What Happened in July 1938

Historical Events

  • Jul 1 The South African Press Association (SAPA) is established as a non-governmental institution by South Africa's major newspapers to facilitate the sharing of news, both national and international
  • Jul 1 Wimbledon Men's Tennis: Don Budge beats England's Henry Austin 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 for the 3rd leg of his Grand Slam

Wimbledon Women's Tennis

Jul 2 Wimbledon Women's Tennis: Helen Wills Moody beats Helen Jacobs 6-4, 6-0 in 4th final between the pair (Wills Moody won all 4)

  • Jul 3 British East Coast Main Line locomotive No. 4468 "Mallard" reached a speed of 202.6 km/h (126 mph) setting new record for steam powered trains

Battle of Interest

Jul 3 President Franklin Roosevelt dedicates the Eternal Light Peace Memorial and lights the eternal flame at Gettysburg Battlefield

  • Jul 4 France-Turkish friendship treaty
  • Jul 4 Phillies complete move to Shribe Park in Philadelphia, lose 10-5 to Boston Bees
  • Jul 5 Herb Caen's 1st column in San Francisco Chronicle
  • Jul 6 6th MLB All Star Game: NL wins 4-1 at Crosley Field, Cincinnati on 4 AL errors
  • Jul 8 British Open Men's Golf, Royal St George's GC,: Englishman Reg Whitcombe wins his only major title by 2 strokes from Jimmy Adams of Scotland in treacherous, windy conditions
  • Jul 8 Would be start of England v Australia Test Cricket at Old Trafford Washout
  • Jul 10 "Yankee Clipper" completes 1st passenger flight over Atlantic

Event of Interest

Jul 10 Howard Hughes flies around the world in 91 hours

  • Jul 13 Kroller-Muller museum opens in Holland

Historic Publication

Jul 14 Benito Mussolini publishes anti-Jewish African manifesto

  • Jul 15 Arthur Fagg becomes first batsman in first-class cricket history to score double centuries in both innings of a match; 244 and 202 for Kent v Essex at Colchester

Room Service

Jul 16 John Murray and Allen Boretz's stage comedy "Room Service", starring Sam Levene, Eddie Albert, and Phillip Loeb, closes at the Cort Theatre, NYC, after 500 performances

PGA Championship

Jul 16 PGA Championship Men's Golf, Shawnee CC: 1934 champion Paul Runyan dominates the heavily favoured Sam Snead, 8 & 7; largest victory margin ever in the event's match play format

  • Jul 17 Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan leaves NY flying for LA, winds up in Ireland supposedly by mistake

Oops, Wrong Way!

Jul 18 Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan arrives in Ireland after a 28 hours flight, supposedly left NY flying for California

  • Jul 20 IOC awards Helsinki, Finland 1940 Summer Olympic Games after Tokyo, Japan withdraws (Second Sino-Japanese War)

Music History

Jul 21 Paul Hindemith and Leonide Massine's ballet Nobilissima Visione premieres in London

Cricket History

Jul 23 Australian cricketer Don Bradman scores 103 in 178 mins on a Headingley sticky, 3rd Test

  • Jul 25 Jewish artisans not allowed in Germany
  • Jul 25 Revolutionary offensive of Ebro Spain (Hollander Piet)
  • Jul 26 1st radio broadcast of "Young Widder Brown" on NBC
  • Jul 28 34,000-ton Cunard-White Star liner Mauretania launched at Birkenhead
  • Jul 28 Don Bradman scores 202 Australia v Somerset, 225 mins, 32 fours
  • Jul 29 Olympic National Park established in Washington state, longest undeveloped coastline in America
  • Jul 31 32nd Tour de France: Italian cyclist Gino Bartali wins both general and mountain classifications
  • Jul 31 Archaeologists discover engraved gold and silver plates from King Darius in Persepolis.

Jake Powell Suspended

Jul 31 MLB Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis suspends New York Yankees outfielder Jake Powell after he said on Chicago radio he kept in shape by "cracking" African Americans over the head with his nightstick


1938 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Jul 1 Chester Watson, West Indian cricket fast bowler (7 Tests, 19 wickets), born in Negril, Jamaica
  • Jul 2 John McDonnell, American track, cross country coach (University of Arkansas 1972–2008; 40 x NCAA C'ships; 8 x NCAA Triple Crown; 30 x NCAA coach of the year), born in County Mayo, Ireland (d. 2021)
  • Jul 3 Rhoda Scott, American soul and jazz Hammond organist, born in Dorothy, New Jersey
  • Jul 3 Shin Geum Dan, North Korean athlete (400m/800m disputed world records 1962), born in Riwon County, North Korea

Bill Withers (1938-2020)

Jul 4 American singer-songwriter and rhythm & blues musician ("Ain't No Sunshine"; "Lean On Me"), born in Slab Fork, West Virginia

  • Jul 4 Cyril Mitchley, South African cricket wicket-keeper (Transvaal, later Test umpire), born in Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa
  • Jul 4 Mike Mainieri, American jazz and session vibraphonist (Steps Ahead; Buddy Rich; Dire Straits; Carly Simon), born in The Bronx, NYC
  • Jul 5 Stanley Silverman, American composer, arranger, and guitarist, born in New York City
  • Jul 6 Franco Luambo [Makiadi], Congolese jazz and rumba guitarist, composer, and bandleader (TPOK Jazz), born in Sona Bata, Belgian Congo (d. 1989) [1]
  • Jul 6 Tony Lewis, Welsh cricket batsman and broadcaster (England 9 Tests, captain 1972-73; president MCC; BBC cricket coverage), born in Swansea, Wales
  • Jul 8 Alan Aldridge, British artist, graphic designer and illustrator whose artwork was used in record covers for The Beatles and The Who, born in London, England (d. 2017)
  • Jul 8 Julia Carson, American politician (Rep Indiana (D) 1997-2007), born in Louisville, Kentucky (d. 2007) [1]
  • Jul 9 Brian Dennehy, American actor (Check is in the Mail, F/X, Cocoon, Ants), born in Bridgeport, Connecticut (d. 2020)
  • Jul 9 Paul Seiko Chihara, American-Japanese composer, born in Seattle, Washington
  • Jul 9 Sanjeev Kumar [Harihar Jariwala], Indian Bollywood actor (Angoor, Dastak, Koshish), born in Surat, Bombay Presidency (d. 1985)
  • Jul 10 (Edward) Lee Morgan, American hard-bop jazz trumpeter ("The Sidewinder"), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1972) [1]
  • Jul 10 Jan DeGaetani, American contemporary classical concert mezzo-soprano, born in Massillon, Ohio (d. 1989)
  • Jul 10 Paul Andreu, French architect, born in Gironde, France
  • Jul 11 Terry Garthwaite, American guitarist, and singer (Joy of Cooking), born in Berkeley, California
  • Jul 12 Eiko Ishioka, Costume Designer (Academy Award, Bram Stoker’s Dracula), born in Tokyo, Japan (d. 2012)
  • Jul 12 Mickey Stratton, American National Softball HOF catcher (All World Team 1965; 5 x All American), born in Middletown, Connecticut (d. 2018)
  • Jul 12 Ron Fairly, American baseball utility (MLB All Star 1973 Montreal Expos, 1977 Toronto Blue Jays; World Series 1959, 63, 65 LA Dodgers) and broadcaster (California Angels radio/television; KNBR SF Giants), born in Macon, Georgia (d. 2019)
  • Jul 13 Myroslav Skoryk, Ukrainian contemporary classical composer (Carpathian Rhapsody), and pedagogue, born in Lwów, Polish Republic (now Lviv, Ukraine) (d. 2020)
  • Jul 14 Bob Scholl, American doo-wop vocalist (Mello-Kings - "Tonite, Tonite"), born in Mount Vernon, New York (d. 1975)
  • Jul 14 Jerry Rubin, American activist (Chicago 7), stockbroker, born in Cincinnati, Ohio (d. 1994)
  • Jul 14 Moshe Safdie, Israel-Canadian-American architect (National Gallery of Canada), born in Haifa, British Palestine
  • Jul 14 Tommy Vig, Hungarian jazz, session, and classical percussionist, drummer, and marimba player, arranger, and composer, born in Budapest, Hungary
  • Jul 15 Carmen Callil, Australian publisher working in the UK (Virago Press), born in Melbourne, Australia (d. 2022)
  • Jul 15 Enrique Figuerola Camue, Cuban 100m runner (Olympic silver 1964), born in Santiago de Cuba
  • Jul 16 Max Wiltshire, Welsh rugby union lock (4 Tests; Aberavon RFC), born in Sydney, Australia (d. 2021)
  • Jul 16 Thorkell Sigurbjörnsson, Icelandic composer, born in Reykjavik (d. 2013)
  • Jul 16 Tony Jackson, British bass player (The Searchers, 1962-64 - "Sugar And Spice"), born in Dingle, Liverpool, England (d. 2003)
  • Jul 17 Stan Bronstein, American rock saxophonist (Elephant's Memory), born in New York City (d. 2020)
  • Jul 18 Britt Leach, American actor (Mickey-Spencer's Pilots), born in Gadsden, Alabama
  • Jul 18 Dudu Pukwana [Mtutuzel], South African saxophonist and composer, born in Walmer Township, Port Elizabeth, South Africa (d. 1990)
  • Jul 18 Ian Stewart, Scottish keyboardist, road manager, and co-founder of the Rolling Stones, born in Pittenweem, Fife, Scotland (d. 1985)
  • Jul 18 John Connelly, English footballer (20 English caps), born in St Helens, Lancashire (d. 2012)
  • Jul 18 Paul Verhoeven, Dutch film director (Basic Instinct, Total Recall), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Jul 19 Jayant Narlikar, Indian astrophysicist (Hoyle–Narlikar theory), born in Maharashtra, India
  • Jul 19 Nicholas Bethell, 4th Baron Bethell, British historian, born in London (d. 2007)
  • Jul 20 Diana Rigg, English actress (Emma Peel-Avengers, Game of Thrones), born in Doncaster England (d. 2020)
  • Jul 20 Fred Lindop, British rugby league referee (22 Tests; World Cup Final 1970; 5 x Challenge Cup Finals), born in Wakefield, England (d. 2023)
  • Jul 20 Jo Ann Campbell, American pop singer ("I'm The Girl From Wolverton Mountain"; "Mother, Please!"), born in Jacksonville, Florida

Natalie Wood (1938-1981)

Jul 20 American actress (Miracle on 34th Street; Gypsy; Rebel Without A Cause; West Side Story), born in San Francisco, California

  • Jul 20 Roger Hunt, English soccer forward (34 caps; FIFA World Cup 1966; Liverpool 404 games, 244 goals; Bolton Wanderers), born in Glazebury, England (d. 2021)
  • Jul 21 Anton Kuerti, Austrian-Canadian Juno Award-winning classical pianist, peace activist, composer, and educator, born in Vienna, Austria
  • Jul 21 Janet Reno, first woman US Attorney General (1993-2001), born in Miami, Florida (d. 2016)
  • Jul 21 Les Aspin, American politician (Rep-D-Wisc, 1971-93), Minister of Defense (1993-94), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (d. 1995)
  • Jul 22 Terence Stamp, English actor (The Collector, Billy Budd), born in London, England
  • Jul 23 Bert Newton, Australian radio, television, and stage personality (Good Morning Australia; Logie Award ceremonies; 20-1), born in Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia (d. 2021)
  • Jul 23 Charles Harrelson, American organized crime figure, convited hitman, and father of actor Woody Harrelson, born in Lovelady, Texas (d. 2007)
  • Jul 23 Götz George, German actor (Tatort), born in Berlin, Germany (d. 2016)
  • Jul 23 Ronny Cox, American actor (RoboCop, Total Recall), born in Cloudcroft, New Mexico
  • Jul 24 Colin Southgate, English businessman (Thorn EMI, Chairman of the Royal Opera House), born in New Malden, Surry (d. 2021)
  • Jul 24 Eugene J. Martin, American visual artist, born in Washington D.C. (d. 2005)
  • Jul 24 John Sparling, New Zealand cricket all-rounder (11 Tests, 5 wickets, 1 x 50; Auckland), born in Auckland, New Zealand
  • Jul 26 Bobby Hebb, American country singer and songwriter ("Sunny"), born in Nashville, Tennessee (d. 2010)
  • Jul 26 Buddy Arrington, American auto racer (NASCAR Winston Cup Series 103 x top 10 finishes), born in Martinsville, Virginia (d. 2022)
  • Jul 26 Joanne Brackeen (née Grogan), American jazz pianist (Joe Henderson; Stan Getz), and music educator (Berklee), born in Ventura, California
  • Jul 26 Keith Peters, Welsh physician, born in Baglan, Glamorgan
  • Jul 27 Gary Gygax, American role-playing games creator (Dungeons & Dragons) and fantasy author, born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2008)
  • Jul 27 Isabelle Aubret [Thérèse Coquerelle], French singer ("Un premier amour"), born in Lille, France

Alberto Fujimori (85 years old)

Jul 28 President of Peru (1990-2000), born in Lima, Peru

  • Jul 28 Arsen Dedić, Croatian singer-songwriter and poet, born in Šibenik, Kingdom of Yugoslavia (d. 2015)
  • Jul 28 George Cummings, American rocker (Dr Hook & Medicine Show), born in Meridian, Mississippi
  • Jul 28 Luis Aragonés, Spanish soccer forward (11 caps; Atlético Madrid) and manager (Spain 2004-08; Atlético Madrid, Barcelona), born in Madrid, Spain (d. 2014)
  • Jul 28 Robert Hughes, Australian art critic and writer (Barcelona), born in Sydney, New South Wales (d. 2012)
  • Jul 29 Don Wert, American baseball player (Detroit Tigers), born in Strasburg, Pennsylvania
  • Jul 29 Jean Rochon, Quebec politician, born in Montreal, Quebec (d. 2021)

Peter Jennings (1938-2005)

Jul 29 Canadian-American news anchor (ABC Evening News), born in Toronto, Ontario

  • Jul 30 Hervé de Charette, French politician, born in Paris, France
  • Jul 30 Terry O'Neill, British fashion and celebrity photographer, born in Romford, London, England (d. 2019)
  • Jul 30 Vyacheslav Ivanov, Soviet rower (3 Olympic gold single sculls 1956, 60, 64), born in Moscow, Russia, USSR
Born in 1938

Famous Weddings

John Bardeen

Jul 18 Physicist and Nobel laureate John Bardeen (30) weds Jane Maxwell

Famous Divorces

Burgess Meredith

Jul 19 Actor Burgess Meredith (30) divorces actress Margaret Perry (25) after 2 years of marriage

Famous Deaths

  • Jul 4 Otto Bauer, Austrian Social Democrat, dies at 56

Suzanne Lenglen (1899-1938)

Jul 4 French tennis player (French C'ships 1925-26, Wimbledon 1919-23, 25), dies of anemia at 39

  • Jul 5 John McIlwraith, cricketer (Tests for Australia), dies
  • Jul 9 Benjamin N. Cardozo, American lawyer and jurist, dies at 68
  • Jul 14 Robert Poore, British cricket batsman (3 Tests for South Africa in 1895-96 series), dies at 72
  • Jul 18 Fernando Canon, Filipino revolutionary general, poet, and the Philippines 1st National Chess Champion, dies at 77
  • Jul 18 Marie, last Queen of Romania as the wife of King Ferdinand I (1914-27), dies at 62
  • Jul 18 Vladimir Kirshon, Russian playwright (Ultimatum Factory), executed at 35
  • Jul 21 Owen Wister, American author, 'father of the Western' (The Virginian), dies at 78
  • Jul 27 Catherine Wolfe Donohue, American watch dial painter, dies of radium poisoning at 35 [1]
  • Jul 29 Nikolai Krylenko, Russian/Soviet jurist and politician (b. 1885)