What Happened in August 1890

Historical Events

  • Aug 5 British and French accord to divide African colonization
  • Aug 6 At Auburn Prison in New York, murderer William Kemmler becomes the 1st person to be executed by electric chair

Sports History

Aug 6 Future Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young throws 3-hit ball in his MLB debut for the Cleveland Spiders in 8-1 win vs Chicago Colts

  • Aug 9 First 44 Javans arrive in Suriname to work 5 years on sugar plantations
  • Aug 14 Cecil Rhodes' colonists reach Mashonaland (Fort Victoria)
  • Aug 16 Alexander Clark, journalist and lawyer, named minister to Liberia
  • Aug 27 US National Championship Men's Tennis, Newport R.I.: Oliver Campbell beats 2-time defending champion Henry Slocum 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1

Meat Inspection

Aug 30 President Benjamin Harrison signed the first U.S. law requiring inspection of meat products


Famous Birthdays

  • Aug 2 Marin Sais, American actress (The Pony Express Girl), born in San Rafael, California (d. 1971)
  • Aug 2 Pauline Hall, Norwegian composer, born in Hamar, Hedmark, Norway (d. 1969)
  • Aug 4 Dolf Luque, Cuban Baseball HOF pitcher (World Series 1919, 33; MLB wins leader & MLB ERA leader 1923; Cincinnati Reds, NY Giants), born in Havana, Cuba (d. 1957)
  • Aug 4 Erich Weinert, German communist writer, born in Magdeburg (d. 1953)
  • Aug 5 Erich Kleiber, Austrian-Argentine conductor (Teatro Colón, 1937-49; NBC Symphony, 1947-48), born in Vienna, Austria-Hungary (d. 1956)
  • Aug 5 Hans Gál, Austrian-British composer (Die heilige Ente (The Sacred Duck)), born in Brunn am Gebirge, Austria (d. 1987)
  • Aug 5 Naum Gabo [Pevsner], Russian-American sculptor (Stillife Flower), born in Bryans, Russian Empire (d. 1977)
  • Aug 9 César Cortinas, Uruguayan composer, born in San José de Mayo, Uruguay (d. 1918)
  • Aug 9 Eino Kaila, Finnish psychologist and philosopher, born in Alajärvi, Finland (d. 1958)
  • Aug 9 Henech Kon. Polish composer and cabaret performer, born in Łódź, Kingdom of Poland (d. 1972)
  • Aug 9 Sándor Jemnitz, Hungarian composer, born in Budapest (d. 1963)
  • Aug 10 Angus L. MacDonald, Canadian politician (d. 1954)
  • Aug 11 Erich Wichman, Dutch fascist painter and sculptor, born in Utrecht, Netherlands (d. 1929)
  • Aug 12 Al Goodman, Russian-American orchestra leader (NBC Comedy Hour), born in Nikopol, Russia (d. 1972)
  • Aug 13 [Lavinia] Marian Fleming Poe, African American advocate in Virginia, born in Warwick, County, Virginia (d. 1974)
  • Aug 15 Elizabeth Bolden, American Supercentenarian (oldest verified person in the world at the time of her death), born in Somerville, Tennessee (d. 2006)
  • Aug 15 Elvin M. Jellinek, American physiologist and pioneer in the study of alcoholism, born in New York City (d. 1963)
  • Aug 15 Jacques Ibert, French composer (Escales), born in Paris, France (d. 1962)
  • Aug 17 Harry Hopkins, US politician, Secretary of Commerce under FDR (Loan & Lease law), born in Sioux City, Iowa (d. 1946)
  • Aug 17 Ralph Teetor, American automotive engineer (1st blind engineer in the US, inventor of cruise control), born in Hagerstown, Indiana (d. 1982) [1]
  • Aug 17 Stefan Bastyr, Polish aviator (d. 1920)
  • Aug 18 Maurice Podoloff, American attorney, professional sports administrator (AHL President, 1943-47; NBA President, 1946-63), and namesake of NBA regular season MVP Award, born in Yelisavetgrad, Russian Empire (now Ukraine) (d. 1985) [birth details unconfirmed]
  • Aug 18 Walther Funk, German economist and Nazi politician, born in Danzkehmen, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire (d. 1960)
  • Aug 19 Yves Alix, French painter and graphic artist, born in Fontainebleau, France (d. 1969)
  • Aug 20 H. P. Lovecraft, American horror writer (At the Mountains of Madness, Weird Tales), born in Providence, Rhode Island (d. 1937)
  • Aug 22 Cecil Kellaway, South African-American stage and screen character actor (Guess Who's Coming to Dinner; The Luck of the Irish), born in Cape Town, Cape Colony (now South Africa) (d. 1973)
  • Aug 22 Floyd Henri Allport, American psychologist and sociologist, born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (d. 1979)
  • Aug 24 Duke Kahanamoku, American swimmer, surfer (Olympic gold 100m freestyle 1912, 20; 4x200m freestyle relay 1920), born in Honolulu, Hawaii (d. 1968)
  • Aug 24 Franz Philipp, German composer, born in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany (d. 1972)
  • Aug 24 Jean Rhys [Ella Gwendolyn Rees Williams], British writer (Voyage in the Dark), born in Roseau, Dominica (d. 1979)
  • Aug 26 Tommy Andrews, Australian cricketer (NSW & Aussie player of the 1920's), born in Newtown, Australia (d. 1970)
  • Aug 27 Man Ray, American artist and photographer (Dada), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1976)
  • Aug 28 Ivor Gurney, English composer and poet, born in Gloucester (d. 1937)
  • Aug 31 Margaret Landis, American silent movie actress (A Million to Burn; The Empire Builders), born in Nashville, Tennessee (d. 1981)

Famous Deaths

  • Aug 2 Louise-Victorine Ackermann, French poet (works characterized by a deep sense of pessimism), dies at 76
  • Aug 9 Eduard von Bauernfeld, Austrian comedic playwright, dies at 88
  • Aug 11 John Henry Newman, British thologian (Tract 90), educator, poet (Dream of Gerontius), Anglican priest, Catholic priest, cardinal and saint, dies of pneumonia at 89
  • Aug 14 Fr. Michael J. McGivney, Irish-American Catholic priest, and founder the Knights of Columbus fraternal organization, dies of pneumonia at 38
  • Aug 22 Vasile Alecsandri, Romanian foreign minister, diplomat and poet, dies at 69