Did you know
He won the national championship with the Jayhawks in 1988 as a player, and again as an assistant in 2008
Famous Birthdays on May 17
228 people
1155 – 1994
May 17 has seen 228 notable people enter the world across recorded history — from 1155 – 1994. Below are the most significant names born on this date.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
1966 — Danny Manning
American basketball player and coach
Did you know
After retiring from professional basketball Manning became an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Kansas
Did you know
He played college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks, and played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 14 years
Did you know
He is the all-time leading scorer in Kansas basketball history with 2,951 points
Did you know
The next closest player to his point total is Nick Collison, who is 854 points behind Manning.
1155
1443
Count of Nassau-Vianden and Lord of Breda (1475–1504) (died 1504)
Engelbert II of Nassau, Engelbrecht in Dutch, was count of Nassau and Vianden and lord of Breda, Lek, Diest, Roosendaal, Nispen and Wouw. He was a soldier and courtier, for some time leader of the Privy council of the…
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1451
Duke of Prussia, last Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights (died 1568)
Albert of Prussia was a German prince who was the 37th grand master of the Teutonic Knights and, after converting to Lutheranism, became the first ruler of the Duchy of Prussia, the secularized state that emerged from…
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1490
Duke of Mantua (died 1540)
Federico II of Gonzaga was the ruler of the Italian city of Mantua from 1519 until his death. He was also Marquis of Montferrat from 1536.
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1500
Belgian occultist and theologian (died 1601)
Martin Anton Delrio SJ was a Dutch Jesuit theologian. He studied at numerous institutions, receiving a master's degree in law from Salamanca in 1574. After a period of political service in the Spanish Netherlands, he…
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1551
Swedish princess (died 1625)
Anna Vasa of Sweden was a Swedish princess heavily involved in the politics of that country and of Poland. She was starosta of Brodnica and Golub. The youngest child of King John III of Sweden and Catherine Jagiellon,…
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1568
Italian engraver and etcher (died 1664)
Stefano della Bella was an Italian draughtsman and printmaker known for etchings of a great variety of subjects, including military and court scenes, landscapes, and lively genre scenes. He left 1052 prints, and several…
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1610
Archduke of Austria (died 1662)
Ferdinand Charles was the Archduke of Further Austria, including Tyrol, from 1632 to 1662. He was the firstborn son of Archduke Leopold V of Further Austria and Claudia de' Medici. Until 1646, his mother Claudia served…
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1628
English Catholic courtier under Charles II (died 1678)
Edward Colman or Coleman was an English Catholic courtier under Charles II of England. He was hanged, drawn and quartered on a treason charge, having been implicated by Titus Oates in his false accusations concerning a…
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1636
Welsh pirate (died 1722)
Bartholomew Roberts, born John Roberts, was a Welsh pirate who was, measured by vessels captured, the most successful pirate of the Golden Age of Piracy. During his piratical career, he took over 400 prize ships,…
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1682
1698
German historian and librarian (died 1780)
Andreas Felix von Oefele was a German historian and librarian.
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1706
4th Earl of Holderness, English politician and diplomat, Secretary of State for the Southern Department (died 1778)
Robert Darcy, 4th Earl of Holderness,, known before 1721 as Lord Darcy and Conyers, was a British diplomat and politician who served as Secretary of State for the Northern Department from 1754 to 1761.
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1718
Italian violinist and composer (died 1817)
Francesco Pasquale Ricci, was an Italian composer and violinist.
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1732
American colonel (died 1784)
Seth Warner was an American soldier. He was a Revolutionary War officer from Vermont who rose to the rank of Continental colonel and was often given the duties of a brigade commander. He is best known for his…
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1743
English physician and microbiologist (died 1823)
Edward Jenner was an English physician and scientist who pioneered the concept of vaccines and created the smallpox vaccine, the world's first vaccine. The terms vaccine and vaccination are derived from Variolae…
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1749
5th Baronet, English politician (died 1839)
Sir John St Aubyn, 5th Baronet, was a British Member of Parliament, High Sheriff of Cornwall and Grand Master of the Freemasons. Born in London, he succeeded to the baronetcy on 12 October 1772, at which point he…
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1758
Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Queen of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until her death in 1821 as the estranged wife of King George IV. She was Princess…
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1768
1st Marquess of Anglesey, English general and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (died 1854)
Field Marshal Henry William Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey, styled Lord Paget between 1784 and 1812 and known as the Earl of Uxbridge between 1812 and 1815, was a British Army officer and politician. After serving as a…
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1768
Irish-English author (died 1860)
Anna Brownell Jameson was an Anglo-Irish art historian whose work spanned art and literary criticism, philosophy, travel writing, and feminism. She became very well known for her extensive writings. Jameson was…
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1794
American professor, astronomer and mathematician (died 1899)
Ezra Otis Kendall (1818–1899) was an American professor, astronomer and mathematician. He was known for his work in uranography.
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1818
German priest and therapist (died 1897)
Sebastian Kneipp was a German Catholic priest and one of the forefathers of the naturopathic movement. He is most commonly associated with the "Kneipp Cure" form of hydrotherapy, the application of water through various…
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1821
Scottish-Australian politician, 8th Premier of Queensland (died 1900)
Sir Thomas McIlwraith was for many years the dominant figure of colonial politics in Queensland. He was Premier of Queensland from 1879 to 1883, again in 1888, and for a third time in 1893. In common with most…
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1835
Belgian author and poet (died 1923)
Virginie (Marie) Loveling was a Flemish author of poetry, novels, essays and children's stories. She also wrote under the pseudonym W. E. C. Walter. She did write sentimentally early in her career but her later novels…
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1836
Catalan priest and poet (died 1902)
Jacint Verdaguer i Santaló was a Spanish writer and priest, regarded as one of the greatest poets of Catalan literature and a prominent literary figure of the Renaixença, a cultural revival movement of the late Romantic…
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1845
Slovak author and playwright (died 1928)
Martin Kukučín was a Slovak prose writer, dramatist and publicist. He was the most notable representative of Slovak literary realism, and is considered one of the founders of modern Slovak prose.
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1860
American mathematician and social activist (died 1934)
Charlotte Cynthia Barnum, mathematician and social activist, was the first woman to receive a Ph.D. in mathematics from Yale University.
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1860
Canadian lawyer, sociologist, and civil servant (died 1951)
Léon Gérin was a Canadian lawyer, civil servant, and sociologist.
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1863
Swiss target shooter (died 1923)
Louis Marcel Richardet was a Swiss sports shooter who competed in the early 20th century. He participated in Shooting at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris and won two gold medals with the Military pistol and rifle teams…
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1864
Croatian lawyer and politician, 27th Mayor of Split (died 1938)
Ante Trumbić was a Yugoslav and Croatian lawyer and politician in the early 20th century.
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1864
French pianist and composer (died 1925)
Eric Alfred Leslie Satie, better known as Erik Satie, was a French composer and pianist. The son of a French father and a British mother, he studied at the Paris Conservatoire but was undistinguished and did not obtain…
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1866
American businessman, co-founded Dodge (died 1920)
Horace Elgin Dodge Sr. was an American automobile manufacturing pioneer and co-founder of Dodge Brothers Company.
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1868
Greek politician, Prime Minister of Greece (died 1936)
Panagis Tsaldaris was a Greek politician who served as Prime Minister of Greece twice. He was a revered conservative politician and leader for many years (1922–1936) of the conservative People's Party in the period…
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1868
Australian politician, 8th Premier of Western Australia (died 1936)
Major General Sir Newton James Moore, was an Australian politician, businessman and army officer. He served as the eighth Premier of Western Australia from 1906 to 1910 and, following service in the First World War, was…
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1870
French author and journalist (died 1935)
Henri Barbusse was a French novelist, short story writer, journalist, poet and political activist. He began his literary career in the 1890s as a Symbolist poet and continued as a neo-Naturalist novelist; in 1916, he…
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1873
English author and journalist (died 1957)
Dorothy Miller Richardson was a British author and journalist. Author of Pilgrimage, a sequence of 13 semi-autobiographical novels published between 1915 and 1967—though Richardson saw them as chapters of one work—she…
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1873
American diver (died 1907)
George Herbert Sheldon was an American diver who competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics and won the inaugural platform diving competition.
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1874
Estonian architect and painter (died 1965)
Karl Burman sen. was an Estonian architect and painter.
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1882
Spanish monarch (died 1941)
Alfonso XIII, also known as El Africano or the African for his Africanist views, was King of Spain from his birth until 14 April 1931, when the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed. He became a monarch at birth as his…
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1886
English cricketer (died 1965)
Alfred Percy "Tich" Freeman was an English first-class cricketer. A leg spin bowler for Kent County Cricket Club and England, he is the only man to take 300 wickets in an English season, and is the second most prolific…
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1888
American actress and singer (died 1946)
Dorothy Gibson was an American actress, socialite and artist's model, active in the early 20th century. She survived the sinking of the Titanic and starred in the first motion picture based on the disaster.
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1889
Mexican author (died 1959)
Alfonso Reyes Ochoa was a Mexican writer, philosopher and diplomat. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature five times and has been acclaimed as one of the greatest authors in the Spanish language. He served…
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1889
Greek general and politician (died 1957)
Napoleon Zervas was a Hellenic Army officer and resistance leader during World War II. He organized and led the National Republican Greek League (EDES), the second most significant, in terms of size and activity,…
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1891
American inventor and entrepreneur (died 1961)
Frederick McKinley Jones was an American inventor, entrepreneur, engineer, winner of the National Medal of Technology, and an inductee of the National Inventors Hall of Fame. He innovated mobile refrigeration…
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1893
Belarusian-English captain and parasitologist (died 1966)
Saul Adler OBE FRS was an Israeli expert on parasitology.
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1895
Estonian sprinter and bandy player (died 1936)
Reinhold Saulmann was an Estonian track and field sprinter.
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1895
Norwegian chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1981)
Odd Hassel was a Norwegian physical chemist and Nobel Laureate.
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1897
Canadian painter (died 1992)
Alfred Joseph Casson was a member of the Canadian group of artists known as the Group of Seven. He joined the group in 1926 at the invitation of Franklin Carmichael, replacing Frank Johnston. Casson is best known for…
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1898
Spanish writer (died 1979)
María Carmen de Icaza y de León, 8th Baroness of Claret was a Spanish journalist and novelist from 1935–60. She enjoyed success with her 1936 novel, Cristina Guzmán, which was subsequently adapted for the stage,…
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1899
German pianist and composer (died 1983)
Werner Egk, born Werner Joseph Mayer, was a German composer.
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1901
American baseball player and manager (died 1991)
James Thomas "Cool Papa" Bell was an American center fielder and pitcher in Negro league baseball and the Mexican League from 1922 to 1946. He is considered to have been one of the fastest men ever to play the game. He…
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1903
1904
Croatian-American soprano and educator (died 1989)
Zinka Milanov was a Croatian operatic dramatic soprano who had a major career centered on the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. After finishing her education in Zagreb, Milanov made her debut in 1927 in Ljubljana as…
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1906
American physicist and academic (died 1987)
Julius Sumner Miller was an American physicist and television personality. He is best known for his work on children's television programs in North America and Australia.
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1909
Swedish-American model (died 1992)
Lisa Fonssagrives was a Swedish model, dancer, sculptor, and photographer. She is widely credited with having been the first supermodel.
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1911
Irish-American actress (died 1998)
Maureen Paula O'Sullivan was an Irish-American actress who played Jane in the Tarzan series of films during the era of Johnny Weissmuller. She starred in dozens of feature films across a span of more than half a century…
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1911
American lawyer and politician, 31st United States Solicitor General (died 2004)
Archibald Cox Jr. was an American legal scholar who served as U.S. Solicitor General under President John F. Kennedy and as a special prosecutor during the Watergate scandal. During his career, he was a pioneering…
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1912
American inventor (died 2006)
Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner was an African American inventor who created an adjustable sanitary belt. to keep menstrual pads securely in place. She has been granted five patents in between 1956 and 1987, one of the…
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1912
Swiss racing driver and author (died 2007)
Hans Ruesch was a Swiss racing driver, a novelist, and an internationally prominent activist against animal experiments and vivisection. Ruesch has been described as a pioneer of the anti-vivisection movement.
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1913
American-Canadian chiropractor and politician (died 1997)
Robert Norman Thompson was a Canadian politician, chiropractor, and educator. He was born in Duluth, Minnesota, to Canadian parents and moved to Canada in 1918 with his family. Raised in Alberta, he graduated from the…
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1914
English actress (died 1981)
Joan Benham was an English actress best known for her portrayal of Lady Prudence Fairfax in the ITV period drama series Upstairs, Downstairs. She was born in London and was the first cousin of Hollywood actress Olive…
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1918
Swedish operatic soprano (died 2005)
Märta Birgit Nilsson was a Swedish dramatic soprano. Although she sang a wide repertoire of operatic and vocal works, Nilsson was best known for her performances in the operas of Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss. Her…
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1918
Mexican singer-songwriter, producer, actor, and screenwriter (died 2007)
José Pascual Antonio Aguilar Márquez Barraza, known as Antonio Aguilar, was a Mexican singer and actor. He recorded over 150 albums, which sold 25 million copies, and acted in more than 120 films. He was given the…
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1919
Russian-Estonian physicist and philosopher (died 1994)
Gustav Naan was a Soviet and Estonian physicist and philosopher. According to the Estonian Encyclopedia's definition, he "wrote plenty of irritating publicist articles".
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1919
Estonian-Venezuelan businessman, co-founded ACO Group (died 2010)
Harry Männil, also known as Harry Mannil Laul,[a] was an Estonian businessman, art collector, and cultural benefactor in several countries.
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1920
English horn player (died 1957)
Dennis Brain was a British horn player. From a musical family – his father and grandfather were horn players – he attended the Royal Academy of Music in London. During the Second World War he served in the Royal Air…
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1921
American composer and screenwriter (died 1998)
Henry Robert Merrill Levan was an American songwriter, theatrical composer, lyricist, and screenwriter. Merrill was one of the most successful songwriters of the 1950s on the US and UK single charts. His musicals for…
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1921
French racing driver, founded Alpine (died 2007)
Jean Rédélé, was an automotive pioneer, pilot and founder of the French automotive brand Alpine.
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1922
English commander and pilot (died 2015)
Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Michael James Beetham, was a Second World War bomber pilot and a high-ranking commander in the Royal Air Force from the 1960s to the 1980s. As Chief of the Air Staff during the…
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1923
English footballer (died 2018)
Roy Thomas Frank Bentley was an English football player and manager.
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1924
Baron Tombs, English engineer and politician (died 2020)
Francis Leonard Tombs, Baron Tombs was an English industrialist and politician who served as a crossbench member of the House of Lords from 1990 until his retirement in 2015.
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1924
13th Earl of Airlie, English-Scottish soldier and politician (died 2023)
David George Coke Patrick Ogilvy, 13th Earl of Airlie, was a Scottish landowner, soldier, banker and peer.
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1926
Austrian-Spanish actor, director, and screenwriter (died 2014)
Dietmar Otto Schönherr was an Austrian film actor. He appeared in 120 films between 1944 and 2014. He was famous for playing the role of Major Cliff Allister McLane in the German science fiction series Raumpatrouille.…
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1926
German-English chemist and academic (died 1981)
Franz Sondheimer FRS was a German-born British professor of chemistry. In 1960, he was awarded the Israel Prize for his contributions to science.
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1926
Croatian and Yugoslav football player and coach (died 1988)
Branislav "Branko" Zebec was a Croatian footballer and manager who played for Yugoslavia.
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1929
American cult leader, founded Heaven's Gate (died 1997)
Marshall Herff Applewhite Jr., also known as Do, among other names, was an American religious leader who founded and led the Heaven's Gate new religious movement, and organized their mass suicide in 1997. The suicide is…
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1931
American saxophonist (died 2006)
Walter Dewey Redman was an American saxophonist who performed free jazz as a bandleader, and as a member of bands including those led by Ornette Coleman and Keith Jarrett.
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1931
English soldier and diplomat, British Ambassador to Russia
Sir Rodric Quentin Braithwaite, is a British former diplomat and author.
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1932
Australian cricketer (died 2001)
Peter John Parnell Burge was an Australian cricketer who played in 42 Test matches between 1955 and 1966. After retiring as a player he became a highly respected match referee, overseeing 25 Tests and 63 One Day…
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1932
Dominican baseball player and coach (died 2024)
Osvaldo José Virgil Pichardo was a Dominican professional baseball player and coach. He was the first person from the Dominican Republic to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) post-integration, appearing in 324 MLB…
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1932
Russian javelin thrower (died 2002)
Yelena Yegorovna Gorchakova was a Russian javelin thrower who won bronze medals at the 1952 and 1964 Olympics. Her 1964 bronze was a disappointment as she set a world record in the qualification that remained unbeaten…
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1933
German educator and politician (died 2022)
Friedrich-Wilhelm Kiel was a German politician and member of the FDP.
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1934
American football player and coach (died 2014)
Earl Edwin Morrall was an American professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 21 seasons, both a starter and reserve. He was the last remaining player from the 1950s…
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1934
American computer scientist, co-founded Apple Computer
Ronald Gerald Wayne is an American retired electronics industry business executive. He co-founded Apple Computer Company—which later became Apple Inc.—as a partnership with Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs on April 1, 1976,…
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1934
English voice actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (died 1994)
Dennis Christopher George Potter was an English television dramatist, screenwriter and journalist. He is best known for his BBC television serials Pennies from Heaven (1978) and The Singing Detective (1986) as well as…
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1935
American actor and director (died 2010)
Dennis Lee Hopper was an American actor, filmmaker, photographer and visual artist. He is considered one of the key figures of the New Hollywood era. He earned prizes from the Cannes Film Festival and Venice…
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1936
American lawyer and politician, 7th United States Secretary of Energy
Hazel Reid O'Leary is an American lawyer, politician, and university administrator who served as the 7th United States secretary of energy from 1993 to 1997. A member of the Democratic Party, O'Leary was the first woman…
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1937
1938
Israeli activist (died 2021)
Marcia Judith Freedman was an American-Israeli activist and politician. She advocated for a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, as well as for women's and gay rights. Born in Newark, New Jersey,…
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1938
American R&B bass singer (died 2008)
Pervis Jackson was an American R&B singer, noted as the bass singer for The Spinners, and was one of the group's original members as well as their spokesman.
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1938
Baron Dykes, English politician
Hugh John Maxwell Dykes, Baron Dykes, is a British politician and member of the House of Lords. He served as a Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) from 1970 to 1997, and later defected to the Liberal Democrats.
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1939
American author (died 2021)
Gary James Paulsen was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction, best known for coming-of-age stories about the wilderness. He was the author of more than 200 books and wrote more than 200 magazine…
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1939
1940
Filipino lawyer and jurist, 22nd Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
Reynato Serrano Puno, KGCR is a Filipino jurist. He served as the 22nd chief justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from December 8, 2006, by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo until his mandatory retirement on…
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1940
American composer and author
David Howell Cope was an American author, composer, scientist and Dickerson Professor of Music at UC Santa Cruz. His primary area of research involved artificial intelligence and music; he wrote programs and algorithms…
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1941
American lawyer and politician, 37th Governor of Nebraska
Earl Benjamin Nelson is an American politician, attorney, and businessman who served as a United States senator from Nebraska from 2001 to 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 37th…
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1941
1942
Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia
Sirajuddin ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail is the current Raja of Perlis, reigning since 2000. He reigned as the twelfth Yang di-Pertuan Agong from 2001 to 2006.
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1943
Australian footballer, coach, and sportscaster (died 2004)
John Norman Warren, MBE, OAM was an Australian soccer player, coach, administrator, writer and broadcaster. He was known as Captain Socceroo for his passionate work to promote the game in Australia. The award for the…
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1943
American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (died 2014)
James Ridout "Jesse" Winchester Jr. was an American-Canadian musician and songwriter. He was born and raised in the southern United States. Opposed to the Vietnam War, he moved to Canada in 1967 to avoid the draft.…
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1944
Indian cricketer
Bhagwat Subramanya Chandrasekhar is an Indian former cricketer who played as a leg spinner. Considered among the top echelon of leg spinners, Chandrasekhar along with E.A.S. Prasanna, Bishen Singh Bedi and…
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1945
Australian tennis player and coach
Anthony Dalton Roche AO MBE, professionally known as Tony Roche is an Australian former professional tennis player.
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1945
German singer-songwriter and drummer
Udo Lindenberg is a German singer, composer, and painter.
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1946
English bishop
Stephen George Platten, is a retired Anglican prelate, the last to serve as diocesan Bishop of Wakefield in the Church of England.
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1947
Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist
Richard Peter Gaughan is a Scottish musician, singer and songwriter, particularly of folk and social protest songs. He is regarded as one of Scotland's leading singer-songwriters.
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1948
English drummer, songwriter, and producer
William Scott Bruford is an English drummer and percussionist. He is known for his work from the late-1960s to the 1990s, primarily as both a founding member of Yes and as a member of three forms of King Crimson.
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1949
1949
American playwright and composer (died 1991)
Howard Elliott Ashman was an American playwright, lyricist, and stage director. He is most widely known for his work on feature films for Walt Disney Animation Studios, for which Ashman wrote the lyrics and Alan Menken…
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1950
Baron Bradley, English accountant and politician
Keith John Charles Bradley, Baron Bradley, is a British Labour Party politician and life peer. He was formerly the Labour Member of Parliament (MP) for Manchester Withington from 1987 until 2005.
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1950
Slovenian economist and politician, 2nd President of Slovenia (died 2008)
Janez Drnovšek was a Slovenian liberal politician, President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia (1989–1990), Prime Minister of Slovenia and President of Slovenia (2002–2007).
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1950
English politician, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
Alan Arthur Johnson is a British former politician who served as Secretary of State for Education and Skills from 2006 to 2007, Secretary of State for Health from 2007 to 2009, Home Secretary from 2009 to 2010, and…
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1950
Russian journalist and politician (died 2014)
Valeriya Ilyinichna Novodvorskaya was a Russian and Soviet dissident, writer and liberal politician. She was the founder and the chairwoman of the Democratic Union party and a member of the editorial board of The New…
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1950
English lawyer and politician
Sir Simon Henry Ward Hughes is a British former politician. He is now the Chancellor of London South Bank University, and a strategic adviser to Talgo, a Spanish manufacturer of trains. Hughes was deputy leader of the…
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1951
Canadian lawyer and politician
Howard George Hampton is a politician who was a member of Provincial Parliament for the province of Ontario. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Canada, from 1987 to 1999 in the electoral district of Rainy…
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1952
South African-English jockey
Michael Roberts is a South African jockey currently a trainer in South Africa. He lives with his wife Verna and two daughters, Melanie and Carolyn. Roberts has had a successful career, winning many English and South…
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1954
American actor and director (died 2017)
William Paxton was an American actor, filmmaker and musician. A versatile character actor known for his distinctive Texan drawl and everyman screen persona, he was a four-time Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy…
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1955
American singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2005)
David Edward Townsend was an American musician best known as the guitarist for the R&B band Surface.
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1955
American boxer
Ray Charles Leonard, better known as Sugar Ray Leonard, is an American former professional boxer. Often regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time, he competed professionally between 1977 and 1997, winning world…
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1956
American politician
Annise Danette Parker is an American politician from the state of Texas. A Democrat, Parker served as the 61st Mayor of Houston, Texas, from 2010 until 2016. She also served as an at-large member of the Houston City…
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1956
1956
1956
Dominican baseball player (died 2012)
Pascual Gross Pérez was a Dominican professional baseball player who pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves, Montreal Expos, and New York Yankees from 1980 to 1991. He was an…
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1957
English rock singer-songwriter (died 2024)
Paul Andrews, better known by his stage name Paul Di'Anno, was an English heavy metal singer. He was the lead vocalist for Iron Maiden from 1978 to 1981. In his post-Maiden career, Di'Anno issued numerous albums over…
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1958
Argentine rugby player and coach
Marcelo Loffreda is an Argentine former rugby union footballer and coach. Loffreda won 44 caps with one as captain, playing at centre for the Argentine rugby union side. He played much of his career outside the…
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1959
American boxing promoter, actor, and producer
Louis John DiBella Jr. is an American boxing promoter, minor league baseball team owner and television/film producer.
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1960
English talent manager and producer, created the Idols series
Simon Robert Fuller is a British entrepreneur, artist manager, and film and television producer. He is the creator of the Idols TV format, including the British series Pop Idol and the American series American Idol.
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1960
1961
Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist
Jamil Azzaoui, also known mononymously as Jamil is a Canadian humorous artist / comedian, musician (guitarist) and an artist agent of Moroccan origin living in Montreal and well known in France and the francophone…
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1961
English businessman
Justin Matthew King CBE is an English businessman. He was the CEO of J Sainsbury plc, parent company of the supermarket chain Sainsbury's, for ten years before stepping down in July 2014.
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1961
Danish journalist and author
Lise Lyng Falkenberg is a Danish writer of mostly fiction, biographies and works of literary studies.
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1962
Australian rugby league player and coach
Andrew Farrar is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He played for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Western Suburbs, Wigan and the Illawarra Steelers. Farrar also played for New South Wales in the…
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1962
Scottish-American comedian, actor, and talk show host
Craig Ferguson is a Scottish-born American actor, comedian, writer and television host. He hosted the CBS late-night talk show The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (2005–2014), for which he won a Peabody Award for his…
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1962
English journalist and author
Jane Moore is an English journalist, writer, and television personality. She is a columnist for the tabloid The Sun and writes regular articles for the newspaper The Sunday Times. She was a panellist and anchor on the…
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1962
American computer scientist and engineer, co-founded Affectiva
Rosalind Wright Picard is an American electrical engineer and computer scientist who is the Grover M. Hermann Professor of Health Sciences and Technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She is the…
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1962
American basketball player
Jon Francis Koncak is an American former professional basketball player. A 7 ft (2.1 m) center / power forward from Southern Methodist University (SMU), Koncak was selected with the fifth pick in the 1985 NBA draft by…
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1963
American keyboard player and songwriter
Page Samuel McConnell is an American multi-instrumentalist, most noted for his work as the keyboardist and a songwriter for the band Phish.
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1963
Greek footballer and coach
Stratos Apostolakis, nicknamed The Turbo, is a Greek former professional footballer who played as a defender or a defensive midfielder.
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1964
1964
Dutch tennis player (died 1999)
Menno Oosting was a professional tennis player from the Netherlands, who won seven ATP Tour doubles titles out of 18 finals in his career.
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1964
American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer
Michael Trent Reznor is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and composer. He came to prominence as the founder, lead singer, multi-instrumentalist, and primary songwriter of the industrial rock band Nine Inch…
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1965
English journalist and author
Jeremy Guy Vine is an English television and radio presenter and journalist. He is best known as the host of his BBC Radio 2 lunchtime programme which presents news, views, interviews with live guests, consumer issues…
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1965
American singer and television personality
Luann de Lesseps is an American television personality, singer, model, and author. She is best known as an original cast member of the Bravo reality television series The Real Housewives of New York City, featuring in…
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1965
Iraqi soldier and politician (died 2003)
Qusay Saddam Hussein al-Nasiri al-Tikriti was an Iraqi politician, military officer, and the second son of Saddam Hussein. He was appointed as his father's heir apparent in 2000. He was deputy head of the Iraqi Special…
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1966
Australian tennis player and coach
Mark Edward Kratzmann is a former Australian professional tennis player.
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1966
French sprinter
Gilles Quénéhervé is a retired French sprinter who specialized in the 200 metres.
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1966
Maldivian lawyer and politician 4th President of the Maldives
Mohamed Nasheed GCSK, also known as Anni, is a Maldivian politician and activist who served as the fourth president of the Maldives from 2008 until his controversial resignation in 2012. A founding member of the…
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1967
Austrian skier
Patrick Ortlieb is a former World Cup alpine ski racer and Olympic gold medalist from Austria. A specialist in the speed events, he was also a world champion in the downhill event.
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1967
American rock drummer and songwriter
David James Abbruzzese is an American musician who was the drummer for the American rock band Pearl Jam from 1991 to 1994. He replaced drummer Matt Chamberlain in 1991, shortly before the release of the band's debut…
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1968
English footballer and manager
Keith John Hill is an English professional former footballer and football manager who was most recently manager of National League club Scunthorpe United.
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1969
American basketball player and coach
Hubert Ira Davis Jr. is a former professional basketball player and former head basketball coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels men's team. Before his coaching career, Davis played for North Carolina from 1988 to 1992…
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1970
American singer-songwriter and actor
Jordan Nathaniel Marcel Knight is an American pop singer and songwriter. He is the lead vocalist of the boy band New Kids on the Block (NKOTB), which rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s, using a falsetto style of…
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1970
American mixed martial artist, wrestler, and politician
Matthew James Lindland, is an American retired mixed martial artist, Olympic wrestler, speaker, actor, coach, entrepreneur, and politician. He won the Oregon Republican Party's nomination for the Oregon House of…
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1970
1970
1970
Australian rugby player
Mark Connors is an Australian rugby union footballer. He is currently the Queensland Reds third most capped player ever, playing 134 games for the side. He has played for Australia 20 times, including their victory in…
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1971
Australian footballer, coach, and sportscaster
Shaun Hart is a former Australian rules football player, who played for the Brisbane Bears and Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League. Hart played in Brisbane's Lions hat trick of premierships from 2001 to…
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1971
Dutch athlete
Stella Jongmans is a retired Dutch athlete who specialised in the 800 metres. She won the gold at the 1995 Summer Universiade and silver at the 1996 European Indoor Championships. In addition, she represented The…
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1971
1971
Governor of Rhode Island
Gina Marie Raimondo is an American politician and businesswoman who served as the 40th United States secretary of commerce from 2021 to 2025. As a member of the Democratic Party, she served as the 75th governor of Rhode…
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1971
English born Jamaican international footballer
Barrington Edward Hayles is a football coach and former player who played as a striker. Born in England, he was capped ten times by Jamaica at international level.
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1972
American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
Joshua Michael Homme III is an American musician, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He is best known as the founder and only continuous member of the rock band Queens of the Stone Age, which…
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1973
Irish singer-songwriter, pianist, and actress
Andrea Jane Corr is an Irish musician and actress. Corr debuted in 1990 as the lead singer of the Celtic folk rock and pop rock group the Corrs along with her three elder siblings Caroline, Sharon and Jim. Aside from…
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1974
Venezuelan baseball player
Wiklenman Vicente González is a Venezuelan former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, and Washington Nationals in parts of seven seasons…
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1974
American international soccer player
Edward James Lewis is an American former soccer player and entrepreneur.
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1974
Brazilian footballer
Marcelo dos Santos, known as Marcelinho, is a Brazilian professional football coach and former player who played as an attacking midfielder.
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1975
German wrestler
Alexander Wright is a German former professional wrestler and professional wrestling promoter. He wrestled professionally in Germany and Japan before signing with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1994. He is known…
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1975
American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress
Kandi Lenice Burruss is an American singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. She first gained notice in 1992 as a member of the multi-platinum R&B female vocal group Xscape. As a songwriter, she has…
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1976
Australian rugby league player
Shayne Dunley is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s, he played in the National Rugby League (NRL) between 1998 and 2007. He played as either a halfback or hooker.
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1976
Dominican-American baseball player
José Manuel Guillén is a Dominican former professional baseball outfielder. Guillén played for ten Major League Baseball (MLB) teams in his career.
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1976
Kenyan runner
Daniel Kipngetich Komen is a Kenyan middle- and long-distance runner. Remembered for his rivalry with Haile Gebrselassie, his most notable achievements came in a two-year period between 1996 and 1998, during which he…
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1976
American-Taiwanese singer-songwriter, producer, actor, and director
Wang Leehom, sometimes credited as Leehom Wang, is an American singer-songwriter, actor, producer, and film director. His music is known for fusing hip-hop and R&B, with traditional Chinese music.
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1976
Spanish runner
María Teresa "Mayte" Martínez Jiménez is a Spanish athlete competing in the 800 m. She has reached 4 consecutive finals in the World Championships, being third with an incredible last straight in Osaka. She took part in…
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1976
Dutch freestyle swimmer
Kirsten Vlieghuis is a former freestyle swimmer from The Netherlands, who won two bronze medals at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States, in the 400m and 800m freestyle competition. She also competed in the…
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1976
American baseball player and coach
John Norman Foster is an American former professional baseball pitcher and current coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers. After retiring as a player, Foster coached…
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1978
English footballer
Patrick Joseph Kenny is a former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He is currently goalkeeping coach at Matlock Town.
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1978
Dominican-American baseball player
Carlos Felipe Peña is a Dominican former professional baseball first baseman and current broadcaster. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox,…
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1978
1978
Czech footballer
David Jarolím is a Czech football manager and former player who most recently managed Ústí nad Labem. A central midfielder by position, Jarolím was known for his stamina, passing and technical skill.
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1979
English footballer
Wayne Junior Robert Thomas is an English retired footballer and current football coach. He is currently working as a PE teacher at Haberdashers' Boys' School. In 2015, he was employed as an academy coach at the New York…
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1979
Bosnian historian and philosopher
Davor Džalto is an artist, art historian, theologian and philosopher of Bosnian-Herzegovinian origin.
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1980
Swedish cyclist
Fredrik Carl Wilhelm Kessiakoff is a Swedish former professional road bicycle racer. Kessiakoff turned to road racing in 2009, having had a successful career as a professional mountain biker for many years, winning the…
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1980
Dutch mixed martial artist and kickboxer
Alistair Cees Overeem is a Dutch former professional mixed martial artist and kickboxer. He is a former Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion, Dream Heavyweight Champion, K-1 World Grand Prix Champion, and was the first…
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1980
Dutch drummer
Epica is a Dutch symphonic metal band founded by guitarist and vocalist Mark Jansen after his departure from After Forever. Originally formed as a symphonic metal band with gothic influences, Epica later incorporated…
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1980
Spanish cyclist
Beñat Albizuri Aransolo is a Spanish former professional road bicycle racer, who rode professionally between 2006 and 2008, entirely for Euskaltel–Euskadi.
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1981
English footballer
Leon Osman is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He spent almost all of his career at Everton, making 433 appearances and scoring 57 goals. Earlier in his career he spent time on loan…
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1981
South Korean singer
Lim Jeong-hee, also known as J-Lim, is a South Korean singer who debuted in 2005 under JYP Entertainment. One of her notable performances in 2005 was the 5th Pattaya Music Festival in Thailand, which helped promote and…
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1981
English historian and politician
Christopher James Skidmore is a British former Conservative Party politician and author of popular history who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Kingswood in South Gloucestershire from 2010 to 2024.
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1981
Greek footballer
Giannis Taralidis is a Greek former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
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1981
American football player
Matthew Brennan Cassel is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. He was a member of seven NFL teams, most notably the New England Patriots…
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1982
1982
1982
French-American basketball player
William Anthony Parker Jr. is a French-American former professional basketball player and majority owner of LDLC ASVEL of the LNB Élite and the EuroLeague. The son of a basketball pro, Parker started his career at Paris…
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1982
English politician
Chloe Rebecca Smith is a British Conservative Party politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Norwich North from 2009 to 2024. She previously served as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions from…
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1982
American basketball player
Channing Thomas Frye is an American former professional basketball player. A power forward-center, he played college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats. He was selected eighth overall by the New York Knicks in the 2005…
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1983
American football player (died 2009)
Christopher Henry was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver for five seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the West Virginia…
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1983
Dutch footballer
Nicky Hofs is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He spent most of his professional career with Vitesse. After retiring, he began working as a youth and assistant coach within the Vitesse…
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1983
Australian rugby league player
Kevin Kingston is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a hooker for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Parramatta Eels and the Penrith Panthers in the National Rugby League (NRL) in the…
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1983
Brazilian politician
Danniel Librelon Dias de Castro is a Brazilian politician serving as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro since 2019. In 2023, he served as group leader of the Republicans.
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1983
American baseball player
Jeremy Bryan Sowers is an American former professional baseball pitcher and current executive. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians from 2006 to 2009, and is currently the manager of major…
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1983
Costa Rican footballer
Christian Bolaños Navarro is a Costa Rican former professional footballer who played as a right winger. After his international debut with the Costa Rica national team in 2005, Bolaños earned over 80 international caps…
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1984
English runner
Christine Ijeoma Ohuruogu is a British former track and field athlete who specialised in the 400 metres, the event for which she is an Olympic, World and Commonwealth champion.
The Olympic champion in 2008, and silver…
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1984
Canadian water polo player
Christine Robinson is a Canadian water polo player. She is a student at McGill University. She was part of the 7th place women's water polo team at the 2004 Summer Olympics. She won a gold medal at the 2003 FINA Junior…
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1984
1984
Colombian footballer
Teófilo Antonio "Teo" Gutiérrez Roncancio is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Atlético Junior. He was a Colombian international and captained the country at the 2016 Summer Olympics in…
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1985
American actor, singer, and dancer
Derek Bruce Hough is an American professional Latin and ballroom dancer, choreographer, actor, singer, and television personality. From 2007 to 2016, Hough was a professional dancer on the ABC dance competition series…
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1985
Canadian speed skater
Christine Nesbitt is a Canadian retired long track speed skater who currently resides in Vancouver, British Columbia. She won the gold medal in the 1000 metres event at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. She had…
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1985
American baseball player
Todd Richard Redmond is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2004 MLB draft and traded to the Atlanta Braves four years later, but never appeared with either…
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1985
1985
1986
Estonian skier
Timo Simonlatser is an Estonian cross-country skier who has competed since 2005. He finished 27th in the individual sprint at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
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1986
English footballer
Jodie Lee Taylor is an English former professional footballer who last played as a striker for Arsenal of WSL. She began her club career with local team Tranmere Rovers and had brief spells in her home country with…
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1986
Norwegian cyclist
Edvald Boasson Hagen is a Norwegian former road racing cyclist, who competed as a professional from 2006 to 2024. He was ranked as no. 3 in the world by UCI as of 31 August 2009, when he was 22 years old. He is known as…
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1987
Italian footballer
Aleandro Rosi is an Italian professional footballer who plays for Serie C Group B club Torres. Known for his versatility, he plays as a full-back, a winger along the right flank, offensively and defensively, and for his…
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1987
American actress, singer, and screenwriter
Nikki Reed is an American actress, screenwriter, and entrepreneur best known for her role as Rosalie Hale in The Twilight Saga (2008–12). Reed rose to prominence when she starred in and co-wrote the psychological drama…
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1988
New Zealand rugby league player
Mose Masoe is a former Samoa international rugby league footballer who last played as a prop for Hull Kingston Rovers in the Super League.
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1989
Estonian basketball player
Rain Raadik is an Estonian professional basketball player who plays for Valentino Basket Castellaneta of the Serie C Italian Basketball League. He is a 2.08 m tall power forward and center. He also represented the…
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1989
Canadian ice dancer
Tessa Jane McCormick Virtue is a Canadian retired ice dancer. With ice dance partner Scott Moir, she is the 2010 and 2018 Olympic champion, the 2014 Olympic silver medallist, a three-time World champion, a three-time…
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1989
American basketball player
William Dalen Clyburn is an American professional basketball player for FC Barcelona of the Liga ACB and the EuroLeague. Clyburn attended three colleges, from 2008 to 2013: Marshalltown Community College, University of…
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1990
German footballer
Fabian Giefer is a German professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper. Currently a free agent, he last played for Würzburger Kickers.
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1990
New Zealand rugby league player
Charlie Gubb is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who last played for the Widnes Vikings in the Super League.
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1990
English runner
Katrina Hart is an English athlete who won a gold medal for England at the 2010 Commonwealth Games competing in women's 100 m T37. She had competed at the 2008 Paralympics but was forced to withdraw through injury, and…
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1990
Argentine tennis player
Guido Pella is an Argentine former professional tennis player. In August 2019, Pella reached his career best world No. 20 in singles. In July 2019, he peaked at No. 55 in doubles.
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1990
Australian-English tennis player
Johanna Konta is a British-Australian former professional tennis player. Konta won four singles titles on the WTA Tour, along with eleven titles in singles and four in doubles on the ITF Women's Circuit. She was British…
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1991
1991
Canadian field hockey player
Abigail Raye is a British-born Belgian field hockey player. She has represented Canada and Belgium at international level.
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1991
Filipina singer-songwriter
Julie Anne Peñaflorida San Jose is a Filipino singer and actress. She rose to prominence after competing in the reality singing competition Popstar Kids in 2005.
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1994
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Famous birthdays
Who was born on May 17?
Danny Manning — American basketball player and coach (born 1966)
FeaturedDanny Manning
Birth year1966
Known forManning played high-school basketball at Page High School in Greensboro, North Carolina, as well as Lawrence High School in Lawrence, Kansas
Birthdays on this date228 (1155 – 1994)
Explore May 17
Jump between the main pages for this date to compare events, people, and the daily quiz.
Also on May 17 in History
2014
A military plane crash in northern Laos kills 17 people. Wikipedia →
2010
Pamir Airways Flight 112 crashes in Afghanistan's Shakardara District, killing 44. Wikipedia →
2007
See all events on May 17
Trains from North and South Korea cross the 38th Parallel in a test-run agreed by both governments. This is the first time that trains have crossed the Demilitarized Zone since 1953. Wikipedia →
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