Historical Events 1594 - Having already inherited the throne of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth through his mother‚ Catherine Jagellonica of Poland‚ Sigismund III of the House of Vasa is crowned King of Sweden‚ succeeding his father John III of Sweden. 1897 - Inaugural meeting of the Women's Institute at Stoney Creek‚ Ontario‚ set at the suggestion of Adelaide Hoodless‚ the organization will rapidly spread around the world 1928 - World champion French team Andrée Joly and Pierre Brunet win the Olympic pairs figure skating gold medal at the St. Moritz Winter Games; the couple marry in 1929 and take 2nd straight gold in 1932 1943 - German tanks under Major General Karl Buelowius attack Kasserine Pass‚ Tunisia 1977 - France performs nuclear test at Mururoa atoll 1987 - Musical revue "Stardust - The Mitchell Parish Musical"‚ featuring songs of the Lithuanian-American lyricist‚ opens at Biltmore Theater‚ NYC; runs for 101 performances More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1755 - Pieter Gerardus van Overstraten‚ Dutch Governor-General of Dutch East Indies (1796-1801)‚ born in Bergen op Zoom (d. 1801) 1881 - Evert Gorter‚ Dutch children's pioneering paediatrician (founder of Dutch medical child care)‚ born in Utrecht‚ Netherlands (d. 1954) 1916 - Eddie Arcaro‚ American Racing Hall of Fame jockey (Triple Crown 1941 Whirlaway‚ 1948 Citation)‚ born in Cincinnati‚ Ohio (d. 1997) 1952 - Gaëtan Dugas‚ French Canadian flight attendant and HIV patient erroneously vilifed as "Patient Zero"‚ born in Quebec City‚ Quebec (d. 1984) 1970 - Ruwan Kalpage‚ Sri Lankan cricket off-spinner 1983 - Assunta De Rossi‚ Filipino actress More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1936 - Charles Harding Firth‚ British historian (b. 1857) 1994 - Vittorio Rieti‚ Jewish Italian-American composer‚ dies at 96 1995 - John Howard‚ American actor (The Philadelphia Story; My Three Sons)‚ dies of heart failure at 81 1996 - Brenda Bruce‚ actress (December Bride‚ Nightmare)‚ dies at 77 2016 - [Nelle] Harper Lee‚ American author (To Kill a Mockingbird)‚ dies at 89 2023 - Richard Belzer‚ American comedian‚ actor (Homicide: Life on the Street; Law and Order: SVU - both shows "Det. John Munch") and author (How To Be A Stand-Up; UFOs‚ JFK‚ and Elvis: Conspiracies You Don’t Have to Be Crazy to Believe)‚ dies at 78 More Famous Deaths »