Historical Events
- Aug 2 Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 is passed in America, essentially rendering marijuana and all its by-products illegal
Event of Interest
Aug 6 Franco's artillery fires on Madrid
- Aug 6 MLB overturns New York Yankees' 7-6 win over Cleveland Indians because of umpire error
- Aug 6 US and USSR sign trade treaty
- Aug 8 Bonneville Dam on Columbia River begins producing power
- Aug 9 Ranger (US) easily beats Endeavour II (England) in race 4 to wrap up the 17th America's Cup yachting series, 4-0; it's the final competition for 21 years
- Aug 10 5th Venice Film Festival opens
- Aug 13 Second Sino-Japanese War: Japanese forces begin the Battle of Shanghai, a conflict that will last 3 months and involve 1 million troops
- Aug 14 Appalachian Trail is formally completed, traversing 2,000 miles and 14 US States, Georgia to Maine
- Aug 14 China declares war on Japan
- Aug 14 Detroit Tigers score MLB record 36 runs in double header vs St. Louis Browns at Navin Field; win 16-1 & 20-7
- Aug 18 1st FM radio construction permit issued (W1X0J (WGTR) in Boston MA)
- Aug 24 In the Spanish Civil War, the Basque Army surrenders to the Italian Corpo Truppe Volontarie following the Santoña Agreement.
- Aug 24 Republican offensive near Belchite, Spain
- Aug 25 Japanese fleet blockades Chinese coast
- Aug 26 General Franco's Nationalist troops conquer Santander during the Spanish Civil War
- Aug 26 Pumping to build Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay is finished
- Aug 27 Brooklyn Dodger Fred Frankhouse no-hits Cin, 5-0 in 7 2/3 inn game
- Aug 27 George E T Eyston sets world auto speed record at 345.49 MPH
- Aug 28 Toyota Motors becomes an independent company
- Aug 29 MLB Philadelphia A's Bob Johnson is 2nd to get 6 RBIs in an inning (1st)
- Aug 31 Det's rookie Rudy York sets record for HRs of 18 HRs in August
Famous Birthdays
- Aug 1 Alhonse "Al" D'Amato, American lawyer and politician (U.S. Senator from New York, 1981-99), born in Brooklyn, New York
Billy Cannon (1937-2018)
Aug 2 American College Football Hall of Fame back and tight end (Heisman Trophy 1959, LSU; AFL C'ship 1960, 61, 67; AFL All-Star 1961, 69; Houston Oilers, Oakland Raiders), born in Philadelphia, Mississippi
- Aug 2 Garth Hudson, Canadian rock Lowrey organist, accordion player and saxophonist (The Band - "Chest Fever"; "Up On Cripple Creek"), born in Windsor, Ontario
- Aug 2 Gundula Janowitz, Austrian concert and operatic soprano (Vienna State Opera, 1959-90), and vocal teacher, born in Berlin, Germany
- Aug 2 Jim McLean, Scottish soccer forward (Hamilton Academical, Clyde, Dundee) and manager (Dundee United 1971-93), born in Larkhall, Scotland (d. 2020)
- Aug 2 Ronald Brierley, New Zealand investor and company director, born in Wellington, New Zealand
- Aug 3 Andrés Gimeno, Spanish tennis player (French Open 1972), born in Barcelona, Spain (d. 2019)
- Aug 3 Diane Wakoski, American poet (Motorcycle Betrayal), born in Whittier, California
- Aug 3 Duncan Sharpe, Pakistani cricketer (3 Tests for Pakistan 1959-60), born in Rawalpindi, Punjab, British India
- Aug 3 Steven Berkoff, English actor (Rambo: First Blood Part II), born in Stepney, London
- Aug 4 David Vickerman Bedford, British composer and educator, born in Hendon, Middlesex, England (d. 2011)
- Aug 4 Jacobus H "Koos" van de Merwe, South African attorney/CP parliament leader
- Aug 5 Alan Howard, English theater and film actor (Royal Shakespeare Company), born in London, England (d. 2015)
- Aug 5 Brian G. Marsden, British astronomer (Smithsonian's Minor Planet Center (MPC), 1978-2006), born in Cambridge, England (d. 2010)
Herb Brooks (1937-2003)
Aug 5 American ice hockey coach (Olympic gold Medal 1980), born in Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Aug 6 Baden Powell de Aquino, Brazilian jazz and bossa nova guitarist, born in Varre-Sai, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (d. 2000)
- Aug 6 Barbara Windsor, British actress and Dame (Carry On films; EastEnders), born in London, England (d. 2020)
- Aug 6 Charlie Haden, American jazz double-bassist (Liberation Music Orchestra; Quartet West), born in Shenandoah, Iowa (d. 2014)
- Aug 6 Paul Griffin, American session musician and pianist, born in Harlem, New York (d. 2000)
- Aug 7 Don McKay, New Zealand rugby union winger (5 Tests; Auckland RU), born in Auckland, New Zealand (d. 2024)
- Aug 7 Don Wilson, English cricket fast bowler (6 Tests, 11 wickets; Yorkshire CCC), born in Settle, England (d. 2012)
- Aug 7 George Bohanon, American session and jazz trombonist (Motown; Chico Hamilton Quintet), born in Detroit, Michigan
- Aug 8 (Ludwig) "Louis" Neefs, Belgian pop singer (Eurovision, 1967 & 1969), born in Gierle, Belgium (d. 1980)
Dustin Hoffman (86 years old)
Aug 8 American actor (The Graduate; Tootsie; Kramer vs Kramer; Ishtar), born in Los Angeles, California
- Aug 9 Renato Longo, Italian cyclo-cross racer (World Cyclo-cross C'ships gold 1959, 62, 64, 65, 67), born in Vittorio Veneto, Italy (d. 2023)
- Aug 10 Anatoly Sobchak, Russian politician (Mayor of Saint Petersburg), born in Chita, Soviet Union (d. 2000)
- Aug 10 Ed Meador, American football cornerback (First-team All-Pro 1968, 69; 6 × Pro Bowl; Los Angeles Rams), born in Dallas, Texas (d. 2023)
- Aug 10 Lucinda Williams, American sprinter (Olympic gold - 4×100 m relay, 1960), born in Savannah, Georgia
- Aug 11 Allegra Kent [Iris Cohen], American ballet dancer (New York City Ballet), teacher, and author (Ballerina Swan), born in Santa Monica, California
- Aug 11 Anna Massey, English actress (De Sade, Doll's House), born in Thakeham, England (d. 2011)
- Aug 11 Barbara Smith Conrad, American operatic mezzo-soprano singer, and educator (Wagner Theater), born in Atlanta, Texas (d. 2017)
- Aug 11 Taki Theodoracopoulos, Greek-British journalist and multi-millionaire
- Aug 12 Roy Gaines, American electric and Texas blues and session guitarist, singer, and songwriter ("A Hell of a Night"), born in Waskom, Texas (d. 2021)
- Aug 12 Walter Dean Myers, African-American author, born in Martinsburg, West Virginia, (d. 2014)
- Aug 14 Brian Curvis, Welsh boxer and British welterweight champion (1960-1964), born in Swansea, Wales (d. 2012)
- Aug 14 Brian Fennelly, American classical composer (A Thoreau Symphony), born in Kingston, New York (d. 2015)
- Aug 15 Janet Mead, Australian Catholic nun and pop-rock singer (The Lord's Prayer), born in Adelaide, Australia (d. 2022)
- Aug 15 Ronnie G. Flippo, American politician (US Representative, Alabama (D), 1977-91), born in Florence, Alabama
- Aug 16 Andrew J[efferson V] Offutt, American sci-fi author (Undying Wizard)
- Aug 16 David Anderson, Canadian politician
- Aug 16 David Behrman, American composer (On The Other Ocean), born in Salzburg, Austria
- Aug 16 Lorraine Gary, American actress (Jaws, Jaws 2, Jaws 4), born in New York City
- Aug 18 William George Rushton, English actor, author and cartoonist (TW3), born in London, England (d. 1996)
- Aug 20 Corrie Moret-de Jong, Dutch politician (CDA)
- Aug 20 El Fary, Spanish singer and actor, born in Madrid, Spain (d. 2007)
- Aug 20 George Thoma, German cross country ski jumper (Olympic gold 1960), born in Newstadt, Germany
- Aug 20 Jim Bowen, British TV game show host (Bullseye) and comedian, born in Heswall, England (d. 2018)
- Aug 20 Sky Saxon [Richard Marsh], American rocker (The Seeds - "Pushin' To Hard"), born in Salt Lake City, Utah (d. 2009)
- Aug 21 Donald Campbell Dewar, Scottish politician (1st minister of Scotland's first Parliament in almost 300yrs), born in Glasgow, Scotland (d. 2000)
- Aug 21 Robert Stone, American novelist (Dog Soldiers, WUSA), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2015)
- Aug 22 Donald MacLeary, British ballet dancer, répétiteur, and ballet master (Royal Ballet, 1954-2002), born in Glasgow, Scotland
- Aug 22 Max Hebditch, British director (Museum of London), born in Yeovil, England
- Aug 22 Pat Gillick, American Baseball HOF executive (GM Toronto Blue Jays World Series 1992, 93, Philadelphia Phillies 2008), born in Chico, California
- Aug 24 Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, Nigerian politician, born in Abeokuta, Nigeria (d. 1998)
- Aug 26 Tom Heinsohn, American NBA star, coach (Boston Celtics) and broadcaster, born in Jersey City, New Jersey (d. 2020)
- Aug 27 Alice Coltrane [née McLeod], American jazz harp, piano, and organ player (Journey in Satchidananda), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2007)
- Aug 27 J.D. Crowe, American bluegrass banjo player and bandleader (The New South), born in Lexington, Kentucky (d. 2021)
- Aug 27 Mark Potter, British court judge
- Aug 27 Phil Shulman, Scottish rock horn player (Gentle Giant), born in Glasgow, Scotland
- Aug 27 Tommy Sands, American actor (The Singing Idol; Ensign Pulver), and singer ("Teen-Age Crush"; "Love in a Goldfish Bowl"), born in Chicago, Illinois
- Aug 28 Joe Osborn, American session bass player (Johnny Rivers; Glen Campbell, Simon & Garfunkel - "Bridge Over Troubled Water"), born in Mound, Louisana (d. 2018)
- Aug 29 James Florio, American politician and author of federal 'Superfund' legislation (49th Governor of New Jersey, 1990-94; US Representative from New Jersey, 1975-90), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2022) [1]
- Aug 30 Bruce McLaren, New Zealand car racer and founder of eponymous race team, born in Auckland, New Zealand (d. 1970)
- Aug 31 Guido de Moor, Dutch actor (Apart, Because the Cats), born in The Hague, Netherlands (d. 1989)
- Aug 31 Warren Berlinger, American actor (Larry-Joey Bishop Shop, Take Two), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2020)
Famous Weddings
- Aug 31 American stage and screen actress Tallulah Bankhead (35) weds American actor John Emery (32) at her father's home in Jasper, Alabama; divorce in 1941
Famous Deaths
Edith Wharton (1862-1937)
Aug 11 American Pulitzer prize-winning novelist (Ethan Frome, House of Mirth), dies at 75
- Aug 11 George Morrison, American entrepreneur (owner of Mammoth Caves), commits suicide at 71 [1]
- Aug 13 Arthur Plunkett, English civil engineer (designed Sydney Harbour Bridge) (b. 1890)
- Aug 14 Herman [H. C.] McNeile ([pen name Sapper], British soldier and writer (Bulldog Drummond), dies of cancer at 48
- Aug 21 George Wright, American Baseball HOF shortstop (NA pennant 1872-75 Boston Red Stockings; NL pennant 1877-78 Boston Red Caps, 1879 Providence Grays), dies at 90
- Aug 22 David C Salas, Antillian writer (Josephina), dies
- Aug 23 Albert Roussel, French composer (Rapsodie Flamande), dies at 68
Andrew Mellon (1855-1937)
Aug 26 American banker (Mellon Bank), industrialist and Secretary of the Treasury (1921-32), dies at 82
