ON THIS DAY IN RECENT HISTORY ~ APRIL 21

ON THIS DAY IN RECENT HISTORY ~ APRIL 21

1904 - Ty Cobb makes his pro debut for Augusta (South Atlantic League).
1913 - German passenger ship Imperator runs aground.
1913 - Gideon Sundback of Sweden patents the zipper.
1918 - World War I: German fighter "The Red Baron", is shot down and killed over Vaux sur Somme in France.

1925 - Noel Coward's "Fallen Angels," premieres in London.
1930 - Fire at Ohio State Penitentiary kills 322.
1941 - Greece surrenders to nazi-Germany.
1945 - He Shima Okinawa conquered in 5 days, 5,000 die.
1948 - 1st Polaroid camera is sold in US.

1952 - Secretary's Day (now Administrative Professionals' Day) is first celebrated.
1954 - Gregori Malenkov becomes premier of USSR.
1956 - Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel," becomes #1.
1962 - Century 21 Exposition opens in Seattle, Washington.
1963 - Beatles meet Rolling Stones for 1st time.
1965 - The Beach Boys appear on ABC-TV's "Shindig!" and perform "Do You Wanna Dance?"

 

Shindig 1965

1967 - Josef Stalin's daughter, Svetlana Alliluyeva, defects to US.Josef Stalin's daughter, Svetlana Alliluyeva, defects to US.
1972 - John Young & Charles Duke explores Moon (Apollo 16).
1972 - Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 4 (Copernicus) launched.
1976 - Swine Flu vaccine, for non-epidemic, enters testing.
1977 - "Annie" opens at Alvin Theater NYC for 2377 performances.

1977 - Billy Martin pulls Yankee line-up out of a hat, beats Blue Jays 8-6.
1977 - Natalie Cole and John Denver are guests on Frank Sinatra's ABC-TV special "Sinatra & Friends".
1982 - Dr Michael E Bakey performs 1st successful heart implant.
1983 - 1 pound coin introduced in United Kingdom.
1984 - After 37 weeks, "Thriller" is knocked off as top album by "Footloose."

1984 - Centers for Disease Cont says virus discovered in France causes AIDS.
1986 - Bob Hering sets Formula One power boat record (165.338 mph, Ariz).
1986 - Geraldo Rivera opens Al Capone's vault on TV & finds nothing.

1989 - Thousands of Chinese crowd into Beijing's Tiananmen Square cheering students demanding greater political freedom.
1990 - "Cartoon All Stars to Rescue" shown on all 4 TV networks.
1990 - National League umpire is arrested for stealing baseball cards.
1991 - 52nd PGA Seniors Golf Championship: Jack Nicklaus.

1992 - "High Rollers" opens at Helen Hayes theater on Broadway.
1992 - Mobil Oil tug with 12,000 gallons of oil run aground in Arthur Kill.
1993 - Brazil votes against a monarchy.
1994 - The first discoveries of extrasolar planets are announced by astronomer Alexander Wolszczan.
1995 - FBI arrested Timothy McVeigh & charge him with Oklahoma City bombing.
1997 - Ashes of Gene Roddenberry launched into orbit.

Famous Birthdays

1915 - Anthony Quinn, Mexico, actor, Zorba the Greek, Lawrence of Arabia)
1926 - Elizabeth, Alexandra Mary Windsor II, Queen of England, 1952- )
1930 - Don Tyson, founder, Tyson Foods)
1932 - Elaine May, Phila Pa, comedienne/writer/actress, New Leaf)
1935 - Charles Grodin, Pitt, actor, Woman in Red, Lonely Guy, Heartbreak Kid)
1947 - Iggy Pop, [James Osterberg], Mich, rocker (Zombie Birdhouse)
1951 - Tony Danza, Brooklyn, (Tony Banta-Taxi, Tony Micelli-Who's the Boss)
1958 - Andie MacDowell, [Rosali Anderson], SC, actress (Green Card, Ground Hog Day)

 

Famous Deaths

 

1910 - Mark Twain, [Samuel Clemens], auther (Huckleberry Finn), dies at 74.
1918 - "Red Baron", [Manfred von Richtofen], shot down in WW I at 25.

1996 - Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder, oddsmaker/sportscaster (CBS), dies at 76.

1999 - Charles 'Buddy' Rogers, American actor and musician (b. 1904)
2000 - Neal Matthews, Jr., American singer (b. 1929)

2008 - Al Wilson, American singer (b. 1939)