Leacock, Stephen Butler, 1869-1944, Canadian economist and humorist, b. England, grad. Univ. of Toronto (B.A., 1891), Univ. of Chicago (Ph.D., 1903). Head of the department of political science and economics (1908-36) at McGill Univ., he wrote standard works in his own field, in Canadian history, and in biography. He is best remembered, however, for his many volumes of humorous essays and stories, many of them genial satires, including Literary Lapses (1910), Nonsense Novels (1911), Behind the Beyond (1913), Frenzied Fiction (1918), Winnowed Wisdom (1926), My Discovery of the West (1937), and How to Write (1942). Last Leaves (1945) are posthumously published essays.

(born Dec. 30, 1869, Swanmore, Hampshire, Eng.—died March 28, 1944, Toronto, Ont., Can.) British-born Canadian writer and lecturer. He immigrated to Canada with his parents at age six. Though he taught economics and political science at McGill University (1903–36) and wrote extensively on history and political economy, his true calling was humour. His fame rests on his many books of lighthearted sketches and essays, beginning with Literary Lapses (1910) and Nonsense Novels (1911). His humour is typically based on a comic perception of social foibles and the incongruity between appearance and reality in human conduct.

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Events

• 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield.
• 1816 - The Treaty of St. Louis is proclaimed.
• 1853 - Gadsden Purchase: The United States buys land from Mexico to facilitate railroad building in the Southwest.
• 1853 - A dinner party is held inside a life-size model of an Iguanodon created by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins and Sir Richard Owen in south London.
• 1862 - The USS Monitor sinks off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
• 1896 - José Rizal is executed by firing squad in Manila.
• 1897 - Natal annexes Zululand.
• 1903 - A fire at the Iroquois Theater in Chicago, Illinois kills 600.
• 1905 - Former Governor Frank Steunenberg is assassinated near his home in Caldwell, Idaho.
• 1906 - The All India Muslim League is founded in Dacca, East Bengal, British India Empire, which later laid down the foundations of Pakistan.
• 1919 - Lincoln's Inn in London admits its first female bar student.
• 1922 - The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is formed.
• 1924 - Edwin Hubble announces the existence of other galaxies.
• 1927 - The Ginza Line, the first subway line in Asia, opens in Tokyo, Japan.
• 1936 - The United Auto Workers union stages its first sit-down strike.
• 1940 - California opens its first freeway, the Arroyo Seco Parkway.
• 1943 - Subhash Chandra Bose raises the flag of Indian independence at Port Blair.
• 1944 - King George II of Greece declares a regency, leaving his throne vacant.
• 1947 - King Michael of Romania is forced to abdicate by the Soviet-backed Communist government of Romania.
• 1953 - The first ever NTSC color television sets go on sale for about USD at $1,175 each from RCA.
• 1965 - Ferdinand Marcos becomes President of the Philippines.
• 1972 - Vietnam War: The United States halts heavy bombing of North Vietnam.
• 1977 - For the second time, Ted Bundy escapes from his cell in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
• 1986 - The Swift Current Broncos' bus crashes during bad weather outside of Swift Current, Saskatchewan, killing 4 players and injuring 1.
• 1993 - Israel and the Vatican establish diplomatic relations.
• 1995 - The lowest ever United Kingdom temperature of -27.2°C was recorded at Altnaharra in the Scottish Highlands. This equalled the record set at Braemar, Aberdeenshire on February 11, 1895 and January 10, 1982.
• 1996 - In the Indian state of Assam, a passenger train is bombed by Bodo separatists, killing 26.
• 1996 - Proposed budget cuts by Benjamin Netanyahu spark protests from 250,000 workers who shut down services across Israel.
• 1997 - In the worst incident in Algeria's insurgency, the Wilaya of Relizane massacres, 400 people are killed from four villages.
• 2000 - Rizal Day Bombings: A series of bombs explode in various places in Metro Manila, Philippines within a span of a few hours, killing 22 and injuring about a hundred.
• 2003 - U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft recuses himself and his office from the Plame affair.
• 2004 - A fire in the República Cromagnon nightclub in Buenos Aires, Argentina kills 194.
• 2005 - Tropical Storm Zeta forms in the open Atlantic Ocean, tying the record for the latest tropical cyclone ever to form in the North Atlantic basin.
• 2006 - Madrid Barajas International Airport is bombed.
• 2006 - Saddam Hussein is executed by hanging.

Births

• 39 - Titus, Roman emperor (d. 81)
• 1204 - Abû 'Uthmân Sa'îd Hakam al Qurashi, ruler of Minorca (d. 1282)
• 1552 - Simon Forman, English occultist and astrologer (d. 1611)
• 1642 - Vincenzo da Filicaja, Italian poet (d. 1707)
• 1673 - Ahmed III, Ottoman Sultan (d. 1736)
• 1678 - William Croft, English composer (d. 1727)
• 1722 - Charles Yorke, Lord Chancellor of Great Britain (d. 1770)
• 1724 - Louis-Jean-François Lagrenée, French painter (d. 1805)
• 1740 - Princess Elizabeth Caroline of Wales (d. 1759)
• 1785 - Dorothea Lieven, Russian noblewoman (d. 1857)
• 1819 - Theodor Fontane, German writer (d. 1898)
• 1819 - John W. Geary, 1st Mayor of San Francisco (d. 1873)
• 1838 - Émile Loubet, 7th President of France (d.1929)
• 1851 - Asa Griggs Candler, American businessman and politician (d. 1929)
• 1853 - André Messager, French composer (d. 1929)
• 1865 - Rudyard Kipling, English writer, Nobel laureate (d. 1936)
• 1869 - Stephen Butler Leacock, English-born Canadian writer and economist (d. 1944)
• 1873 - Al Smith, American politician (d. 1944)
• 1878 - William Aberhart, Canadian politician (d. 1943)
• 1879 - Sri Ramana Maharshi, Indian philosopher (d. 1950)
• 1883 - Lester Patrick, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (d. 1960)
• 1884 - Hideki Tojo, Prime Minister of Japan (d. 1948)
• 1890 - Adolfo Ruiz Cortines, President of Mexico (d. 1973)
• 1897 - Alfredo Bracchi, Italian author (d. 1976)
• 1899 - Helge Ingstad, Norwegian explorer (d. 2001)
• 1904 - Dmitri Kabalevsky, Russian composer (d. 1987)
• 1906 - Carol Reed, English film director (d. 1976)
• 1910 - Paul Bowles, American composer and author (d. 1999)
• 1911 - Jeanette Nolan, American actress (d. 1998)
• 1913 - Lucio Agostini, Italian-born Canadian conductor and composer (d. 1996)
• 1913 - Elyne Mitchell, Australian author (d. 2002)
• 1914 - Bert Parks, American television host (d. 1992)
• 1914 - Jo Van Fleet, American actress (d. 1996)
• 1917 - Seymour Melman, American industrial engineer (d. 2004)
• 1920 - Jack Lord, American actor (d. 1998)
• 1921 - Rashid Karami, Lebanese statesman (d. 1987)
• 1927 - Bernard Barrow, American actor (d. 1993)
• 1927 - Robert Hossein, French film actor and director
• 1928 - Bo Diddley, American singer and musician (d. 2008)
• 1929 - Rosalind Hurley, British physician, barrister, ethicist and writer (d. 2004)
• 1929 - Barbara Nichols, American actress (d. 1976)
• 1931 - Skeeter Davis, American singer (d. 2004)
• 1934 - John Norris Bahcall, American physicist (d. 2005)
• 1934 - Joseph Bologna, American actor
• 1934 - Joseph P. Hoar, former US Central Command commander
• 1934 - Del Shannon, American singer (d. 1990)
• 1934 - Russ Tamblyn, American actor, dancer, and singer
• 1935 - Omar Bongo, President of Gabon
• 1935 - Sandy Koufax, American baseball player
• 1935 - Jack Riley, American actor
• 1937 - Gordon Banks, English footballer
• 1937 - John Hartford, American musician (d. 2001)
• 1937 - Jim Marshall, American football player
• 1937 - Noel Paul Stookey, American folk singer (Peter, Paul & Mary)
• 1939 - Glenda Adams, Australian author (d. 2007)
• 1939 - Felix Pappalardi, American musician and recording producer (d.1983) (Mountain)
• 1940 - James Burrows, American television director
• 1941 - Mel Renfro, American football player
• 1942 - Vladimir Bukovsky, Russian author and dissident
• 1942 - Guy Edwards, English racing driver
• 1942 - Michael Nesmith, American singer and musician (The Monkees)
• 1942 - Janko Prunk, Slovenian historian
• 1942 - Fred Ward, American actor
• 1944 - William J. Fallon, U.S. Navy Admiral, former U.S. Central Command commander
• 1945 - Davy Jones, English singer (The Monkees)
• 1945 - Lloyd Kaufman, American film director and producer
• 1945 - Concetta Tomei, American actress
• 1945 - Vernon Wells, Australian actor
• 1946 - Patti Smith, American singer and poet
• 1947 - Michael Burns, American historian
• 1947 - Jeff Lynne, English musician (ELO)
• 1949 - Jim Flaherty, Canadian politician
• 1950 - Lewis Shiner, American sci-fi/fantasy author
• 1951 - Doug Allder, English footballer
• 1951 - Jocky Wilson, Scottish Darts player
• 1952 - June Anderson, American soprano
• 1953 - Bill Kazmaier, American powerlifter
• 1953 - Harald Schmautz, German-born journalist
• 1953 - Meredith Vieira, American television journalist
• 1955 - Dindo Yogo, Congolese musician (d. 2000)
• 1956 - Suzy Bogguss, American singer
• 1956 - Sheryl Lee Ralph, American actress
• 1957 - Matt Lauer, American newscaster
• 1958 - Rod Harrington, English darts player
• 1958 - Steven L. Smith, American astronaut
• 1959 - Tracey Ullman, English actress and singer
• 1959 - Josée Verner, French Canadian politician
• 1961 - Douglas Coupland, Canadian author
• 1961 - Sean Hannity, American talk radio and television host
• 1961 - Ben Johnson, Canadian athlete
• 1962 - Henry Cho, Korean-American comedian
• 1963 - Chandler Burr, American author
• 1963 - Michelle Douglas, Canadian human rights activist
• 1963 - Milan Šrejber, Czech tennis player
• 1964 - Sylvie Moreau, French Canadian actress
• 1964 - Duglas T. Stewart, Scottish musician (BMX Bandits)
• 1965 - Heidi Fleiss, American madam
• 1967 - Carl Ouellet, Canadian professional wrestler
• 1969 - Dave England, American television personality
• 1969 - Jay Kay, English musician (Jamiroquai)
• 1969 - Meredith Monroe, American actress
• 1971 - Daniel Sunjata, American actor
• 1972 - Kerry Collins, American football player
• 1972 - Paul Keegan, Irish footballer
• 1972 - Steven Wiig, American actor and musician
• 1973 - Jason Behr, American actor
• 1973 - Ato Boldon, Trinidadian athlete
• 1973 - Nacho Vidal, Spanish porn star
• 1974 - Johanna Sällström, Swedish actress (d. 2007)
• 1975 - Scott Chipperfield, Australian soccer player
• 1975 - Tiger Woods, American golfer
• 1976 - Patrick Kerney, American football player
• 1976 - A.J. Pierzynski, American baseball player
• 1977 - Laila Ali, American boxer
• 1977 - Grant Balfour, Australian baseball player
• 1977 - Scott Lucas, Australian rules footballer
• 1977 - Kenyon Martin, American basketball player
• 1977 - Kazuyuki Toda, Japanese footballer
• 1978 - Devin Brown , American basketball player
• 1978 - Tyrese, American singer and actor
• 1978 - Zbigniew Robert Promiński, Polish drummer
• 1979 - Flávio, Angolan footballer
• 1980 - Eliza Dushku, American actress
• 1980 - Kenny Kwan, Hong Kong singer
• 1981 - Ali Al Habsi, Omani footballer
• 1981 - Haley Paige, American porn star (d. 2007)
• 1981 - Michael Rodríguez, Costa Rican footballer
• 1981 - Matt Ulrich, American football player
• 1982 - Kristin Kreuk, Canadian actress
• 1982 - Dawan Landry, American football player
• 1982 - Dathan Ritzenhein, American runner
• 1984 - Randall Azofeifa, Costa Rican footballer
• 1984 - LeBron James, American basketball player
• 1985 - Lars Boom, Dutch cyclist
• 1987 - Jake Cuenca, Filipino actor and commercial model
• 1988 - Leon Jackson, Scottish singer
• 1989 - Ryan Sheckler, American professional skateboarder

Deaths

• 1218 - Richard de Clare, 4th Earl of Hertford, English politician (b. 1162)
• 1460 - Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, claimant to the English throne (killed in battle) (b. 1411)
• 1525 - Jacob Fugger, German banker (b. 1459)
• 1572 - Galeazzo Alessi, Italian architect (b. 1512)
• 1573 - Giovanni Battista Giraldi, Italian writer (b. 1504)
• 1591 - Pope Innocent IX (b. 1519)
• 1621 - Saint Job of Maniava, Ukrainian Orthodox Saint (b. 1550)
• 1640 - John Francis Regis, French saint (b. 1597)
• 1644 - Jan Baptist van Helmont, Flemish chemist (b. 1577)
• 1662 - Archduke Ferdinand Charles of Austria (b. 1628)
• 1691 - Robert Boyle, Irish scientist (b. 1627)
• 1769 - Nicholas Taaffe, 6th Viscount Taaffe, Austrian soldier (b. 1685)
• 1803 - Francis Lewis, signer of the American Declaration of Independence (b. 1713)
• 1896 - José Rizal, national hero of the Philippines (b. 1861) (executed)
• 1908 - Thomas-Alfred Bernier, Canadian lawyer, journalist and senator (b. 1844)
• 1941 - El Lissitzky, Russian artist and architect (b. 1890)
• 1944 - Romain Rolland, French writer, Nobel laureate (b. 1866)
• 1947 - Alfred North Whitehead, English mathematician and philosopher (b. 1861)
• 1947 - Han van Meegeren, Dutch painter, portraitist and art forgers (b. 1889)
• 1954 - Archduke Eugen of Austria, Austrian field marshal (b. 1863)
• 1955 - Rex Ingamells, Australian poet (b. 1913)
• 1967 - Vincent Massey, Governor-General of Canada (b. 1887)
• 1968 - Trygve Lie, Norwegian politician, first United Nations Secretary General (b. 1896)
• 1970 - Sonny Liston, American boxer (b. 1932)
• 1971 - Melba Rae, American actress (Search for Tomorrow) (b. 1922)
• 1979 - Richard Rodgers, American composer (b. 1902)
• 1981 - Alfie Anido, Filipino actor (b. 1959)
• 1984 - Massa, oldest gorilla on record (b. 1930)
• 1986 - Era Bell Thompson, American journalist (b. 1905)
• 1988 - Yuli Daniel, Russian writer (b. 1925)
• 1989 - Lenore Lemmon, wife of George Reeves (b. 1923)
• 1992 - Ling-Ling, panda given to the USA by China (b. 1969)
• 1993 - Mack David, American lyricist and songwriter (b. 1912)
• 1993 - Irving "Swifty" Lazar, American Hollywood talent agent (b. 1907)
• 1993 - Giuseppe Occhialini, Italian physicist (b. 1907)
• 1994 - Dmitri Ivanenko, Russian physicist (b. 1904)
• 1994 - Maureen Starkey, wife of Ringo Starr (b. 1946)
• 1995 - Ralph Flanagan - American band leader (b. 1914)
• 1995 - Doris Grau, American actress (b. 1924)
• 1996 - Lew Ayres, American actor (b. 1908)
• 1996 - Jack Nance, American actor (b. 1943)
• 1997 - Shinichi Hoshi, Japanese novelist (b. 1926)
• 1998 - Johnny Moore, American singer (The Drifters) (b. 1934)
• 1998 - George Webb, English actor (b. 1911)
• 1999 - Fritz Leonhardt, German structural engineer (b. 1909)
• 1999 - Sarah Knauss, American, once considered the world's oldest living person (b. 1880)
• 2000 - Julius J. Epstein, American screenwriter (b. 1909)
• 2002 - Mary Brian, American actress (b. 1906)
• 2002 - Mary Wesley, English novelist (b. 1912)
• 2003 - David Bale, South African-born activist (b. 1941)
• 2003 - John Gregory Dunne, American writer (b. 1932)
• 2003 - Anita Mui, Hong Kong singer and actress (b. 1963)
• 2004 - Artie Shaw, American jazz clarinetist, composer, and bandleader (b. 1910)
• 2005 - Rona Jaffe, American author (b. 1932)
• 2006 - Terry Peck, Falkland Islander (b. 1938) who acted as a scout for 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment in the Falklands War
• 2006 - Michel Plasse, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1948)
• 2006 - Saddam Hussein, former Iraqi President (b. 1937) (executed)

Holidays and observances

• The fifth day of Christmas in Western Christianity.
• R.C. Saints - Pope Felix I (optional memorial), Saint Sabinus, Anysia of Salonika, Anysius, Aphian, Donatus, Egwin of Worcester, Eugene of Milan, Eugenia Ravasco, Exuperantius, Holy Family (2007), Honorius, John Alcober, Liberius of Ravenna, Mansuetus, Marcellus, Margaret Colonna, Matthia dei Nazzarei, Our Lady of Bethlehem, Ralph of Vaucelles, Raynerius of Aquila, Ruggero of Canne, Severus, Venustian
• Philippines - Rizal Day

External links

• BBC: On This Day
• On This Day in Canada

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