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1957–The Quarry Men perform at a Garden Fete held at St. Peter's Church, Woolton, Liverpool. The group consists of John Lennon, Pete Shotton, Eric Griffiths, Colin Hanton, Rod Davis, and Len Garry. After an outside performance on a makeshift stage in a field behind the church, The Quarry Men begin setting up their instruments in the church hall for an evening dance. A 15-year-old friend of Ivan Vaughan, Paul McCartney, had arrived during the afternoon performance, and having been impressed with John Lennon's stage presence, they are introduced. McCartney, eager to impress Lennon, picks up a guitar and plays versions of the recent hits Twenty Flight Rock (by Eddie Cochran) and Be-Bop-A-Lula (by Gene Vincent). The best part of this historic meeting comes when Paul shows John and Eric Griffiths how to tune their guitars, something they'd been paying someone else to do for them. John recognizes Paul's talent right away, and realizing that The Quarry Men need Paul to strengthen them, and he decides to invite Paul to join his group.


BC 371–The Battle of Leuctra, where Epaminondas defeats Spartan King, Cleombrotus I, takes place.

640–The Muslim Arab army under 'Amr ibn al-'As defeat the Byzantine forces near Heliopolis (Egypt).

1189–Henry II of England dies of a bleeding ulcer in Chinon Castle, France, at age 56.

1189–Richard I "the Lionheart" ascends to the English throne.

1249–Alexander II of Scotland dies after suffering a fever in Kerrera, Inner Hebrides, at age 50.

1253–Mindaugas is crowned King of Lithuania.

1348–Pope Clement VI issues a papal bull protecting the Jews accused of having caused the Black Death.

1387–Blanche I of Navarre, Queen of Navarre, is born in Pamplona, Kingdom of Navarre.

1411–Ming China's Admiral Zheng He returns to Nanjing after the third treasure voyage and presents the Sinhalese King, captured during the Ming-Kotte War, to the Yongle Emperor.

1415–Czech priest, philosopher, and reformer, Jan Hus, is condemned as a heretic and burned at the stake.

1476–German mathematician, astronomer, and astrologer, Regiomontanus, dies.

1483–Richard III is crowned King of England.

1484–Portuguese sea captain, Diogo Cão, finds the mouth of the Congo River.

1495–In the First Italian War, Charles VIII defeats the Holy League.

1535–Sir Thomas More is beheaded for treason against King Henry VIII in London, England, at age 57. In 1935, Pope Pius XI canonised More as a martyr. In 2000, Pope John Paul II declared him the "heavenly Patron of Statesmen and Politicians."

1553–King Edward VI dies of tuberculosis at Greenwich Palace, Kent, England, at age 15. He had ascended to the throne at the age 10.

1557–King Philip II of Spain, consort of Queen Mary I of England, sets out to war with France from Dover, which results in the loss of the City of Calais, the last English possession on the continent.

1560–The Treaty of Edinburgh is signed by Scotland and England.

1573–Córdoba, Argentina, is founded by Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera.

1573–During the French Wars of Religion, the Siege of La Rochelle ends.

1614–Zejtun and the surrounding villages suffer a raid from Ottoman forces. It is the last unsuccessful attempt by the Ottomans to conquer the island of Malta.

1630–In the Thirty Years' War, 4,000 Swedish troops, under Gustavus Adolphus, land in Pomerania, Germany.

1685–In the last battle of the Monmouth Rebellion, troops of King James II defeat troops of James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, during the Battle of Sedgemoor.

1747–Scottish-American captain, John Paul Jones, is born.

1751–Pope Benedict XIV suppresses the Patriarchate of Aquileia and establishes from its territory the Archdiocese of Udine and Gorizia.

1777–During the American Revolutionary War, after a bombardment by British artillery, under General John Burgoyne, American forces retreat from Fort Ticonderoga, New York.

1779–The French defeat British naval forces in the Battle of Grenada, during the American Revolutionary War.

1781–Politician, Stamford Raffles, is born. He founded Singapore.

1782–Maria Luisa of Spain is born.

1785–The U.S. Congress names the currency in the new republic “the dollar,” and adopts decimal coinage.

1789–María Isabella of Spain is born.

1796–Nicholas I of Russia is born Nicholas Pavlovich Romanov at Gatchina Palace, Gatchina, Russian Empire.

1801–Outnumbered French Navy ships defeat the Royal Navy in the fortified Spanish port of Algeciras.

1809–In the second day of the Battle of Wagram, France defeats the Austrian army in the largest battle of the Napoleonic Wars.

1832–Maximilian I of Mexico is born.

1854–The first convention of the United States Republican Party is held in Jackson, Michigan.

1865–The first issue of The Nation magazine is published.

1868–Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom is born Victoria Alexandra Olga Mary at Marlborough House, London, England. She was a member of the British Royal Family, the fourth child and second daughter of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, and the younger sister of King George V.

1884–Businessman, Harold Stirling Vanderbilt, is born.

1885–Louis Pasteur successfully tests his vaccine against rabies on Joseph Meister, a boy who was bitten by a rabid dog.

1887–David Kalakaua, monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii, is forced to sign the Bayonet Constitution, which transfers much of the King's authority to the Legislature of the Kingdom of Hawaii.

1892–Dadabhai Naoroji is elected as the first Indian Member of Parliament in Britain.

1892–During the Homestead Strike, 3,800 striking steelworkers engage in a day-long battle with Pinkerton agents, leaving 10 dead and dozens wounded.

1893–Author and poet, Guy de Maupassant, dies.

1899–Super-centenarian, Susannah Mushatt, is born in Lowndes County, Alabama. She will live to the age of 116 years and 311 days. She was one of the last two surviving verified people who were born in the 1800s.

1907–Painter and educator, Frida Kahlo, is born in Mexico.

1907–Historian and author, George Stanley, is born. He designed the flag of Canada.

1914–Wrestling promoter, Vince McMahon, Sr., is born. He founded World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE).

1916–Symbolist painter, Odilon Redon, des in Paris, France, at age 76. During his early years as an artist, Redon's works were described as "a synthesis of nightmares and dreams," as they contained dark, fantastical figures from the artist's own imagination.

1917–Arabian troops, led by T.E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia") and Auda ibu Tayi, capture Aqaba from the Ottoman Empire during the Arab Revolt.

1918–Actor, Sebastian Cabot, is born Charles Sebastian Thomas Cabot in London, England. He is best known for the role of Mr. French on the TV sitcom Family Affair. He appeared in the films Love on the Dole, The Spider and the Fly, Wonder Boy, Ivanhoe, Romeo and Juliet, Kismet, Westward Ho, the Wagons!, Johnny Tremain, Terror in a Texas Town, Say One for Me, The Angry Hills, The Time Machine, and The Family Jewels.

1919–The first airship to cross the Atlantic, the British R-34, arrives in New York.

1921–Nancy Reagan, wife of President Ronald Reagan, is born Anne Frances Robbins in New York. She was the 40th First Lady of the United States. As Nancy Davis, she was a Hollywood actress in the 1940s and 1950s, starring in films such as The Next Voice You Hear..., Night Into Morning, and Donovan's Brain.

1922–Character actor, William Schallert, is born William Joseph Schallert in Los Angeles, California. He is best known for the role of Martin Lane on the TV series The Patty Duke Show. He also was one of the most visible actor on televison, appearing on Leave It to Beaver, The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, Father Knows Best, Wanted Dead or Alive, The Twilight Zone, Sea Hunt, One Step Beyond, The Rifleman, Perry Mason, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Rawhide, Star Trek, The Wild Wild West, That Girl, Get Smart, and The Waltons. He appeared in the films The Man from Planet X, Singin’ in the Rain, Invasion USA, The Jazz Singer, The High and the Mighty, Them!, Gunslinger, Written on the Wind, The Incredible Shrinking Man, The Monolith Monsters, Cry Terror!, Blue Denim, Pillow Talk, Lonely Are the Brave, In the Heat of the Night, Speedway, and The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes.

1923–Politician, Wojciech Jaruzelski, is born. He was the first President of Poland.

1923–The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is formed.

1924–Jazz drummer, Louie Bellson, is born Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni in Rock Falls, Illinois. At age 15, he pioneered the double-bass drum set-up. Then, at age 17, he triumphed over 40,000 drummers to win the Slingerland National Gene Krupa contest. Between 1943 and 1952, Bellson performed with Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, and Duke Ellington. He was married to singer, Pearl Bailey.

1925–Singer and TV personality, Merv Griffin, is born Mervyn Edward Griffin, Jr. in San Mateo, California. From 1965 to 1986, Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show. He also created the internationally popular game shows Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune through his television production companies, Merv Griffin Enterprises and Merv Griffin Entertainment.

1925–Rock and roller, Bill Haley, is born William John Clifton Haley in Highland Park, Michigan. He began his singing career with The Down Homers, and went on to form The Four Aces of Western Swing and The Saddlemen. They signed a record contract with Essex Records in 1952, as Bill Haley and the Saddlemen, then moved to Decca as Bill Haley and His Comets in 1954. Their biggest hits were Shake Rattle & Roll, Rock Around the Clock, and See You Later, Alligator.

1927–Actress, Janet Leigh, is born Jeanette Helen Morrison in Merced, California. She is best known for her starring role in the Alfred Hitchcock thriller Psycho. She appeared in the films Words and Music, Little Women, Holiday Affair, Angels in the Outfield, The Naked Spur, Houdini, Walking My Baby Back Home, Living It Up, Pete Kelley’s Blues, My Sister Eileen, Touch of Evil, Who Was That Lady?, The Manchurian Candidate, and Bye Bye Birdie. She was married to actor, Tony Curtis. Their daughter is actress, Jamie Lee Curtis.

1927–Comedian, Pat Paulsen, is born Patrick Layton Paulsen in South Bend, Washington. He is best known for his appearances on the TV variety show The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.

1931–Singer and actress, Della Reese, is born Delloreese Patricia Early in Detroit, Michigan. She is best known for her co-starring role on the TV series Touched by an Angel. She had a #1 hit with Don’t You Know in 1959. She appeared in the films Psychic Killer, Harlem Nights, A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, Dinosaur, Beauty Shop, and Expecting Mary.

1932–Writer, Kenneth Grahame, dies in Pangbourne, Berkshire, England, at age 73. He is best known for The Wind in the Willows, one of the classics of children's literature.

1933–The first Major League Baseball All-Star Game is played in Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois. The American League defeats the National League 4 to 2.

1935–The 14th Dalai Lama is born.

1936–A major breach of the Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal in England sends millions of gallons of water cascading 200 feet into the River Irwell.

1936–Comedian, Dave Allen, is born.

1936–A major breach of the Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal in England, sends millions of gallons of water cascading 200 feet into the River Irwell.

1937–Pianist and conductor, Vladimir Ashkenazy, is born.

1937–Actor, Ned Beatty, is born.

1937–Singer, Gene Chandler, is born.

1939–The last remaining Jewish enterprises in Germany are closed.

1939–Jet Harris, bass player for The Shadows snd The Jeff Beck Group, is born in England.

1940–Story Bridge, a major landmark in Brisbane, Australia, is formally opened.

1940–Country singer, Jeannie Seely, is born.

1941–Nazi Germany launches its offensive to encircle several Soviet armies near Smolensk, Russia.

1942–Anne Frank and her family go into hiding in the "Secret Annexe" above her father's office in a warehouse in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

1944–Jackie Robinson refuses to move to the back of a military bus, leading to a court-martial. Robinson was acquitted by an all-white panel of nine officers. Although his former unit, the 761st Tank Battalion, became the first black tank unit to see combat in World War II, Robinson's court-martial proceedings prohibited him from being deployed overseas, thus he never saw combat action.

1944–The Hartford circus fire, one of America's worst fire disasters, kills approximately 168 people and injures over 700 others in Hartford, Connecticut.

1944–Byron Berline, fiddle player for The Flying Burrito Brothers, is born.

1945–Actor, Burt Ward, is born. He is best known for the role of Robin on the 1960s TV series Batman.

1946–Politician, George W. Bush, is born. He was the 43rd President of the United States.

1946–Football player and actor, Fred Dryer, is born.

1946–Actor and director, Sylvester Stallone, is born.

1946–Fashion designer, Jeanne-Marie Lanvin, dies in Paris, France. Lanvin was the founder of the Lanvin fashion house and the perfume company Lanvin Parfums.

1947–The AK-47 goes into production in the Soviet Union.

1947–Model and actress, Shelley Hack, is born.

1951–Actor, Geoffrey Rush, is born in Australia.

1952–Actor, Grant Goodeve, is born.

1955–Baby Let's Play House becomes Elvis Presley's first single to place on the national charts.

1957–Althea Gibson wins the Wimbledon tennis championships, becoming the first black athlete to do so.

1957–The Quarry Men perform at a Garden Fete held at St. Peter's Church, Woolton, Liverpool. The group consists of John Lennon, Pete Shotton, Eric Griffiths, Colin Hanton, Rod Davis, and Len Garry. After an outside performance on a makeshift stage in a field behind the church, The Quarry Men begin setting up their instruments in the church hall for an evening dance. A 15-year-old friend of Ivan Vaughan, Paul McCartney, had arrived during the afternoon performance, and having been impressed with John Lennon's stage presence, they are introduced. McCartney, eager to impress Lennon, picks up a guitar and plays versions of the recent hits Twenty Flight Rock (by Eddie Cochran) and Be-Bop-A-Lula (by Gene Vincent). The best part of this historic meeting comes when Paul shows John and Eric Griffiths how to tune their guitars, something they'd been paying someone else to do for them. John recognizes Paul's talent right away, and realizing that The Quarry Men need Paul to strengthen them, and he decides to invite Paul to join his group. Bob Molyneux, using a reel-to-reel tape recorder belonging to his father, records John Lennon and The Quarry Men at the evening dance of the Woolton Garden Fete, St. Peter's Church, Woolton, Liverpool, England. Two songs, Putting On the Style and Baby Let’s Play House were recorded. Hans Gottfridsson reports that a portion of the recording is still in existence, and a sound clip purporting to be that recording is available on various web sites.

1958–Alaska becomes the 49th state in the United State of America.

1958–Actress, screenwriter and comedienne, Jennifer (Jane) Saunders, is born in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England. She is best known for her role on the BBC TV series Absolutely Fabulous. A member of the Comic Strip, Saunders and her comedy partner, Dawn French, wrote and starred in the comedy series French and Saunders. She also appeared in the BBC series about a Women's Institute called Jam & Jerusalem (aka Clatterford in the U.S.)

1961–The first issue of Bill Harry's Liverpool music newspaper, Mersey Beat, is published. Included in this issue is a witty article written by John Lennon entitled, "Being a Short Diversion on the Dubious Origins of Beatles." In the piece, written in the style that will later bring Lennon worldwide literary fame, he attributes the naming of The Beatles to “a mysterious man on a flaming pie.”

1962–As a part of Operation Plowshare, the Sedan nuclear test takes place.

1962–The Late Late Show, the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster, airs on RTÉ One in Ireland for the first time.

1962–Writer, William Faulkner, dies of a thrombosis-related heart attack at Wright's Sanatorium in Byhalia, Mississippi, at age 64. His novels include The Sound and the Fury, As I Lay Dying, A Fable, and The Reivers.

1964–Malawi declares its independence from the United Kingdom.

1964–The Beatles attend the London premiere of their first feature film, A Hard Day's Night. The movie is an instant international success with fans and critics alike.

1966–Malawi becomes a republic, with Hastings Banda as its first President.

1967–Nigerian forces invade Biafra, beginning the Nigerian Civil War.

1967–Estonian architect and educator, Hilda Taba, dies.

1969–John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and her daughter, Kyoko, leave Lawson Memorial Hospital in Golspie, Scotland, having recovered sufficiently from wounds received in an auto accident. They fly back to London, England, in a specially chartered helicopter. Their smashed car is crushed into a metallic cube and will be exhibited as a sculpture on the grounds of their Tittenhurst Park estate.

1971–Jazz musician, Louis Armstrong, dies.

1972–Actor, Brandon de Wilde, dies in an automobile accident in Denver, Colorado, at age 30. He appeared in the films A Member of the Wedding, Shane, Climax!, Good-bye, My Lady, Night Passage, The Missouri Traveler, Blue Denim, All Fall Down, Hud, Those Calloways, In Harm’s Way, The Trip, and Wild in the Sky.

1973–Composer and conductor, Otto Klemperer, dies from unknown causes in Zurich, Switzerland, at age 88. He is widely regarded as one of the leading conductors of the 20th century.

975–The Comoros declares independence from France.

1975–Rapper, 50 Cent, is born.

1976–Politician, Zhu De, dies. He was President of the People's Republic of China.

1979–Singer, Van McCoy, dies.

1986–Davis Phinney becomes the first American cyclist to win a road stage of the Tour de France.

1988–The Piper Alpha drilling platform in the North Sea is destroyed by explosions and fires. One hundred sixty-seven oil workers are killed, making it the world's worst offshore oil disaster in terms of direct loss of life.

1989–Fourteen bus passengers are killed when an Arab assaults the bus driver as the bus was driving by the edge of a cliff in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem.

1990–The Electronic Frontier Foundation, an international non-profit digital rights group based in San Francisco, California, is founded.

1995–In the Bosnian War, under the command of General Ratko Mladic, Serbia begins its attack on the Bosnian town of Srebrenica, killing more than 8,000 Bosniaks, in what then-UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali calls "the worst crime on European soil since the Second World War."

1997–In response to the Drumcree dispute, five days of mass protests, riots, and gun battles begin in Irish nationalist districts of Northern Ireland. The Drumcree dispute (or Drumcree standoff) is an ongoing conflict over yearly parades in the town of Portadown, Northern Ireland.

1998–Hong Kong International Airport opens in Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong, replacing Kai Tak Airport as the city's international airport.

1998–Singing cowboy, Roy Rogers, dies of congestive heart failure in Apple Valley, California, at age 86. He was a cowboy actor who was one of the most popular Western stars of his era. Known as the "King of the Cowboys," he appeared in over 100 films and on radio and television in episodes of The Roy Rogers Show. Most of the time he appeared with his wife, Dale Evans, his golden palomino, Trigger, and his German Shepherd dog, Bullet.

1999–U.S. Army private, Barry Winchell, dies from baseball-bat injuries inflicted on him in his sleep the previous day by a fellow soldier, Calvin Glover, for his relationship with transgender showgirl and former Navy Corpsman, Calpernia Addams.

2002–Film director, John Frankenheimer, dies from a stroke in Los Angeles, California, at age 72. His films include The Young Stranger, The Young Savages, All Fall Down, Birdman of Alcatraz, The Manchurian Candidate, Seven Days in May, Seconds, Grand Prix, and I Walk the Line.

2003–The 70-metre Yevpatoria Planetary Radar sends a METI message (Cosmic Call 2) to five stars: Hip 4872, HD 245409, 55 Cancri (HD 75732), HD 10307, and 47 Ursae Majoris (HD 95128). The messages will arrive to the stars in 2036, 2040, 2044, 2044, and 2049.

2003–Musician, Skip Battin, dies of complications from Alzheimer's disease in a care facility in Salem, Oregon, at age 69. He worked with The Byrds, New Riders of the Purple Sage, and The Flying Burrito Brothers. Prior to that, he had two hits as Skip & Flip with It Was I and their cover of Cherry Pie.

2003–Actor, Buddy Ebsen, dies of respiratory failure in Torrence California, at age 95. He is best known for the role of Jed Clampett on the TV comedy series The Beverly Hillbillies. He appeared in the films Night People, Red Garters, Between Heaven and Hell, Breakfast at Tiffiany’s, The Interns, Mail Order Bride, and The One and Only Genuine Original Family Band.

2005–A series of four explosions occur on the transport system in London, England, killing 56 people (including four suicide bombers) and injuring over 700 others.

2006–The Nathu La pass between India and China, sealed during the Sino-Indian War, re-opens for trade after 44 years.

2006–Actress, Kasey Rogers, dies of cancer in Los Angeles, California, at age 80. She is best known for the role of Julie Anderson for 254 episodes on the long-running prime time soap opera Peyton Place. She appeared in the films No Man of Her Own, Riding High, Dark City, A Place in the Sun, Strangers on a Train, When Worlds Collide, and About Mrs. Leslie.

2009–Robert S. McNamara, U.S. Secretary of Defense (1961-1968), dies in his sleep in Washington, D.C., at age 93.

2013–At least 42 people are killed in a shooting at a school in Yobe State, Nigeria.

2013–A Boeing 777 operating as Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crashes at San Francisco International Airport, killing three people and injuring 181 of the 307 people on board.

2013–A 73-car oil train derails in the town of Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, Canada, and explodes into flames, killing at least 47 people and destroying more than 30 buildings in the town's central area.

2015–Country singer, Blake Shelton, files for divorce from his wife of four years, country singer, Miranda Lambert.

2015–Film producer, Jerry Weintraub, dies of cardiac arrest in Santa Barbara, California, at age 77. He began his career as a talent agent, having managed relatively unknown singer John Denver in 1970. He has been credited with making "show business history" by being the first to organize and manage large arena concert tours for singers. Among the performers whose tours he managed are Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, and Led Zeppelin. Following his years as a concert promoter, he began producing films. His films include Nashville, Oh, God!, Cruising, Diner, The Karate Kid, The Avengers, and Ocean’s Eleven.

2016–The price of nickel swings wildly after Philippines environment secretary, Gina Lopez, announces plans to close existing mines in the country.

2016–Gretchen Carlson, a longtime Fox News Channel anchor, files a lawsuit claiming that Roger Ailes, Chairman of Fox News, fired her from the network last month after she refused his sexual advances and complained to him about discriminatory treatment in the newsroom.

2017–President Donald Trump visits Warsaw, Poland, where he speaks of defeating radical Islamist terrorism, pledges to uphold the North Atlantic Treaty, and urges Russia to "join the community of responsible nations."

2017–Hackers steal over $1 million and user data from South Korea's Bithumb, one of the world's biggest Ethereum and Bitcoin cryptocurrency exchanges.

2017–French Ecology Minister, Nicolas Hulot, announces France plans to ban the sale of gas and diesel vehicles by 2040.

2017–Scientists announce the detection of a new subatomic particle at the Large Hadron Collider.

2017–In a meeting held in the city of Kraków, Poland, UNESCO decides not to include Machu Picchu on its list of endangered heritage sites, due to the steps taken by Peruvian authorities to address concerns about the condition of the Inca citadel.

2018–The wreckage of Nazi German submarine U-966, which was sunk in November 1943, is discovered off the coast of Galicia, Spain.

2018–Singer, Elvis Costello, cancels the rest of his European summer tour after undergoing surgery for a "small but very aggressive" cancerous tumor.


PHOTOS TOP TO BOTTOM: Henry II of England; Regiomontanus; John Paul Jones; first issue of The Nation magazine; Guy de Maupassant; Sebastian Cabot; Louie Bellson; Janet Leigh; the Dalai Lama; Jett Harris; Burt Ward; Grant Goodeve; Jennifer Saunders; premiere of A Hard Day's Night in London, England; Brandon de Wilde; Roy Rogers; Buddy Ebsen; and Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert.
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