On this day
Revisit the news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.
Portrait 1080 à 1920 PNG · created on your device
Challe and Zeller sentenced to 15 yrs in jail for role in Apr revolt; stripped of decorations; illus; relative leniency seen indulgence to Army; state prosecutor Besson did not ask death sentence
Trujillo assassinated, Balaguer confirms repts, proclamation; decrees 9 days of natl mourning; Trujillo said to have been ambushed by Gen J T Diaz and 6 others reptdly seeking personal revenge; 1 assassin reptd dead; some seized; Diaz reptdly escaped; police reptdly seized Bishop Reilly, freed him with apologies; Haitian Army reptd alerted; Trujillo, family members and Balaguer illus; map
Labor Dept repts seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose from 6.8%, mid-Apr, to 6.9%, mid-May, despite rise in total employed and drop in total unemployed; Wolfbein disappointed but notes employment trend usually lags behind changes in gen econ; other details; 5 areas change from 'substantial' to 'moderate' unemployment category; factory lay-off rate down 3d mo in row; new hirings top lay-offs 1st time since June '60; BLS forecast for June-July
PORS AND ILLUS
Columbia U Hudson Labs and 30 private and govt scientific groups announce program (Project Artemis) to develop long-range underwater submarine detection and location system; Project operates lab on tower 30 mi off Bermuda and tanker modified for raising and lowering huge sound generator into sea; sketch; map
1961Paul Coffey, Canadian ice hockey player[â ]
Paul Patrick Coffey is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played for nine teams over 21 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). Known for his speed and scoring prowess, Coffey ranks second all-time among NHL defencemen in goals, assists, and points, behind only Ray Bourque. He won the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best defenceman three times and was voted to eight end-of-season All-Star teams. He holds the record for the most goals by a defenceman in one season, 48 in 1985â86, and is the only defenceman to have scored 40 goals more than once, also doing it in 1983â84. He is also one of only two defencemen to score 100 points in a season more than once, as he did it five times; Bobby Orr did it six times. Coffey holds or shares 33 NHL records in the regular season and playoffs.
1961Mark Curry, American actor[â ]
Marcus G. Curry, known professionally as Mark Curry, is an American actor, comedian, and television host. He is best known for his role as Mark Cooper, exâbasketball player turned teacher on the ABC sitcom Hangin' with Mr. Cooper which originally aired from 1992 to 1997. Curry also served as one of the various hosts of the syndicated series It's Showtime at the Apollo during the early 1990s. Curry co-starred in all three seasons of See Dad Run, Nick at Nite's first original live-action family comedy series, from 2012 to 2015.
1961Werner GĂŒnthör, Swiss shot putter and bobsledder[â ]
Werner GĂŒnthör is a former Swiss track and field athlete, who was the best shot putter in the history of Swiss track and field.
1961John Huston, American golfer[â ]
Johnny Ray Huston is an American professional golfer who won seven PGA Tour events and currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions.
1961Peter MachajdĂk, Slovakian-German pianist and composer[â ]
Peter MachajdĂk is a Slovak composer of classical music, performer and sound artist. He was born and grew up in Bratislava, Slovakia. He has received critical acclaim for his chamber, orchestral, electronic, choral, and theatre works.
1961Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russian oligarch, mercenary chief and restaurateur (died 2023)[â ]
Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin was a Russian mercenary leader and oligarch. He led the Wagner Group, a private military company, and was a close confidant of Russian president Vladimir Putin until launching a rebellion in June 2023. Prigozhin was sometimes referred to as "Putin's chef" because he owned restaurants and catering businesses that provided services to the Kremlin. Once a convict in the Soviet Union, Prigozhin controlled a network of influential companies whose operations, according to a 2020 investigation, were "tightly integrated with Russia's Defence Ministry and its intelligence arm, the GRU".
1961The Canadian Bank of Commerce and Imperial Bank of Canada merge to form the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, the largest bank merger in Canadian history.[â ]
The Canadian Bank of Commerce was a Canadian bank that operated from 1867 to 1961. It merged in 1961 with the Imperial Bank of Canada to form the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, which today is one of Canada's Big Five banks.
In 1961, the world population was approximately 3,064,869,675 people[â ]