Today in History for 17th April 2024
Historical Events
1961 – 65th Boston Marathon won by Eino Oksanen of Finland in 2:23:39; his 2nd event title
1967 – Italian boxer Nino Benvenuti beats American Emile Griffith in a 15 round points decision to win world middleweight crown at Madison Square Garden; start of famous trilogy of fights between the pair
1969 – Mont Expos Bill Stoneman no-hits Phillies, 7-0
1969 – The Band (formerly The Hawks), perform their 1st concert, at Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, California
1979 – Four Royal Ulster Constabulary officers are killed by a Provisional Irish Republican Army van bomb in Bessbrook, County Armagh; the bomb is believed to be the largest PIRA bomb used up to that point
1981 – New York Islander Dennis Potvin’s 3 playoff power-play goals vs Edmonton Oilers tie NHL record
Famous Birthdays
1865 – Ursula Ledóchowska, Polish-Austrian Catholic saint and foundress of the Ursulines of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus, born in Loosdorf, Austrian Empire (d. 1939)
1912 – Isador Caplan, British lawyer and Aldeburgh Festival pioneer, born in Blackpool, England (d. 1995)
1914 – George Davis, American art director (20th Century Fox), born in Kokomo, Indiana (d. 1984)
1961 – Frank J. Christensen, American labor leader, born in Chicago, Illinois
1970 – Redman [Reginald Noble], American rapper, born in Newark, New Jersey
1983 – Stanislav Chistov, Russian ice hockey player, born in Chelyabinsk, Russia
Famous Deaths
1962 – Louise Fazenda, American vaudeville, and silent and sound screen actress (Mack Sennett comedies), dies of cerebral hemorrhage at 66
1971 – Carmen Lombardo, Canadian musician, dies at 67
1974 – Vinnie Taylor, rocker (Canned Heat), dies of a drug overdose
1997 – Allan Francovich, American documentarian
2013 – Deanna Durbin [Edna Mae Durbin], Canadian actress and vocalist (Every Sunday, Three Smart Girls, 100 Men and a Girl), dies at 91
2021 – Fred Arbanas, American football tight end (All-AFL 1962–67; Super Bowl 1970; Dallas Texans / Kansas City Chiefs), dies at 82