What Happened on April 12

Historical Events

1862 – Union troops occupy Fort Pulaski, Georgia
1908 – Fire at the Boston Blacking Company (producer of leather dyes), spreads by high wind, kills 19 and makes 17,000 homeless in Chelsea, Massachusetts
1953 – Keizo Yamada runs fastest marathon to date, at Boston
1954 – Belgian Van Houtte government resigns
1973 – France recognizes North Vietnam
1989 – Peter Ueberroth deal to purchase Eastern Airlines falls through

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Famous Birthdays

1801 – Henry de Cock, Dutch reformed vicar and secession leader, born in Veendam, Groningen, the Netherlands (d. 1842)
1840 – Edmond Audran, French composer, born in Lyon, France (d. 1901)
1883 – Imogen Cunningham, American photographer (1965 ASMP award), born in Portland, Oregon (d. 1976)
1908 – Virginia Cherrill, American actress (City Lights; Lake Extra; Brat), born in Santa Barbara, California (d. 1996)
1948 – Lois Reeves, American singer (Martha and the Vandellas, 1969-72), born in Detroit, Michigan
1956 – Doris Baaten, Dutch actress (Sesame Street, Fien), born in Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands

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Famous Deaths

1748 – William Kent, English sculptor/architect (Kensington Palace), dies
1960 – Archibald McIndoe, New Zealand plastic surgeon pioneer who rehabilitated badly burned Royal Air Force crew during WWII, dies in his sleep of a heart attack at 59 [or 11 April]
1977 – Philip K Wrigley, baseball owner (Chicago Cubs), dies at 82
1987 – Mike Von Erich, American wrestler
2007 – Kevin Crease, Australian TV anchor (b. 1936)
2019 – Tommy Smith, English soccer defender (1 cap; Football League Div 1 1966, 73, 76, 77; FA Cup 1965, 74; European Cup 1977; Liverpool 467 games), dies at 74

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