Today in History for 12th April 2025
Historical Events
1861 – Fort Sumter in South Carolina is attacked by the Confederacy, beginning the American Civil War
1877 – Catcher’s mask 1st used in a baseball game
1986 – 20,000 mine workers protest closing of Hasselt Belgium mines
1989 – Peter Ueberroth deal to purchase Eastern Airlines falls through
2002 – Pedro Carmona becomes interim President of Venezuela during the military coup against Hugo Chávez.
Famous Birthdays
1705 – William Cookworthy, English chemist, born in Kingsbridge, Devon (d. 1780)
1942 – Bill Bryden, Scottish stage director (National Theatre), film director, and screenwriter, born in Greenock, Scotland (d. 2022)
1945 – Doug Riley, Canadian jazz keyboard player (Dr. Music), and musical director (Famous People Players), born in Toronto, Ontario (d. 2007)
1949 – Scott Turow, American lawyer and author (Presumed Innocent), born in Chicago, Illinois
1979 – Elena Grosheva, Russian gymnast (Olympic 1996), born in Yaroslavl, Russia
Famous Deaths
238 – Gordian II, Roman co-Emperor with his father Gordian I, killed in battle at Carthage
1550 – Claude of Lorraine, duke of Guise, dies at 53
2007 – Kevin Crease, Australian TV anchor (b. 1936)
2019 – Forrest Gregg, American Pro Football HOF tackle (9 x Pro Bowl; 7 × First-team All-Pro; Green Bay Packers) and coach (Cleveland Browns, Toronto Argonauts, Cincinnati Bengals, GB Packers), dies of Parkinson’s disease at 85
2020 – Stirling Moss, British auto racer (16 x F1 Grand Prix; World F1 Drivers C’ship runner-up 1955-58; 12 Hours of Sebring 1954) and broadcaster (ABC F1, NASCAR), dies at 90
