David S. Dodge, the president of the American University in Beirut, was kidnapped by Hezbollah.

German basketball player, Dirk Nowitzki, was born in Wurzburg, West Germany. He is widely considered as the best European players to ever play on the NBA and one of the overall best players of his generation.

The first ever comic strip of Garfield was published.

American singer, Paula Abdul, was born in San Fernando, California.

Kuwait declared its independence from the United Kingdom.

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were put to death at Sing Sing prison, in New York.

Indian author, Salman Rushdie, was born in Bombay, India. He is most known for having been the author of the controversial book, Satanic Verses in 1988, which greatly angered the Muslim community and even prompted and a fatwa by Iran's leader Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini, calling for his assassination.

Lou Gehrig was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).

French actor, Louis Jourdan, was born in Marseille. He was a popular international actor, most noted for his role in the award winning movie, Gigi, as well as his role as the villain, Kamal Khan, in the James Bond film, Octopussy.

The Confederate States of America ceased to exist after the last of the Southern States were formally readmitted to the United States of America.

The first game of baseball (under its current form and rules) was played in Hoboken, New Jersey, United States.

A fleet of Russian vessels under the command of admiral Dmitry Senyavin, destroyed the Ottoman fleet in the Battle of Athos.

French scientist and religious philosopher, Blaise Pascal, was born in Clermont-Ferrand. The programming language, Pascal, is named in his honour.