Sony's gaming console, the PlayStation, was released in the United States.

Tajikistan declared its independence from the rule of the Soviet Union.

President of China, Mao Zedong, died at the age of 79. He led China's communist revolution and was the de facto leader of China from 1949 until his death 27 years later.

American actor and comedian, Adam Sandler, was born in Brooklyn, New York.

British actor, Hugh Grant, was born in London, England.

Australian actor, George Lazenby, was born in Queanbeyan, Australia. He is best known for portraying James Bond in the 1969 film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service. He was subsequently replaced by actor Roger Moore.

The Greek - Turkish war ended with Turkish victory over the Greeks.

American, Albert Spalding, died at the age of 65. He was a baseball player and later sporting goods manufacturer. The company he founded is still one of the biggest sports goods manufacturer in the world.

French painter, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, died at the age of 37. His parents were first cousins and much inter-marriage had already taken place within the families. As a result he was plagued by a genetic defect which caused his legs to stop growing, thus he had abnormally short legs while his torso was that of a grown man. He is considered as one of the great post-Impressionist painters of all time.

California was admitted as the 31st US state.

Mary Stuart was officially crowned Queen of Scots in the central Scottish town of Stirling. She was nine months old at the time.

Roman Emperor, Flavius Honorius, was born. He is best known as being the emperor during the time when the Visigoths under the leadership of Alaric assaulted and sacked Rome. For many historians this era marked the actual fall of the Roman Empire.