Today in History for 6th April 2025
Historical Events
1896 – First modern Summer Olympic Games open in Athens, Greece; American athlete James Connolly becomes the first modern Olympic champion when he wins the triple jump (then 2 hops and a jump); later places 3rd in long jump and 2nd in high jump
1903 – In Holland, railroad and dock workers go out on strike, but the government passes anti-strike bills, calls out troops, and promptly ends the strike on the 13th April
1939 – US and UK agree on joint control of Canton and Enderbury Is (Pacific)
1954 – US performs atmospheric nuclear test at Bikini Island
1986 – Soccer ball juggled non-stop for 14:14 hrs
1987 – 22nd Academy of Country Music Awards: Hank Williams Jr, Randy Travis, and Reba McEntire win
Famous Birthdays
1773 – James Mill, Scottish philosopher and historian (History of British India), born in Angus, Scotland (d. 1836)
1886 – “Smokey” Joe Williams, American Baseball HOF pitcher (NgL, Mexico, Caribbean 1905-32; no-hitter 1919 NY Lincoln Giants), born in Seguin, Texas (d. 1951)
1890 – André-Louis Danjon, French astronomer (invented Danjon astrolabe), born in Caen, France (d. 1967)
1924 – Charlie Rouse, American hard bop tenor saxophonist (Thelonious Monk Quartet; Sphere), born in Washington, D.C. (d. 1988)
1960 – Warren Haynes, American rock and blues guitarist (The Allman Brothers Band), born in Asheville, North Carolina
1965 – Rica Reinisch, German DR, 100m/200m backstroke (Olympic gold 1980)
Famous Deaths
912 – Nottker “the Stamelaar”, benedictine monk/poet, dies at about 71
1605 – John Stow, English historian (Survey of London), dies
1902 – Gleb Uspensky, Russian author (Power of the Soil), dies at 58
1989 – Elizabeth Becker-Pinkston, American diver (Olympic gold 3m springboard 1924; 10m platform 1928), dies at 86
2014 – Jacques Castérède, French composer and pianist (Pandora’s Box), dies at 87
2016 – Dennis Davis, American jazz, rock and funk drummer (Roy Ayers; David Bowie, 1975-80; Stevie Wonder), dies of cancer at 66
