On This Day
This Day in History: (8-May)
Joan I, Countess of Auvergne (d. 1360)
John Tiptoft, 1st Earl of Worcester, Lord High Treasurer (d. 1470)
Frederick I, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (d. 1536)
Andrea Alciato, Italian jurist and writer (d. 1550)
Charles Wriothesley, English Officer of Arms (d. 1562)
Peter Canisius, Dutch-Swiss priest and saint (d. 1597)
Thomas Drury, English government informer and swindler (d. 1603)
Victor Amadeus I, Duke of Savoy (d. 1637)
Claes Rålamb, Swedish politician (d. 1698)
Angelo Italia, Sicilian Jesuit and architect (d. 1700)
Niels Juel, Norwegian-Danish admiral (d. 1697)
Heino Heinrich Graf von Flemming, German field marshal and politician (d. 1706)
Giovanni Battista Gaulli, Italian artist (d. 1709)
Nicolaes Witsen, Mayor of Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1717)
Claude Louis Hector de Villars, French general and politician, French Minister of Defence (d. 1734)
Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans, English soldier and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire (d. 1726)
William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 1764)
Nathaniel Dance-Holland, English painter and politician (d. 1811)
Edward Gibbon, English historian and politician (d. 1794)
Carl Stamitz, German violinist and composer (d. 1801)
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, Mexican priest and rebel leader (d. 1811)
John Vianney, French priest and saint (d. 1859)
Edward Tompkins, American lawyer and politician (d. 1872)
Samuel Leonard Tilley, Canadian pharmacist and politician, 3rd Premier of New Brunswick (d. 1896)
William Henry Vanderbilt, American businessman and philanthropist (d. 1885)
William Walker, American physician, lawyer, journalist and mercenary (d. 1860)
George Bruce Malleson, English-Indian colonel and author (d. 1898)
Henry Dunant, Swiss businessman and activist, co-founded the Red Cross, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1910)
Charbel Makhluf, Lebanese monk and saint (d. 1898)
Louis Moreau Gottschalk, American pianist and composer (d. 1869)
Bertalan Székely, Hungarian painter and academic (d. 1910)
Adolphe-Basile Routhier, Canadian judge, author, and songwriter (d. 1920)
Emil Christian Hansen, Danish physiologist and mycologist (d. 1909)
Oscar Hammerstein I, American businessman and composer (d. 1919)
Ross Barnes, American baseball player and manager (d. 1915)
Dan Brouthers, American baseball player and manager (d. 1932)
Heinrich Berté, Slovak-Austrian composer (d. 1924)
J. Meade Falkner, English author and poet (d. 1932)
Johan Jensen, Danish mathematician and engineer (d. 1925)
Margarete Böhme, German novelist (d. 1939)
Wesley Coe, American shot putter, discus thrower, and tug of war competitor (d. 1926)
Harry S. Truman, American colonel and politician, 33rd President of the United States (d. 1972)
Thomas B. Costain, Canadian journalist and author (d. 1965)
Adriaan Pelt, Dutch journalist and diplomat (d. 1981)
Francis Ouimet, American golfer (d. 1967)
Edd Roush, American baseball player and coach (d. 1988)
Teddy Wakelam, English rugby player and sportscaster (d. 1963)
James H. Kindelberger, American businessman (d. 1962)
Fulton J. Sheen, American archbishop (d. 1979)
Edmund Wilson, American critic, essayist, and editor (d. 1972)
Aloysius Stepinac, Croatian cardinal (d. 1960)
Arthur Q. Bryan, American actor, voice actor, comedian and radio personality (d. 1959)
Friedrich Hayek, Austrian economist and philosopher, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1992)
Jacques Heim, French fashion designer (d. 1967)
Turkey Stearnes, American baseball player (d. 1979)
André Michel Lwoff, French microbiologist and physician, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1994)
Fernandel, French actor and singer (d. 1971)
Mary Stewart, Baroness Stewart of Alvechurch, British politician and educator (d. 1984)
John Snagge, English journalist (d. 1996)
Red Nichols, American cornet player, composer, and bandleader (d. 1965)
Roberto Rossellini, Italian director and screenwriter (d. 1977)
George Male, English footballer (d. 1998)
Andrew E. Svenson, American author and publisher (d. 1975)
Mary Lou Williams, American pianist and composer (d. 1981)
Wilhelm Friedrich de Gaay Fortman, Dutch jurist and politician, Dutch Minister of The Interior (d. 1997)
Robert Johnson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1938)
George Woodcock, Canadian author and poet (d. 1995)
Bob Clampett, American animator, director, and producer (d. 1984)
Sid James, South African-English actor and singer (d. 1976)
Milton Meltzer, American historian and author (d. 2009)
João Havelange, Brazilian water polo player, lawyer, and businessman (d. 2016)
Chinmayananda Saraswati, Indian spiritual leader and educator (d. 1993)
Ramananda Sengupta, Indian cinematographer
John Anderson, Jr., American lawyer and politician, 36th Governor of Kansas (d. 2014)
Lex Barker, American actor (d. 1973)
Saul Bass, American graphic designer and director (d. 1996)
Tom of Finland, Finnish illustrator (d. 1991)
Sloan Wilson, American author and poet (d. 2003)
Gordon McClymont, Australian ecologist and academic (d. 2000)
Mary Q. Steele, American naturalist and author (d. 1992)
S. Vithiananthan, Sri Lankan author and academic (d. 1989)
Ali Hassan Mwinyi, Tanzanian politician, 2nd President of Tanzania
David Attenborough, English environmentalist and television host
David Hurst, German actor
Don Rickles, American comedian and actor (d. 2017)
Chumy Chúmez, Spanish actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 2003)
László Paskai, Hungarian cardinal (d. 2015)
Robert Conley, American journalist (d. 2013)
Ted Sorensen, American lawyer, 8th White House Counsel (d. 2010)
Claude Castonguay, Canadian banker and politician
Miyoshi Umeki, Japanese-American actress and singer (d. 2007)
Heather Harper, Northern Irish soprano
Doug Atkins, American football player (d. 2015)
René Maltête, French photographer and poet (d. 2000)
Gary Snyder, American poet, essayist, and translator
Julieta Campos, Cuban-Mexican author and translator (d. 2007)
Phyllida Law, Scottish actress
Harry Wells, Australian rugby league player
Leonard Hoffmann, Baron Hoffmann, South African-English lawyer and judge
Maurice Norman, English footballer
David Williamson, Baron Williamson of Horton, English soldier and politician
Lucius Cary, 15th Viscount Falkland, Scottish politician
Jack Charlton, English footballer and manager
Kazuo Koike, Japanese author
Haljand Udam, Estonian orientalist and academic (d. 2005)
Bernard Cleary, Canadian journalist, academic, and politician
Mike Cuellar, Cuban-American baseball player (d. 2010)
Carlos Gaviria Díaz, Colombian lawyer and politician (d. 2015)
Thomas Pynchon, American novelist
Javed Burki, Indian-Pakistani cricketer
Jean Giraud, French author and illustrator (d. 2012)
Paul Drayton, American sprinter (d. 2010)
Peter Benchley, American author and screenwriter (d. 2006)
James Blyth, Baron Blyth of Rowington, English businessman and academic
Irwin Cotler, Canadian lawyer and politician, 47th Canadian Minister of Justice
Ricky Nelson, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor (d. 1985)
Toni Tennille, American singer-songwriter and keyboard player
John Fred, American singer-songwriter (d. 2005)
Bill Lockyer, American academic and politician, 30th Attorney General of California
James Traficant, American lawyer and politician (d. 2014)
Martin Dobkin, Canadian doctor and politician, 2nd Mayor of Mississauga
Robin Hobbs, English cricketer
Norman Lamont, Scottish banker and politician, Chancellor of the Exchequer
Pierre Morency, Canadian poet and playwright
Terry Neill, Irish footballer and manager
Pat Barker, English author
Johnny Greaves, Australian rugby league player
Jon Mark, English-New Zealand singer-songwriter and guitarist
Paul Samwell-Smith, English bass player and producer
Danny Whitten, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1972)
Gary Glitter, English singer-songwriter
Bill Legend, English drummer
Arthur Docters van Leeuwen, Dutch jurist and politician
Mike German, Baron German, Welsh educator and politician, Deputy First Minister for Wales
Janine Haines, Australian politician (d. 2004)
Keith Jarrett, American pianist and composer
André Boulerice, Canadian politician
Jonathan Dancy, English philosopher, author, and academic
H. Robert Horvitz, American biologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
Felicity Lott, English soprano
John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan, Scottish historian and politician, Secretary of State for Defence
Steve Braun, American baseball player and coach
Stephen Stohn, American-Canadian lawyer and producer
David Vines, Australian economist and academic
Robert Mugge, American director and producer
Lepo Sumera, Estonian composer and educator (d. 2000)
Philip Bailey, American singer-songwriter, drummer, and actor
Mike D'Antoni, American basketball player and coach
Chris Frantz, American drummer and producer
Peter McNab, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster
Billy Burnette, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
Alex Van Halen, Dutch-American drummer
Pam Arciero, American puppeteer and voice actress
David Keith, American actor and director
John Michael Talbot, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
Stephen Furst, American actor and director
Mladen Markač, Croatian general
Jeff Wincott, Canadian actor and martial artist
Bill Cowher, American football player and coach
Rino Katase, Japanese actress
Gary Lunn, Canadian lawyer and politician, 6th Canadian Minister of Natural Resources
Roddy Doyle, Irish novelist, playwright, and screenwriter
Simone Kleinsma, Dutch actress and singer
Brooks Newmark, American-English businessman and politician, Lord of the Treasury
Lovie Smith, American football player and coach
Ronnie Lott, American football player and sportscaster
David Manners, 11th Duke of Rutland, English politician
Ikue Sakakibara, Japanese actress and singer
Franco Baresi, Italian footballer and coach
Eric Brittingham, American bass player
Bill de Blasio, American politician, 109th Mayor of New York City
Gert Kruys, Dutch footballer and manager
Vallo Reimaa, Estonian academic and politician
David Winning, Canadian-American director, producer, and screenwriter
Natalia Molchanova, Russian diver (d. 2015)
David Sole, Scottish rugby player
Sylvain Cossette, Canadian singer-songwriter
Anthony Field, Australian guitarist, songwriter, producer, and actor
Michel Gondry, French director and screenwriter
Izabela Kloc, Polish politician
Aleksandr Kovalenko, Belarusian triple jumper
Rick Zombo, American ice hockey player and coach
Päivi Alafrantti, Finnish javelin thrower
Melissa Gilbert, American actress and director
Bobby Labonte, American race car driver
Nathalie Roy, Canadian lawyer and politician
Dave Rowntree, English drummer and animator
Metin Tekin, Turkish footballer, manager, and journalist
Cláudio Taffarel, Brazilian footballer and coach
Viviana Durante, Italian ballerina and actress
Angus Scott, British sports television presenter
Teet Kask, Estonian ballet dancer and choreographer
Nathalie Normandeau, Canadian politician, Deputy Premier of Quebec
Johan Pehrson, Swedish lawyer and politician
Jonny Searle, English rower
Akebono Tarō, American-Japanese sumo wrestler, the 64th Yokozuna
John Timu, New Zealand rugby player
Michael Bevan, Australian cricketer and coach
Naomi Klein, Canadian author and activist
Luis Enrique, Spanish footballer and manager
Chuck Huber, American voice actor, director, and screenwriter
Candice Night, American singer-songwriter
Darren Hayes, Australian singer-songwriter
Ray Whitney, Canadian ice hockey player
Hiromu Arakawa, Japanese author and illustrator
Jesús Arellano, Mexican footballer
Marcus Brigstocke, English comedian, actor, and screenwriter
Marge Kõrkjas, Estonian swimmer
Korey Stringer, American football player (d. 2001)
Enrique Iglesias, Spanish-American singer-songwriter, producer, and actor
Jussi Markkanen, Finnish ice hockey player
Gastón Mazzacane, Argentinian race car driver
Dmitri Ustritski, Estonian footballer
Gonçalo Abecasis, Portuguese-American biochemist and academic
Martha Wainwright, Canadian-American singer-songwriter and guitarist
Ian "H" Watkins, Welsh singer-songwriter, dancer, and actor
Joe Bonamassa, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
Bad News Brown, Canadian rapper, harmonica player, and actor (d. 2011)
Theodoros Papaloukas, Greek basketball player
Kathrin Bringmann, German mathematician and academic
Lúcio, Brazilian footballer
Jang Woo-hyuk, South Korean rapper and dancer
Ole Morten Vågan, Norwegian bassist
Keyon Dooling, American basketball player
Panagiotis Kafkis, Greek basketball player
Evgeny Lebedev, Russian-English publisher and philanthropist
Michelle McManus, Scottish singer-songwriter and actress
Benny Yau, Hong Kong-Canadian actor and singer
Andrea Barzagli, Italian footballer
Tatyana Dektyareva, Russian hurdler
Björn Dixgård, Swedish singer-songwriter and guitarist
Manny Gamburyan, Armenian-American mixed martial artist
John Maine, American baseball player
Buakaw Banchamek, Thai kick-boxer
Christina Cole, English actress
Adrian Gonzalez, American baseball player
Elyes Gabel, English actor
Juan Martin Goity, Argentinian-German rugby player
Bershawn Jackson, American hurdler
Lawrence Vickers, American football player
Nadine Chandrawinata, German-Indonesian model and actress
David King, English figure skater
Tommaso Ciampa, American wrestler
Devon Soltendieck, Canadian journalist and game show host
Silvia Stroescu, Romanian gymnast
Sarah Vaillancourt, Canadian ice hockey player
Usama Young, American football player
Pemra Özgen, Turkish tennis player
Galen Rupp, American runner
Marvell Wynne, American soccer player
Aneurin Barnard, Welsh actor and singer
Felix Jones, American football player
Aarne Nirk, Estonian hurdler
Mark Noble, English footballer
Kurt Tippett, Australian footballer
Tanel Kurbas, Estonian basketball player
Maicon Pereira de Oliveira, Brazilian footballer (d. 2014)
David Aleksander Sjølie, Norwegian guitarist
Liam Bridcutt, English footballer
Lars Eller, Danish ice hockey player
Dinesh Patel, Indian baseball player
Kemba Walker, American basketball player
Ethan Gage, Canadian soccer player
Valentijn Lietmeijer, Dutch basketball player
Anamaria Tămârjan, Romanian gymnast
Kevin Hayes, American ice hockey player