American actress, Anne Bancroft, died at the age of 73. The daughter of Italian immigrants, she rose to become a very prominent and respected actress. She is also known for her marriage to comedian Mel Brooks.

345 prisoners escaped from a maximum security prison in Brazil. It was one of the largest jailbreaks in history.

Israeli forces under the command of then, defence minister Ariel Sharon, invaded southern Lebanon. The invasion had come as a response to the assassination attempt against Israel's ambassador to the United Kingdom, by the Abu Nidal Organization.

American industrialist, J. Paul Getty, died at the age of 83. He was founder of the Getty Oil Company and one of the richest men in the world.

Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated after giving a speech at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.

French movie pioneer, Louis Lumiere, died at the age of 81. Along with his brother, Auguste Lumiere, he was one of the earliest filmmakers in history.

The Basketball Association of America was formed in New York City. Today its mostly known simply as the NBA.

American automotive pioneer, Louis Chevrolet, died at the age of 62. Born in Switzerland, he emigrated to the United States in 1901 where he worked at various major automobile manufacturers as lead mechanic. He was the founder of the Chevrolet Motor Car Company.

The Chrysler Corporation was founded by Walter Percy Chrysler. Today its part of the German based, DaimlerChrysler AG Company, and is part of one of the largest automotive makers in the world.

The Novarupta volcano in Alaska erupted. It was the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century.

More than 100,000 people where killed in the city of Bombay, India when a cyclone created massive waves that crashed into the city's harbour.

The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) was founded in London by George Williams. His idea was to create a place that wouldn't tempt young men into sin.

A huge fire destroyed most of the city of Moscow. Approximately 20,000 homes were destroyed.

French dramatist, Pierre Corneille, was born in Rouen. He was one of the greatest French dramatists who is often referred to as the founder of French tragedy.

Spanish painter, Diego Velazquez, was born in Seville. He is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest painters of the contemporary baroque period.