanese politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1960 to 1964. He is best known for his Income Doubling Plan, which promised to double the size of Japan's economy in 10 years, and for presiding over the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Read more
13 Aug 1963: Louis Bastien, French cyclist and fencer (born 1881) Eugène Louis Bastien was a French racing cyclist and fencer who competed in the late 19th century and early 20th century. He participated in Cycling at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris and won the gold medal in the men's 25 kilometre race. He also competed in the individual épée event at the same games. Read more
13 Aug 1958: Francis J. McCormick, American football, basketball player, and coach (born 1903) Francis J. "Mickey" McCormick was an American football and basketball player and coach. He served as the head football coach at St. Norbert College from 1934 to 1942 and at Carroll College—now known as Carroll University—in Waukesha, Wisconsin from 1949 to 1957, compiling a career college football record of 69–57–9. McCormick was also the head basketball coach at St. Norbert from 1934 to 1943 and again during the 1944–45 season, tallying a mark of 62–74. He was one of the more outspoken coaches against the NCAA rule change on "free substitution" in 1953. Read more
13 Aug 1954: Demetrius Constantine Dounis, Greek violinist and mandolin player (born 1886) Demetrius Constantine Dounis, also known as D. C. Dounis, was an influential teacher of violin and string instrument technique, as well as violinist, violist, and mandolin player. Read more
13 Aug 1946: H. G. Wells, English novelist, historian, and critic (born 1866) Herbert George Wells was an English writer, prolific in many genres. He wrote more than forty novels and dozens of short stories. His non-fiction output included works of social commentary, politics, history, popular science, satire, biography, and autobiography. Wells is most known today for his groundbreaking science fiction novels; he has sometimes been called the "father of science fiction", a title that has also been given to Jules Verne and Hugo Gernsback. Read more
13 Aug 1937: Sigizmund Levanevsky, Soviet aircraft pilot of Polish origin (born 1902) Sigizmund Aleksandrovich Levanevsky was a Soviet pioneer of long-range flight who was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union in 1934 for his role in the SS Chelyuskin rescue. Read more
13 Aug 1934: Mary Hunter Austin, American author and playwright (born 1868) Mary Hunter Austin was an American writer. One of the early nature writers of the American Southwest, her classic The Land of Little Rain (1903) describes the fauna, flora, and people of the region between the High Sierra and the Mojave Desert of southern California. Read more
13 Aug 1917: Eduard Buchner, German chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1860) Eduard Buchner was a German
chemist
and expert on fermentation, awarded the 1907
Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on
fermentation. Read more
13 Aug 1912: Jules Massenet, French composer (born 1842) Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet was a French composer of the Romantic era best known for his operas, of which he wrote more than thirty. The two most frequently staged are Manon (1884) and Werther (1892). He also composed oratorios, ballets, orchestral works, incidental music, piano pieces, songs and other music. Read more
13 Aug 1910: Florence Nightingale, Italian-English nurse and theologian (born 1820) Florence Nightingale was an English social reformer, statistician and the founder of modern nursing. Nightingale came to prominence while serving as a manager and trainer of nurses during the Crimean War, in which she organised care for wounded soldiers at Constantinople. She significantly reduced death rates by improving hygiene and living standards. Nightingale gave nursing a favourable reputation and became an icon of Victorian culture, especially in the persona of "The Lady with the Lamp" making ward rounds for wounded soldiers at night. Read more
13 Aug 1900: Collis Potter Huntington, American railway magnate (born 1821) Collis Potter Huntington was an American industrialist and railway magnate. He was one of the Big Four tycoons of western railroading who invested in Theodore Judah's idea to build the Central Pacific Railroad as part of the first U.S. transcontinental railroad. Huntington helped lead and develop other major interstate lines, such as the Southern Pacific Railroad and the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway (C&O), which he was recruited to help complete. The C&O, completed in 1873, fulfilled a long-held dream of Virginians of a rail link from the James River at Richmond to the Ohio River valley. The railroad facilities adjacent to the river there resulted in expansion of the former small town of Guyandotte, West Virginia, into part of a new city which was named Huntington in his honor. Read more
13 Aug 1865: Ignaz Semmelweis, Hungarian physician and obstetrician (born 1818) Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis was a Hungarian medical doctor and scientist of German descent who was an early pioneer of antiseptic procedures and was described as the "saviour of mothers". Postpartum infection, also known as puerperal fever or childbed fever, consists of any bacterial infection of the reproductive tract following birth and in the 19th century was common and often fatal. Semmelweis demonstrated that the incidence of infection could be drastically reduced by requiring healthcare workers in obstetrical clinics to disinfect their hands. In 1847, he proposed hand washing with chlorinated lime solutions at Vienna General Hospital's First Obstetrical Clinic, where doctors' wards had thrice the mortality of midwives' wards. The maternal mortality rate dropped from 18% to less than 2%, and he published a book of his findings, Etiology, Concept and Prophylaxis of Childbed Fever, in 1861. Read more
13 Aug 1863: Eugène Delacroix, French painter and lithographer (born 1798) Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix was a French Romantic artist who was regarded as the leader of the French Romantic school. Read more
13 Aug 1826: René Laennec, French physician, invented the stethoscope (born 1781) René-Théophile-Hyacinthe Laennec was a French medical doctor and musician. His skill at carving his own wooden flutes led him to invent the stethoscope in 1816, while working at the Hôpital Necker. He pioneered its use in diagnosing various chest conditions.
He became a lecturer at the Collège de France in 1822 and professor of medicine in 1823. His final appointments were that of head of the medical clinic at the Hôpital de la Charité and professor at the Collège de France. He went into a coma and subsequently died of tuberculosis on 13 August 1826, at age 45. Read more

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