Historical Events
Sports History
Aug 3 For the 2nd time in the year, Phillies outfielder Chuck Klein hits safely in 26 straight games, run halted in 2nd game of doubleheader v Boston Braves
- Aug 4 Child labor laws established in Belgium
The Balloon Expedition to the North Pole
Aug 5 The Norwegian Bratvaag expedition finds the remains, diaries and negative images of S. A. Andrée’s ill-fated balloon polar expedition of 1897 on White Island in the Svalbard archipelago
Election of Interest
Aug 7 Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King loses the election to Richard Bedford Bennett of the Conservative Party
Historic Invention
Aug 12 Clarence Birdseye is granted a patent for method for quick freezing food (patent US 1773079 A)
Cricket History
Aug 20 A week before his 22nd birthday Australian cricket's batting genius Don Bradman scores 232 in 5th Test win over England at The Oval in London
- Aug 20 Dumont's 1st TV broadcast for home reception (NYC)
- Aug 21 Prohibition of Wieringermeer finished
- Aug 22 Australian cricket slow-medium bowler Percy Hornibrook takes 7-92 as England dismissed for 251 in an innings defeat in 5th Test at The Oval; Australia regain Ashes, 2-1
- Aug 23 1st British Empire Games close in Hamilton, Canada
US Open Women's Tennis
Aug 23 US National Championship Women's Tennis, Forest Hills, NY: England's Betty Nuthall Shoemaker beats Anna McCune Harper 6-1, 6-4 for her lone major title
- Aug 26 Chicago Cub's Hack Wilson hits his 44th HR, breaks Chuck Klein's NL record
- Aug 29 The last 36 remaining inhabitants of St Kilda are voluntarily evacuated to other parts of Scotland.
Famous Birthdays
- Aug 1 Geoffrey Holder, Trinidadian-American actor, choreographer, singer, director (Annie; The Wiz), and painter, born in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (d. 2014)
- Aug 1 Jerry Frankel, American Broadway producer, born in Queens, New York (d. 2018)
- Aug 1 Julie Bovasso, American actress (Willie & Phil, Just Me & You), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1991)
- Aug 1 Károly Grósz, Hungarian communist politician, born in Miskolc, Hungary (d. 1996)
- Aug 1 Lionel Bart [Begleiter], British pop music composer and writer (Oliver!), born in London, England
- Aug 1 Pierre Bourdieu, French sociologist and anthropologist, born in Denguin, France (d. 2002)
- Aug 2 Ron de Lugo, American politician (1st delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from U.S. Virgin Islands' 1981-95), born in Englewood, New Jersey (d. 2020)
- Aug 2 Vali Myers, Australian painter, born in Canterbury, Sydney (d. 2003)
- Aug 4 David M G Curry, South African Labour Party parliament leader
- Aug 4 Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iranian shia cleric, born in Mashhad, Iran
- Aug 4 John Gorman, printer and socialist historian, born in Stratford, East London (d. 1996)
- Aug 5 Joan Weldon, American actress (So This is Love, Them), born in San Francisco, California (d. 2021)
- Aug 5 Michal Kováč, 1st President of Slovakia (1993-98), born in Ľubiša, Czechoslovakia (d. 2016)
Neil Armstrong (1930-2012)
Aug 5 American X-15 pilot and astronaut - 1st man on the Moon (Gemini 8, Apollo 11), born in Wapakoneta Ohio,
- Aug 6 Abbey Lincoln [Anna Wooldridge], American jazz vocalist, songwriter, actress (Nothing But a Man), and civil rights activist, born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2010)
- Aug 7 Veljo Tormis, Estonian composer, specializing in choral music (Curse Upon Iron (Raua needmine)), born in Kuusalu, Estonia (d. 2017)
- Aug 8 Jerry Tarkanian, American collegiate basketball coach (California State, UNLV, Fresno State; career record: 784–202), born in Euclid, Ohio (d. 2015)
- Aug 8 Joan Mondale (née Adams;), American artist, author, and wife of US vice-president Walter Mondale, born in Eugene, Oregon (d. 2014)
- Aug 8 Nita Talbot [Anita Sokol], American actress (Hogan's Heroes; Supertrain; Here We Go Again), born in New York City
- Aug 8 Terry Nation, British screenwriter (Dr Who; Blake 7), and novelist, born in Cardiff, Wales (d. 1997)
- Aug 10 Barry Unsworth, novelist (Pascali's Island), (d. 2012)
- Aug 11 Heinz Werner Zimmermann, German contemporary sacred music composer (Prosalieder; Missa profana), and educator, born in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany (d. 2022)
- Aug 11 Michael Quinlan, civil servant
- Aug 11 William A O'Neal, (Gov-D-Ct)
George Soros (93 years old)
Aug 12 Hungarian-American investor and political activist (Open Society Foundation), born in Budapest, Hungary
- Aug 12 Jack Scarbath, American College Football Hall of Fame quarterback (Uni of Maryland; Washington Redskins, Pittsburgh Steelers), born in Baltimore, Maryland (d. 2020)
- Aug 12 Jacques Tits, Belgian mathematician
- Aug 12 Ronald Herron, English architect (Archigram), born in London, England
- Aug 13 Don Ho, Hawaiian-American pop and Hawaiian music singer ("Tiny Bubbles"; "Ain't No Big Thing!"), born in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii (d. 2007)
- Aug 13 Heino Jurisalu, Estonian composer (Kvintett puhkpillidele), born in Tartu, Estonia (d. 1991)
- Aug 13 Wilmer Mizell, American politician (Rep-R-North Carolina 1969-75), and MLB baseball pitcher, 1952-62, 2X All-Star (St. Louis Cardinals and 2 other teams), born in Leakesville, Mississippi (d. 1999)
Earl Weaver (1930-2013)
Aug 14 American Baseball HOF manager (World Series 1970 Baltimore Orioles), born in St Louis, Missouri
- Aug 14 Gerald Solomon, American businessman and politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York), born in Okeechobee, Florida (d. 2001)
- Aug 14 Roger Chorley [Baron Chorley), English accountant and peer (Chorley Report, President of the Royal Geographical Society) (d. 2016)
- Aug 15 Ageeda Paavel, Estonian freedom fighter (blew up a Soviet war monument aged 15)
- Aug 15 Antonio Permunian, Swiss soccer goalkeeper (11 caps; AC Bellinzona, FC Luzern), born in Bellinzona, Switzerland (d. 2020)
- Aug 16 Frank Gifford, American College-Pro Football HOF halfback (USC; 6 × First-team All-Pro, 8 × Pro Bowl; NY Giants) and broadcaster (ABC Monday Night Football), born in Santa Monica, California (d. 2015)
- Aug 16 Robert Culp, American actor, screenwriter, voice actor, and director (I Spy, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice), born in Oakland, California (d. 2010)
Tony Trabert (1930-2021)
Aug 16 American tennis player (Wimbledon 1955; US Open 1953, 55; French Open 1954, 55), born in Cincinnati, Ohio
- Aug 17 Henry Thillberg, Swedish soccer midfielder (22 caps; Malmö FF), born in Malmö, Sweden (d. 2022)
- Aug 17 James Gerald Gulliver, Scottish businessman (Argyll Foods), born in Campbeltown, Scotland (d. 1996)
Ted Hughes (1930-1998)
Aug 17 English Poet and translator (British Poet Laureate 1984-98), born in Mytholmroyd, Yorkshire
- Aug 18 Carl Barger, American baseball executive (President of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Florida Marlins), born in Lewistown, Pennsylvania (d. 1992)
- Aug 18 Gene Bartow, American College Basketball Hall of Fame coach (US National Team 1974; Valparaiso, Memphis State, Illinois, UCLA), born in Browning, Missouri (d. 2012)
- Aug 18 Liviu Librescu, Romanian-American professor (sacificed his life to save students during Virginia Tech massacre), born in Ploiești, Romania (d. 2007)
- Aug 19 David G. Compton, British sci-fi author (Synthajoy, Radio Plays), born in London, England
- Aug 19 Frank McCourt, Irish-American Pulitzer Prize winning author (Angela's Ashes), and teacher, born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2009)
- Aug 20 Mario Bernardi, Canadian pianist and conductor, born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario (d. 2013)
- Aug 21 Alan Ashcroft, English rugby union number 8 (16 caps England, 2 caps British & Irish Lions; Waterloo FC), born in St. Helens, England (d. 2021)
- Aug 21 Frank Perry, American film director (Diary of Mad Housewife, David & Lisa), born in New York City (d. 1995)
- Aug 21 Margaret Rose, Countess of Snowdon, Sister of Queen Elizabeth II, born in Glamis Castle, Scotland (d. 2002)
- Aug 22 Gilmar, Brazilian football player, born in Santos, São Paulo, Brazil (d. 2013)
- Aug 23 Andy Ireland, American politician (U.S. House of Representatives from Florida), born in Cincinnati, Ohio
- Aug 23 Jack Bannister, English cricket commentator (BBC; Talksport radio) and bowler (Warwickshire 1,198 wickets), born in Wolverhampton, West Midlands (d. 2016)
- Aug 23 John Fairclough, British scientific adviser and computer designer, born in Yorkshire (d. 2003)
- Aug 23 Michel Rocard, French politician, Prime Minister of France (1988-91), born in Courbevoie, Paris (d. 2016)
- Aug 24 Raj Bagri, Indian-British merchant in metal, born in Kolkata, Bengal Presidency, British India (d. 2017)
- Aug 25 Graham Jarvis, Canadian actor (Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman - "Charlie"; Misery; 7th Heaven), born in Toronto, Ontario (d. 2003)
Sean Connery (1930-2020)
Aug 25 Scottish actor and producer (James Bond films; Indiana Jones), born in Edinburgh, Scotland
- Aug 26 Joe Solomon, West Indian cricket batsman (27 Tests, 1 x 100, 9 x 50, HS 100no; British Guiana, Berbice), born in Port Mourant, Guyana (d. 2023)
- Aug 27 John Daly, British trade union leader
- Aug 27 John Watts, British army and Chief of Defense (Omani Armed Forces), born in Portsmouth, England (d. 2003)
- Aug 28 Ben Gazzara, American actor (Run for Your Life, QB VII), born in New York City (d. 2012)
- Aug 28 Patriarch Irinej [Miroslav Gavrilović], Head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, born in Vidova, Kingdom of Yugoslavia (d. 2020) [1]
- Aug 28 Windsor Davies, British actor (It Ain't Half Hot Mum), born in London, England (d. 2019)
- Aug 29 Jacques Bouchard, Canadian advertising executive, born in Montreal, Québec, Canada (d. 2006)
- Aug 29 Marius van Amelsvoort, Dutch politician (CDA), born in Kaatsheuvel, the Netherlands (d. 2006)
- Aug 30 Ernie Ball, American entrepreneur and musician who pioneered the development of guitar-related products, born in Santa Monica, California (d. 2004)
- Aug 30 Noel Harford, New Zealand cricket batsman (8 Tests, 2 x 50; Manawatu, Hawke's Bay, Franklin), born in Winton, New Zealand (d. 1981)
Warren Buffett (93 years old)
Aug 30 American business magnate (world's wealthiest person in 2008), born in Omaha, Nebraska
- Aug 31 Dudley "Big Tiny" Little Jr, American pianist (Lawrence Welk Show), born in Worthington Minnesota (d. 2010)
- Aug 31 Owen B. Pickett, American politician (Rep-D-Virginia 1987-2001), born in Richmond, Virginia (d. 2010)
Famous Weddings
- Aug 2 Laurence McKinley Gould (33), American Geologist and Polar Explorer weds Margaret ("Peg") Rice in Ann Arbor, Michigan
H. L. Mencken
Aug 27 Journalist H. L. Mencken (49) weds author Sara Haardt (32) at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church
Famous Deaths
- Aug 4 Siegfried Wagner, German opera composer and conductor, dies at 61
- Aug 20 Charles Bannerman, Australian cricket batsman (3 Tests; first centurion in Test history 165* 1877), dies at 79
- Aug 26 Leonidas "Lon" Chaney, American actor nicknamed "the man of a 1000 faces" (The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, The Phantom of the Opera), dies after long illness at 47
- Aug 27 Didericus van Epen, Dutch genealogist (Dutch Patriarch, dies at 62
- Aug 28 Alvar Gullstrand, Swedish optician (Nobel 1911), dies
- Aug 29 William Archibald Spooner, English writer (b. 1844)
