October 3 is the 276th day of the year (277th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 89 days remaining until the end of the year.
[edit] Events
- 52 BC – Vercingetorix, leader of the Gauls, surrenders to the Romans under Julius Caesar, ending the siege and Battle of Alesia.
- 42 BC – First Battle of Philippi: Triumvirs Mark Antony and Octavian fight a decisive battle with Caesar's assassins Brutus and Cassius.
- 382 – Emperor Theodosius I concludes a peace treaty with the Goths and settles them in the Balkans in exchange for military service.
- 1283 – Dafydd ap Gruffydd, prince of Gwynedd in Wales, becomes the first nobleman executed by being hanged, drawn and quartered.
- 1574 – The Siege of Leiden is lifted by the Watergeuzen.
- 1683 – The Qing Dynasty naval commander Shi Lang reaches Taiwan (under the Kingdom of Tungning) to receive the formal surrender of Zheng Keshuang and Liu Guoxuan after the Battle of Penghu.
- 1712 – The Duke of Montrose issues a warrant for the arrest of Rob Roy MacGregor.
- 1739 – The Treaty of Nissa is signed by the Ottoman Empire and Russia at the finish of the Russian-Turkish War, 1736–1739.
- 1778 – British Captain James Cook anchors in Alaska.
- 1789 – George Washington makes the first Thanksgiving Day designated by the national government of the United States of America.
- 1795 – General Napoleon Bonaparte first rises to national prominence being named to defend the French National Convention against armed counter-revolutionary rioters threatening the three year old revolutionary government.
- 1835 – The Staedtler Company is founded in Nuremberg, Germany.
- 1849 – American author Edgar Allan Poe is found delirious in a gutter in Baltimore, Maryland under mysterious circumstances; it is the last time he is seen in public before his death.
- 1863 – The last Thursday in November is declared as Thanksgiving Day by President Abraham Lincoln as are Thursdays, November 30, 1865 and November 29, 1866.
- 1872 – Bloomingdale brothers opened their first store at 938 Third Avenue, New York City.
- 1873 – Captain Jack and companions are hanged for their part in the Modoc War.
- 1912 – U.S. forces defeat Nicaraguan rebels under the command of Benjamín Zeledón at the Battle of Coyotepe Hill.
- 1918 – King Boris III of Bulgaria accedes to the throne.
- 1919 – Cincinnati Reds pitcher Adolfo Luque becomes the 1st Latin player to appear in a World Series.
- 1929 – The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes is renamed to Kingdom of Yugoslavia, "Land of the South Slavs".
- 1932 – Iraq gains independence from the United Kingdom.
- 1935 – Second Italo-Abyssinian War: Italy invades Ethiopia under General de Bono.
- 1942 – Spaceflight: The first successful launch of a V-2 /A4-rocket from Test Stand VII at Peenemünde, Germany. It is the first man-made object to reach space.
- 1949 – WERD, the 1st black-owned radio station in the United States, opens in Atlanta, Georgia.
- 1950 – Korean War: The First Battle of Maryang San, primarily pitting Australian and British forces against communist China, begins.
- 1951 – The "Shot Heard 'Round the World", one of the greatest moments in Major League Baseball history, occurs when the New York Giants' Bobby Thomson hits a game winning home run in the bottom of the ninth inning off of the Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Ralph Branca, to win the National League pennant after being down 14 games.
- 1952 – The United Kingdom successfully tests a nuclear weapon to become the world's third nuclear power.
- 1955 – The Mickey Mouse Club debuts on ABC.
- 1957 – Allen Ginsberg's Howl and Other Poems is ruled not obscene.
- 1961 – The Dick Van Dyke Show premieres on CBS-TV in the United States.
- 1962 – Project Mercury: Sigma 7 is launched from Cape Canaveral, with Astronaut Wally Schirra aboard, for a six-orbit, nine-hour flight.
- 1964 – First Buffalo Wings are made at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York.
- 1981 – The Hunger Strike by Provisional Irish Republican Army and Irish National Liberation Army prisoners at the Maze Prison in Northern Ireland ends after seven months and ten deaths.
- 1985 – The Space Shuttle Atlantis makes its maiden flight. (Mission STS-51-J)
- 1986 – TASCC, a superconducting cyclotron at the Chalk River Laboratories, is officially opened.
- 1990 – Re-unification of Germany. The German Democratic Republic ceases to exist and its territory becomes part of the Federal Republic of Germany. East German citizens became part of the European Community, which later became the European Union. Now celebrated as German Unity Day.
- 1993 – Battle of Mogadishu: In an attempt to capture officials of warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid's organisation in Mogadishu, Somalia, 18 US soldiers and about 1,000 Somalis are killed in heavy fighting.
- 1995 – O. J. Simpson is acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
- 2003 – Roy Horn of Siegfried & Roy is attacked by one of the show's tigers, canceling the show until 2009, when they rejoined the tiger that mauled Roy just six years earlier.
- 2008 – The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 for the US financial system is signed by President Bush.
[edit] Births
- 1610 – Gabriel Lallemant, French-born Jesuit missionary (North American Martyrs) (d. 1649)
- 1631 – Sebastian Anton Scherer, German composer and organist (d. 1712)
- 1713 – Antoine Dauvergne, French composer and violinist (d. 1797)
- 1716 – Giovanni Battista Beccaria, Italian physicist (d. 1781)
- 1720 – Johann Peter Uz, German poet (d. 1796)
- 1790 – John Ross, Chief of the Cherokee Nation (d. 1866)
- 1797 – Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany (d. 1870)
- 1800 – George Bancroft, American historian and 17th Secretary of the Navy (d. 1891)
- 1804 – Townsend Harris, the 1st U.S. Consul to Japan (d. 1878)
- 1804 – Allan Kardec, French founder of Spiritism (d. 1869)
- 1828 – Woldemar Bargiel, German composer (d. 1897)
- 1837 – Nicolás Avellaneda, Argentine president (d. 1885)
- 1848 – Henry Lerolle, French painter (d. 1929)
- 1858 – Eleonora Duse, Italian actress (d. 1924)
- 1862 – Johnny Briggs, English cricketer (d. 1902)
- 1863 – Pyotr Kuzmich Kozlov, Russian explorer (d. 1935)
- 1869 – Alfred Flatow, German gymnast (d. 1942)
- 1874 – Charles B. Middleton, American actor (d. 1949)
- 1879 – Warner Oland, Swedish-born actor (d. 1938)
- 1880 – Karl Ruberl, Austrian swimmer (d. 1966)
- 1882 – A. Y. Jackson, Canadian painter (d. 1974)
- 1886 – Alain-Fournier, French novelist (d. 1914)
- 1888 – Wade Boteler, American actor d. 1943
- 1889 – Carl von Ossietzky, German pacifist, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (d. 1938)
- 1894 – Elmer Robinson, American politician (d. 1982)
- 1894 – Walter Warlimont, German General WWII (d. 1976)
- 1895 – Giovanni Comisso, Italian writer (d. 1969)
- 1895 – Sergei Aleksandrovich Yesenin, Russian lyrical poet (d. 1925)
- 1896 – Gerardo Diego, Spanish poet (d. 1987)
- 1897 – Louis Aragon, French writer (d. 1982)
- 1898 – Leo McCarey, American film director and screenwriter (d. 1969)
- 1900 – Thomas Wolfe, American writer (d. 1938)
- 1901 – Jean Grémillon, French film director (d. 1959)
- 1904 – Ernst-Günther Schenck, Nazi German physician (d. 1998)
- 1908 – Johnny Burke, American lyricist (d. 1964)
- 1916 – James Herriot, English veterinarian and author (d. 1995)
- 1919 – James M. Buchanan, American economist
- 1919 – Jean Lefebvre, French actor (d. 2004)
- 1923 – Edward Oliver LeBlanc, Dominican politician (d. 2004)
- 1924 – Arkady Vorobyov, Russian weightlifter
- 1924 – Harvey Kurtzman, American cartoonist and founding editor of Mad magazine (d. 1993)
- 1925 – Gore Vidal, American author (d. 2012)
- 1928 – Erik Bruhn, Danish dancer and choreographer (d. 1986)
- 1931 – Glenn Hall, National Hockey League goaltender
- 1933 – Neale Fraser, Australian tennis player
- 1934 – Benjamin Boretz, American composer and music theorist
- 1934 – Simon Nicholson, British sculptor; son of Ben Nicholson and Barbara Hepworth (d. 1990)
- 1934 – Koo Nimo, Ghanaian musician
- 1935 – Charles Duke, American astronaut
- 1936 – Steve Reich, American composer, minimal music pioneer
- 1938 – Eddie Cochran, American singer and guitarist (d. 1960)
- 1938 – Jack Hodgins, Canadian author
- 1938 – Tereza Kesovija, Croatian singer
- 1938 – David Obey, American politician
- 1940 – Sheila Fearn, English actress
- 1940 – Jean Ratelle, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1941 – Andrea de Adamich, Italian Formula One driver and TV commentator
- 1941 – Chubby Checker, American singer-songwriter
- 1943 – Jeff Bingaman, American politician
- 1944 – Pierre Deligne, Belgian mathematician
- 1944 – Roy Horn, German-American magician
- 1945 – Tony Brown, English footballer
- 1949 – Lindsey Buckingham, American guitarist and singer (Fleetwood Mac)
- 1949 – J. P. Dutta, Indian Bollywood film director
- 1950 – Pamela Hensley, American actress
- 1951 – Dave Winfield, American baseball player
- 1951 – Keb' Mo', American blues singer, guitarist and songwriter
- 1954 – Dennis Eckersley, American baseball player
- 1954 – Eddie DeGarmo, American Contemporary Christian music recording artist, keyboardist, producer and singer (DeGarmo and Key)
- 1954 – Al Sharpton, American Baptist minister
- 1954 – Stevie Ray Vaughan, American blues musician (d. 1990)
- 1955 – John S. Lesmeister, American politician (d. 2006)
- 1956 – Hart Bochner, Canadian film actor/director
- 1957 – Tim Westwood, English DJ and radio/TV presenter
- 1958 – Louise Lecavalier, Canadian dancer (La La La Human Steps)
- 1959 – Fred Couples, American golfer
- 1959 – Greg Proops, American actor and comedian
- 1959 – Jack Wagner, American actor and singer
- 1961 – Dean Lawrence, English actor
- 1961 – Rebecca Stephens, British mountaineer
- 1962 – Tommy Lee, American Drummer
- 1964 – Clive Owen, British actor
- 1965 – Jan-Ove Waldner, Swedish table tennis player
- 1966 – Darrin Fletcher, American baseball player
- 1967 – Rob Liefeld, American comic book illustrator
- 1968 – Paul Crichton, English footballer
- 1968 – Greg Foster, American basketball player
- 1968 – Marko Rajamäki, Finnish footballer
- 1969 – Gwen Stefani, American musician and actress
- 1969 – Tetsu, Japanese bassist (L'Arc-en-Ciel)
- 1971 – Wil Cordero, Puerto Rican baseball player
- 1971 – Kevin Richardson, American singer (Backstreet Boys)
- 1972 – Kim Joo-hyuk, South Korean actor
- 1973 – Keiko Agena, Japanese/American actress
- 1973 – Neve Campbell, Canadian actress
- 1973 – Angélica Gavaldón, American/Mexican tennis player
- 1973 – Lena Headey, British actress
- 1974 – Mike Johnson, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1974 – Marianne Timmer, Dutch speed skater
- 1975 – India.Arie, American singer
- 1975 – Talib Kweli, American musician
- 1976 – Herman Li, British musician (DragonForce)
- 1976 – Seann William Scott, American actor
- 1977 – Eric Munson, American baseball player
- 1977 – Luca Tognozzi, Italian footballer
- 1978 – Gerald Asamoah, German footballer
- 1978 – Neil Clement, English footballer
- 1978 – Claudio Pizarro, Peruvian footballer
- 1978 – Jake Shears, American singer (Scissor Sisters)
- 1978 – Shannyn Sossamon, American actress, dancer and musician
- 1978 – Vienna Teng, American pianist and singer-songwriter
- 1979 – Carlo Alban, Ecuadorian actor
- 1979 – Josh Klinghoffer, American musician (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
- 1979 – John Morrison, American pro wrestler
- 1980 – Anquan Boldin, American football player
- 1980 – Sheldon Brookbank, Canadian hockey player
- 1980 – Danny O'Donoghue, Irish singer (The Script)
- 1980 – Lindsey Kelk, British author
- 1981 – Danny Coid, English footballer
- 1981 – Seth Gabel, American actor
- 1981 – Zlatan Ibrahimoviæ, Swedish footballer
- 1981 – Matt Sparrow, English Footballer
- 1981 – Andreas Isaksson, Swedish footballer
- 1981 – Amanda Walsh, Canadian actress
- 1982 – Erik von Detten, American actor
- 1983 – Thiago Alves, Brazilian mixed martial artist
- 1983 – Frederico Chaves Guedes, Brazilian footballer
- 1983 – Andreas Papathanasiou, Greek-Cypriot footballer
- 1983 – Hiroki Suzuki, Japanese actor
- 1984 – Bruno Gervais, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1984 – Chris Marquette, American film and television actor
- 1984 – Ashlee Simpson, American singer
- 1984 – Anthony Le Tallec, French footballer
- 1984 – Yoon Eun-Hye, South Korean actress
- 1985 – Courtney Lee, American basketball player
- 1986 – Jackson Martínez, Colombian footballer
- 1987 – Zuleyka Rivera, Puerto Rican beauty pageant contestant
- 1988 – A$AP Rocky, American rap artist
- 1989 – Nate Montana, American football player
- 1990 – Rhian Ramos, Filipina actress
- 1991 – Jenny McLoughlin, English Paralympic athlete
- 1991 – Aki Takajo, Japanese singer (AKB48)
- 1995 – Hailey McCann, American actress
- 1996 – Adair Tishler, American actress
[edit] Deaths
- 1078 – Iziaslav Yaroslavich (b. 1024)
- 1226 – Saint Francis of Assisi (b. 1181)
- 1283 – David ap Gruffydd, Welsh prince of Gwynedd (b. 1238)
- 1369 – Margarete Maultasch, Countess of Tyrol (b. 1318)
- 1568 – Elisabeth of Valois, wife of Philip II of Spain (b. 1545)
- 1596 – Florent Chrestien, French writer (b. 1541)
- 1611 – Charles of Lorraine, Duke of Mayenne, French military leader (b. 1554)
- 1629 – Giorgi Saakadze, Georgian military leader (b. 1570)
- 1649 – Giovanni Diodati, Swiss Protestant clergyman (b. 1576)
- 1653 – Marcus Zuerius van Boxhorn, Dutch scholar (b. 1612)
- 1656 – Myles Standish, English-born soldier
- 1690 – Robert Barclay, Scottish writer (b. 1648)
- 1701 – Joseph Williamson, English politician (b. 1633)
- 1801 – Philippe Henri, marquis de Ségur, Marshal of France (b. 1724)
- 1833 – François, marquis de Chasseloup-Laubat, French general (b. 1754)
- 1838 – Black Hawk, Sauk-American tribal leader (b. 1767)
- 1860 – Rembrandt Peale, American portrait artist, renowned for portraits of Washington and Jefferson (b. 1778)
- 1867 – Elias Howe, American inventor (b. 1819)
- 1873 – Captain Jack, Modoc tribal leader
- 1877 – James Roosevelt Bayley, American religious leader (b. 1814)
- 1881 – Orson Pratt, American religious leader (b. 1811)
- 1890 – Joseph Hergenröther, German historian (b. 1824)
- 1891 – Édouard Lucas, French mathematician (b. 1842)
- 1896 – William Morris, English writer & poet (b. 1834)
- 1929 – Jeanne Eagels, American actress (b. 1894)
- 1929 – Gustav Stresemann, Chancellor of Germany, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (b. 1878)
- 1931 – Carl Nielsen, Danish composer (b. 1865)
- 1936 – John Heisman, American football coach (b. 1869)
- 1953 – Arnold Bax, English composer (b. 1883)
- 1959 – Tochigiyama Moriya, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 27th Yokozuna (b. 1892)
- 1965 – Zachary Scott, American actor (b. 1914)
- 1967 – Woody Guthrie, American musician (b. 1912)
- 1967 – Malcolm Sargent, English conductor (b. 1895)
- 1969 – Skip James, American blues musician (b. 1902)
- 1979 – Ray Genet, American mountaineer (b. 1931)
- 1979 – Hannelore Schmatz, German mountaineer (b. 1940)
- 1986 – Vince DiMaggio, American baseball player (b. 1912)
- 1987 – Jean Anouilh, French writer (b. 1910)
- 1987 – Kalervo Palsa, Finnish artist (b. 1947)
- 1988 – Franz Josef Strauß, Bavarian politician (b. 1915)
- 1990 – Stefano Casiraghi, Italian businessman and husband of Princess Caroline of Monaco (b. 1960)
- 1993 – Katerina Gogou, Greek actress, poet and author (b. 1940)
- 1993 – Gary Gordon, American Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1960)
- 1993 – Randall "Randy" Shughart, American Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1958)
- 1998 – Roddy McDowall, English actor (b. 1928)
- 1999 – Akio Morita, Japanese businessman (b. 1921)
- 2000 – John Grant, British politician (b. 1932)
- 2000 – Benjamin Orr, American bassist and singer (The Cars) (b. 1947)
- 2001 – Costas Hajihristos, Greek actor (b. 1921)
- 2002 – Robert Krausz, American stock market advisor and investor (b. 1936)
- 2002 – Bruce Paltrow, American television and film producer (b. 1943)
- 2003 – Florence Stanley, American actress (b. 1924)
- 2003 – William Steig, American cartoonist and children's author (b. 1907)
- 2004 – John Cerutti, baseball player and announcer (b. 1960)
- 2004 – Janet Leigh, American actress (b. 1927)
- 2005 – Ronnie Barker, English comic actor (b. 1929)
- 2006 – John Crank, British mathematician (b. 1916)
- 2006 – Peter Norman, Australian track star (b. 1942)
- 2006 – Alberto Ramento, Filipino bishop (b. 1937)
- 2007 – M. N. Vijayan, Indian writer, orator, and academic (b. 1930)
- 2008 – Karam ud Din, Pakistani Navy officer (b. 1941)
- 2008 – Johnny J, American record producer and songwriter (b. 1969)
- 2009 – Queen Fatima of Libya (b. 1911)
- 2010 – Ben Mondor, Canadian-born American baseball executive (b. 1925)
[edit] Holidays and observances
