Did you know
Kurri played 17 seasons in the NHL and was the first Finnish player to be enshrined into the Hockey Hall of Fame, in 2001
Famous Birthdays on May 18
218 people
1048 – 2009
May 18 has seen 218 notable people enter the world across recorded history — from 1048 – 2009. Below are the most significant names born on this date.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
1960 — Jari Kurri
Finnish ice hockey player, coach, and manager
Did you know
In 1985, he won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy and tied the Stanley Cup playoffs record for goals in a postseason with 19
Did you know
He was the 18th player in NHL history to score 500 goals, doing so in 1992 and he became the eighth player to score 600 goals, doing so in his final season in 1997.
Did you know
Beginning in 1980, he played right wing for five National Hockey League (NHL) teams: the Edmonton Oilers, the Los Angeles Kings, the New York Rangers, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, and the Colorado Avalanche
Did you know
In 2017, Kurri was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in history
Persian mathematician, astronomer, and poet (died 1131)
Omar Khayyam (1048–1131) was a Persian poet and polymath, known for his contributions to mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, and Persian literature. He was born in Nishapur, Iran and lived during the Seljuk era, around…
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1048
Konstantin Vsevolodovich was the eldest son of Vsevolod the Big Nest and Maria Shvarnovna.
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1186
Italian politician and diplomat (died 1513)
Piero di Tommaso Soderini, also known as Pier Soderini, was an Italian statesman of the Republic of Florence.
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1450
Roman Catholic cardinal (died 1585)
Guido Luca Ferrero was an Italian Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal.
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1537
Polish priest and saint (died 1701)
Stanislaus Papczyński, MIC, born Jan Papczyński and in religion Stanislaus of Jesus and Mary, was a Polish Catholic priest who founded the Marians of the Immaculate Conception, the first Polish religious order for men.…
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1631
1662
English bishop, theologian, and apologist (died 1752)
Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) indicate dating systems before and after a calendar change, respectively. Usually, they refer to the change from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar as enacted in various…
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1692
Ragusan physicist, astronomer, and mathematician (died 1787)
Roger Joseph Boscovich was a physicist, astronomer, mathematician, philosopher, diplomat, poet, theologian, Jesuit priest, and a polymath from the Republic of Ragusa. He studied and lived in Italy and France where he…
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1711
English chemist, mineralogist, and zoologist (died 1852)
John George Children FRS FRSE FLS PRES was a British chemist, mineralogist and zoologist. He was a friend of Sir Humphry Davy, who helped him secure a controversial appointment to a post in the British Museum. Along…
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1777
3rd Marquess of Londonderry, Irish soldier and diplomat, British Ambassador to Austria (died 1854)
Lieutenant-General Charles William Vane, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry,, was an Anglo-Irish nobleman, soldier and politician. He served in the French Revolutionary Wars, in the suppression of the Irish Rebellion of 1798,…
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1778
Scottish author and critic (died 1854)
John Wilson FRSE was a Scottish advocate, literary critic and author, the writer most frequently identified with the pseudonym Christopher North of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine.
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1785
Frederick Augustus II was King of Saxony and a member of the House of Wettin.
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1797
American photographer and journalist (died 1896)
Mathew B. Brady was an American photographer. Known as one of the earliest and most famous photographers in American history, he is best known for his scenes of the American Civil War. He studied under inventor Samuel…
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1822
German botanist (died 1877)
Wilhelm Friedrich Benedikt Hofmeister was a German biologist and botanist. He "stands as one of the true giants in the history of biology and belongs in the same pantheon as Darwin and Mendel." Largely self-taught he…
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1824
American Methodist preacher and 3rd chancellor of Syracuse University (died 1908)
Charles N. Sims was an American Methodist preacher and the third chancellor of Syracuse University, serving from 1881 to 1893. Sims Hall and Sims drive on the Syracuse campus is named for him.
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1835
English engineer, mathematician, and physicist (died 1925)
Oliver Heaviside was a British mathematician and electrical engineer who invented a new technique for solving differential equations, independently developed vector calculus, and rewrote Maxwell's equations in the form…
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1850
American lawyer and politician, 19th Governor of California (died 1908)
James Herbert Budd was an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for California's 2nd district from 1883 to 1885 and as the 19th governor of California from 1895 to…
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1851
Potawatomi political activist (died 1930)
Simon Kahquados, born Kakanisaiga, was a leader of the Potawatomi people in Wisconsin, United States, and played a pivotal role in creating the federally recognized Forest County Potawatomi Community.
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1851
American photographer (died 1934)
Gertrude Käsebier was an American photographer. She was known for her images of motherhood, her portraits of Native Americans, and her promotion of photography as a career for women.
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1852
Dutch composer and educator (died 1924)
Bernard Zweers was a Dutch composer and music teacher.
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1854
American minister and author (died 1931)
Francis Julius Bellamy was an American Christian socialist Baptist minister and author. He is best known for writing the original version of the Pledge of Allegiance in 1892.
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1855
American publisher and politician, 41st United States Secretary of the Navy (died 1948)
Josephus Daniels was a newspaper editor, Secretary of the Navy under President Woodrow Wilson, and U.S. Ambassador to Mexico under President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
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1862
Japanese author, biologist, naturalist and ethnologist (died 1941)
Minakata Kumagusu was a Japanese author, biologist, naturalist and ethnologist.
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1867
Nicholas II was Emperor of Russia from 1 November 1894 until his abdication in 1917. He was the last monarch of Russia before the Russian Revolution, and oversaw the Russian Empire's participation in World War I. In…
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1868
English-American actress (died 1937)
Lucy Emily Beaumont was an English actress of the stage and screen from Bristol.
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1869
Irish shot putter and weight thrower (died 1922)
Denis Horgan was a champion Irish athlete and weight thrower, born in Banteer, County Cork, who competed mainly in the shot put.
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1871
British mathematician, historian, and philosopher, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1970)
Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, was an English philosopher, logician, mathematician, and public intellectual. He influenced mathematics, logic, set theory, and various areas of analytic philosophy.
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1872
German journalist and politician, 12th Chancellor of Germany (died 1931)
Hermann Müller was a German Social Democratic politician who served as foreign minister (1919–1920) and was twice chancellor of Germany during the Weimar Republic.
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1876
Dutch rower (died 1977)
Johannes Hester Lambertus Terwogt was a Dutch rower who competed in the 1900 Summer Olympics.
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1878
American baseball player, manager, and journalist (died 1968)
Charles Benjamin "Babe" Adams was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1906 to 1926 who spent nearly his entire career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Noted for his outstanding control, his…
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1882
Brazilian marshal and politician, 16th President of Brazil (died 1974)
Eurico Gaspar Dutra was a Brazilian military leader and politician who served as the president of Brazil from 1946 to 1951. He was the first president of the Fourth Brazilian Republic, which followed the Vargas Regime.
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1883
German-American architect, designed the John F. Kennedy Federal Building (died 1969)
Walter Adolph Georg Gropius was a German-American architect and founder of the Bauhaus School, who is widely regarded as one of the pioneering masters of modernist architecture. He was a founder of Bauhaus in Weimar and…
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1883
American actress and screenwriter (died 1946)
Abbie Jean MacPherson was an American silent actress, writer and director. She is known for her collaborations with directors D. W. Griffith and Cecil B. DeMille, and was a founding member of the Academy of Motion…
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1886
the oldest female resident of Belarus not registered by the Guinness Book of Records. (died 2007)
Hanna Adamauna Barysiewicz, Belarusian: Ганна Адамаўна Барысевiч, Russian: Анна Адамовна Борисевич was the oldest female resident of Belarus not registered by the Guinness Book of Records. Until her death, she was…
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1888
American chemist and engineer (died 1944)
Thomas Midgley Jr. was an American mechanical and chemical engineer. He played a major role in developing leaded gasoline and some of the first chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), better known in the United States by the brand…
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1889
German-American philosopher and academic (died 1970)
Paul Rudolf Carnap was a German philosopher who was active in Europe before 1935 and in the United States thereafter. He was a major member of the Vienna Circle and an advocate of logical positivism.
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1891
Italian-American actor and singer (died 1957)
Ezio Fortunato Pinza was an Italian opera singer. Pinza possessed a rich, smooth and sonorous voice, with a flexibility unusual for a bass. He spent 22 seasons at New York's Metropolitan Opera, appearing in more than…
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1892
Nicaraguan rebel leader (died 1934)
Augusto César Sandino was a Nicaraguan revolutionary, founder of the militant group EDSN, and leader of a rebellion between 1927 and 1933 against the United States occupation of Nicaragua. Despite being referred to as a…
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1895
Swedish runner (died 1965)
Eric Natanael Backman was a Swedish long distance runner who had his best achievements at the 1920 Summer Olympics.
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1896
Italian-American director, producer, and screenwriter (died 1991)
Frank Russell Capra was an Italian-born American film director, producer, and screenwriter who was the creative force behind several major award-winning films of the 1930s and 1940s. Born in Italy and raised in Los…
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1897
Turkish poet, author, and playwright (died 1973)
Faruk Nafiz Çamlıbel was a leading Turkish poet, author and later politician. He is one of the Five Syllabists. Together with Behçet Kemal Çağlar, he wrote the lyrics of the Tenth Anniversary March. He served as a…
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1898
1901
American biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1978)
Vincent du Vigneaud was an American biochemist. He was recipient of the 1955 Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for his work on biochemically important sulphur compounds, especially for the first synthesis of a polypeptide…
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1901
American playwright and composer (died 1984)
Robert Reiniger Meredith Willson was an American flautist, composer, conductor, musical arranger, bandleader, playwright, and writer.
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1902
American colonel and politician, 58th New York Attorney General (died 1986)
Jacob Koppel Javits was an American lawyer and politician from New York. During his time in politics, he served in both chambers of the United States Congress, a member of the United States House of Representatives from…
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1904
Japanese-American monk and educator (died 1971)
Shunryu Suzuki was a Sōtō Zen monk and teacher who helped popularize Zen Buddhism in the United States, and is renowned for founding the first Zen Buddhist monastery outside Asia. Suzuki founded San Francisco Zen Center…
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1904
pioneering American pilot (died 1930)
Ruth Blaney Alexander was an early American female pilot who set several records in altitude and distance in 1929 and 1930.
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1905
English cricketer and soldier (died 1943)
Hedley Verity was a professional cricketer who played for Yorkshire and England between 1930 and 1939. A slow left-arm orthodox bowler, he took 1,956 wickets in first-class cricket at an average of 14.90 and 144 wickets…
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1905
American author and educator (died 2001)
Irene Hunt was an American children's writer known best for historical novels. She was a runner-up for the Newbery Medal for her first book, Across Five Aprils, and won the medal for her second, Up a Road Slowly. For…
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1907
English tennis player and academic (died 1995)
Frederick Towersey Perry was a British tennis and table tennis player and former world No. 1. He won 10 Majors, including eight Grand Slam tournaments and two Pro Slams single titles, as well as six Major doubles…
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1909
Danish economist and author (died 1999)
Ester Boserup was a Danish economist. She studied economic and agricultural development, worked at the United Nations as well as other international organizations, and wrote seminal books on agrarian change and the role…
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1910
American blues/R&B singer (died 1985)
Joseph Vernon "Big Joe" Turner Jr. was an American blues shouter from Kansas City, Missouri. Turner's greatest fame was due to his rock and roll recordings in the 1950s, particularly "Shake, Rattle and Roll", but his…
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1911
American director, producer, and screenwriter (died 1992)
Richard Brooks was an American film director, screenwriter, journalist and novelist. He directed 24 feature films between 1950 and 1985, and was known for his portrayals of hard-hitting subject matter,…
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1912
American singer and television host (died 2001)
Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como was an American singer, actor, and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century, he recorded exclusively for RCA Victor for 44 years, from 1943 until 1987.
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1912
South African politician (died 2003)
Walter Max Ulyate Sisulu was a South African anti-apartheid activist and member of the African National Congress (ANC). Between terms as ANC Secretary-General (1949–1954) and ANC Deputy President (1991–1994), he was…
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1912
Baroness Birdwood, Canadian-English publisher and politician (died 2000)
Jane Birdwood, Baroness Birdwood, born Joan Pollock Graham, was a British far-right political activist who took part in a number of movements, and was described as the "largest individual distributor of racist and…
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1913
French fashion designer, founded Balmain (died 1982)
Pierre Alexandre Claudius Balmain was a French fashion designer and founder of leading post-war fashion house Balmain. Known for sophistication and elegance, he described the art of dressmaking as "the architecture of…
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1914
Bulgarian-Italian opera singer (died 1993)
Boris Christoff was a Bulgarian opera singer, widely considered one of the greatest basses of the 20th century.
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1914
American author and illustrator (died 1973)
William Blake Everett was an American comic book writer and artist best known for creating Namor the Sub-Mariner, as well as co-creating Daredevil and the zombie Simon Garth with writer Stan Lee for Marvel Comics.
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1917
British ballerina (died 1991)
Dame Margaret Evelyn de Arias DBE, known by the stage name Margot Fonteyn, was an English ballerina. She spent her entire career as a dancer with the Sadler's Wells Ballet Company, now known as the Royal Ballet,…
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1919
Pope John Paul II was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death in 2005. He was the first non-Italian pope since Adrian VI in the 16th century, as well as the…
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1920
English psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and author (died 2001)
Anthony Storr was an English psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and author.
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1920
British artist (died 1963)
Joan Kathleen Harding Eardley was a British artist noted for her portraiture of street children in Glasgow and for her landscapes of the fishing village of Catterline and surroundings on the North-East coast of…
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1921
English pathologist and academic (died 2024)
Sir Michael Anthony Epstein was a British pathologist and academic. He was one of the discoverers of the Epstein–Barr virus, along with Yvonne Barr and Bert Achong.
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1921
1922
Danish-American trombonist and composer (died 1983)
Kai Chresten Winding was a Danish-born American trombonist and jazz composer. He is known for his collaborations with fellow trombonist J. J. Johnson. His version of "More", the theme from the movie Mondo Cane, reached…
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1922
Canadian actor and politician, 34th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec (died 2013)
Jean-Louis Roux was a Canadian politician, entertainer and playwright who was briefly the 26th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec.
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1923
Jamaican journalist and politician, 3rd Prime Minister of Jamaica (died 2004)
Hugh Lawson Shearer was a Jamaican trade unionist and politician, who served as the 3rd Prime Minister of Jamaica, from 1967 to 1972. He was also Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade…
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1923
American actress (died 2025)
Priscilla Marie Pointer was an American actress of theater, film and television.
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1924
American sportscaster (died 2019)
John Francis Whitaker was an American sportscaster who worked for both CBS and ABC. Whitaker was a decorated army veteran of World War II. He fought in the Normandy Campaign and was wounded by an artillery strike.
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1924
American author and illustrator (died 1998)
Lillian Hoban was an American illustrator and children's writer best known for picture books created with her husband Russell Hoban. According to OCLC, she has published 326 works in 1,401 publications in 11 languages.
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1925
English politician (died 2018)
Sir Richard Bernard Frank Stewart Body was an English politician. He was Conservative Member of Parliament for Billericay from 1955 to 1959, for Holland with Boston from 1966 to 1997, and for Boston and Skegness from…
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1927
1927
American actor (died 2010)
Pernell Elven Roberts Jr. was an American stage, film, and television actor, activist, and singer. In addition to guest-starring in over 60 television series, he was best known for his roles as Ben Cartwright's eldest…
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1928
American baseball player and coach (died 2000)
John Stanley Sanford was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Sanford was notable for the meteoric start to his career when, he led the National League with 188…
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1929
Baron St John of Fawsley, English lawyer and politician, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (died 2012)
Norman Antony Francis St John-Stevas, Baron St John of Fawsley, was a British Conservative politician, author and barrister. He served as Leader of the House of Commons in the government of Prime Minister Margaret…
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1929
American soldier, lawyer, and politician (died 2012)
Warren Bruce Rudman was an American attorney and politician who served as a United States senator from New Hampshire from 1980 to 1993. A member of the Republican Party, he was known as a moderate centrist, to such an…
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1930
American soldier and author (died 2007)
Fred Thomas Saberhagen was an American science fiction and fantasy author most famous for his Berserker series of science fiction short stories and novels.
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1930
American cartoonist (died 2000)
Don Martin was an American cartoonist whose best-known work was published in Mad from 1956 to 1988. His popularity and prominence were such that the magazine promoted Martin as "Mad's Maddest Artist."
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1931
American actor (died 2022)
Robert Alan Morse was an American actor. Known for his gap-toothed boyishness, he started his career as a star on Broadway acting in musicals and plays before expanding into film and television. He earned numerous…
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1931
Estonian chess player (died 1995)
Kalju Pitksaar was an Estonian chess player, who won the Estonian Chess Championship.
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1931
Canadian farmer and politician (died 2018)
Clément Vincent was a Canadian politician and a Member of the House of Commons of Canada.
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1931
French politician, First Lady of France
Bernadette Thérèse Marie Chirac is a French politician and the widow of the former president Jacques Chirac.
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1933
Indian farmer and politician, 11th Prime Minister of India
Haradanahalli Doddegowda Deve Gowda is an Indian politician who served as the prime minister of India for nearly 11 months, from 1996 to 1997. He previously served as the chief minister of Karnataka from 1994 to 1996…
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1933
English rock climber and mountaineer (died 1985)
Donald Desbrow Whillans was an English rock climber and mountaineer. He climbed with Joe Brown and Chris Bonington.
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1933
American actor and director (died 2022)
Dwayne Bernard Hickman was an American actor and television executive, producer and director, who worked as an executive at CBS and had also briefly recorded as a vocalist. Hickman portrayed Chuck MacDonald, Bob…
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1934
Irish activist and writer (died 2025)
Pádraig Ó Snodaigh was an Irish language activist, poet, writer, and publisher. He worked for the Irish Electricity Supply Board, and later in the National Museum of Ireland. He was a president of Conradh na Gaeilge,…
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1935
American singer-songwriter (died 2013)
Leon Walton, better known by his stage name Leon Ashley, was an American country music singer. He is known mainly for his single "Laura ", which topped the country singles charts in 1967. This single was distributed on…
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1936
Turkish director, producer, and screenwriter (died 2024)
Türker İnanoğlu was a Turkish screenwriter, film director and producer.
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1936
English sculptor and academic
Michael Sandle is a British sculptor and artist. His works include several public sculptures, many relating to themes of war, death, or destruction.
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1936
American baseball player and sportscaster (died 2023)
Brooks Calbert Robinson Jr. was an American baseball player who played his entire 23-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles from 1955 to 1977. Nicknamed "Mr. Hoover" and…
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1937
Luxembourger jurist and politician, 22nd Prime Minister of Luxembourg
Jacques Louis Santer is a Luxembourgish politician who served as president of the European Commission from 1995 to 1999 before resigning amidst allegations of corruption. He served as the finance minister of Luxembourg…
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1937
American painter and academic
Janet Isobel Fish was an American contemporary realist artist. Through oil painting, lithography, and screenprinting, she explored the interaction of light with everyday objects in the still life genre. Many of her…
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1938
Baron Cormack, English historian, journalist, and politician (died 2024)
Patrick Thomas Cormack, Baron Cormack, was a British politician, historian, journalist and author. He served as a member of Parliament (MP) for 40 years, from 1970 to 2010. Cormack was a member of the Conservative Party…
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1939
Italian lawyer and judge (died 1992)
Giovanni Falcone was an Italian judge and prosecuting magistrate. From his office in the Palace of Justice in Palermo, Sicily, he spent most of his professional life trying to overthrow the power of the Sicilian Mafia.…
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1939
Canadian general and politician, 38th Canadian Minister of Defence
Gordon James O'Connor, is a retired brigadier-general, businessman, and lobbyist, who served as Conservative Member of Parliament from 2004 to 2015.
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1939
Filipino journalist, lawyer, and politician (died 2012)
Erico Boyles Aumentado was a former governor, vice governor, and senior provincial board member of Bohol, and congressman and deputy speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives. He is the first governor of Bohol…
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1940
Canadian wrestler and promoter
Louis Gino Acocella, better known by his ring name Gino Brito, is a retired Canadian professional wrestler and promoter. He was most popular in Montreal. As Louis Cerdan, he was a WWWF Tag Team Champion with fellow…
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1941
Scottish astronomer, physicist, and academic
Malcolm Sim Longair is a British physicist. From 1991 to 2008 he was the Jacksonian Professor of Natural Philosophy in the Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge. Since 2016 he has been editor-in-chief of…
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1941
English-Australian actress and singer
Miriam Margolyes is a British-Australian comedian, writer and actress. Known for her work as a character actor across film, television, and stage, she received the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mrs.…
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1941
English footballer, coach, and manager (died 2020)
Norbert Peter Stiles was an English professional footballer. He played for England for five years, winning 28 caps and scoring one goal. He played every minute of England's victorious 1966 FIFA World Cup campaign.…
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1942
Fijian wrestler (died 2017)
James Reiher Snuka was a Fijian and American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka.
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1943
English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
Albert Louis Hammond OBE is a Gibraltarian singer, songwriter and record producer. As a songwriter he has collaborated with songwriters Mike Hazlewood, John Bettis, Hal David, Diane Warren, Holly Knight, Carole Bayer…
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1944
German novelist, essayist, and poet (died 2001)
Winfried Georg Sebald, known as W. G. Sebald or Max Sebald, was a German writer and academic. At the time of his death at the age of 57, he was according to The New Yorker "widely recognized for his extraordinary…
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1944
American actress
Gail Strickland is a retired American actress who had prominent supporting roles in such films as The Drowning Pool (1975), Bound for Glory (1976), Who'll Stop the Rain (1978), Norma Rae (1979), and Protocol (1984), and…
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1945
Taiwanese lawyer and politician, 40th Premier of the Republic of China
Frank Hsieh Chang-ting is a Taiwanese politician, diplomat, and former defense attorney who has served as the chairman of the Taiwan–Japan Relations Association since 2026. He was the premier of the Republic of China in…
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1946
American baseball player and sportscaster
Reginald Martinez Jackson is an American former professional baseball right fielder who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City / Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, and…
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1946
German political scientist and author (died 2013)
Gerd Langguth was a professor of political science at the University of Bonn and the author of biographies of Angela Merkel, Horst Köhler and of Rudi Dutschke
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1946
Irish politician, 10th Taoiseach of Ireland (died 2024)
John Gerard Bruton was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Taoiseach from 1994 to 1997 and Leader of Fine Gael from 1990 to 2001. He held cabinet positions between 1981 and 1987, including twice as minister for…
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1947
American country/gospel singer (died 2024)
Joseph Sloan Bonsall Jr. was an American singer who was tenor vocalist of the Oak Ridge Boys from 1973 to 2023. Besides charting numerous hits as a member of the Oak Ridge Boys, Bonsall had a solo hit guesting with…
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1948
South Korean author and academic
Yi Munyeol is a South Korean writer. Yi's given name at birth was Yeol; the character Mun was added after he took up a writing career. His works include novels, short stories and Korean adaptations of classic Chinese…
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1948
Swedish sociologist and academic
Richard Swedberg is a Swedish sociologist. He is currently professor emeritus at the Department of Sociology at Cornell University. In the Fall of 1998, Swedberg was a Fellow at the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study…
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1948
American lawyer and politician, 28th New Mexico Attorney General, United States Senator from New Mexico
Thomas Stewart Udall is an American diplomat, attorney, and politician who served as a United States senator for New Mexico from 2009 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he also served as the U.S. representative…
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1948
American gospel music singer and pastor (died 2010)
Walter Lee Hawkins was an American gospel singer, songwriter, composer, and pastor. An influential figure in urban contemporary gospel music, his career spanned more than four decades. Hawkins won one Grammy from a sum…
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1949
English progressive rock keyboardist and songwriter
Richard Christopher Wakeman is an English keyboardist and composer best known for his multiple tenures in the progressive rock band Yes and for his prolific solo career which has spanned across six decades. His most…
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1949
American hurdler and coach (died 1997)
Rodney Milburn Jr. was an American hurdler who won gold at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich in the 110 m hurdles.
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1950
American singer-songwriter and painter
Mark Allen Mothersbaugh is an American musician, composer and artist. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as co-founder, lead vocalist and keyboardist of the new wave band Devo, whose "Whip It" was a top 20 single…
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1950
Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist
Richard Clapton is an Australian singer-songwriter-guitarist and producer. His solo top 20 hits on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart are "Girls on the Avenue" (1975) and "I Am an Island" (1982). He reached the top 20…
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1951
American baseball player and sportscaster
James Howard Sundberg is an American former professional baseball player, television sports analyst, and executive. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1974 to 1989, most prominently as a member of the…
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1951
German long jumper (died 2013)
Angela Voigt, née Schmalfeld was an East German long jumper.
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1951
American author and screenwriter
Diane Duane is an American science fiction and fantasy author, long based in Ireland. Her works include the Young Wizards young adult fantasy series and the Rihannsu Star Trek novels.
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1952
English general and politician
Lieutenant General Arundell David Leakey, is a former British Army officer. He was Director General of the European Union Military Staff in the Council of the European Union, Brussels. In 2010 he was appointed Gentleman…
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1952
American singer, guitarist and producer
George Harvey Strait Sr. is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, music producer, and rancher. Strait has sold tens of millions of records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of…
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1952
American pilot
Jeana Lee Yeager is an American aviator. She co-piloted, along with Dick Rutan, the first non-stop, non-refueled flight around the world in the Rutan Voyager aircraft from December 14 to 23, 1986. The flight took 9…
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1952
American author and illustrator (died 2015)
Alan Kupperberg was an American comics artist known for working in both comic books and newspaper strips.
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1953
English singer-songwriter and guitarist
Eric Goulden, known as Wreckless Eric, is an English rock and new wave singer-songwriter, best known for his 1977 single "Whole Wide World" on Stiff Records. More than two decades after its release, the song was…
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1954
Belgian footballer and manager
Eric Maria Gerets (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈeːrɪk ˈxeːrəts]; born 18 May 1954) is a Belgian former professional football manager and player. Nicknamed "The Lion (of Flanders)", he was regarded as one of the top…
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1954
Hong Kong actor and screenwriter
Chow Yun-fat SBS, previously known as Donald Chow, is a Hong Kong actor and filmmaker. In a film career spanning more than forty-five years, Chow has appeared in over 100 television drama series and films. Known for his…
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1955
French director and screenwriter
Catherine Corsini is a French film director, screenwriter, and actress. Her film Replay was entered into the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. Her 2012 film Three Worlds competed in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2012…
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1956
English playwright and screenwriter
John Harry Godber is an English playwright, known mainly for observational comedies. The Plays and Players Yearbook of 1993 rated him the third most performed playwright in the UK after William Shakespeare and Alan…
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1956
Australian guitarist and songwriter
James 'Jim' Moginie is an Australian musician. He is best known for his work with Midnight Oil, of which he was a founding member, guitarist, keyboardist, singer and leading songwriter.
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1956
Romanian-German keyboard player and producer
Michael Cretu is a Romanian-German musician, singer, songwriter, composer, and record producer. He gained worldwide fame as the founder and musician behind the musical project Enigma, which he formed in 1990.
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1957
English anthropologist and academic
Professor Dame Henrietta L. Moore, is a British social anthropologist and leading global thinker on prosperity. She is Founder and Director of the UCL Institute for Global Prosperity, part of the Bartlett, UCL's Faculty…
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1957
Argentinian-Mexican footballer and coach
Rubén Omar Romano Cachía is an Argentine former footballer and current manager.
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1958
English singer-songwriter, producer, and actress
Toyah Ann Willcox is an English singer-songwriter, actress, and television presenter. In a career spanning more than 40 years, she has had eight top 40 singles, released more than 20 albums, written two books, appeared…
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1958
English cricketer and coach (died 2011)
Graham Roy Dilley was an English international cricketer, whose main role was as a fast bowler. He played first-class cricket for Kent County Cricket Club and Worcestershire County Cricket Clubs, and appeared in 41 Test…
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1959
1959
Canadian ice hockey player and coach
Brent Kenneth Ashton is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who spent 14 seasons in the National Hockey League between 1979 and 1993. Despite being a fine goalscoring winger, he was known during his career…
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1960
French tennis player
Yannick Noah is a French former professional tennis player and singer, who was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2005. Noah won the French Open in 1983, and is a former captain of both France's…
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1960
English singer-songwriter and guitarist
Russell Senior is a British musician, record producer, and playwright. He is best known as the former guitarist and violinist of Pulp and Venini as well as for his production work with The Long Blondes and Art Brut.
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1961
Canadian ice hockey player and coach
Martin James McSorley is a Canadian former professional hockey player, who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1983 to 2000. A versatile player, he could play both the forward and defense positions. He was…
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1963
American basketball player and coach
James Samuel Vincent is an American former professional basketball player, and coach. He currently works as a defensive coach for MBB of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). Vincent was Mr. Basketball of Michigan in…
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1963
Spanish academic and politician
Ignasi Guardans i Cambó is a Spanish former politician, currently an independent figure still present in the Spanish media and public opinion. He is one of the 14 grandsons of Francesc Cambó.
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1964
Polish-Danish long jumper and coach
Renata Pytelewska-Nielsen, née Renata Pytelewska, is a Polish-born former Danish long jumper.
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1966
American singer-songwriter and producer
Michael DeWayne Tait is an American singer who was active in contemporary Christian music from 1987 to early 2025, mainly as the vocalist for DC Talk, Tait, and Newsboys.
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1966
Swedish journalist and author
Nina Björk is a Swedish writer and a feminist activist. She is most well known for Under det rosa täcket , a feminist book written in 1996.
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1967
German race car driver
Heinz-Harald Frentzen is a German former racing driver who competed in Formula One from 1994 to 2003. Frentzen was runner-up in the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1997 with Williams, and won three Grands…
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1967
American screenwriter and producer, co-founded Flower Films
Nancy Juvonen is an American film producer. She and Drew Barrymore own the production company Flower Films.
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1967
Australian environmentalist, entrepreneur and celebrity
Mimi Macpherson is an Australian environmentalist, entrepreneur and celebrity.
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1967
French rugby player
Philippe Benetton is a former French rugby union footballer and currently head coach of Tournon d'Agenais. He played as a flanker.
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1968
German race car driver
Ralf Kelleners is a racing driver from Germany. Kelleners won the 1996 24 Hours of Le Mans in class alongside Guy Martinoelle and Bruno Eichmann.
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1968
Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist
Troy Cassar-Daley is an Australian country music songwriter and entertainer of Aboriginal heritage. He released his first single, "Dream Out Loud", in 1994, followed by his debut album, Beyond the Dancing, in 1995, and…
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1969
1969
Brazilian footballer and manager
Antônio Carlos Zago, sometimes known as just Antônio Carlos or simply Zago, is a Brazilian professional football coach and former player who played as a centre back.
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1969
Spanish singer, television and radio presenter
Francisco Javier Cárdenas Pérez is a Spanish singer, television presenter, and radio presenter.
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1970
1970
1970
American guitarist, songwriter, and producer
William L. Howerdel is an American musician, best known as a founding member, guitarist, backing vocalist, songwriter, and producer for the band A Perfect Circle, as well as for his former solo project, Ashes Divide.…
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1970
Canadian former ice hockey player
Vicky Sunohara is a Canadian ice hockey coach, former ice hockey player, and three-time Olympic medallist. She has been described as "the Wayne Gretzky of women's hockey" and is recognized as a trailblazer and pioneer…
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1970
American international soccer player, manager and sportscaster
Bradley Howard Friedel is an American professional soccer coach and former player who played as a goalkeeper.
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1971
Scottish politician
Mark Andrew Menzies is a British politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Fylde in Lancashire from 2010 to 2024. As a member of the Conservative Party, he was the parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to…
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1971
Japanese race car driver
Nobuteru 'NOB' Taniguchi is a Japanese racing driver and drifting driver who currently competes in the Super GT racing series. Taniguchi is commonly nicknamed "NOB" or "The Pimp" as a reference to his S15 Silvia which…
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1971
Canadian ice hockey player and coach
Turner Ladd Stevenson is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, and Philadelphia Flyers. He won…
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1972
American basketball player and coach
Donyell Lamar Marshall is an American basketball coach and former professional player. Drafted with the fourth pick in the 1994 NBA draft, he played for eight different teams during his National Basketball Association…
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1973
Estonian footballer (died 2011)
Aleksandr Olerski was a football forward from Estonia. His last club was FC Puuma Tallinn.
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1973
American baseball player and sportscaster
Nelson Figueroa is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets,…
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1974
1975
Scottish snooker player
John Higgins is a Scottish professional snooker player from Wishaw in North Lanarkshire. Since turning professional in 1992, he has won 33 ranking titles, placing him in third position on the all-time list of ranking…
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1975
American singer-songwriter and guitarist
Jack Hody Johnson is an American singer-songwriter. He plays a variety of styles including pop, rock, acoustic, folk, and surf rock.
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1975
Norwegian politician
Ingvild Kjerkol is a Norwegian politician. A member of Labour Party, she was elected to the Parliament of Norway from Nord-Trøndelag first time in 2013, and re-elected in 2017 and 2021. She has been a member of the…
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1975
American basketball player
Ronald Eugene Mercer is an American former professional basketball player. After his career at the University of Kentucky, Mercer played for several teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA); he ended his…
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1976
Croatian pianist and composer
Marko Tomasović is a Croatian composer and songwriter. He has composed and written more than 300 songs. His work has covered various genres. Marko is a member of Croatian Composers' Society, and he was listed as one of…
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1976
Ukrainian-Russian ice hockey player
Oleg Fedorovych Tverdovsky is a Russian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played professionally from 1994 to 2013. He was selected 2nd overall by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the 1994 NHL entry draft,…
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1976
English footballer
Lee Andrew Hendrie is an English former professional footballer and pundit for Sky Sports.
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1977
English footballer and sportscaster
Daniel John Mills is an English former professional footballer, his main position was right-back, though he could also play as a centre-back.
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1977
1977
Portuguese footballer
Ricardo Alberto Silveira de Carvalho is a Portuguese football coach and former player who is assistant head coach of the Portugal national team. He is widely regarded as one of the best centre-backs of his generation.
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1978
American baseball player
Marcus William Giles is an American former Major League Baseball player. He was a second baseman and batted right-handed. His older brother, Brian Giles, was an outfielder who also played in the Major Leagues. Marcus…
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1978
Kenyan runner
Charles Wawerū Kamathi is a Kenyan long-distance runner. He is best known for winning the 10,000 metres distance at the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton.
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1978
Swedish video game designer, co-designed Minecraft
Jens Peder Bergensten, known professionally as Jeb, is a Swedish video game programmer and designer. He is best known as the lead designer of Minecraft, and is the chief creative officer of Mojang Studios. In 2013, he,…
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1979
Polish footballer
Mariusz Lewandowski is a Polish professional football manager and former player. He was most recently in charge of Polish I liga club Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza.
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1979
Slovak slalom canoeist
Michal Martikán is a Slovak slalom canoeist who has been competing at the international level since 1994. In 1996 he became the first athlete to win an Olympic gold medal for Slovakia since the country gained…
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1979
Slovenian footballer
Milivoje Novaković is a Slovenian retired footballer who played as a forward.
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1979
Argentinian footballer
Julián Maria Speroni is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
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1979
American basketball player
Reginald Jamaal Evans is an American former professional basketball player who last played in the Big3 League. A Power forward, Evans played 13 seasons in the NBA with seven teams. Evans was known for his rebounding,…
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1980
French tennis player
Michaël Llodra is a French former professional tennis player. He was ranked as the world No. 3 in men's doubles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), winning 26 career doubles titles, including three majors…
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1980
Uruguayan footballer
Diego Fernando Pérez Aguado, nicknamed "Ruso", is a Uruguayan football manager and former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He has played 89 matches for the Uruguay national football team,…
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1980
Malian international footballer
Mahamadou Diarra is a Malian former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He served as captain for the Mali national team.
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1981
Australian rugby league player
Ashley Harrison is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a lock in the 2000s and 2010s.
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1981
English footballer
Jason Roy Brown is a former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He began his career at Gillingham where he made over 100 appearances, before joining up with Premier League side Blackburn Rovers in 2006.…
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1982
Canadian tennis player
Marie-Ève Pelletier is a Canadian former professional tennis player. She reached career-high rankings by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) of 106 in singles and 54 in doubles.
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1982
English footballer
Gary Paul O'Neil is an English football manager and former player who is the head coach of Ligue 1 club Strasbourg.
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1983
Dominican baseball player
Luis Enrique Terrero Gomez is a Dominican former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles, and Chicago White Sox, and in Nippon…
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1983
American football player
Vincent Paul Young Jr. is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons, primarily with the Tennessee Titans. He played college football for the…
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1983
Bulgarian sprinter
Ivet Miroslavova Lalova-Collio, née Lalova, is a retired Bulgarian athlete who specialised in the 100 metres and 200 metres sprint events. She is the 13th-fastest woman in the history of the 100 metres. She finished…
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1984
French race car driver
Simon Pierre Michel Pagenaud is a French former professional racing driver, who last drove the No. 60 Honda for Meyer Shank Racing in the NTT IndyCar Series. After a successful career in sports car racing that saw him…
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1984
Lithuanian basketball player
Darius Šilinskis is a former professional Lithuanian basketball center, who last played for NKL's JAZZ-Diremta. He is 2.16 m tall and weights 118 kg. In his early professional career he had couple stints with Žalgiris…
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1984
Mexican baseball player
Joakim Agustín Soria Ramos is a Mexican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox,…
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1984
Dutch cyclist
Niki Terpstra is a Dutch former racing cyclist, who rode professionally between 2003 and 2022 for six different teams. He is the brother of fellow racing cyclist Mike Terpstra. He is the third Dutch cyclist to have won…
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1984
1985
Portuguese footballer
Henrique Sereno Fonseca, known as Sereno, is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a central defender.
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1985
South African tennis player
Kevin Michael Anderson is a South African former professional tennis player. He achieved his career-high Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) ranking of world No. 5 on 16 July 2018. He was the first South African…
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1986
1988
Belgian footballer
Dimitri Daeseleire is a retired Belgian football player who played as a right back. He is currently manager of Londerzeel in the Belgian Division 3.
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1990
Japanese footballer
Yuya Osako is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for J1 League club Vissel Kobe.
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1990
Australian rugby league player
Josh Starling is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. He played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League and his position was…
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1990
British fashion model
Adwoa Caitlin Maria Aboah is a British fashion model and actress. In December 2017 she appeared on the cover of British Vogue. She has also been on the cover of American Vogue, Vogue Italia, Vogue Poland, and i-D. In…
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1992
Canadian ice hockey player
Stuart Percy is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for HC Vítkovice Ridera in the Czech Extraliga (ELH). He was selected 25th overall in the 2011 NHL entry draft by the Toronto Maple…
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1993
Australian sailor
Jessica Rose Watson is an Australian sailor who was awarded The Medal of the Order of Australia after attempting a solo circumnavigation at the age of 16 from 18 October 2009 to 15 May 2010. Although she circled the…
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1993
American figure skater
Polina Edmunds Bast is a retired American figure skater. She is the 2015 Four Continents champion, the 2014 CS U.S. Classic champion, and a two-time U.S. national silver medalist. She represented the United States at…
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1998
Belgian singer-songwriter
Laura Omloop is a Belgian pop singer who represented her country in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Kyiv, Ukraine, finishing in fourth place. Omloop sang the song "Zo verliefd", which contains yodeling. This…
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1999
English footballer
Kouassi Ryan Sessegnon is an English professional footballer who plays as a left-back, left midfielder, or left winger for Premier League club Fulham.
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2000
English footballer
Zeze Steven Sessegnon is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender or midfielder for
EFL League One club Wigan Athletic.
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2000
American tennis player
Emma Navarro is an American professional tennis player. She has a career-high singles ranking of No. 8 by the WTA, achieved on September 9, 2024, and a doubles ranking of No. 93, achieved on August 12, 2024. Navarro has…
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2001
Russian figure skater
Alina Ilnazovna Zagitova is a Russian former competitive figure skater. She is the 2018 Olympic champion, the 2019 World champion, the 2018 European champion, 2017–18 Grand Prix Final champion, and the 2018 Russian…
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2002
American football player
Travis Hunter Jr. is an American professional football cornerback and wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Jackson State Tigers and…
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2003
American actress
Hala Finley is an American actress. She is best known for her roles in Man with a Plan (2016–2020) as Emme Burns and in We Can Be Heroes (2020) as Ojo.
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2009
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Who was born on May 18?
Jari Kurri — Finnish ice hockey player (born 1960)
FeaturedJari Kurri
Birth year1960
Known forBeginning in 1980, he played right wing for five National Hockey League (NHL) teams: the Edmonton Oilers, the Los Angeles Kings, the New York Rangers, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, and the Colorado Avalanche
Birthdays on this date218 (1048 – 2009)
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Also on May 18 in History
2019
United States presidential election: Joe Biden launches his presidential campaign. Wikipedia →
2018
A school shooting at Santa Fe High School in Texas kills ten people. Wikipedia →
2018
See all events on May 18
Cubana de Aviación Flight 972 crashes in Santiago de las Vegas after takeoff from José Martí International Airport in Havana, Cuba, killing 112 of the 113 people on board. Wikipedia →
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