ON THIS DAY
1767:
Georg Telemann, the most prolific composer of all time, died in Hamburg. He wrote more than 1,000 cantatas, 40 operas, 120 concertos, 44 passions, 600 orchestral suites and 12 sets of church services with pieces for every Sunday of the year.
1797:
Admiral Nelson was wounded in the right arm by grapeshot. He had it amputated that afternoon.
1876:
Custer’s Last Stand took place at Little Big Horn, Montana. The Sioux Indians, led by Crazy Horse, killed Custer and all 264 soldiers of his 7th US Cavalry. 1945:
The United Nations Organisation was founded. 1953:
John Christie was sentenced to death for murdering four women including his wife. He is believed to have killed three others, including Beryl Evans and her daughter in 1950, for which Timothy Evans was found guilty and hanged.
1968:
Comedian Tony Hancock killed himself in a hotel bedroom in Sydney, Australia.
1969:
Pancho Gonzalez and Charlie Pasarell played a record 112-game singlesmatch on Wimbledon’s Centre Court, lasting five hours 12 minutes. Gonzalez, aged 41, won.
1990:
7,000 king penguins killed themselves on uninhabited sub-Antarctic Macquaine Island. Bodies were piled four deep in this bizarre mass suicide, and the reason remains a complete mystery.
2009:
Tributes from the world of music, film and celebrity flooded in following the death of 50-year-old “King of Pop” Michael Jackson.
ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR:
The final episode of Conan O’Brien’s late night show aired.
BIRTHDAYS:
Roy Marsden, actor, 81; Carly Simon, singer/ songwriter, 77; Tim Finn, musician, 70; Johnny Herbert, racing driver, 58; Jamie Redknapp, ex-footballer turned pundit, 49; Iestyn Harris, former rugby league player/coach, 46.