Today in History for 21st September 2022

[CoM Moderators]

Historical Events

1921 - A storage silo at a BASF fertiliser producing plant explodes in Oppau, Germany, 500—600 killed
1950 - George Marshall sworn in as the 3rd Secretary of Defense of the United States
1951 - Emil Zatopek runs 15,000m in record 44 min, 54.6 sec
1970 - "Monday Night Football" created by Roone Arledge, premieres on ABC - Browns 31, Jets 21
1973 - Jackson Pollocks painting "Blue Poles" sold for $2,000,000
1988 - Mike Tyson smashes TV camera outside his Bernardsville, New Jersey home

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Famous Birthdays

1866 - H. G. Wells, English sci-fi author (War of the Worlds, Kipps), born in Bromley, Kent (d. 1946)
1898 - Tushar Kanti Ghosh, Indian journalist and world's oldest and longest serving newspaper editor
1941 - Tony Moon, American doo-wop singer, arranger, guitarist (Dante and the Evergreens - "Alley Oop"), producer, and songwriter ("Soldier of Love"), born in Los Angeles, California
1969 - Jason Christiansen, pitcher (Pittsburgh Pirates), born in Omaha, Nebraska
1970 - Michael O'Shea, Canadian CFL linebacker (Toronto Argonauts), born in North Bay, Ontario
1973 - Oswaldo Sanchez, Mexican footballer

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Famous Deaths

1974 - Jacqueline Susann, American author (Valley of the Dolls), dies of cancer at 56
1988 - Robert Gwathmey, artist, dies at 85
1993 - Fernand Ledoux, Belgian-French actor (L'Homme de Londres), dies at 96
1996 - Sabine Zlatin, Polish-born French nurse, who tried save Izieu children from Nazis, dies at 89
2000 - Bryan Smith, Man who ran over Stephen King (b. 1957)
2011 - Troy Anthony Davis, American high-profile death row inmate and human rights activist (executed) (b. 1968)

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[mike carey]

7 hours ago, CoM Moderators said:

1973 - Jackson Pollocks painting "Blue Poles" sold for $2,000,000

Its purchase by the National Gallery of Australia was a national scandal as a 'waste of money'. It is now one of the most valuable and iconic works in the Gallery's collection and is universally agreed to have been a brilliant purchase.