Historical Events 1597 - A group of early Japanese Christians‚ known as the 26 Martyrs‚ are killed by the new government of Japan for being seen as a threat to Japanese society 1927 - "The General"‚ American silent film starring Buster Keaton and Marion Mack‚ co-directed by Keaton and Clyde Bruckman‚ premieres in New York City 1938 - Hans Engnestangen skates world record 500m (41.8 sec) 1948 - Gretchen Fraser becomes 1st US woman Olympic ski slalom champion 1962 - Black and White parents stage an overnight sit-in after school board denies transfer requests of nine Black families for their children to be transferred to newer school facility in Englewood‚ New Jersey 1988 - 1st prime-time wrestling match in 30 yrs‚ André the Giant defeats Hulk Hogan More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1519 - René of Châlon‚ (d. 1544) 1921 - Ken Adam‚ British film production designer (James Bond sets)‚ born in Berlin‚ Germany (d. 2016) 1939 - Patric Standford‚ British composer (Taikayoku; Christus Requiem)‚ born in Barnsley‚ Yorkshire‚ England (d. 2014) 1966 - Rok Petrovič‚ Slovenian skier‚ born in Ljubljana‚ Slovenia (d. 1993) 1975 - Jan l'Ami‚ Dutch soccer player (Willem II)‚ born in Breda‚ Netherlands 1986 - Reed Sorenson‚ American stock car racing driver‚ born in Peachtree City‚ Georgia More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1812 - Franz Schneider‚ Austrian composer‚ dies at 74 1926 - André Gedalge‚ French composer (le Petit Savoyard‚ Phoebé) and Mayor of Chessy‚ Seine-et-Marne‚ dies at 69 1961 - Anthony Gustav de Rothschild‚ British philanthropist‚ dies at 73 1975 - Ã…ke Persson‚ Swedish bebop jazz trombonist (Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band‚ 1963–71)‚ dies at 42 1977 - Izaak Boleslavski‚ Russian chess player‚ dies at 67 2005 - Gnassingbé Eyadéma‚ General and President of Togo (1967-2005)‚ dies of a heart attack at 69 More Famous Deaths »