What Happened on April 17

Historical Events

1941 – Egyptian steamer SS Zamzam attacked and later scuttled by German cruiser Atlantis (all on board rescued)
1960 – American Samoa sets up a constitutional government
1983 – 1st National Coin Week begins
1984 – Braves pitcher Pascual Perez suspended due to cocaine usage
1993 – STS-56 (Discovery) lands
2018 – Protests across India at the rape and murder of an 8-year old Muslim girl in Kathua, Bengalu

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Famous Birthdays

1710 – Henry Erskine, 10th Earl of Buchan, British Freemason (d. 1767)
1863 – Johannes Petrus Boskaljon, Curacaoian composer and conductor, born in Willemstad (d. 1936)
1905 – Arthur Lake [Arthur William Silverlake], American actor (Blondie, Topper), born in Corbin, Kentucky (d. 1987)
1938 – David Dilks, British historian and vice-chancellor (Hull U), born in Foleshill, Coventry
1954 – Roddy Piper, Canadian pro wrestler (WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight C’ship 1992; World Tag Team C’ship [Ric Flair] 2006), born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada (d. 2015)
1961 – Norman Cowans, Jamaican cricketer (England fast bowler in 19 Tests 1982-85), born in St. Mary, Jamaica

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Famous Deaths

818 – Bernhard I, King of Italy, dies
1630 – Christian I, German Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg who led an army of 21,000 Bohemians at the Battle of White Mountain, dies at 61
1713 – David Hollatz, Pomeranian dogmatician (b. 1648)
1835 – William Henry Ireland, English forger (Shakespearean manuscripts), dies
1996 – Jose Luis Lopez Aranguren, philosopher, dies at 86
2004 – Edmond Pidoux, Swiss writer (L’histoire de Jonas), dies at 95

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